4 September 2008
Girl Scouts Ditch Badges - Adopt Journeys Exclusively
Posted by admin under: Girl Scout Reorganization .
Well, it appears that Girl Scouts of the USA is getting rid of the program that has served them well for over 90 years. Instead of earning badges girls will now be encouraged to set their own goals through the Journeys program.
The change won’t take effect immediately. In fact, we’ve been told not to worry. However, the end is in sight.
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=444404#Post444404
http://www.girlscouts.org/strategy/faqs_leadership_aug1.asp
What about current program resources and awards?
Keep using them. It will take several years to create sufficient new program materials for each age level, and there are many great examples of our Discover, Connect, Take Action leadership philosophy at work in the existing materials. Refer to the Winter 2006 issue of Leader Magazine: (Setting the Pace for the Future: The Girl Scout Leadership Model and Activity Tip Sheets) for tips on how to adapt existing materials to the new leadership philosophy. Existing materials will begin to be phased out around 2010.
…
What is the timeline for implementation of the Core Business Strategy?
Development of the Core Business Strategy began in June 2004, with the next phase of the Strategy development commencing in January 2005 with the appointment of the Gap Teams. Work of the Gap Teams is ongoing through 2005, with consultation from outside experts, feedback from Girl Scout members, and regular reporting. In 2006, the work of each Gap Team will be integrated into the ongoing work of GSUSA. Based on the recommended pathways identified by the Gap Teams and with continuing advice and guidance from Council representatives, GSUSA will phase in the recommendations at varying times depending upon the complexity of the action plans. We do not underestimate the time and logistics of implementing the Core Business Strategy, which can be more efficiently and effectively accomplished through the support and involvement of our members. We plan to have the Core Business Strategy fully operational by our 100th Anniversary in 2012.
Change the uniforming, change the focus, change the program, get rid of councils, but for goodness sake don’t stop selling cookies! That’s the most important thing to retain. Sorry for the sarcasm, but the message which has been clearly communicated on the web has not filtered down to the volunteers. Not only is the GSUSA changing, you will have no choice in the matter.
Update: SmokyScout says in the comments that it’s not as bad as I fear and that badges will still be around. She should know since she’s a Girl Scout Trainer. I am not completely at ease, however.
Possibly Related Posts:- Any Questions, Girls?
- Different Take on Journeys Transformation
- Journeys Info on GSUSA Site
- Jawing About Journeys
- Convention Chat
6 Comments so far...
Smoky Scout Says:
4 September 2008 at 2:22 pm.
As a GS trainer, last week I attended a session on the leadership model and the Journeys books to learn how to train new and experienced leaders on this new stuff. The message I got was that Try-Its, badges and IPPs are not going away, but the books will be revamped as happens periodically. We went through the training modules very slowly because trainers know we will get loads of questions from experienced (translate: skeptical) leaders. Honestly, the new leadership module is full of jargon, but the idea is not really new. Its buzz words - discover, connect, take action - just mean that a girl will learn about a new topic (or more about an old topic), learn how it relates to different people, and then do a service project about it. Sounds like IPPs, doesn’t it? It was a lot less scary once we had gone over this training.
admin Says:
4 September 2008 at 2:28 pm.
You’re the only one I’ve been able to get any reassurance from. Why is the GSUSA dribbling out the details on this? What is so difficult to develop? Why can’t we clearly see what the new program will look like? The GSUSA is bungling the PR on this change. I do appreciate your info.
Cici Says:
5 September 2008 at 9:35 pm.
Our local trainer conveyed the same message. However, the Girl Scout Leader magazine had an article that said Girl Scouts would be pulling away from award-driven program. That’s what first raised my suspicions. So I started asking questions. There weren’t many answers at first. Then the trainers came back with sample Journeys books and some answers.
I wanted to know if Journeys would be required in earning Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Answer: Not right now. When Studio 2B came out, it was an “option” available to the girls. Now, it is required for the Silver and the Gold.
The Journeys books look like handbooks and some of the other available publications that can be added to your program… So how is it different? Answer: It isn’t really. It’s new. There are great ideas that are age appropriate… Sounds like what we already have.
Apparently, there will be a new book every year (with a different theme). GSUSA doesn’t even force girls to buy uniforms… how can they expect girls to buy a new book every year?
