Girl Scout Pathways

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) recently developed a more flexible model for participation in Girl Scouting.  Pathways correspond with the exciting work of GSUSA's Core Business Strategy to create nationally consistent and flexible ways for girls and adults to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Most participants believe the Pathways model is an ideal approach to attract and retain new members and will ultimately optimize the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and achieve measureable outcomes for girls and adults.  

So what does Pathways mean for girls and adults everywhere?

• Membership flexibility and participation options
• Increased volunteer retention and recruitment -- more adults to serve and support more girl members
• Increased flexibility encourages more girls to join Girl Scouting
• Increased interest from adults who desire to provide direct service to girls through more short term volunteer opportunities
• Current girl and adult members can remain with the organization longer because of the flexible ways to join and volunteer

When a girl or an adult joins the organization, she or he becomes a Girl Scout member. Girls can choose any one, all, or some of these pathways -- camp, events, series, travel, troops, and virtual, within a single school year.

The flexibility of Pathways will allow adults to participate in Girl Scouting based on their lifestyle and availability -- whether the adult prefers to partner directly with girls throughout a membership year, participate for only a few weeks or months, or work with other adults in a variety of roles.