ORGANIZING A TROOP
Meeting Place, Time & Length
Meeting Place
Please refer to Safety-Wise when determining if a meeting place meets requirements. Here are a few things to consider:
Accessibility
Troops meet in places that are easily accessible to all members, including girls with disabilities, and that provide the following: (refer to Safety-Wise)
Safe, clean, well-ventilated, well-heated space, free from hazards
Area large enough for active games and small group meetings
First-aid equipment available
Toilets with hand washing facilities
Access to telephone
Has at least two exits which are secure
Adequate lighting
In selecting a meeting place, the location in the community should be carefully considered. The following points should be taken into account:
Distance girls must travel
Highways and major intersections to be crossed
Availability of transportation
Some sites that could be used are:
Meeting rooms and classrooms in religious institutions
Community service room in banks or libraries
Meeting room in fire stations and other public buildings
Cultural/ethnic clubs
Country clubs
Store fronts
Local YMCA/YWCA facility
Schools
Fraternal organizations
Community rooms in department stores or shopping malls
Community room of housing developments
Community recreation buildings
Requesting Certificate of Insurance
If your meeting place wants to see our Certificate of Insurance, contact the council registrar to request they supply it to the meeting place. The following information is required:
Complete name and address of organization making the request
To whom the Certificate of Insurance should be sent
Which Girl Scout troop, Neighborhood or event is making the request.
Upon approval, the Certificate of Insurance is mailed directly to the organization.
Meeting Time & Length
As the Leader, the final say on the day and time of the meetings is yours. Whether you choose to meet weekly or every other week, it must fit your schedule.
Depending on the age of the girls and the frequency of meetings, meetings can run from 1 to 3 hours. You will learn more about this in your age level training.
Permission Forms for Meetings
You need to have a signed permission slip for all troop meetings too in case of any emergency. A blanket form for the year is acceptable if your troop meets at the same time and place over the year. If the emergency contact that a parents supplies changes, it is the parent's responsibility to let the troop leader know about the change.
In the case of troops that rotate meeting places and know in advance where they will be for the year, they can do just one slip and attach the information of places for the whole year. If your troop rotates meeting places but doesn't know in advance, a permission slip will have to be prepared and signed for each meeting as you go.
Next up: Parent Permission