Additional Resources and Support

Know How Much You Are Appreciated

What begins with Girl Scouts speaking up at a troop meeting can go all the way to speaking in front of their city council for a cause they champion—and they’ll have your support to thank for it. Your volunteer role makes a powerful difference: Girl Scouts wouldn’t exist without volunteers like you. And your first step as a troop leader may lead you to other volunteer opportunities once this year is over.

We’ll say it again: without our passionate and dedicated volunteers, there would be no Girl Scouting. That’s why we celebrate National Volunteer Month every April (including National Volunteer Week the third week of that month) and turn up the party as we ring in National Girl Scout Leader’s Day on April 22.

What can we say? We love our volunteers!

Additional Resources and Support

So how are you feeling? Excited? Anxious? Not quite sure yet? That’s ok, it’s normal. We know that volunteering isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new, so we can’t thank you enough for jumping in to be the mentor and role model she needs! Guiding your Girl Scouts—even if you’re still figuring things out—is nothing short of amazing!

The important thing to remember is, you’re not alone. We are in this with you, ready to help and support you at all times! Thanks again! It’s going to be a great Girl Scout year!

Appendix: Volunteer Policies

This section is intended as a reference for all volunteers affiliated with the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, stating the policies of the council. Supplemental publications to this policy document include Safety Activity Checkpoints and The Blue Book of Basic Documents.

A policy states what must be done; a standard is a guide for doing it well; and a procedure describes how, when and by whom something is to be done.

Alcohol / Drugs / Smoking toggle arrow

Volunteers must always maintain the ability to operate in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner. The use of alcohol or marijuana at a girl event or when transporting Girl Scouts is never acceptable. Misuse of prescribed drugs or use of prescribed drugs that dull your ability to be alert and operate safely is prohibited. Smoking, including e-cigarettes and vaping, is not allowed on any GSCWM property or in the presence of girls.

Appointment / Reappointment toggle arrow

Certain regular volunteer assignments will be designated term limited assignments and will be subject to reappointment. Reappointment is based on past performance, adherence to council and GSUSA policies and standards, support of the Girl Scout mission, values, and council goals, as well as positive relationships with the community, parents, other volunteers, and employed staff. Board member, Board Development Committee, and National Council Delegate appointments and reappointments will be done in accordance with the GSCWM bylaws.

Child Abuse toggle arrow

The council supports and maintains environments that are free of child abuse and neglect as defined by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

Child abuse and neglect are unlawful acts, and it is against the council’s policy for any volunteer to physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally, or verbally abuse or neglect any girl member.

The council reserves the right to refuse membership endorsement or reappointment, and to dismiss or to exclude from affiliation with the council, any volunteer participating in the Girl Scout program who is found guilty of child abuse and neglect or has been convicted of child abuse and neglect.

While Massachusetts law does not define Girl Scout adult volunteers as mandated reporters, it is GSCWM policy to encourage any volunteer who has cause to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred to report the matter to the appropriate authorities (DCF 1-800-792-5200). For more information: http://www.mass.gov.

You Witness or Experience Abuse toggle arrow

Sexual advances, improper touching, and sexual activity of any kind with girl members are forbidden. Physical, verbal and emotional abuse of girls is also forbidden. All states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have statues identifying persons who are required to report suspected child abuse to an appropriate agency. Therefore, if you witness or suspect child abuse or neglect, whether inside or outside of Girl Scouting, follow your council’s guidelines for reporting your concerns to the proper agency within your state.

For additional information please check the following resources:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/
How to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/reporting/how/
Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/statutes/manda/

Discrimination / Harassment toggle arrow

It is the policy of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts to provide all volunteers with an environment free from all forms of unlawful or unwelcome harassment, including implied or expressed forms of sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment may consist of ‘unwelcome’ sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical acts of a sexual nature where submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or a condition of an individual’s appointment; where an appointment decision is based on an individual’s acceptance or rejection of such conduct; or where such conduct interferes with an individual’s performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

The council expressly prohibits any form of harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status.

GSCWM has a firm commitment to providing an environment where all employees and girl and adult members are treated with dignity and respect. All share responsibility and ownership for creating and maintaining a respectful and positive environment.

Any complaint of sexual harassment should be reported to the Equal Opportunity Director: Suzanne Smiley, Chief Operating Officer, (413-584-2602) or (508-365-0115), 301 Kelly Way, Holyoke, MA 01040. Such complaints will be taken seriously and any finding of inappropriate action will be addressed. Retaliation against anyone who has reported an incident of sexual harassment is expressly prohibited.

