Welcome!

We are delighted that you are considering becoming a Girl Scout volunteer! You have one of the most important roles in building girls of courage, confidence and character.

We know your free time is precious so each year we work to make the training process easier and more accessible. Here's what you need to do, step by step. If you have any questions about the new leader training process, please contact us at 800.331.0149 or at 401.331.4500 x 1000. Tell the receptionist your name and the community in which you live and she'll put you in touch with the field director responsible for your geographic area.

Steps to Become a Girl Scout Volunteer

1. Fill out and send in the Volunteer Application.

2. Authorize a criminal background check. In Rhode Island, a BCI (Bureau of Criminal Identification) check is required. The form requesting such a check must be notarized. In Massachusetts, a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) check is required. If you have had a criminal background check in the last calendar year, you may turn this in instead. Send forms to us at: GSRI, 125 Charles Street, Providence, RI 02904.

3. Become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA. You may register online or download a registration form. Registration is $12 which goes directly to Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA); we also hope you'll consider an $18 donation to Girl Scouts of Rhode Island (GSRI) and through our "Family Partnership" campaign. This amount stays right here in Pawcatuck, CT, Rhode Island and southeastern MA to help us deliver the best possible experience to your daughter (or grand daughter, or niece, etc!).

Financial aid is available based on need. Click here for a financial aid form.

If you register before the paperwork in steps 1 and 2 are cleared, please remember that the registration fee is non-refundable.

If you are volunteering to be a troop leader, please choose that position code. Your position is "tentative" until you have completed the trainings below, but once approved you will have access to your troop's roster online. If you are volunteering in another capacity, please choose the appropriate position code.

4. Complete Part A of New Leader Training: The Basics. There are three modules:

Girl Scouting 101 is an online video prepared by GSUSA. Click here to access it. You will need a password to enter this site. The password can be obtained in any of the following ways: register for "Organizing Your Troop" face-to-face training and the password will be sent out with the confirmation notice OR contact your local Membership Coordinator, your local Service Unit Manager, or the Field Director for your area and they will send it to you. The video will take about 45 minutes to complete in its entirety, but you may also view it one segment at a time. Once you have completed viewing the video, GSUSA will notify GSRI electronically.

Volunteer Essentials 2012 is an online manual prepared by GSUSA. New volunteers should review the Quick Start portion (through page 10). The review should take about 15 minutes. The remainder of the manual is for your future reference. When you are finished, please download the Verification Form, fill it out and mail it to GSRI. Or, you may turn in the form at the face-to-face sesssion, "Organizing Your Troop".

GSRI Policies, Procedures and Standards, 2012. Please download this manual as you'll want to have it handy for future reference. Also, please download a copy of the worksheet that goes with the manual. Complete the worksheet and either mail it to GSRI or bring it with you to the "Organizing a Troop" face-to-face training. It should take you about 30 minutes to complete.

5. Purchase the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for the age level of the troop you intend to lead (e.g. Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior or Ambassador). The guide costs $22.50. Click here to order online with a credit card or click here for information about our Girl Scout shops. Please bring the guide with you to the face-to-face meeting.

6. Complete Part B of New Leader Training: Organizing a Troop. Register for and attend this three hour face-to-face training session. Dates and locations are posted on the online council calendar (make sure you click on the Training tab). Or, click here to review the training dates in list form. Register by calling the training registrar at 800.331.0149 or 401.331.4500 x 1202 or by submitting a Training Registration Form.

By completing the trainings listed in Step 4 above before attending the Organizing a Troop session, you will have the opportunity to ask questions which could not be answered in the online format. If you are not able to complete all three parts of the online training before this face-to-face session, however, please come anyway and you can complete the online training afterwards.

7. After you've completed steps 1-6, your Service Unit Manager (the top volunteer in your geographic region) will ask you to sign our Volunteer Agreement which documents that you have completed all the requirements for troop leadership and that you understand the responsibilities involved.

HOORAY!! Once you've completed these steps, you are ready to lead troop meetings!

8. Complete Part C of New Leader Training: Outdoor Day. In order to be "fully trained", you will need to be familiar with our camps. Outdoor Day training, which reviews camp procedures and teaches basic outdoor skills, is offered on Saturdays from April to November. Check the online council calendar (make sure you click on the Training tab) for dates. Or, click here to review the training dates in list form. Register by calling the training registrar at 800.331.0149 or 401.331.4500 x 1202 or by submitting a Training Registration Form.