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Trips with Girl Scouts is Unique!

• Trips has a purpose in Girl Scouting.• Girl Planning is what make the Girl Scout experience

unique.• Progression is very important in trip planning.

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Is Your Troop Ready?

• For any kind of trip, girls need practice in some basic lessons

• Girls need certain skills before taking an overnight trip.

• Are the girls comfortable being away from home?

• Do the girls know how to practice good manners?

• Can girls get along for a longer period time?

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Progression for Girl Scout Outings and Trips

• Daisies (or girls who have not been on a trip before) should start with a short walk away from the meeting place.• Follow this progression when planning Girl Scout outings. Plan outings that last longer and are

further away from your meetings.

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Suggested Progression of Trips:

• Meeting time trips: may include traveling in a car or public transportation• Day trips: same as above but perhaps adding lunch in a restaurant; additional stops for shopping or site seeing.

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Simple overnight trips: one or two nights away, perhaps in a motel, multiple sites to visit, restaurants.Extended overnight trips: three or more nights away in the U.S.; possibly several modes of transportation and multiple lodging sites

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• Destinations: girls at least 12 years of travel alone to site of the event• International trips: girls at least 14 years of age, outside of the U.S.; usually the troop has planned for 2-3 years for this trip

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Girl Planning for Girl Scout Outings and Trips

• Daisies: help choose where to go

• Brownies: choose where to go, how much it will cost, what to wear, what to bring, safety on the trip and evaluation

• Juniors: choose where to go and what to do, set a budget, schedule activities, safety and evaluation

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Girl Planning for Girl Scout Outings and Trips

• Cadettes: three or more day trip, budget for the trip, scheduling activities (may include advanced skills, i.e., white-water rafting, skiing), evaluation

• Senior/Ambassadors:• can be international trip,

long term planning and budgeting, investigate lodging and reservations, evaluation

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Girl to Adult Ratios

• For activities away from• the meeting site –• two adults will be • needed for each:• 6 Daisies• 12 Brownies• 16 Juniors• 20 Cadettes• 24 Seniors/Ambassadors

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. . . If the numbers go up

• You will need anadditional adult for each:• 4 Daisies• 6 Brownies• 8 Juniors• 10 Cadettes• 12 Seniors/Ambassadors

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The same girl/adult ratios apply at Girl Scout campovernights, however . . .

A qualified adult with Troop Camp Certification must be in

attendance.

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Let’s Talk About Safety

Before traveling make sure you have addressed the following topics with

your troop and what to do Let girls act out possible scenarios of things that might happen (good and bad) on the trip. Separated from group Buddy system How to act in public places Basic First aid Expected Behavior

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More Travel Safety Hints

• No names on clothing where strangers can see it.• Dress alike with the same color t-shirts when

visiting crowed areas• Girls should know the circumstances when it is

OK to talk to strangers (lost, sick, hurt) and when not to talk to strangers.

• Girls should know how to use a telephone, how to phone home, and how to phone police or fire.

• If you split up into groups – an adult should be with each group and you should have a scheduled “meeting back together” time.

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Responsible Traveling

As Girl Scouts, you and your girls are representatives of

the largest voluntary organization

for girls in the world. The name “Girl Scouts” and your uniform can open many

doors for you. It is the responsibility of you and

your girls to maintain the good image of the organization and to practice good manners. You are representing the entire organization when you are out

there as “Girl Scouts”.

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General

• You must have a currently certified first aider on the trip.

• Know what goes into a first aid kit (Check Volunteer Essentials for suggestions.)

• Know what to do for dehydration, chapped lips, insect bites, minor burns, cuts, scrapes, poison oak, sprains and sunburn.

• Learn about accident prevention for the activities in which you’ll be engaged

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Accidents Happen

• Contact the girl’s family• Complete an Accident Report form for

any accident that might require medical attention.

• In case of serious injury, hospitalization or accidental death, immediately contact the Council Office.

• For any inquiry regarding Girl Scout activity insurance, contact the council registrar at 800-475-2621.

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Planning Trips with Girls

Start with some basic questions – the five W’s.

These will help girls understand all the aspects of planning.

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• Can all the girls go?• Will we include parents?• Who will help plan our trip?• Do we know anyone who has been

before?

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• What will we need to bring?• What notifications do we need to

give the Girl Scout council?

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• Fun?• Recognitions?• Service ?• Fun?

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• How far will we travel?• Destination directions?• Is a pre-visit necessary?

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• Are the girls ready for this kind of trip?

• How many drivers will we need?• Who pays?• What activities will we do and who

plans them?

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Advanced Planning

• How long to get there/mode of transportation?

• Restaurant/restroom stops?• Visiting hours/need reservations?• Bad weather/back-up plan?• Schedule seating rotations on trip?• Special interest/small group plans?

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Travel Readiness Communication with the Council

Troop Trip Notification Form• Meeting time trip- 2 weeks prior – to your

service unit manager• Day trip – 2 weeks prior – to your service

unit manager• Simple overnight – 4 weeks prior – to

your Membership Specialist• Troop Camping – 4 weeks prior – to your

Membership Specialist• Extended overnight (more than 2 nights

and 200 miles from meeting place) – 6 weeks prior - to the Council Program department

• International Trip – 12 months prior – the Council Program Department

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Travel ReadinessThere is sound planning

• Girls, leaders, parents• support the trip.• Girls and parents:– Know how much money is available– Know how much money is needed– Know and agree to safety standards and

council policies that govern the trip– Agree to follow the rules and accept

consequences for inappropriate behavior.

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Travel Readiness

• Travel arrangement are made in advance.• Time schedule• Mileage expected each day• Reservations for lodging and sites• Itinerary to girls, adults and parents• Emergency plan

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Girl Scout Leader Tool Kit

• Permission slips/health history form• Accident report form• Emergency contact phone numbers• Emergency procedures• Change for tips, toll roads, etc.• Map of the area you will be traveling• Paper work for reservations, etc.• Emergency “fix it” kit with safety pins, needle/thread,

scissors, pen and paper, etc.• Ideas for travel games & activities to keep girls engaged• Trash bags• Any girl’s medications, instructions for dosage and signed

permission to give medications.

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In-Town Contact

• You should designate an in-town contact person.

• Parents should all know how to contact his person.

• You may want to develop a plan to check in regularly with the in-town contact and let the parents know the check-in schedule.

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Transportation Contracts

Girl Scout Leaders may not sign contacts for chartering buses

The council must review and sign contracts

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Private Passenger Vehicles

• Properly registered• Adequate insurance • Girls under 12 – if possible, should NOT sit in front due to airbags• It is advised that a driver be a registered Girl Scout

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Public Transportation

• Advantage – subject to regulations for standards, equipment, personnel and insurance– Bus lines– Ship Lines– Commercial Airline– Trains

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For an extended trip lasting 3 nights or

longer you must purchaseadditional Girl Scout InsuranceThis must be done at least 3 weeks

inAdvance.

Call the Council Registrar forInformation.

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Driver Safety Tips

• Prior to the trip; discuss driving safety with girls and drivers:• Girls should not argue while cars are in motion -

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More Driver Safety Tips

• Slow down in bad weather• Pull off road to look at map or talk on a cell phone• Make sure everyone is buckled up• Avoid truck blind spots• Keep your eyes on the road

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Driver Packet Suggestions

• Health form per person• Permission slip form per girl• Directions to destination• Phone number & contact person at• destination• Name & phone number of the in-

town contact person

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After Any Trip!

• Pay bills promptly• Write thank you notes• Return borrowed or rented

equipment• EVALUATE WITH THE GIRLS