GSCWM does not condone nor tolerate unlawful or inappropriate behavior including but not limited to the following: unlawful or inappropriate sexual advances or sexual activity of any kind, infliction of sexually abusive behavior, including sexual touching and bodily contact, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and/or involvement of girl members in pornographic materials.

Equal Opportunity toggle arrow

The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) is an equal opportunity organization. GSCWM, in accordance with applicable federal and state law, does not discriminate against any volunteer based on race, color, national origin, creed, ethnicity or ancestry, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation (which shall not include sexual orientation involving minor children as a sex object), disability, genetic information, veteran or military service status, or marital status in the consideration for, provision of or access to volunteer opportunities, our facilities, or services. Additionally GSCWM does not discriminate on the basis of socioeconomic status.

Grievances toggle arrow

GSCWM will address every documented grievance. The fact that a volunteer has made a non-malicious grievance will not jeopardize her or his volunteer status. The initiation of the grievance will not restrict the council from taking immediate and appropriate action. Information regarding the grievance will be kept confidential and limited to a need to know basis.

Level 2 and 3 Sex Offenders toggle arrow

In order to provide a safe and secure environment for girls, Level 2 and Level 3 registered sex offenders are not allowed to be present at any Girl Scout function, event, meeting, or activity.

Resources and Information

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) toggle arrow

The Children’s Online Privacy Act (COPPA) requires the operator of any website or online service directed to children that collects personal information from children or the operator of a website or online service that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child (defined as an individual under the age of 13) to:

Provide notice on the website of what information is collected from children by the operator, how the operator uses such information, and the operator’s disclosure practices for such information; and
To obtain verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children.

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts maintains a website (www.gscwm.org) that includes information of interest to girls under the age of 13.

GSCWM will not collect personal information online from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent. Personal information, as defined in the COPPA, means individually identifiable information about an individual collected online including:
- a first and last name
- a home or other physical address, including street name and name of a city or town
- an e-mail address
- a telephone number
- a social security number
- any other identifier that permits the physical or online contacting of a specific individual
- information concerning the child or the parents of that child that the website collects online from the child and combines with an identifier listed above
  - Verifiable parental consent authorizing the collection and use of personal information will be obtained before any personal information is collected online from a child under age 13.
  - Children under the age of 13 may not purchase items from GSCWM’s online retail store.

ICE Guidance - Guidelines toggle arrow

Be Prepared
- Find out if your meeting place or event space has a plan for interactions with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Obtain a copy and be sure to follow it, if the need arises.
- Girl Scout meetings, events, or other activities are not open to the public without invitation or judicial warrant. If concerned, you could post a sign outside your space that says, “Non-public Area” or “Private” (either is fine).
Remain calm and respectful.
Say, “I’m sorry but you cannot enter our non-public/private Girl Scout program area without a judicial warrant.”
- If they show you a warrant signed by a judge, say, “I am not authorized to provide entrance and need to contact a representative of the Girl Scouts”.
  - Call 413-584-2602 x 7120 for assistance.
  - Do not touch or obstruct an immigration official if they attempt to enter.
- Do not continue the discussion or answer questions.
Let parents know if your troop has been approached by an immigration official, that a response plan was in place, and the plan was followed to protect their children.

Safety and Security at GSCWM toggle arrow

In any crisis situation you should always call the police or other safety personnel at 911. Girl Scout adults should feel comfortable calling for emergency assistance at any time if there is a concern for the safety and wellbeing of the girls. Emergencies can impact anyone. Children should know that emergencies can happen at any time, and that a Girl Scout is always ready to “be prepared”.

Safety protocols at Girl Scout meetings:

Troops are encouraged to meet in a public facility where they can have their own designated room, i.e. a community room in a public safety complex, a meeting room in a local library, a meeting room in a local church.

Troop adult volunteers should know the layout of the space prior to using it as a meeting space.

If possible, adult volunteers should have the ability to restrict access to the space by locking the doors.

Troop volunteers should ensure that their cell phone works in the meeting space or that the meeting space has a phone available for use.

GSCWM recommends that Girl Scout troops prepare emergency procedures and practice them with girls just as schools practice fire drills and families plan and practice escape routes for emergencies. Every facility is different. Additionally, troop volunteers can invite local police or emergency personnel to attend a troop meeting. Police officers are often available to meet with groups to discuss emergency preparedness.

The following websites provide guidance in creating emergency plans

Transporting Girls toggle arrow

How parents decide to transport girls between their homes and Girl Scout meeting places is each parent’s individual decision and responsibility.

