The Girl Scouts organization has troops in countries around the world. Although everyone follows the same guidelines, not one troop is exactly alike! I’ll share with you how our unique troop operates. I hope this information will give you some ideas if you’re considering Girl Scouts for a loved one with special needs.
Prior to joining, I did some research on the Girl Scouts program to see if it would be a good fit for our daughter. The benefits of the program are summarized nicely on their home page. The following is from www.girlscouts.org:
Girl Scouts is proven to help girls thrive in five key ways as they:
- Develop a strong sense of self.
- Seek challenges and learn from setbacks.
- Display positive values.
- Form and maintain healthy relationships.
- Identify and solve problems in the community.
I think this enhances many life skills necessary for independent living which is really important as she grows older.
Our troop is comprised of girls in different grades with varying levels of intellectual and physical disabilities. The leaders are two dedicated moms committed to offering an inclusive program. When planning activities, accessibility and adaptation are included so that everyone can be involved. The goal is to maximize each girl’s ability to participate and succeed.
The troop meets once a month for about an hour or so. Other troops I know of meet more frequently, but the monthly pace works for us. The low time commitment does not overwhelm our schedule. It allows our daughter to tend to other obligations such as therapy, doctor appointments and other activities.
The meetings are held in the school gym at the end of the school day. Having the meetings right after school is convenient for most of the girls and their families. The schools aides bring them to the gym and then a parent or caregiver arrive shortly after. Most girls have a parent or caregiver present to help.
Our troop is doing the Junior level program. The activities are appropriate and adaptable for the varied levels of age and ability. The leader did not want to get anyone stressed out by working toward too many badges since the activities tend to take longer and we meet just one a month. I think we are planning on completing one or two badges this year.
This is the first year the troop has participated in cookie sales! Like most troops, ours included, it seems like the parents do most of the work with the pre-sale such as getting orders from their workplace or through their Facebook pages. I’m planning on involving our daughter more once the pre-sale is finished. She loves to help and will be excited to sort, bag and deliver the cookie orders.
There are a few things the troop is hoping to accomplish with the money raised from the cookie sales. First, the troop is aiming to offer more special activities at the meetings. One example the leader spoke of is inviting a sewing specialist to educate the girls on sewing. The plan is to focus on what the girls are interested in then find ways to make the activity accessible for all. Second, we hope that there will be enough sales to cover supplies and snacks that are used on a regular basis. Third, we are hoping to bring the girls on some outings. Previous to us joining, I understand this has been very challenging for the troop. We haven’t had much discussion about it but I’m looking forward to brainstorming the possibilities.
We start every meeting reciting the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. There are varying levels of ability when it comes to speaking and reading. We do our best to have the girls follow the written words and say as many of the words as possible. The last sentence of the Girl Scout Law says in part “and be a sister to every Girl Scout”. As some of us discussed in our last meeting, we really want to strive to make the troop a sisterhood for the kids as well as moms and caregivers.
That pretty much sums up our Girl Scout troop! It is designed specifically to the girls’ needs and abilities so they can all have an awesome experience. I’m excited for what’s in store on this Girl Scout journey! The blossoming friendships are sure to grow for both my daughter and me.
If you have any ideas for activities, crafts or outings for our Girl Scout troop, please pass them along in the comment section. Thanks for stopping by!
JoAnn’s journey as a parent and caregiver to an individual with disabilities started when her daughter was born pre-maturely with multiple health issues resulting in cognitive, physical and speech disabilities. Over the years, JoAnn discovered that recreation, travel and social experiences can bring happiness and relief to a life that is often stressful and frustrating. She loves to seek out adaptive, accessible and fun activities for her daughter and the whole family to enjoy. She started the blog www.OurSpecialFunOasis.com to share her uplifting stories and positive ideas to help and to inspire others.