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Online Support for Volunteers

We’ve got you, Girl Scout volunteers!

GSNI is committed to making sure volunteers have all they need to lead girls on their adventure to becoming independent and confident. GSNI's Senior Leadership Team responds to volunteer concerns. 

If you have any questions call us at 1-844-GSNI-4-ME (1-844-476-4463) or send us an email. We'd be happy to help! 

New Volunteer Resources

New Volunteer Resources

Welcome all new volunteers to Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois! Here you will find a ton of resources for you to get started as a first year volunteer.  

New Volunteer Orientation Schedule

New Volunteer Orientation is required for all new volunteers in all troop volunteer roles. This meeting will jump start you in basic information about Girl Scouting and Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. We will provide introductions to three major platforms you will be using throughout your onboarding process and answer any questions you may how. This meeting is approximately 1 hour long and is offered as a Zoom Live Session or In-person Session.  

New volunteers should participate in a New Volunteer Orientation session within 1 week of registering as a Girl Scout Volunteer. 

Upcoming Dates

June 7, 2023 at 5:30 pm (South Elgin - in person) 

June 12, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom Meeting)

June 26, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom Meeting)

July 10, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom Meeting)

July, 20, 2023 at 5:30 pm (Freeport - in person)

July 24, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom Meeting) 

August 9, 2023 at 12 pm (Rockford - in person)

 

Required Training Information
Let's Get Started Meeting Schedule

We are finalizing our schedule. To check out what dates are available, check out the 415 Let's Get Started block on your gsLearn Dashboard! 

New Troop Leadership Resources

Coming Soon! 

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Volunteer Online Resources

Challenging Conversation Resources

GSUSA has created resources to help guide leaders and volunteers with challenging conversations with girls. 

Check out GSUSA's webpage: Challenging Conversations for resources on: 

  • Leading Difficult Converstaions with Confidence
  • Conversations About Current Events
  • Conversations About Bullying
Honor Troop

Looking for a great way to provide the best troop experience for your Girl Scouts? Look no further! GSNI's Honor Troop program is a roadmap for your Girl Scout year to make sure your troop is getting the best experience!

GSNI Tax Exempt Letter
gsZoom

gsZoom


Zoom is an easy, reliable video conferencing and messaging platform with powerful security, that works across mobile and desktop devices. Safely meet with your Girl Scouts and families through virtual meetings to stay in-touch when meeting in-person is difficult. GsZoom is our unique partnership with Zoom organization to provide this essential product at a vastly reduced price point for our volunteers.

Think virtual meetings are for you? Contact us to get started!

 

 

Mental and Behavioral Health

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois is an advocate for mental health for girls, women, and communities. We collaborate with experts in the field of mental/behavioral health to access high-quality resources and align with best practices. Positive mental health encourages girls to fully embrace our mission and grow into their leadership potential. Our goal is for all members (girls, volunteers, alumnae, and staff) to embrace mental health wellness. 

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois is proud to introduce our “Flourish” initiative, part of an ongoing strategy to embrace positive mental and behavioral health.

GSNI continues to expand on our "Flourish" resources for Leaders, Troops and Parents. You can find many resources on our Mental and Behavioral Health page. 

Troop Leaders who want to track their Flourish trainings in gsLearn can find all available trainings in the 415 Flourish Learning Path in the Content Library. 

Most Frequently Used Forms For Troops
Troop Leader and Volunteer Position Descriptions

Troops have a variety of leadership and volunteer positions avialable to support a positive well rounded Girl Scout Troop year.

Traditional Troop Model:
 Troop Leader Position Description 
Troop Fall Product Chair 
Troop Cookie Chair - Available November 2022

Troop Team Model:
Troop Administrator
Girl Program Mentor
Troop Product Chair

Optional Troop Volunteer Position (by request):
 Troop Bank Signer
 

 

Volunteer Tool Kit
Volunteer Toolkit


The Volunteer Toolkit is your official source for delivering easy, fun troop meetings year-round! This fully customizable digital planning tool is accessible on any computer, tablet, or mobile device and provides you with Girl Scout program content, award requirements, and other resources.

