I’m very honored that Sylvia Acevedo has picked up on my “If I Were CEO” post from earlier this week and is asking for similar input from the membership.
She also sent me a lovely personal message.
Things are looking up at GSUSA!!
Source: What If You Were CEO?
Badges would be nice again.
Adding to the 5 issues stated: 1) Relocate. Look for a place less expensive and more central to all in the US. Not too far to travel from an airport. With space for camping and real outdoor Girl Scouting. If GSUSA could afford it – rent the NY space rather than sell. It’s sure to make money. 2) Return to Skills based Programs. Absolutely…actually learning something is useful and FEELS good. And don’t keep changing! Personal Example… I joined GS in 1952 as a Brownie at age 7. Longed for the Senior Round UP in Vermont (Didn’t get to go, schools closed in the south due to integration issues and family moved) This was a target. Earned the Curved Bar – but no one knows what it is. The things I learned in Girl Scouting have helped me all my life – and I will be 71 in a few days. 3) Invest in Stability: Don’t spend money making needless changes! When you constantly change the basics you end up losing volunteers. How can a retired person possibly understand the new stuff? I took lots of training to try to figure it out – and I think I finally got it. It’s not that the program is so bad, it’s just too hard to adapt to constant (needless) change. If it ain’t broke; don’t fix it. (especially if the ‘fix’ is expensive!) Getting rid of camps was a terrible thing to do! The earth needs all the tree huggers it can get. Don’t be afraid! GS is a GREAT program for girls – stick with it. 4) Invest in a culture of collaboration.. Please work with and help the councils – especially the ones that have fewer resources to fall back on. I came from Colonial Coast to Virginia Skyline. Could not believe that VS doesn’t have a Resident Camp program. Whew…I kept waiting to find out more – and they sold at least one of their troop camping sites. CRAZY! They had gotten in debt and were desperate – from what I understand. Promote GS Pride: Just offer a GREAT program (TRAIN and SUPPORT Leaders and local Service Units. If we build it – they will come! Yep. Don’t give Daisies the same opportunities as older girls – they are not ready, so they don’t like it. And, then there is nothing to look forward to. Build on skills – based on age appropriateness. Camping with Daisies is really parent/child camping/babysitting. They are not really ready. Listen to leaders, but/and use lots of common sense. Ask Girls who are in Girl Scouting. And understand that it does not have to be for everyone. It’s not an adventure in modeling…it’s a life adventure. Look back at JGL wanted.