A safe space is where all Girl Scouts feel that they can be themselves, without explanation or judgment. As a volunteer, the environment you help foster is just as important as the activities Girl Scouts do—it’s the key to developing the sort of group they want to be a part of! Cultivate a space where confidentiality is respected and Girl Scouts can express their true selves.

Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities.

All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities with girls in order to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout-sanctioned activities.

Girl Scouts of Manitou Council Safety Activity Checkpoints

Girl Scouts of Manitou Council staff put together a video outlining the updates and changes to Safety Activity Checkpoints for 2026-2028, including where to find information on our website and how to submit council approval forms. Check it out!

Recognize and Support Each Girl Scout toggle arrow

You're a role model and a mentor to your Girl Scouts. Since you play an important role in their lives, they need to know that you consider each of them an important person, too. It’s likely they’ll weather an ill-equipped meeting place or an activity that flops—but being ignored or rejected by their troop leader is something they should never have to experience.

Remember to:

Give shout-outs when you see Girl Scouts trying their best, not just when they’ve had clear success.

Emphasize the positive qualities that make each Girl Scout worthy and unique.

Be generous with praise—but not with criticism.

Help Girl Scouts find ways to show acceptance of and support for one another.

Promote Fairness toggle arrow

In a Girl Scout troop, fairness is fostered by sharing responsibilities, addressing disagreements constructively, and responding consistently to accomplishments. When you model this commitment, it makes the inevitable mistakes easier to forgive. When possible, ask your group what they think is fair before decisions are made.

Remember to:

Try to ensure responsibilities as well as chances for feeling important are evenly divided among troop members.

Help Girl Scouts explore and decide for themselves fair ways of solving problems, carrying out activities, and responding to behaviors and accomplishments.

Explain your reasoning for making certain decisions.

Be willing to apologize as needed.

Build Trust toggle arrow

Girl Scouts need your support when they try new things, and you’ll need to demonstrate that you won’t betray their confidence. Show them you’re making an effort to understand them as individuals.

Inspire them to think for themselves and use their own judgment.

Encourage them to make important decisions in the group and assure them that all troop members have an equal say.

Offer them assistance in correcting/addressing their mistakes.

Support them in trusting one another—let them see firsthand how trust can be built, lost, regained, and strengthened.

Inspire Open Communication toggle arrow

Promote open communication by listening and responding positively to what your Girl Scouts think, feel, and want to do. They’ll appreciate having someone they can talk to about the important things happening in their lives.

Speak your mind when you’re happy or concerned about something, and encourage Girl Scouts to do the same.

Leave the door open for Girl Scouts to seek advice, share ideas, and propose plans or improvements.

Help them see how open communication can promote helpful action, discovery, a better understanding of self and others, and an atmosphere that fuels fun and accomplishment.

Manage Conflict toggle arrow

Conflicts and disagreements are an inevitable part of life, and if handled constructively they show Girl Scouts they can manage differences of opinion, exercise diplomacy, and improve their communication and relationships. Respecting others and being a sister to every Girl Scout means that shouting, verbal abuse, or physical confrontations are never warranted and cannot be tolerated in the Girl Scout environment.

When a conflict arises in your troop, try to get those involved to sit down together and talk calmly in a nonjudgmental manner, keeping in mind that each party may need some time—perhaps a few days or a week—to settle first. Explain to Girl Scouts that communicating in this way might feel uncomfortable and difficult in the moment, but it lays the groundwork for working well together in the future.

Whatever you do, don’t spread word of the conflict, as this won’t help the situation and may cause Girl Scouts embarrassment or anger.

If a conflict persists, be sure you explain the matter to your volunteer support team. If the supervisor can’t resolve the issue satisfactorily (or if the problem involves the supervisor), it can be taken to the next supervisory level and, ultimately, to your council if you need additional help.

Communicate Effectively with Girl Scouts of Any Age toggle arrow

Make sure your words and actions nurture connection among members. Keep in mind how important the following approaches are.

Listen. Listening to Girl Scouts, as opposed to telling them what to think, feel, or do (no “you should”) is the first step in building a trusting relationship and helping them take ownership of their Girl Scout experience.

