Intro: We are Girl Scouts Chapter 3: All About Girl Scouts Quick Start Guide Chapter 4: Safety-Wise... 51

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2 Intro: We are Girl Scouts... 1 Our Mission and Vision... 1 Girl Scout Promise & Law... 1 Quick Start Guide... 2 Service Center Information... 2 Our Camps... 2 Property Reservations... 3 Our Council Structure... 3 Council Governance... 5 Who Can Join Girl Scouts and How?... 7 Girls at Every Grade Level... 7 Council Membership Fee... 7 Registering Online Personify/E-Biz... 7 Chapter 1: Girl Scout s National Programming Discover + Connect + Take Action = Leadership The Three Processes Flexible Ways to Participate Finding a Troop Participating as a Juliette Girl Scout Traditions and Celebrations The National Program Portfolio Other Initiatives and Opportunities Emblems and Patches La Tienda Your Council s Shop Highest Honor Awards Chapter 2: Volunteering for Girl Scouts 27 Understanding Your Role as a Girl Scout Volunteer. 27 Approved Adults The Volunteer Application & GSNMT Background Check Using Safety Activity Checkpoints How Many Volunteers are Needed Following the Girl Scout Safety Guidelines Taking Advantage of Training Opportunities Volunteer Recognitions Chapter 3: All About Girl Scouts Arranging a Time and Place for Girl-Led Meetings Understanding Healthy Development in Girls Creating a Safe Space for Girls Managing Conflict Formal Grievance Process When Sensitive Topics Come Up Reporting Potential Abuse Creating an Atmosphere of Acceptance & Inclusion 49 Chapter 4: Safety-Wise Girl Scout Activity Insurance Providing Emergency Care Media Policy Online Safety Social Media & Graphics Policies Chapter 5: Managing Group Finances GSNMT Financial Policies and Procedures Girl Scout Product Program Additional Group Money-Earning Activities Help Girls Reach Their Financial Goals The Opportunity Fund Chapter 6: The Troop Pathway Requirements for Becoming a Troop Leader Steps for Getting Started Chapter 7: The Travel Pathway Transporting Girls Council Policy Framework as Approved by the Board of Directors... 96

3 Girl Scouts was founded in 1912 by trailblazer Juliette Gordon Low. We are the largest girl-serving organization in the United States and a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, a sisterhood of close to 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries. Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We strive to be the premier leadership organization for girls, and experts on their growth and development. On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. *Girl Scouts of the USA makes no attempt to define or interpret the word God in the Girl Scout Promise. It looks to individual members to establish for themselves the nature of their spiritual beliefs. When making the Girl Scout Promise, individuals may substitute wording appropriate to their own spiritual beliefs for the word God. Note: This disclaimer appears in the National Leadership Journey adult guides, but not in the girls books. It is included here as a reminder to you, as a volunteer, that it s your responsibility to be sensitive to the spiritual beliefs of the girls in your group and to make sure that everyone in the group feels comfortable and included in Girl Scouting. Please feel free to share this information with girls families. I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. We are urban, rural, and suburban. We are in schools, churches, temples, mosques, public housing, foster homes, and detention centers. We are in virtually every zip code and in 90 countries around the world. 2.3 million girls 5 to 18 years of age 16,800 Girl Scouts overseas 888,000 adult volunteers 59 million alumnae 112 councils throughout the United States At any given time, approximately 10 percent of girls are Girl Scouts, and it s interesting to know that: 80 percent of women business owners were Girl Scouts. 69 percent of female U.S. Senators were Girl Scouts. 67 percent of female members of the House of Representatives were Girl Scouts. Virtually every female astronaut who has flown in space was a Girl Scout. We have identified Three Keys to Leadership: girls themselves and their values; with others; and to make the world a better place. At Girl Scouts, everything centers around the girl: activities are girl-led, which gives the opportunity to learn by doing in a cooperative learning environment.

