Volunteer Resources | Girl Scouts Heart of the South

Recruitment Material Requests toggle arrow

Are you ready to invite girls from your area to join Girl Scouts? The council can help with customized printed and digital flyers, Girl Scout program information, recruitment booth supplies and support. Requests should be made at least 2 weeks in advance of your event. Please use the link below to request what you need for a successful recruitment!

Recruitment Event Materials Request Form

Volunteer Background Check toggle arrow

To ensure the safety of our girl members, every adult working directly with girls is required to pass a background check. If you are joining our organization as a volunteer, please complete a background check through Sterling Volunteers.

Start Background Check

Volunteer Essentials toggle arrow

Volunteer Essentials provides all the information you need to be a successful Girl Scout volunteer. This guide is filled with information about Girl Scouting such as traditions, responsibilities, product programs, and awards. You will also find information specific to volunteering with Girl Scouts Heart of the South, such as tools, resources, and policies.

Volunteer Policies toggle arrow

All volunteers are responsible for compliance with these policies when acting as a Girl Scout or interacting with Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts Heart of the South, or any other Girl Scout council.

Volunteer Policies

Troop Leader Position Agreement

Troop Volunteer Agreement

Safety Activity Checkpoints toggle arrow

When preparing for any activity with girls, always begin with the Safety Activity Checkpoints written specifically for that particular activity. Read the checkpoints, follow them, and share them with other volunteers, parents and girls before engaging in activities with girls.

There’s Nothing a GIRL can’t do……..

As you explore the many options to engage girls in exciting activities, you will notice that there are recommendations for some activities by age level. These recommendations have taken into consideration the emotional, physical, and developmental stages of girls. If an activity requires council approval, please email your request to participate to info@girlscoutshs.org.

You will be notified as to the status of your request as well as any additional requirements to participate in the requested activity.

The goal is for girls to feel confident and comfortable with each planned activity. Safety will always be our priority as we build girls of courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place.

Safety Activity Checkpoints

Girl Scout Safety Guidelines toggle arrow

Every adult in Girl Scouting is responsible for the physical and emotional safety of girls, and we all demonstrate that by agreeing to follow these guidelines at all times.

Girl Scout Safety Guidelines

Handling an Accident or Incident

Accident or Incident Report Form

New Leader Guide toggle arrow

Welcome to Girl Scouts! This New Leader's Guide to Success has all the information to get you started in your new position as a Girl Scout Co-Leader.

Volunteer Toolkit toggle arrow

The Volunteer Toolkit is a digital resource that supports troop leaders and co-leaders, making the process of running a troop easier and more efficient.

Your Girl Scout year just got easier!

As a Girl Scout volunteer, you already know that your girls love Girl Scouts for the friends, the fun, and all the new things they get to try.

But what if there was a way to run your troop or group that saves you time and helps you plan so that you can spend more time with the girls? Meet the Volunteer Toolkit, the web app that makes it easy for you to get the most out of every troop or group meeting.

And here’s the best part—with the Volunteer Toolkit, you can say goodbye to digging through big stacks of books and piles of resources. It is accessible from your home computer, tablet, or mobile device—placing everything you need in one easy-to-access place that’s accessible on the go.

Download the Volunteer Toolkit User Guide that fits your needs:

Log in today! Click on My GS in the upper right-hand corner to get started.

With the Volunteer Toolkit, troop leaders can: toggle arrow

Plan the troop’s calendar year.
Email parents with one click.
View the troop roster, renew girls’ membership, and update girls' contact information.
View Daisy through Ambassador awards and badges (to plan for troop meetings), including prepopulated tracks for younger and older Multi-Level troop groups (K–5 and 6–12).
Customize meetings by troop year with other badge and award options.
Explore individual meeting plans that show a breakdown of every meeting, including a list of materials needed and editable time allotments for each activity within a meeting.
Record girls’ attendance at meetings and their badge and award achievements.
Add council or custom troop events to the troop’s calendar.
Enter the troop’s finances (depending on the council’s process).
Easily locate resources both national and local council resources, such as Safety Activity Checkpoints.

What about parents? toggle arrow

Parents can now access the Volunteer Toolkit to see what their girl’s troop or group is doing (e.g, meeting information and which badges and Journeys she is working on).
Parents can also view the troop’s finances (depending on the council’s process).
Parents can also download the VTK Parent's Guide to learn more!

Log in today! Click on My GS in the upper right-hand corner to get started.

Girl Scout Branding and Logos toggle arrow

Girl Scouts is a beloved, iconic brand. Few brands are strong enough to be identified simply by a color or a shape, but we have both the unique shade of "Girl Scout green" and the singular Girl Scout Trefoil symbol working for us. EVERYONE in Girl Scouting has a role in protecting our name, our image, and our brand.

Creating a flyer or poster for your next event? Designing a t-shirt for your girls? Below are some resources – logos, fonts, and more – that you can use to make your materials look fantastic and Girl Scout-approved!