For planned Girl Scout field trips and other activities (outside the normal meeting time and place) in which a group will be transported in private vehicles keep in mind the following:

Every driver must be an approved volunteer at least 21 years old, and have a good driving record, a valid license and a registered/insured vehicle.
Girls never drive other girls.
If a group is traveling in one vehicle, there must be at least two unrelated, approved adult volunteers in the vehicle, one of whom is female. In addition, the girl-volunteer ratios in the “Knowing How Many Volunteers You Need” section must be followed.
If a group is traveling in more than one vehicle, the entire group must consist of at least two unrelated, approved adult volunteers, one of whom is female, and the girl-volunteer ratios in the “Knowing How Many Volunteers You Need” section must be followed. Care should be taken so that a single car is not separated from the group for an extended length of time.

Private transportation includes private passenger vehicles, rental cars, privately owned or rented recreational vehicles and campers, chartered buses, chartered boats and chartered flights. Each driver of motorized private transportation must be at least 21 years old and hold a valid operator’s license appropriate to the vehicle. In addition, state laws must be followed, even if they are more stringent than the guidelines here.

Anyone who is driving a vehicle with 12 or more passengers must follow all state laws regarding driving these vehicles. Approval of this must be given by GSCWM. Fifteen passenger vans are not permitted for use to transport girls. Although Massachusetts law does not require a CDL for driving a 15 passenger van, GSCWM requires that in order to rent a 15 passenger van the driver must provide proof of documented training and experience driving 15 passenger vans carrying children and their equipment. Approval of this must be given by GSCWM prior to renting any 15 passenger van.

Please keep in mind the following non-negotiable points regarding private transportation:

Even though written agreements are always required when renting or chartering, you are not authorized to sign an agreement or contract, except for rental car agreements, even if there is no cost associated with the rental. Such agreements must instead be signed by the person designated by your council.
Check with your council to make sure you are following accepted practices when using private transportation. This ensures that both you and your council are protected by liability insurance in the event of an accident.
If your council has given permission to use a rented car, read all rental agreements to be sure you comply with their terms and avoid surprises. For example, in many cases the minimum age of drivers is 25, and the maximum age is often under 70. In addition, make sure the car is adequately insured and you know who is responsible for damage to, or loss of, the vehicle. Finally, ensure you have a good paper trail that shows the vehicle rental is Girl Scout–related.
Obtain parent/guardian permission for any use of transportation outside of the meeting place.
GSCWM requires all personal vehicles used to transport girls to have a minimum insurance of: $100,000/individual, $300,000/accident, $50,000/property and $20,000/bodily injury. These amounts are the minimum required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. If you have questions about your own automobile coverage please contact your insurance company.
Review the following documents for each vehicle: driver’s license, registration, and inspection sticker.

Forms to be submitted by volunteer drivers per insurance company regulations

Girl Scout VOLUNTEER DRIVER MINIMUM GUIDELINES
Driver Review Form
Copy of Divers License

(link and process to come in 2026) Please check online at gscwm.

Car Seat Laws in Massachusetts

All children riding in passenger motor vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured according to the manufacturer's instructions until they are 8 years old OR over 57 inches tall.

When children outgrow their booster seats (usually around age 8, but more importantly, when they are taller than 57 inches), they must wear a seat belt that is properly adjusted and fastened according to the manufacturer's instructions until the age of 13. Drivers found operating a motor vehicle with a child under age 13 who is not properly restrained may face a fine under MGL Ch. 90 Sec. 7AA.

Any person age 13 or older is required to wear a seat belt under MGL Ch. 90 Sec. 13A. Drivers may be fined for not wearing a seat belt themselves and for each passenger age 13 or older who is not properly restrained. Passengers age 16 or older who are not wearing a seat belt may also be fined.

What to do if there is an Accident toggle arrow

Although you hope the worst never happens, you must observe council procedures for handling accidents and fatalities. At the scene of an accident, first provide all possible care for the injured person. Follow established council procedures for obtaining medical assistance and immediately reporting the emergency. To do this, you must always have on hand the names and telephone numbers of council staff, parents/guardians and emergency services such as the police, fire department or hospital. Check with your council for emergency contact information.

After receiving a report of an accident, council staff will immediately arrange for additional assistance at the scene, if needed, and will notify parents/guardians, as appropriate. If a Girl Scout needs emergency medical care as the result of an accident or injury, first contact emergency medical services, and then follow council procedures for accidents and incidents. Your adherence to these procedures is critical, especially with regard to notifying parents or guardians. If the media is involved, let council-designated staff discuss the incident with media representatives.

