The Foundational Girl Scout Program | Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

At Girl Scouts, everything centers around the girl: Activities are girl-led, which gives girls the opportunity to take on leadership roles and learn by doing in a cooperative learning environment. It’s what makes Girl Scouts truly unique—our program is designed by, with, and for girls. 

Although girls may start building their leadership skills in school and on sports teams, research shows that the courage, confidence, and character they develop as Girl Scouts stay with them throughout their lives.

The Five Outcomes

  • Strong Sense of Self
  • Positive Values
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Challenge Seeking
  • Community Problem Solving

When girls exhibit these attitudes and skills, they become responsible, productive, caring, and engaged citizens. But don’t take our word for it! Studies show that the development of attitudes, behaviors, and skills like confidence, conflict resolution, and problem solving are critical to well-being and rival academic and technical skills in their capacity to predict long-term positive life outcomes.

Youth who develop these five outcomes...

Are happier, healthier, and less likely to engage in problem behaviors or be victimized. Youth who develop competencies such as perseverance, positive self-esteem, and sociability have lower rates of obesity, depression, and aggression, and show greater life satisfaction and well-being than those who do not develop such attributes/skills.

Achieve more academically and feel more engaged in school. Youth who participate in programs that promote the attributes and skills linked with our five outcomes show stronger academic performance and school engagement compared to those who do not. When students are more self-aware and confident about their learning capabilities, they try harder and persist in the face of challenges.

Become strong job applicants. While employers want new hires to have technical knowledge related to a given job, those skills are not nearly as important as good teamwork, decision-making, and communication skills. Yet, many employers around the world report that job candidates lack these attributes.

Become successful, well-adjusted adults. Kindergarteners who learn how to share, cooperate with others, and be helpful are more likely to later achieve a college degree and a job than youth who lack these social skills.

Each year, Girl Scouts and troop leaders are asked to answer survey questions abouth their Girl Scout experience. Surveys measure specific outcomes (or results) in fifteen areas. These fifteen outcomes are supported by the Girl Scouts' three keys to leadership: discover, connect, and take action. We also survey girls after they participate in short-term activities such as camp. All of these findings help us understand how we are helping to make a positive impact on the healthy development of girls, and where we may have room for improvement. The annual survey is sent out in the spring and we ask our members to complete the survey to provide us with the best data possible.

The Three Processes

As for how they do it? The GSLE draws on three unique processes that help girls unlock the leader within. 

  • Girl-led means girls of every age take an active and age-appropriate role in figuring out the what, where, when, why, and how of all the exciting troop activities they’ll do. The girl-led process is critically important to the GSLE—when girls know their voice matters, they feel empowered to make decisions and they stay engaged in their activities. 

  • Learning by doing is when girls are able to enjoy hands on activities. Then, after reflecting on their activities, girls gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and skills the activities require.

  • Cooperative learning is where girls learn to share knowledge and skills in an atmosphere of respect and cooperation as they work toward a common goal. 

As a volunteer, you’ll draw on these Girl Scout processes as you lead girls of any age. Girl-led at the Daisy level will look very different from the Ambassador level, of course. What’s most important is that girls make decisions about the activities to do together and that they also make choices within that activity. As they learn from their successes and failures—and gain a major confidence boost in the process—their girl-led process will give them the opportunity to lead within their peer group. By the time girls are Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors, they’ll be using the leadership skills they’ve developed in order to mentor younger girls. 

One last tip about using the processes: Girls’ time in Girl Scouting isn’t a to-do list, so please don’t ever feel that checking activities off a list is more important than tuning in to what interests girls and sparks their imaginations. Projects don’t have to come out perfectly—in fact, it’s a valuable learning experience when they don’t—and girls don’t have to fill their vests and sashes with badges. Because what matters most is the fun and learning that happens as girls make experiences their own, don’t be afraid to step back and let your girls take the lead.

For over 100 years, girls have discovered, explored, and strengthened their outdoor skills and commitment to environmental stewardship through Girl Scouting. Guided by supportive adults and peers, Girl Scouts discover the wonders of nature, experience the thrill of adventure, and challenge themselves and one another to reach new heights! Girl Scouts’ national outdoor programming features a variety of fun, challenging, and experiential activities that empower girls as they develop attitudes, skills, and behaviors essential to effective leadership in the outdoors:

1. Outdoor Competence: Girls engage safely and responsibly in a range of outdoor activities (e.g., practicing Leave No Trace and knowing what to bring to be prepared in the outdoors).

2. Outdoor Confidence: Girls have confidence in their outdoor abilities and are willing to try new and challenging outdoor activities.

3. Outdoor Interest: Girls have a love of nature and an interest in the natural world.

4. Environmental Stewardship: Girls understand how their behaviors impact the environment and what they can do to protect the natural world

* A 2019 Report from the Girl Scout Research Institute: Girl Scouts Soar in the Outdoors