General Guidelines toggle arrow

Any publicly visible materials that use the Girl Scouts of Heart of the South, logo, fonts, or any other branding must follow Girl Scouts of the USA brand guidelines AND be approved by Marketing and Communications please email news@girlscoutshs.org. Please allow one week between when you send in the materials and when you need final approval.

Referencing Our Name
The words "Scout", "Scouts" and "scouting" should never appear without the modifier "Girl," and each word should be capitalized.

Colors

Our colors are Black, White and Green (#00AE58 or R0 G174 B88 or PMS 355)
Girl Scouts and green go together. To ensure that we continue to claim the color and to solidify our identity, embrace green. Be sure to include at least a bit of green in every piece you produce.
Use the colors in our Color Palette to add some fun to your designs.

Font
Girls, troops, volunteers, etc., are encouraged to use the Palatino font and its variations for any design materials created.

Photos
Choosing photos to use for your piece is extremely important. Remember to focus on moments that matter, we want the world to see and feel for themselves all of the amazing things our girls are doing and showcase the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Questions about branding? Email news@girlscoutshs.org

Logos and Servicemarks toggle arrow

Easy Artwork Downloads
Click the artwork you want to use below and then save the image to your computer.

Girl Scouts Heart of the South Servicemark
Higher Awards
Trefoil

T-shirts, Patches and Other Branded Items toggle arrow

For all branded items, please contact the communications team by emailing news@girlscoutshs.org.

We are not able to make custom items for every troop and community, but we do need to approve your design.

Super Troop toggle arrow

The Super Troop Program allows your troop to earn extra money, recognition and a Super Troop patch, all for just doing the things you are already doing while experiencing Girl Scouts!

View Requirements

When you have completed all of the Super Troop Requirements, submit your information here.

Bridging and Court of Awards Ceremonies toggle arrow

Bridging and Court of Awards Ceremonies help Girl Scouts celebrate and reflect on their accomplishments from throughout the year, such as bridging to another level, earning a National Leadership Journey award, or getting a Girl Scout pin. Bridging ceremonies mark a girl's move from one level of Girl Scouting to another and are often included in a Service Unit Court of Awards Ceremony at the end of the year.

We've packed everything you need into the Court of Awards Ceremony Planning Guide. You'll find information on Bridging Ceremonies in the Sample Script provided within the guide.

Higher Awards Recognition toggle arrow

Check out our Higher Awards Recognition Ceremony Guide to honor your girls when they receive one of Girl Scouting's highest honors!

Need council recognitions? If you have girls who have completed their Girl Scout Bronze Award or have earned their 10-Year Award, you'll need to submit a Recognition Request Form to be able to purchase their pins and/or patches.

The Girl Scout Silver Award requires that girls submit their final reports to the council through the Submission Form for Silver Award Final Report. Once approved, the troop can purchase the Silver Award Pin for the girls. The council will provide each girl with a Silver Award Patch.

Gold Award Girl Scouts complete all of their requirements through a Gold Award online system from GSUSA. The council will manage all approvals and recognitions for girls who earn the Girl Scout Gold Award. Troops may wish to purchase parent/mentor mini pins for the girls to present to their parents or mentors during a local ceremony.

Have additional questions? Email us at higherawards@girlscoutshs.org.

Heartstrings - GSHS' Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Volunteers toggle arrow

Emailed to all registered adult volunteers and household accounts at the beginning of each month, Heartstrings contains the most current information about everything that's going at Girl Scouts Heart of the South and everything you need to know to make the most of your GSHS experience!

Find our most recent issues on our Council Communications page.

Links to Helpful GSUSA Videos toggle arrow

Controlling the Room - Tips for troop leaders on the best way to get the attention of the girls in their troop.

Leader-daughter Dynamic - Tips for how to manage when troop leaders have their daughter in their troop.

Parent Meeting - Tips for engaging parents in troop meetings and activities.

Positive Troop Environment - Tips for creating and maintaining a sage and positive troop environment.

Start-up Activities - Examples of successful activities for the girls to do at the beginning of the troop meeting.

Troop Safety - Tips for troop leaders to ensure they are following safety guidelines with their troop.

Welcoming New Girls - Tips for troop leaders to ensure new girls feel welcome as a new troop member.

West Tennessee Kickstarter FUNd toggle arrow

West Tennessee Kickstarter FUNd

Funds are available to help Girl Scout troops with start up costs! Girl Scout troops in Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Henderson, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion and Weakley counties are eligible to apply.
Click Here to view requirements and additional information.

Cookie Guides and Resources toggle arrow

The Girl Scout Cookie or Fall Product Program allows girls to learn and earn! To help you have an easy and enjoyable experience, our guides will walk you step by step through logging on to submitting your final orders, along with listing important dates, product information and more.

Little Brownie Bakers

girlscoutcookies.org

Digital Cookie

Girl Scouts of the USA's Cookie Resources Page

Volunteer Cookie Resources Page

How to Sell Girl Scouts to the Public toggle arrow

Handy resource to help you in your efforts to talk to others about your love of Girl Scouting and bring more members to our amazing organization!

How to Sell Girl Scouts to the Public