Girl Scouts of the USA
From Service-Learning Wiki
| This program was profiled in Growing to Greatness 2005. |
Contents |
Service-Learning in Girl Scouts of the USA
Although Girl Scouts do not use the term service-learning, many of their programs include service projects with key elements of service-learning, including an explicit learning component, and an active role for reflection and youth leadership. One major way that Girl Scouts serve their communities is through achieving leadership awards at different age levels that focus on community service at different age levels.
In order to receive the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, high-school-aged girls research needs, connect with the community, enlist and direct the work of others, and complete more than 65 hours in accomplishing their a project. Examples of Girl Scout Gold Award recipient projects include establishing a community recycling program or a community library. Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. emphasizes that, in the leadership program, girls should address issue areas that they feel passionate about and/or that they have a career interest in pursuing.
A second way that girls may learn through service is through “destinations” where girls ages 11-17 travel to participate in apprenticeship programs. [1] Through destinations apprenticeships, G.S.U.S.A. emphasizes partnerships with organizations that match the Girl Scout philosophy, such as Outward Bound, which trains girls to challenge themselves and to work with others in the outdoors. Girl Scouts is currently hoping to expand the destinations apprenticeship program to include international organizations and more national service groups.
Girl Scouts also engage in service-learning in other activities, by working with adult mentors to complete projects to earn insignia, by participating in the Girl Scout Cookie® Sale, and through community service projects. Although most activities occur outside of schools, many Girl Scouts coordinate with their schools to satisfy their schools’ service or credit requirements.
Scope of Service-Learning
Today, 2.8 million girls participate in Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. programs in all fifty states and through USA Girl Scouts Overseas.
Intended Outcomes
The Girl Scouts Research Institute (GSRI) has documented impacts of the Girl Scout program, demonstrating that the activities have an impact on girls, helping them to become happy, resourceful, and involved citizens. In 1997, thee Girl Scouts Research Institute (GSRI) conducted extensive pretesting and focus groups and found that outcomes of Girl Scouts programs include self-reliance, self-competence, social skills, respect for others, feelings of belonging, values and decision-making, helpfulness/concern for the community, teamwork, and leadership. Ongoing research measures outcomes of program participation at different age levels across the country. Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. emphasizes girl-adult partnerships in its assessment process; girls and their adult mentors complete project evaluations together.
References
- ^ Available at http://www.studio2b.org/escape/destinations/
