Guiding Senior Girl Scouts through Take Action Completion & on to Gold
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Journey Project Info
Final session - PARENT/LEADER TALK
Since post journey take action project follow up is the responsibility of the girl and her parent or troop leader, I request that one adult per girl (or troop) attend the final half hour of the session to gain tips on guiding the girls through journey take action project completion as well as tips for going on to the Gold Award.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED IN PARENT/LEADER TALK
Journey Take Action Project follow up including :
Evaluating plans & guiding girls through the project
An overview of the project planning process and criteria. (SMART PLANNING)
Timelines for completion
Troubleshooting
How the journey project relates to Gold.
Going on to the Gold Award including:
Understanding the difference between community service and taking action
How to help the girls choose a an issue
An overview of the process
Tips from a Gold Interviewer on how to get your project approved.
Links to Gold Award planning resources
Info about scholarship opportunities and National Gold Award Girl Scout
LEADER/PARENT PREPARATION FOR FINAL SESSION -
I cover a lot of info in a short amount of time. If you would like to prepare, please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS as well as the FAQ below. I will have hard copies of some of these.
Since post journey take action project follow up is the responsibility of the girl and her parent or troop leader, I request that one adult per girl (or troop) attend the final half hour of the session to gain tips on guiding the girls through journey take action project completion as well as tips for going on to the Gold Award.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED IN PARENT/LEADER TALK
Journey Take Action Project follow up including :
Evaluating plans & guiding girls through the project
An overview of the project planning process and criteria. (SMART PLANNING)
Timelines for completion
Troubleshooting
How the journey project relates to Gold.
Going on to the Gold Award including:
Understanding the difference between community service and taking action
How to help the girls choose a an issue
An overview of the process
Tips from a Gold Interviewer on how to get your project approved.
Links to Gold Award planning resources
Info about scholarship opportunities and National Gold Award Girl Scout
LEADER/PARENT PREPARATION FOR FINAL SESSION -
I cover a lot of info in a short amount of time. If you would like to prepare, please read the following pages under TAKE ACTION PROJECTS as well as the FAQ below. I will have hard copies of some of these.
- Progression & Requirements for Take Action Projects – This explains the Topic/Issue choices, Pre-requisites, Approval Process , Suggested number of girls working together, Who the project can serve, (Target Audience), Suggested number of hours , Deadline for completion & Sustainability for Projects from level journeys all the way up to the Gold Award.
Take Action Project Planning Process - This page is the process I take the girls through.
Troop Leader Take Action Project Checklist – This is the checklist you can use at our final session to help the girls evaluate their project. I will have copies available for each troop. - Take Action Project Final Report - Optional resource I created
- Workshops4girls Gold Award page _ This page contains links to GSOC resources as well as tips on how to be better prepared for Gold
Going on to the Gold Award
Resources at GSOC Girl Scouts of Orange County
All things Gold in GSOC www.girlscoutsoc.org to Navigate form the home page > about girl scouts > our program >highest awards >click on the picture of the Gold Award pin. Direct link - http://www.girlscoutsoc.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html. On this page you will find: Links to resources you need to get started
Required Gold Award Training. Check the GSOC training calendar for dates |
Resources on workshops4girls.com
For the most current info check this page when you are ready to start your proposal. direct link http://www.workshops4girls.com/gold-award.html On this page, you will find:
Helpful resources from other councils. |
- FAQ
- FOR THIS WEEK
What needs to be done by the final session?
Project plans should be completed and turned in or emailed to me for final approval. They should be practicing their individual 30 second elevator speech (Verbal project description) - What if a scout - missed the project planning session? changed their idea ? changed group members?
They can download a new project planning worksheet. See Links above for planning tools for specific journeys.
If they missed, they need to contact girls from their troop if they want to join their project or create a solo project. - I sent my daughter to this journey, but I’m not the leader do I have to attend the final session?
Please attend so that an adult is aware of the steps needed to complete the project , then have the scout give a copy of her Take Action Plan to her Leader. - POST SESSION FOLLOW UP
How can the girls share information/work together if they are from different troops?
The girls working in mixed troop groups should have exchanged contact information and divided responsibilities. That is included in their project plan. In addition, look at the How to Upload Your Video page. Included on that page:
1. How girls from different troops can share files to work together
2. How to get finished videos to me to be uploaded to the Workshops4girls YouTube channel
3. Supported YouTube file formats.
4. How to convert a Power Point Presentation to a YouTube compatible format.
What if they are in a group and it doesn’t work out?
Sometimes communication breaks down or girls don’t follow through. The most important thing to remember is that your scout’s Take Action Project is her responsibility !! I have seen have mixed troop groups that are quite successful & some that never communicate after the last session. Open a dialog with your scout about contingency plans. Learning to re-adjust when your “best laid plans” fall through is a difficult, but valuable lesson.
How do I know when their project is complete?
A Take Action Project has no required timeline or number of hours. It depends on the girl’s schedules and scope of their project. I have had girls wrap them in a few weekends or girls that spent several months. The project is done when they meet the goals they set in their written plan.
When do they have to complete it?
A senior level journey take action project must be completed by Sept 30 after their 10th grade year OR before they put in their Gold Award Proposal.
How Big Should the Journey Take Action Project be?
A senior level Take Action Project is meant to be a mini Gold Award. The project should challenge them. They should become an expert and an advocate on their topic. They should examine the root cause of the problem they are addressing and their project should be aimed at a solution. Their project should result in a measurable positive change. It is not required to be sustainable.
Only Gold Award Projects require sustainability.
My troop made a video & posted it. Are they done ?
- A note about PSA (Public Service Announcements) video, blogs, websites, etc.
Filming & posting a video or creating a website is not a Take Action Project. They are tools that can be used as part of the project.
Once the video, website, blog, etc. is completed and posted, it is up to the girls to do a media blitz to get the word out about their project. They should use their video or blog as a focal point during presentations to groups, scout troops, at school or events.
A senior level Take Action Project is meant to be a mini Gold Award. The girls should be educated on their subject, become an advocate and use their project to create awareness of the topic to make a measurable positive change.
Who approves/supervises the completion of their Journey Project ?
After our final meeting, the journey transitions into a partnership with you & the girls as you guide them through the completion of their project. Since you are attending the last session and should have a clear understanding of the girl’s plan, it is not a requirement that I “approve” their project at the end, but I am available of you have questions or need guidance. You can also have them use the Take Action Project Final Report if you need something to give to your leader.
Final Project Approval/ Journey sign off on Gold Award Proposal
If your scout progresses to a GOLD award proposal, you are the one who signs off the project, since you (or your leader) is the one who supervised the journey Take Action Project.. The “end” date of the journey is the day they meet their final measurable goal from their plan.