Growing Your Troop: Inviting and Welcoming New Members
Girl Scouts is all about making new friends—and keeping the old! By growing your troop to ten or more members, you can give youth in your community the opportunity to try new things, build forever friendships, take on adventures, dream big and have fun doing it.
Invite New Troop Members
Share a Link to Your Troop Catalog Listing
If your troop is in the online troop catalog, you can copy a
link of your troop's catalog listing and share it with your
networks. To get your troop link, simply search “Troop #####”
in the Troop Number search field. Then hover over the green
box with the arrow at the top of the tile and click “Copy
Link.”
Share Customized Troop
Flyers
Customized Troop Expansion
Flyers in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF) can be a great way to get
the word out about your troop. Flyers can be shared at
schools, community centers, libraries, and more. Troop leaders
can either print your own at home or log in to the Impressive Online Print Center to get
them mailed directly to your home at no cost.
Note: Please allow one week for your order to
be processed and mailed.
If you
want to order troop flyers, create a new account by selecting
“click here to register” at the sign-in screen. Allow up to
three business days for approval of new accounts. Navigate to
the troop leader folder and complete your order. For further
instructions, view our Online Print Center Training Video or
download the Online
Print Center Training Guide (PDF).
Use Email and Social Media
Are there
parents and friends in your network whose child
would benefit from being in your troop? Let them know you have
openings in your troop by sharing this sample
post (DOCX) on social media. Don’t forget to include a
link to your troop listing!
You can also use this
easy-to-personalize email
template (DOCX) to promote open spots in your troop
directly to families in your community.
Use the “Invite Friends” Feature
If you
already know the email addresses of families who
would like to join your troop, you can send them a
personalized invite with a link to register into your troop
from your My Account page. To do this, navigate to
your troop roster under your My Troop(s) tab, and click
the “Invite friends to join your troop” link at the bottom of
the page.
Host a "Bring a
Friend" Day
Share your Girl Scout
community by hosting a "Bring a Friend"
day! Customize invite
cards (PDF) to encourage everyone in the troop to bring
someone who isn’t a member. Then host an event showing off all
the fun things that Girl Scouts do, and don’t forget to ask
them to become a permanent member of the troop.
This
is a day to show off your favorite Girl Scout activities. This
might include: creating a build-your-own trail mix bar, having
a Girl Scout scavenger hunt, testing your engineering skills
by designing paper rockets or pencil catapults, completing a
community service activity, or making yummy s'mores.
Find a Committed Co-Leader
Adult volunteers play an important role in making sure your troop gets to achieve the big dreams they have planned! Most troops have a co-leader (or two!) who helps share responsibilities like planning meetings, working with finances, and communicating with families. Here are some resources to help you find a Co-Leader for your troop:
Post on Social Media
Use your social network to share a rewarding volunteer opportunity. You never know who might be looking to join you. See adult sample social posts.
Ask your families at the First Family Meeting
Asking parents and caregivers to help lead at your First Troop Family Meeting. Additionally, extended family members or friends who want to help lead can also be a great resource. They bring a variety of skills and interests, plus, they are already invested in helping their child!
Welcoming New Troop Members
Girls Scouts in an inclusive organization that welcomes everyone to be a part of the fun! You and your troop will want to make sure that any new troop member feels welcome and included—Here are some inviting ideas:
Create a Welcome Letter
Have the troop write, decorate, and sign a welcome letter. They can even write personal messages for new Girl Scouts.
Prior to the first meeting, assign the new troop member a ‘Buddy’ to help answer any questions and put them at ease throughout the first few meetings. They can sit next to each other during activities and teach how the troop operates. It also gives the “Buddy” a chance to practice their leadership skills.
Teach a Tradition
Girl Scouts has lots of great traditions—They’re what makes us feel connected to each other. When you have a new Girl Scout, take the time to teach them the Girl Scout Promise and Law or sing along to Make New Friends. Including them in traditions will build up their confidence and help them feel like they’re part of the troop.
Summary of Resources
Online Troop Catalog - You can copy a link
of your troop's catalog listing and share it with your
networks.
Customizable Troop Expansion Flyer in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF) - Flyer with space to
customize your in-person event with your event location, address,
date, and time. Includes customizable section at the bottom for
school disclaimers.
Sample Social Post - Share information about
your troop on social media. Don’t forget to include a link to your
troop listing!
Email Template - Use the email template to
connect with your families at the start of your troop year. Be
sure to customize and add your specific troop details in the
appropriate sections.
GirlScoutShop.com – Visit our online shop or
find a local
Girl Scouts shop near to purchase to purchase the World
Trefoil Pin and Girl Scout Membership Pin.