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WHAT IS OUR COUNCIL-WIDE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT?

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio - Great Rivers Region is excited to launch our 2007-2008 Council-Wide Community Service Project.

Theme:  Girl Scouts Give Shelter

Goals: 

· Girls will have a concern for the well-being of the community and its people

· Girls will have a positive impact on the community

· 100% troop participation

Topics:  Your troop can choose between the following fourfocus areas for 2007-2008:

1. Helping the senior community

2. Helping the environment

OR - you can still do the 2006-2007 topics of homelessness & animals

The troop may also choose to incorporate more than one topic into their community service project.

Each month we will be providing support materials and information, such as badge work and suggested community organizations that your troop could work with.  Watch for more information here each month.

WHAT IS SERVICE LEARNING & HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM VOLUNTEERISM?

Service learning is different than just volunteering.  Girls participate in community service but also learn life lessons, skills, civic responsibility, and strengthen their communities. 

Service Learning:

· Promotes learning through active participation in service experiences

· Provides structured time for girls to reflect by thinking, discussing and/or writing about their service experience

· Provides an opportunity for girls to use skills and knowledge in real-life situations

· Extends learning beyond-the-troop experience and into the community

· Fosters a sense of caring for others

Some important attributes of our council-wide service project are:

· Addressing a genuine community need

· Community partnership

· Skill development

· Girls have a voice

· Time for structured reflection

HOW DO WE GET STARTED?

Have your girls get involved from the beginning.  Work with them to join the “Design a Patch” contest.  See “Take the Lead” for more information. 

Step 1:  Choose a topic:

· Discuss with your troop which topic they would like to pursue.  Use the activities on “Take the Lead,” .

Step 2:  Learn about the topic.  (Support materials will be available to assist you regarding your topic.)

· Do related badge work

· Have your troop invite a speaker or take a field trip to find out more about your topic

Step 3:  Select one of the community organizations provided in “Take the Lead” for your troop to partner with.  Find out what their wants and needs are.

Step 4:  Implement your community service project.  It is up to your troop what your service project looks like.  Their service can happen all in one day or be continuous throughout the year. 

Step 5:  Reflect.  This is a very important step in the process. 

· What did the service mean to them? 

· How did they impact their community? 

· How can they take their service further? 

· Was it successful?