4 Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails, Inc Jefferson Plaza NE, Albuquerque, NM Tel: ; Fax: Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday 8am-5pm; Fri 8am-Noon After-Hours Answering Service: (non-emergency) Website: Twitter: Twitter.com/NMGirlScouts Facebook: Facebook.com/GSNMT 501 Commerce Way Ste 3 Clovis, NM Tel: Cortland Drive Farmington, NM Tel: St. Michael s Drive Santa Fe, NM Did you know you can rent our camp for your family vacation or a family reunion? Both camps offer Family, Resident, and Troop camping sessions during camp season. In the off-season, both camps are available for rental by Girl Scouts and outside user groups alike. To rent a space at camp, call us at or GSNMTinfo@gs-nmtrails.org. Rancho del Chaparral Ranger: Corkey Green Physical Address: 870 Forest Road 539 Cuba, NM Mailing Address: 4000 Jefferson Plaza NE Albuquerque, NM Web: Camp Elliott Barker Ranger: Michael Dean Physical Address: 79 Westridge Road Angel Fire, NM Mailing Address: PO Box 626 Angel Fire, NM Web:

5 This council has two camp locations and three service centers that offer a variety of group experiences. Our properties include: Property Name Location Unique Features Camp Elliott Barker Angel Fire, NM Horses, Canoeing, High/Low Ropes Course Rancho del Chaparral Cuba, NM Horses, Covered Wagon & Hogan Sleeping Quarters Albuquerque Service Center Albuquerque, NM Full kitchen facilities, Backyard & Multiple Rooms Santa Fe Service Center Santa Fe, NM Full kitchen facilities, Large Group Room Clovis Service Center Clovis, NM Half kitchen facilities, Group Room Our facilities can be used for all event types including, but not limited to: Troop Meetings Service Unit Meetings Troop Events Service Unit Events Camp Outings Family Reunions Company Retreats Business Meetings Non-Girl Scout Groups may also rent our sites. For more information about property reservations, us at gsnmtinfo@gs-nmtrails.org or call us at The national office of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is located in New York City and employs roughly 300 employees. GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Visit GSUSA online to find a wealth of resources for both girls and volunteers. Global Girl Scouting ensures that girls have increased awareness about the world, cross-cultural learning opportunities, and education on relevant global issues that may inspire them to take action to make the world a better place. Visit Global Girl Scouting online for additional information. Since 1925, USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO), a division of Global Girl Scouting, has helped ease the transition for American families relocating overseas by offering the familiar traditions and exciting opportunities of Girl Scouting to girls abroad. USAGSO now serves thousands of American girls living overseas as well as girls attending American or international schools. Through Global Girl Scouting, members participate in World Thinking Day on February 22, visit the four WAGGGS world centers, participate in international travel, promote global friendships and understanding by supporting the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund, and take action on global issues. Girl Scout councils are chartered by the national office to attract and retain members in a geographical area, provide ways for girls to participate in Girl Scouting, create an environment that reflects Girl Scout values and ideals, manage volunteers experience with Girl Scouting, and keep girls and volunteers as safe as possible. The national office provides support materials to all councils to ensure that the Girl Scout experience is nationally consistent. Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails is a chartered council, and operates under its own 501c3 as an independent organization. Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails is a Service Unit-Centric Council. What does this mean? This means that no matter where you are located, throughout our great council, you have an experienced and dedicated team of volunteers in your backyard. They are there for local support, and we urge you to meet them as soon as possible. Each Service Unit is also paired with its own Regional Manager, the council staff member who helps manage the

6 area. Both your Service Unit Team and your Regional Manager will be invaluable resources to you in your Girl Scout Leadership Experience! Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails covers the top 2/3 of New Mexico. Below, you can find the contact s and names of the Service Units that span our council: Service Unit Report Code Contact Area Covered Santa Fe 10 Santa Fe Area Los Alamos 22 Los Alamos Area White Rock 23 White Rock Area Raton 42 Raton Area Clayton 47 Clayton Area Clovis 52 Clovis Area Portales 53 Portales Area Tucumcari 55 Tucumcari Area Las Vegas 61 Las Vegas Area Taos 71 Taos Area Angel Fire 72 Angel Fire Area Espanola 81 Espanola Area San Juan 101 Farmington & Kirtland Area Zuni 121 Zuni Pueblo Area Gallup 122 Gallup Area Grants 123 Grants Area Belen 131 Belen Area Rio Abajo 132 Los Lunas/Bosque Farms Socorro 133 Socorro & Surrounding Areas Santa Rosa 141 Santa Rosa to Fort Sumner Desert Rose 152 Rio Rancho Area Cuba 153 Cuba Area Alamosa 154 ABQ South Valley/SW ABQ NW Mesa 156 General West Side ABQ Bernalillo 162 Bernalillo & Placitas Area Eisenhower 172 ABQ NE Foothills Desert Skies 174 North Central ABQ Mountain View 181 East of the Sandia/Monzanos Jackson 183 ABQ SE Foothills/Canyon Jefferson/Was 184 ABQ Downtown/UNM/KAFB Dos Rios 186 Aztec/Bloomfield/Blanco, NM