I said that if my girls don’t HAVE TO have the book, how can I convince them to buy it? and why should I? It’s hard enough to get them to buy their level handbook (and they need that for Bridging and special awards). Answer: They don’t have to. We should buy one for the troop and have it available for everyone’s use. Well, that’s fine, but they never look in the Ceremonies book or any of the other publications made just for them that are laid out at the meetings. (to be fair - we do so much at our meetings that they really don’t have time, but if they did I KNOW they would spend that time socializing with eachother)
It was suggested that we could get Journeys books for younger levels and use them to put on program. Okay. That’s fine. But if it’s just another option, why the huge push? They didn’t even have special training classes for Studio 2B.
I don’t believe the trainers are being given the full story. GSUSA believes (I’ve heard it stated from several sources) that the LEADERS are preventing the girls from using Studio 2B and now Journeys because it’s not what WE want… GSUSA clearly has not met my troop. GSUSA says that surveys show that the GIRLS don’t want to work on badges. Again, I haven’t met those girls they surveyed… Maybe my girls are just weird. Because of this belief (that we leaders are an obstacle to what the girls TRULY want), I think they are not being completely forthcoming about the changes to the program.
The other night, someone from council said that the badge books were going to be “phased out” starting in 2010. Not updated as Smoky Scout seems to be indicating. That would support the statement that I read a year ago in the Girl Scout Leader magazine.
Today, I tried to get materials for our Service Unit on the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards (there are packets at council). I was told that they can’t give any out because they are changing the Silver and Gold Award requirements…
I think that National is trying to circumvent the leaders rather than deal with their questions and objections. I would gladly have them speak directly to my girls about their decisions. I have no secrets from my girls. However, if they’re so sure we leaders will complain, how do they know we will stick around? I’m just one person; why should they care? Well, this one person is a troop leader, a Service Unit Manager, a Special Event Coordinator…
Thank goodness it’s so easy to get volunteers though.
» Girl Scouts National Geographic Diversity Says:
6 November 2008 at 4:23 pm.
[...] big deal. We can give it a swing, but it’s not required for anything. Now rumblings are that it will supplant the old program. All of these program changes come down from the mysterious realm of the national [...]
Suzanne Oswald Says:
12 November 2008 at 11:59 am.
Yea, and a few years ago Studio2B was “THE” new program. When this falls on it’s face as being too wishy-washy and touchy-feely they will back off this too, or change it into a program that can actually be used and teaches something besides talking. If not, then we will all just join a BSA Venturing Crew for girls over 14 and keep pushing BSA for programs for middle school girls too.
Jill Says:
14 November 2008 at 2:37 pm.
My co-leader and I have really examined the Daisy Journey Leadership (1st book). With the news Daisy program now two years, they needed something more. The Daisy year was personally one of our favorite years because it was so open ended, we could do whatever we wanted, tie whatever we wanted into learning those laws and understanding the Promise. So we weren’t too thrilled with a more structured program.
Both of us have an education background, so putting fun lesson plans together was something we both enjoyed and missed. However, that’s probably not the case for most Daisy leaders who, 1) were probably not Daisies themselves 2) work outside the home 3) Might not have the time or feel comfortable putting together lessons.
In our opinion, the new Daisy Leadership book will be beneficial to both leaders and girls. There are loads of suggestions for stretching the central theme or law and presented in a manner that will help busy parent leaders to step right in and get their troop going. AND you can extend it to go way longer than 6 weeks.
HOWEVER, this first book, in our opinion, is not suited for Kindergartners. It is much more developmentally appropriate for first graders, and even then, I wouldn’t suggest the girls buy their own books. Instead, we’ve been telling leaders in our area to buy just the leader and girl book for the troop, and work from there.
First, the story is long, which is okay, but it needs to be broken up with more pictures. These girls cannot read, and that’s a long time to be listening to the story and staring at one picture (2 pages of reading for one pic - makes me wonder if GS looked at a lot of books for the K/1st grade level before producing this one).
The girl book is attractive and fun to look at, but not very practical for girls who are at the beginning/emerging readers stage. Plus, the lines for them to write their own thoughts in are way too small. I’m a firm believer in creative spelling at this age group, and encouraging them to write, but the lines are like college rule - 4th graders have a hard time writing in lines that close together.
However, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the program, and look forward to seeing the older age groups. We have a multi-age troop, and I think we’re going to start in Jan. ‘09 with our Juniors. We’re asking them to buy books. If they can’t, we’ll purchase them with troop funds, but they cannot write in them and must return them.
