Girl Scouts continues as the preeminent organization for girls in the world, with 3.2 million members in the USA and an alumnae base of more than 59 million American women. Girl Scouts is open to all girls ages 5 to 17 and values diversity and inclusiveness. For over a century, Girl Scouts has provided leadership experiences that build “girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place,” and remains one of the leading voices on girls’ healthy growth and development.
Leadership Opportunities for Girls
In 2012 Girl Scouts celebrated its 100th anniversary and launched the ToGetHerThere campaign which is the largest, boldest campaign dedicated to girl’s leadership issues in the nation’s history.
As Girl Scouting moves into its second century, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience sets forth a bold and aspirational model of leadership that encourages girls to Discover, Connect and Take Action to make their world a better place. Girl Scouts is eager to work with state policymakers to create opportunities and environments that foster girls’ leadership development.
Healthy Living- Promoting Girls’ Physical, Social and Emotional Health
Through our program experience and research, Girl Scouts understands the complex issue of healthy living and what motivates youth – especially girls – to adopt healthy lifestyles. Girl Scouts encourages policymakers to consider solutions to related and overlooked issues that disproportionately affect girl’s healthy living including:
- Bullying, Relational Aggression and Cyber-bullying: As policymakers explore the problems of bullying, relational aggression and cyber-bullying, Girl Scouts offers unique programming to help teach girls how to deal with these issues.
- Healthy Media Images: Girl Scouts is committed to promoting positive images of girls and women in the media. In the fall of 2012 the Healthy Media Commission launched a set of recommendations that aimed to promote a more positive and gender neutral media environment for women and healthy development of a girl’s social, emotional and physical well-being.
Promoting Educational Opportunities for Girls
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education: Girl Scouts is committed to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to explore and build an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Our research shows that 74% of teen girls are interested in STEM. Girl Scouts supports efforts to:
- Help educators engage and motivate female students;
- Expose girls to diverse role models and mentors;
- Promote proven techniques for engaging girls in STEM, including single gender learning environments, and hands-on, inquiry based learning;
- Expand out of school learning opportunities; and
- Cultivate and support collaboration among non-profits, schools, educators, businesses and leaders.
Financial Education
The world’s current economic challenges have made financial literacy skills matter now more than ever. Through our Girl Scout financial education programming, girls learn to handle money and be self-reliant. They also learn how to bring their own values to the business world and how to use their time, talent and resources to make the world a better place. Additionally, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is often girls’ first introduction to business planning and entrepreneurship by teaching them five key skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.
Girl Scouts seeks to work with policymakers to ensure that all girls have financial literacy skills and support the role of youth serving organizations in providing real world financial literacy experiences for girls.
Supporting a Thriving Non-Profit Community
Girl Scouts, working in partnership with our state’s non-profit community, supports public policies that sustain non-profits, recruit and retain volunteers, incentivize charitable giving, protect nonprofit sales and property tax exemptions, and activities that help us achieve our missions. Girl Scouts encourages policymakers and community leaders to work with human services organizations to ensure a healthy, effective and strong non-profit community.