I wrote this to help other troop leaders find helpers with leadership for your troops and because some of you are trying multi-level troops for the first time. Sometimes you don’t know what question to ask to get advice, so I expect this will get you started and you might want to write me a question after you read it.

 
 
Subject: Assigning Responsibilities

Here are the helpers that I have and I will NOT do a big multi-level troop without these helpers!
HTH you as you customize your own troops. Key word is to CUSTOMIZE the troop leadership for your troop each year.
 
I am listed as 01 Troop Leader and I do the website, email parents, and dream and research all the plans. (I’m willing to share our plans with you to make your job of planning for your troop easier if it can help you.)
I coordinate all the events unless I get someone to volunteer, which is a few times a year based on their interest. Right now, I have a parade coordiantor and an international day coordinator for our troop, so I don’t have to do those events. I’m also inches away from assigning a “camp-in” coordinator – if she only had camp training. And I had someone else plan the events at the “Family Camp-out” and “Bridging Picnic” that our troop does. I coordinated those events but not the content of the event.
 
Monette is 02 but is our Daisy Ldr.
She has 1 of three available moms stay at her Daisy mtgs 1xmonth as a warm body – sometimes this mom is registered sometimes not… Monette is trained leader but her helper is not.
 
Jenna is 02 for Brownie co-Ldr.
She is getting training and I also am at Brownie mtgs and she has health issues (asthma) so she’s not at every meeting so she’s CO-ldr instead of Ldr. But she also is coordinating the International Day booth and the meetings where we prepare for it.
 
Kay is 02 for troop but is Junior Ldr. She has an unregistered mom who stays at mtg as second warm body. Kay is trained her asst is not.
 
Monette, Kay and I lead all the program level meetings when we meet separately. All FOUR of us HELP at meetings that *I* plan for when we meet together. 1st Tuesday all 30 girls meet together for GS theme meetings – J-L Bday, Investiture, International Day, GS Bday, Cookies, etc. On the 3rd Tues we meet separately as D-Br-Jr as described above. We have girls grades K to 4th.
 
My most beloved assistant is listed as 03 and is our Treasurer and Cookie Mom!! She was an auditor before kids and invoices all families for dues and events. She has software for invoicing where she tracks the troop checking account, income and expense categories, and girls invoicing. She can print an invoice (PDF or paper) for each girl/family showing what they paid and what they owe for whole year. Scary! It might say, “You owe $6 for the March badgeworkshop, and you’ve paid $93 so far for dues and this short list of events you’ve attended.” It adds up fast!  She also tracks who is signed up for which booth and sends reminder emails once a week during cookie season. And she tracks who gets #boxes for cookie sales. This will be a big job as last year 11 girls sold 3,000 boxes and this year with 30 girls, I expect to sell 8,000 boxes!!

I also have parents helping with events. I send emails out saying… RSVP for this Service Unit event or this Troop field trip. Girls $8, Adults free. The adults who want to go RSVP as adult and they become the Safety-Wise adults for that event! (and the driver!) When we have enough S-W adults, then *I* don’t have to go to the event!
 
I am the only one who has CPR trng, camping training, primitive camp training, Bronze and Silver training, plus all program level training Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Cadette. Since no one else would take CPR, I had the troop pay for it the SECOND time (in our third year of being a troop).
 
The EASIEST way to get help with a meeting or event is to SPECIFICALLY ASK. “Anne, can you come to meeting Tuesday to help the girls with the beading craft?”  “Shirley, how many girls can you drive to the workshop on Saturday?”  I often use text messages for these requests, and sometimes they say no and I have to ask someone else.
 
I hope this help you as  you lead your troops.
Girl Scouts Rocks!
 
Jean Butts
Creekside Girl Scout Leader Troops 3763 & 3310
Service Unit 403 Placement Specialist