VOLUNTEER-IN-TRAINING

(FORMERLY KNOWN AS LEADER IN TRAINING*)

The VIT leadership opportunity is designed to help Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts discover their talents in mentoring and leading younger children, gain the confidence, knowledge and expertise needed to guide younger girls, and prepares them to hold future leadership positions within and outside of Girl Scouting; plus, connect with other teen Girl Scouts from around the council. Specifically, VITs are teen girls who have an interest in mentoring who through training acquire the skills and confidence necessary to guide a group of younger girls, and hold future leadership positions within and outside of Girl Scouting.

Eligibility:

Any registered Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout in grades 9-12.

Training Requirements:

Core Training: Designed to foster the development of basic leadership skills and to give girls a basis for working with younger girls. Topics include basic understanding of Girl Scout program, developmental characteristics of younger girls, and the role and responsibilities of the Volunteer in Training. Additionally, participants will learn how to select, plan, and present age-appropriate activities and use problem-solving strategies.

Leadership Essentials for Teens: Designed to help teens teach younger girls how to use their personal leadership to discover their values, connect with others, and take action in their communities through Journey materials and the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. *This training is still being designed and not yet being offered.

Internship Requirement:

Once the VIT selects the grade level with which she would like to work, has taken the trainings and completed required paperwork, she can either locate a troop/group in her local area with whom she would like to work or she can obtain council assistance. She must then work with the same troop/group on an ongoing basis and commit at least 25 hours of service to her assigned troop/group. These hours can be spread out over several months.

Responsibilities:

Once assigned to a troop/group a girl must:

Assist the leader with planning troop/group activities and facilitating troop/group management
Implement activities while adhering to the principles of the girl/adult partnership
Exhibit exemplary behavior and act as a role model for the younger girls in the troop/group
Be punctual and attend the meetings to which she has committed
Maintain a record of the time spent with the assigned troop/group.
Provide the leader with signed parent/guardian permission slips when they plan to travel with a troop/group.
Complete the Leadership Project Evaluation Form

Awards:

A girl earns her VIT pin:

Upon completion of Core Training and Leadership Essentials for Teens
Completing an application, three references, and the Parent/Girl Agreement.
The VIT Pin can be presented to girls on the troop or service unit level and can be picked-up or mailed to the leader at the leaders request.

A girl will receive an VIT patch:

Upon completing a Leader/Adult Agreement for Participation in Leadership Projects
Upon completion of her internship and her log of hours and evaluation form.
The VIT Patch can be presented to girls on the troop or service unit level and can be picked-up or mailed to the leader at the leaders request.

*The newly named VIT award refers to Volunteer-in-Training. Yes, it replaces the LIT award (Leader-in-Training) and is earned by Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors who want to mentor girls in a pathway other than the camp pathway.