7 Because Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails is its own legal entity, we have our own Board of Directors, By-laws, and Governance Processes. The Girl Scout movement is rooted firmly in the belief that the democratic process shall guide its activities. This means that members can influence decisions and activities in matters of governance and management and have access to those responsible for decision making. The governance process was put in place to ensure that all members of GSNMT have a voice. Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails delegates elect the Board of Directors, Board Officers, and members of the Board Development Committee at the Council s Annual Meeting. Throughout the year, delegates respond to requests for consultation from the Board and in this way, influence the decisions of the Board as they fulfill their governance responsibilities. Additionally, delegates represent the council at the National Council Meeting held every three years by GSUSA. The roles and responsibilities of the delegates and of the board are described in the council s by-laws. The Council s by-laws and delegate information can always be found on our website at Must be a registered member 14 years or older Serve a one-year term Will vote in the elections of Council Officers, members of the Board of Directors, and GSUSA National Council Delegates Will have the opportunity to serve on task groups exploring special topics and projects Will identify and make known major issues affecting girls and adult volunteers Attend and participate in our council s Annual Meeting March 15 th May 15 th May-Aug August September November The number of delegates allowed per SU is submitted to the Service Unit Team Service Unit voting is completed, names are all turned into council & training is available Delegates facilitate discussion with members Proposals are submitted to the Board of Directors from the delegates The Board of Directors votes on the submitted proposals Council s Annual Meeting The Council shall conduct an Annual Meeting of the Council membership annually. At the Annual Meeting the Members of the Council will elect Officers, Directors, and Board Development Committee members in appropriate years, National Council delegates and alternates to the National Council of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA); consider proposed amendments to By-Laws and provide input on key issues affecting the Council and requested by GSUSA and consider other business appropriate to come before the Council in accordance with the process established by the Board.

8 Board Approved January 2014 Visitors are always welcome to voice comments and concerns at GSNMT Board meetings. However, in order to ensure that all have the opportunities to express themselves, speakers are asked to adhere to the following guidelines. 1. Visitors are invited to speak to the Board of Directors during the designated 20 minutes open forum period scheduled on each Board Agenda or if visitors wish to comment on an agenda item they may be acknowledged at the time the agenda item is heard by the board. Anyone wishing to comment must sign-up on the bottom of this form in order to be recognized. The form must be completed and submitted to Director of Administration and Operation Annette LeFebre 24 hours prior to the start of the meeting. The contact information is 2. Comments during the Open Forum do not have to be related to items on the agenda; however it must pertain to matters of GSNMT business, activities and responsibilities. 3. Speakers will be given five (5) minutes to speak. Speakers cannot relinquish unused time to other visitors. Board members may request that a speaker be given a time extension. If a group of visitors (3 or more) wish to address the board they must fill out this form identifying their group and who will be the speaker. The speaker of the group will have five (5) minutes to address the council. In both instances the Board Chair will inform the speaker when one (1) minute remains. 4. Speakers are not permitted to engage in personal attacks on any person or organization. Profanity, offensive communication, or any potential libelous or defamatory comments are strictly prohibited. 5. Visitor participation is not a dialogue between council and the visitors. The purpose is to afford visitors the opportunity to voice their opinions, ideas or concerns. Board members may also determine they wish to follow-up and /or refer it as an operational issue to staff. 6. At anytime the Board Chair believes the speaker has stepped beyond the Visitor s Comment Guidelines, outlined herein, that visitor may be asked to refrain from further comment and asked to be seated. 7. Written comment may be submitted to the Board of Directors in lieu of speaking. To access the Visitor s Comment Guidelines paperwork which needs to be signed and submitted by visitors, please download from our website:

