22 August 2008
Any Questions, Girls?
Posted by admin under: Girl Scout Reorganization .
What’s this Girl Scouts reorganization? What’s it about? Why is it happening? Where are we going? Guess what I found? A FAQ for just this issue. Okay, I wasn’t Sherlock Holmes as the link was on the national GSUSA home page, but I eventually found it. Where’s my other sock? Anyway, for a traditionalist like me the answers aren’t becalming, but at least I understand a little more.
How will the organization change?
We are working on the specifics of our transformation and evolution right now. At this point, we are focusing collectively on five strategic priorities. It is important to note that our evolution will be keeping all of the promise and purpose of Girl Scouting and adding elements that will bring our programs to girls for decades to come. Our strategic priorities are:
Brand: Transforming the Girl Scout image with a compelling, contemporary brand.
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How can we change and still keep our tradition alive?
Girl Scouts has a wonderful 93-year history that is unsurpassed. Many of our traditions, our name, our personal leadership development model, and our support for girls to help them live the values conveyed in the Girls Scout Promise and Law have withstood the test of time.
In keeping with the vision and passion of Juliette Gordon Low, our Core Business Strategy will marry the best aspects of our tradition with new ways of doing things so that we can meet the challenges of girls of today and beyond.
Well, as long as the name isn’t changing. I guess I just don’t place that much importance on being contemporary. I understand changing. The Boy Scouts just changed their uniform to take advantage of new technology and even to be a little stylish. I understand the focus on leadership. I’d love for the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award to receive the same kind of recognition of leadership as the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Rank. I guess I just don’t understand why it has to be done by de-emphasizing the traditional program of outdoor and energetic activities. To someone like me these FAQ answers sound like “Girl Scouts is a nationally recognized organization that we’d like to refocus so that we receive the benefit of their reputation and volunteer network while changing what it is that made them famous”.
While it’s true that other programs with sports and religion can teach girls to become both good leaders and good team members I guess Girl Scouts of the USA is the only program that most people will immediately understand as a way to teach girls to grow into adult leaders. In that respect I can’t disagree with the national policy. It just feels a lot like a hijacking.
- Girl Scouts Ditch Badges – Adopt Journeys Exclusively
- GSGLA First Annual Meeting
- Different Take on Journeys Transformation
- The Reality of Scouting
- Changing Scouts Necessary?
One Comment so far...
» What? Me Worry? Says:
26 September 2008 at 2:56 pm.
[...] Good. Great. There’s a list of things BSA is doing. And I’m not going to worry that the BSA is going to do what the GSUSA did. [...]
