Volunteer Training

How to Begin

Once you have submitted your online volunteer application and completed a background check, it’s time to begin your volunteer training

New Volunteer Training

Our volunteer training provides an overview of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, including the Girl Scout Mission, council goals, program processes and resources that support your success. These classes are designed to introduce you to the basics of Girl Scouts so you feel comfortable in your volunteer role. Members of the Troop Leadership Team must complete New Volunteer Training before receiving a troop number.

Once you have completed your required courses you may choose enrichment programs to meet specific position or troop needs and interests.

Child Care

Child Care is not provided at training sessions. Please make arrangements before attending training.

For questions about training, please contact us.

gsLearn - New Leader Learning Path: You will need to be registered to access this. Once registered, we will be able to assign training to you. You will then login to MYGS on our website, click my account, and then click gsLearn. Once you are in gsLearn, you will be able to search for 506-New Leader Learning Path and then click to start the course.

The 506-New Leader Learning Path includes: Welcome to Diamonds!, Keeping Girls Safe, Managing Group Finances, Successful Leader Learning, Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention*, and Wrapping Up Your New Leader Learning.

*If your place of employment requires you to take a mandated reporter training through the state, this may take the place of the Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention. Just email your Volunteer Specialist to let them know so we can mark this course complete.

This can be done around your schedule. We recommend you complete these before taking the New Leader Fundamentals class.
New Leader Fundamentals: Taught by an experienced council trainer or staff member, this in-person course helps guide you on the way to designing a fun and memorable troop year. You will learn about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, including badges and journeys, as well as ways to engage parents. Check the events calendar for New Leader Fundamental training dates. Once your registration is received, you will receive confirmation of enrollment along with any other information you need to know about the course.

Volunteer Essentials covers Diamonds Council policies and procedures. It highlights important information such as healthy development in girls, instructions on keeping girls safe, how to plan trips, host events, and manage troop finances. It is a key resource for troop or group volunteers. The Volunteer Essentials Learning Series covers each chapter of Volunteer Essentials and provides you with the tools needed for a successful troop year.

Safety Activity Checkpoints discusses steps to take in advance of troop activity. It can be viewed online and is downloadable. Think of it as checklist to follow as you plan your troop activities and events. It is a helpful resource that helps keep girls safe, parents informed and you prepared.

Training Enrichment Series

The Training Enrichment Series provides additional trainings for volunteers to help enhance the Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls in their groups or troops.

Troop Travel and Outdoor Series

There are special training requirements for volunteers leading groups or troops who wish to travel more than 120 miles from their meeting sites, host an overnight experience, or who are ready to go camping.

Venture Out I

This home study course provides volunteers with instructions on organizing and facilitating activities with girls that involve overnight stay. These activities include: overnights in the home, overnights at Girl Scout facilities such as scout houses, camping activities with sleep-in cabins, overnights in hotels and educational overnight programs. The course covers Girl Scout camping traditions, basic dish washing skills, how to set up and use Kaper Charts, how to identify native plants and animals, and Leave No Trace fundamentals.

Prerequisites: Volunteer Essentials

Click here to access the Venture Out I booklet.
Click here to take the Venture Out I Exam.

Note: This class must be taken prior to troop travel with any overnight stay – no fire building permitted. At least one adult must have First Aider Level 1 Training for all trips of one day or more.

Venture Out II

During this in-person training, participants will be able to help their troop plan and execute an outdoor camping/overnight trip by using progression in planning to guide girls in Girl-led decision-making. Volunteers will teach their troop basic knife safety, fundamentals of fire building, tent set up/break down and outdoor safety. Leaders will also learn the fundamentals of environmental awareness, how to prepare for the weather, how to identify proper clothing and gear for outdoor camping and how to pack for an outdoor overnight trip. This training will cover meal planning, food storage, and basic techniques for outdoor cooking.

Prerequisites: Volunteer Essentials, Venture Out I

Note: This is an in-person class that is overnight. Please check our events calendar for available dates and times. This class must be taken prior to any troop travel at a camp with fire building necessity. At least one adult must have First Aider Level 1 Training for all trips of one day or more.

Outdoor Resources
Taking girls outside can be a fun time for everyone as girls develop outdoor skills and a passion for nature. Now it’s even easier for Girl Scout volunteers to introduce girls to the wonders of hiking and camping. Whether you’re a camping pro, or just starting out, you can help girls of all ages have a positive experience in the great outdoors.

Thanks to a grant from the Elliott Wildlife Values Project, we have eight outdoor skill-building videos especially for volunteers newer to Girl Scouts and older Girl Scouts as they take younger girls outside.

These videos can help volunteers give girls a sense of empowerment in the outdoors, show them how to use natural resources more wisely (including respecting our environment and wildlife), and help them become lifelong stewards of the land and our natural resources. Click here to view the videos.

Have questions about training? Contact us.

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Volunteer Training

gsLearn - New Leader Learning Path

New Leader Fundamentals

Venture Out I

Venture Out II