9 Girl Scouts is about sharing the fun, friendship, and power of girls and women together. Any girl from kindergarten (or 5 years old) through 12 th grade can join Girl Scouts. After girls join, they team up in the following grade levels: Girl Scout Daisy (grades K 1) Girl Scout Brownie (grades 2 3) Girl Scout Junior (grades 4 5) Girl Scout Cadette (grades 6 8) Girl Scout Senior (grades 9 10) Girl Scout Ambassador (grades 11 12) Girl Scouts is a membership organization, which requires a yearly membership fee. This fee goes directly to GSUSA (it does not stay in your local council) and covers you under supplemental accident insurance when you are participating in Girl Scout programming. When you pay your membership fee, you become a registered Girl Scout for that calendar year (October 1 st September 30 th ). $15.00 Yearly Registration Fee (Girls and Adults) $ Lifetime Registration Fee (Adults) $ Lifetime Registration (Graduating Ambassador Girl Scouts) Personify/E-biz is a Customer Relationship Management System that has been developed by GSUSA and councils specifically for Girl Scout use. As an individual, Personify/E-Biz provides: Customer profile management Family Giving donations Registration for programs, trainings and camps Printable Girl Scout membership cards Membership renewals As a troop leader, Personify/E-Biz provides: Troop maintenance Registration for your troop programs, trainings and camps Centralized ing and printable rosters of troop members Printable Girl Scout membership cards Membership renewal for troop members (from April thru September)

10 How to Get Started in Personify/E-biz Create your Personify/E-biz login account. This is the first and most important step to gaining access to the Personify/E-Biz system to register for activities. 1. To create your login account, please click on this link (visit and fill out the fields in the by Name & Address section. You must use the account GSNMT has on record from when you signed up for Girl Scout membership. For assistance or to change your , contact 2. Upon completing Step 1, you will be sent an containing a link to create your username and password. Click the link to complete creating your account. 3. Fill out the fields in the Create User section that the above link directs you to. Hit Create Account. An will be sent that confirms your account creation. 4. You are now done and ready to access E-Biz! You can start registering for programs and trainings beginning October 1, E-Biz/Personify Troubleshooting Unable to create a login/activate account: Unable to activate account using Last Name and address. Reason: Your name and/or address is different than what is recorded in the system. Your name may be misspelled or your address may have changed since you registered. Try entering your name and address again; making sure the spelling is correct. If you are still unable to activate your account, contact us at helpdesk@gs-nmtrails.org. Unable to access a previously activated account: I activated my account, but cannot remember my password. Click on the Password? a link will be sent to you. You will need to enter your username and address. I activated my account, but cannot remember my username. Click on the Username? a link will be sent to you. You will need to enter your name and the address that is in the system. How to see My Account page: I cannot see My Account information. Be sure you are logged into your account. On the navigation bar you should see Your name s Account on the right hand side. How do I know if my membership is current? Click on the My Family or My Troops tab depending on who you would like to verify. Here you will see a list similar to a spreadsheet. The last column on the right is Girl Scout Member Until. This date is the date this members hip is current until or when it expired. I need to change my address, phone number, address and/or race & ethnicity information. Click on your name from the either the My Family or My Troops tab. Click on Edit next to your name on the page that refreshes. Make your necessary changes and click save changes. Race & Ethnicity information is voluntary and used for statistical purposes only. Providing this information helps to ensure community support and funding for Girl Scouts in your local community. I need to change my user name and/or password. Click on Update Web Login Information. Choose from the options. Be sure to save your changes.

11 How do I know if I am registered/attended an event/class? Click on the Order History link and you will see a dropdown list of orders completed for the last 30 days. You can adjust this filter to include orders placed up to the last year. This link is available on both the family and the troops tabs. By clicking on the order number, you can reprint the receipt. What if I Need Technical Help? The Help Desk is available to support GSNMT members. To submit an electronic Help Ticket, please contact us at helpdesk@gs-nmtrails.org. Late Registrations Cannot Be Accepted. We want to remind all members of the No Late Registration policy. With Personify/E-biz, when members log-in to register for a program or training, they will immediately be able to see if there is room in the session. There s no more waiting for a confirmation to see if you got in. GSNMT offers a wide variety of quality programs and trainings. It is important to have the necessary time in advance of all programs/trainings to tally final attendance, purchase materials and supplies in order to ensure the success of the program/training and deliver the best possible experience. As each program/training is posted, a firm registration deadline will also be listed. We set those registration closing dates as close to the event as possible to ensure maximum attendance. We encourage you to check the GSNMT website for program/training calendar updates and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for current updates. Register in advance so you don t miss out on the fun!