Through the Volunteer Toolkit, troop leaders can:

  • Plan the troop’s calendar year.
  • View the troop roster and email families with one click.
  • View badges, Journeys and awards for all program levels including prepopulated tracks for younger and older Multi-Level troop groups (K–5 and 6–12).
  • Explore 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 Journey 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.

The Volunteer Toolkit isn’t just for troop leaders!
Caregivers and administrative volunteers can have access too.

  • Caregivers of Girl Scouts in a troop can see troop financial reports, download their attendance and achievement record and stay up-to-date on the great things the troop is doing throughout the year.
  • Individually registered Girl Scouts and their caregivers can access badges, Journeys and awards to take charge of their experience individually.
  • Administrative volunteers can see a demo version of the Volunteer Tookit to see all the programming available to troops and families, as well as provide support and training to their local volunteers.
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What About Parents?

  • Parents can now access the VTK 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).

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

Ready to learn more?
Check out the Volunteer Toolkit trainings in gsLearn before you start.Click on My GS in the upper right-hand corner to login and access gsLearn and the Volunteer Toolkit.

Caregivers
Check out our easy-access trainings available on YouTube!

My GS


My GS is your Girl Scout home base and how you access other great tools to manage the Girl Scout experience for your family and troop! By logging into My GS in the upper right-hand corner you can:

  • Manage your Girl Scout membership and all the memberships in your household and troop(s).
  • Find exciting in-person and virtual events for your Girl Scout, your family, or your troop to attend.
  • Maintain your contact information, preferences and manage any changes within your troop.
  • Access essential tools like the Volunteer Toolkit and gsLearn to make your Girl Scout volunteer experience a breeze!

 


gsLearn


gsLearn is Girl Scouts’ official online and on demand training platform. Confident leaders are prepared leaders, and these online learnings will give you all the info you need to be a great troop leader.

gsLearn isn’t just for volunteers! All members have access to this great tool. Click on myGS in the upper right-hand corner to login and check it out.

We are excited to launch our new training platform gsLearn! All of GSNI's volunteer training has been moved to gsLearn starting for the 2021 membership year. We invite you to log into your MYGS Community account and click on gsLearn to start learning more about how YOU can be the best Girl Scout Volunteer you can be! 

For Step by Step instructions on how to log into gsLearn click here.
For a video demo click here. 
Want to learn more about gsLearn and how to find trainings? Click here to register for a gsLearn webinar with our Volunteer Resource Manager. 

Current Enrichment Courses and Office Hours
Upcoming Enrichments by Jen Camplain
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Service Unit Team Resources

Current Service Unit Team Position Descriptions

Every Service Unit consists of a team of administrative Girl Scout volunteers who support and manage local and council Girl Scout activities and volunteers. Below are GSNI's current Service Unit Team Position Descriptions. Volunteers who hold these positions sign the Position Description after completing their training in gsLearn. If you are interested in a position that is open on the service unit team in your service unit, please contact your Service Unit Manager or Member Support Specialist for more information. 

Service Unit Manager
Service Unit Treasurer
Service Unit Juliette Liaison
Service Unit Girl Scout Organizer
Service Unit Recognition Chair
Service Unit Event Coordinator
Service Unit Registrar
Service Unit Volunteer Mentor

*All Service Unit Team positions subject to change year to year. New position descriptions for the upcoming year will be posted by July 1 every year. 

Service Unit Team Position Trainings
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Each Service Unit Team Position is required to complete specfic learning path with training courses for the position in gsLearn. Once a volunteer completes a background check and has an active Girl Scout membership; Member Support will assign the learning path to be completed within 2 weeks of the Service Unit Team position being assigned. 

Some positons have required annual training during specific times of the year. Those trainings are indicated below.