In the event of a fatality or other serious accident, the police must be notified and a responsible volunteer must remain at the scene at all times. In the case of a fatality, do not disturb the victim or surroundings and follow police instructions. Do not share information about the accident with anyone but the police, your council and, if applicable, insurance representatives or legal counsel.

On-site Accident, Injury, Serious Safety Risk Guide for VOLUNTEERS toggle arrow

In case of emergency call 911

Then, once the emergency is under control,

Call the Girl Scout Staff

Call 413-584-2602, press 3, and leave an urgent message with your name, brief description of the situation, and a phone number where you can be reached.
GSCWM staff with coordinate contacting parent, guardian, or spouse.

Care for the Injured

Give priority attention to providing all possible care for the injured person(s).
Ensure the safety of others and assign someone to keep the rest of the group calm, care for, and away from the injured.
First Aid should be given only by someone trained to do so.
Do not move injured person(s), unless their life is in immediate danger as in a fire, traffic hazard, asphyxiation, extreme exposure.

Call 911 is there is a Death or Critical Injury

See that a responsible adult stay at the scene of the accident.
See that the victim and surroundings are not disturbed until the police have assumed authority.

Don’t Make Statements to the Media

Make no statement except to the police and investigating authority. Do not discuss the incident, place any blame, or accept liability.
Refer all media inquiries to GSCWM staff at 413-584-2602 or 508-365-0115

Insurance/Incident Report Information

Keep copies of insurance forms with you at all times. If you don’t have an insurance form, tell the attending physician our insurance policy is through Mutual of Omaha – Girl Scout Division and provide the physician with a form as soon as possible. Keep your copies of all permission forms and medical records to give to GSCWM staff.
Have the attending physician complete, sign, and return the insurance form to: Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts; Chief Operating Officer; 301 Kelly Way, Holyoke, MA 01040

Complete an Incident Accident Report Form (available on the Forms and Documents page) as soon as possible after handling the immediate situation. Scan Fax or otherwise deliver the form to the Worcester or Holyoke Leadership Centers.

Copy and keep this page & insurance forms with your first aid kit.

Have it with you at all meetings, events and outings. Give a copy to each driver.

GSCWM Training and Approval Requirements and Recommendations for Activities Beyond Your Meeting toggle arrow

Type of Trip	Trainings	Forms	Lead Time Before Event
All Trips	Required: 116 Orientation - GSCWM First Aid/CPR
Field/Day Trip such as Fire Station, Art Museum, Roller Skating, Visit to nursing home	Recommended:Field Trips	Travel and Activity Form - Page 2 is needed for high risk or out of state travel. Be sure to sign page 2	3 Weeks
Outdoor Day Trip Such as a hike, horseback riding, or parade	Recommended: Explore Out	Travel and Activity Form - Page 2 is needed for high risk or out of state travel. Be sure to sign page 2	3 Weeks
GSCWM Sponsored Event - registration through council website	Recommended:Field Trips	None	3 Weeks
Cooking Indoors	Required: Cook in	None	3 Weeks
Overnight at Building with plumbing and electricity	Required: Sleep In	Activity and Travel Form - both pages OR Camp Reservation Form if using Council Camp	3 Weeks
Cooking Outdoors OR Building any fire	Required: Cook Out	Activity and Travel Form - both pages OR Camp Reservation Form if using Council Camp	3 Weeks
Overnight in cabins, tens, yurts on a Service Unit or Council sponsored event	Required: Sleep Out	Activity and Travel Form - both pages OR Camp Reservation Form if using Council Camp	4 Weeks
Overnight in cabins, tens, yurts on your own	Required: Sleep Out and an outdoor overnight experience with Girl Scouts such as an Encampment* or overnight training.	Activity and Travel Form - both pages OR Camp Reservation Form if using Council Camp	4 Weeks
Overnight for 3 or more nights - with camping	Required: Sleep Out and an outdoor overnight experience with Girl Scouts such as an Encampment* or overnight training. Big Trips	Extended Trip/Travel Form and accompanying documents OR Camp Reservation Form if using Council Camp	4 Months
Overnight for 3 or more nights - no camping	Required: Big Trips	Extended Trip/Travel Form and accompanying documents	4 Months
International Trip	Required: Big Trips	Extended Trip/Travel Form and accompanying documents AND International Intent to Travel Form	1 Year

* Encampment/Camporee hosted by the Council or Service Unit

© Copyright 2009–2026 Girl Scouts of the United States of America.  All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.