Community Service

Community Service

Girl Scouts love to give back—it’s part of our mission to “make the world a better place!” There are many ways troops can help their communities, whether through a service project or Take Action project. Both are equally important and continue the long-standing tradition of Girl Scouts giving back to others. But what’s the difference between these two? Let’s dive in and take a closer look.

Community service projects are a Girl Scout favorite—whether they are making tie blankets for the local animal shelter or participating in a park clean-up. Girl Scouts love to get together and help others in need. Service projects are usually done for the community, address an immediate need, and have a short-term impact. They often take less time to plan—especially if you tag along to an already established volunteering event. Community service projects can be done at any time throughout the year and can often be connected to a variety of badges or awards.

Take Action projects pick up where that short-term fix of the service project leaves off. There are three key components to Take Action projects—Girl Scouts show active leadership by working with the community, they address the root cause of an issue (think of the “why” behind the issue), and the projects have a lasting impact. Girl Scouts gain lots of skills and leadership experience when they work on a Take Action project. It’s not just about how they will “make the world a better place,” it’s also about what they learn along the way. Every Girl Scout Journey Award ends with a small-scale Take Action project related to that award’s theme. The Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards are large-scale Take Action projects that take months (and sometimes years!) of planning and execution!

Still with me? Here’s a handy chart to break it down for you:

Community Service Project	Take Action Project
Addresses an immediate need in the community	Addresses the root cause of an issue in the community
A project done FOR the community	A project done WITH the community
A one-time project that helps something or someone now	A long-term project that is sustainable and makes a lasting impact

That helps a little, but how about a few examples? Sure! Check these out…

Issue	Community Service Project		Take Action Project
Soda cans and plastic water bottles are being littered at the park.	Participate in a park clean-up.		Work with the city to implement a new recycling program at the park. Then, work to organize an annual park clean-up with others in the community.
A local animal rescue group has a lot of dogs and cats in their care.	Making blankets and toys to donate to a local animal rescue group.		Help prevent pet over-population by creating a PSA or poster campaign for local spay and neuter programs.

Remember, the scale and scope of a project will vary depending on if you have a troop of Brownies working on their Journey Award or a Girl Scout Ambassador working on their Gold Award. Now let’s take it one step further and look at some ideas on how you can get troops at each program level involved in community service this year:

Daisy and Brownie

Never underestimate the power of our youngest Girl Scouts! There may be limits to what Daisies and Brownies can do physically at this age, but their hearts are big and they are ready to help where needed. You might have the most success finding a local nonprofit or organization that has some planned activities volunteers can help with since Daisies and Brownies are still learning about community service!

Junior and Cadette

In upper elementary and middle school, Juniors and Cadettes have more volunteer options available to them, and they are ready for more hands-on work. How about collecting food for an emergency food shelf in your area? Does your local nature center need help with trail projects or collecting seeds? Is there a community program at your library that could use youth helpers?

Senior and Ambassador

In high school, Seniors and Ambassadors are ready to hit the ground running as they volunteer to work for change. They now have the tools to plan and coordinate their own community service projects, like organizing a warm coat drive for a homeless shelter, or helping elderly neighbors with yardwork. Older Girl Scouts are also able to help make and serve meals at shelters and kitchens. Don’t forget to pass the torch by having older Girl Scouts volunteer to teach younger troops a skill or help them with a project!

Ideas for All Ages

Many hands make light work, and there are a variety of volunteer needs that work for groups of all ages:

Assemble hygiene kits to share with a women’s shelter
Sing songs or organize a game night at a senior center or retirement home
Help remove invasive species at your local nature center or state park
Collect art supplies to share with a local children’s hospital
Send holiday cards to military troops overseas

You can also visit your local schools, cultural and community centers, and places of worship to find more opportunities for your Girl Scouts!

Most importantly: Whether your troop is working on a community service project or a Take Action project, be sure to include them in the planning. Chances are, as Girl Scouts of courage, confidence, and character on a mission to change their world, they will come up with a lot of good ideas. They will be more engaged and excited if they get to take part in all the fun and learning that goes along with giving back to the communities they love.