*At this time both GSUSA and GSNI are updating Service Unit Team Position Trainings. As they become available, GSNI will assign volunteers within those roles the required training. 

 

Service Unit Manager

Service Unit Managers are required to complete the 415 Service Unit Manager Training Learning Path in gsLearn. The courses in this path include:

  • GSUSA Service Unit Training - Effective Meetings
  • GSUSA Service Unit Training - Developing & Growing the SU Team
  • GSUSA Service Unit Training - Goal Setting & Planning
  • GSUSA Volunteer Toolkit- Demo/Service Unit Access
  • GSUSA Zoom for Girl Scouts
  • GSUSA Brand Ambassador 101 for Volunteers
  • 415 Service Unit Manager Course - Available Fall of 2022
  • 415 Service Unit Manager Position (e-signing the position descritpion)

Service Unit Managers have the right to complete any or all Service Unit Team Position Learning Path(s), they wish in order to understand what each role on their Service Unit Team is responsible for. All Service Unit Team Positions Learning Paths are found in the Content Library for all Service Unit Managers. 

Service Unit Treasurer

All Service Unit Treasurers are required to complete the 415 Service Unit Treasurer Training Learning Path in gsLearn.

At this time GSNI is currently updating these courses to ensure all updated information is availabe Fall 2022. 

Service Unit Girl Scout Organizer

GS Organizers are required to complete the 415 Service Unit GS Organizer Learning Path in gslearn. They may also be required to complete any courses with updated information about recruiting methods or campaigns throughout the year as they become available from GSUSA and GSNI. 

Courses included in the 415 Service Unit GS Organizer Learning Path are:

  • GSUSA Who is the recruiter?
  • GSUSA Effective Recruitment Tactics
  • GSUSA Supporting New Leaders Through Startup Troops
  • GSUSA Conducting a Plática
  • GSUSA Conducting an Animal Dance Party
  • GSUSA Brand Ambassador 101 for Volunteers
  • 415 GSNI GS Organizer Course

GS Organizers should check in with their Recruitment Speciliast once training is completed. When training is complete, the confirmation email from signing the position description will give the GS Organizer access to all current Recruitment resources at that time. Resources are added and updated throughout the year to match the current recruitment campaigns being offered. 

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Certificates of Insurance

Certificate of Insurance for Outside Facilities and Activities

When planning an event, there may be times where we need to obtain a Certificate of Insurance and have it on file 2 weeks prior to when your event is scheduled.

Please consult Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois’ Safety Activity Checkpoints At-A-Glance to determine if the facility offering the activity your troop would like to do requires GSNI to have a copy of the facility’s Certificate of Insurance on file. Please consult our current Certificates of Insurance List to check if we already have a Certificate of Insurance on file for the organization you will be working with.                                                

If the facility your troop is planning to use is listed, then you only need to complete the necessary GSNI Permission Slips, the facility’s waiver (if applicable), and the GSNI Troop Trip & Overnight Approval Form (if your field trip is further than 60 miles from your normal meeting space).

If the facility is not listed, the troop leader needs to request a Certificate of Insurance from the facility. To do this, simply call the facility and ask for a current Certificate of Insurance with GSNI listed as a Certificate Holder, including the information below:

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
1886 Daimler Road
Rockford, IL 61112

The certificate can be emailed to customercare@girlscoutsni.org with “Certificate of Insurance” in the subject line, or U.S. mailed to the above address, or faxed to 847-741-5667.

Requesting Certificate of Insurance from GSNI

If a facility is requesting a copy of Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois’ Certificate of Insurance, please use the following form.  After this form is submitted, please allow 2 weeks for processing.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(i.e. Overnight, Service Unit Event, Cookie Booth)
 
 
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Forms and Documents

Visit our Forms and Documents Page for a quick and easy way to find the form you are looking for! You can even search by category!
Keep her engaged and inspired in challenging times. Renew Now.
Keep her engaged and inspired in challenging times. Renew Now.
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