Be honest. If you’re not comfortable with a topic or activity, it’s okay to say so. No one expects you to be an expert on every topic. Ask for alternatives or seek out volunteers with the required expertise. Also, owning up to mistakes—and apologizing for them—goes a long way.

Be open to real issues. Outside of Girl Scouts, members may be dealing with issues involving relationships, peer pressure, school, money, drugs, and other serious topics. When you don’t know, listen. And seek help from your council if you need assistance or more information than you currently have.

Show respect. Girl Scouts often say that their best experiences were the ones where adults treated them as equal partners. Speak to them respectfully to reinforce that their opinions matter and that they deserve respect.

Offer options. Members’ needs and interests change; being flexible shows them you respect them and their busy lives. Be ready with age-appropriate guidance and parameters no matter what Girl Scouts choose to do.

Stay current. Show members you’re interested in their world by asking them about the TV shows and movies they like; the books, magazines, or blogs they read; the social media influencers they follow; and the music they listen to.

Address the Needs of Older Girl Scouts toggle arrow

Let these simple tips guide you when working with teenage Girl Scouts:

Think of yourself as a “guide on the side”—a partner, a coach, or a mentor, not a “leader.”
Ask them what rules they need for safety and what group agreements they need to be a good team. When they take the lead in establishing group rules, they’re more likely to stick to them.
Understand that they need time to talk, unwind, and have fun together.
Ask what they think and what they want to do.
Encourage them to speak their minds.
Provide structure, but don’t micromanage.
Give everyone a voice in the group—understanding that “speaking up” may look different for each person. For some, it might mean sharing their ideas in front of the entire group; for others it could mean submitting a written response or contributing as part of a group.
Treat them like partners.
Don’t repeat what’s said in the group to anyone outside of it (unless necessary for their safety). See “Report Concerns” below to understand the guard rails.

Be Prepared for Sensitive Topics toggle arrow

It’s an amazing feeling when your Girl Scouts put their trust in you. When they do, they may come to you with some of the issues they’re facing, such as bullying, peer pressure, dating, athletic and academic performance, understanding their own identity, and more. Some of these issues might be considered sensitive by families who may have opinions or input about how, and whether, Girl Scouts should cover these topics with their troop.

Girl Scouts welcomes and serves youth and families from a wide spectrum of faiths and cultures. When members make clear that they want to participate in discussions or activities that could be considered sensitive—even just for some—put the topic on hold until you’ve spoken with a parent/caregiver of the members and received guidance from your council.

When Girl Scout activities involve sensitive issues, your role is that of a caring adult volunteer who can help them acquire skills and knowledge in a supportive atmosphere, not someone who advocates a particular position.

Know that Girl Scouts of the USA does not take a position or develop materials on issues relating to human sexuality, birth control, or abortion. We feel our role is to help Girl Scouts develop self-confidence and good decision-making skills that will help them make wise choices in all areas of their lives. We believe parents and caregivers, along with schools and faith communities, are the primary sources of information on these topics.

Parents/caregivers make all decisions regarding their child’s participation in Girl Scout programming that may be of a sensitive nature. As a volunteer leader, you must get written parental permission for any locally planned program offering that could be considered sensitive. Included on the permission form should be the topic of the activity, any specific content that might create controversy, and any action steps the Girl Scouts will take when the activity is complete. Be sure to have a form for each troop member and keep the forms on hand in case a problem arises. For activities not sponsored by Girl Scouts, find out in advance (from organizers or other volunteers who may be familiar with the content) what will be presented, and follow your council’s guidelines for obtaining written permission.

Sensitive Issues Permission Slip

Report Concerns toggle arrow

There may be times when you worry about the health and well-being of individuals in your group. Alcohol, drugs, sex, bullying, abuse, depression, and eating disorders are some of the issues they may encounter. You are on the frontlines of their lives which places you in a unique position to identify a situation in which Girl Scouts may need help. If you believe someone is at risk of hurting themself or others, your role is to promptly bring that information to the parent/caregiver or the council so the Girl Scout can get the expert assistance they need. Your concern about their well-being and safety is taken seriously and your council will guide you in addressing these concerns.

Here are a few signs that could indicate someone needs expert help:

Marked changes in behavior or personality (for example, unusual moodiness, aggressiveness, or sensitivity).
Declining academic performance and/or inability to concentrate.
Withdrawal from school, family activities, or friendships.
Fatigue, apathy, or loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
Sleep disturbances.
Increased secretiveness.
Deterioration in appearance and personal hygiene.
Eating extremes, unexplained weight loss, distorted body image/efforts to hide their body.
Tendency toward perfectionism (i.e. mistakes are considered unacceptable, unwillingness to start or try something for fear of failure, belief there is only one way to do something).
Giving away prized possessions; preoccupation with the subject of death.
Unexplained injuries such as bruises, burns, or fractures.
Avoidance of eye contact or physical contact.
Excessive fearfulness or distrust of adults.
Abusive behavior toward other children, especially younger ones, or animals.

Harassment
Girl Scouts of Manitou Council has adopted a policy of "zero-tolerance" with respect to unlawful harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, past or current military service, or for any other protected reason. This policy applies to all incidents of alleged harassment while working or volunteering on or off council property where the alleged offender or victim is a supervisor, co-worker, a non-employee with whom an employee is involved, a vendor, or a volunteer.

Sexual Advocacy
Girl Scouts of Manitou Council reserves the right to refuse affiliation and to dismiss or suspend from affiliation with Girl Scouts of Manitou Council any employee or volunteer who, in conducting Girl Scout program, advocates, solicits, or promotes sexuality/homosexuality/heterosexuality so as to create substantial risk that such conduct will be detrimental to the proper role model for girl members or to the work environment or encompasses a matter outside Girl Scout program.

Sexual Harassment
Girl Scouts of Manitou Council prohibits the following:
A. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and all other
verbal or physical conduct of sexual or otherwise offensive nature,
especially where:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of affiliation with Girl Scouting;
Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individual's affiliation with Girl Scouting;
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidation, hostile or offensive environment.

B. Offensive comments, jokes, innuendoes, and other sexually oriented
statements.

Child Abuse
The Girl Scouts of Manitou Council supports and maintains environments that are free of child abuse and neglect as defined by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

Child abuse and neglect are unlawful acts, and it is against the council's policy for any employed staff member, or volunteer, male or female, to physically, sexually, verbally, or mentally abuse or neglect any child participant in the Girl Scout Program.

The Girl Scouts of Manitou Council reserves the right to refuse affiliation to a volunteer or employeed staff member found guilty of child abuse and neglect or who has been convicted of child abuse and neglect.

Reporting
Any individual who believes that she or he, or a child participating in the Girl Scout program, has been the victim of, or a witness to, harassment, sexual advocacy, or child abuse should report the alleged incident to the CEO or management staff, without regard to the formal chain of command.

Supervisors who are witness to harassment, sexual advocacy, or child abuse must report the alleged incident to the CEO. The CEO will begin a prompt review of the circumstance according to the established process. The utmost discretion will be used consistent with the requirement of the law in the conduct of the review.

If the council determines that an alleged offender is guilty of harassment, sexual advocacy, or child abuse, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the offender, up to and including termination of employment, business relationship, or volunteer involvement. Should the perceived violator or the perceived victim be the CEO, the complainant shall contact the council president.

The council prohibits any form of retaliation against anyone filing a bona fide complaint or for assisting in the complaint investigation. If, however, after investigating the claim the council determines the complaint is not bona fide and was not made in good faith or that the person reporting the alleged harassment, sexual advocacy, or child abuse has provided false information regarding the complaint, disciplinary action may be taken against the individual who filed the complaint or who gave false information.

© Copyright 2009–2026 Girl Scouts of the United States of America.  All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.

Council Finder

Creating a Safe Space for Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts of Manitou Council staff put together a video outlining the updates and changes to Safety Activity Checkpoints for 2026-2028, including where to find information on our website and how to submit council approval forms. Check it out!

Sensitive Issues Permission Slip