Volunteer Training

"Be prepared” is our Girl Scout motto.

Our volunteer training can prepare you for your Girl Scout roles!

We know that when you have the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role, that you will thrive. For troop leaders, training can help create a troop environment where your Girl Scouts thrive, too. Being prepared also ensures that we are keeping our members and their families safe in a variety of ways. So, it is important for volunteers to stay current on their training.

Volunteer training is primarily available through our gsLearn system. You can access the system through your MyGS account. There is a MyGS link on the top right side of our website girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Access gsLearn

Empower Yourself

The gsLearn system allows registered adult members to access a variety of trainings. These courses are available at any time and allow you to work at your own pace.

All registered volunteers require training to be prepared for a role with Girl Scouts. These courses are required to meet our safety and liability standards. They are all offered through gsLearn. These trainings are organized together in our Volunteer Basics learning path and are automatically assigned to all new gsLearn accounts (effective 4/1/2025). If your trainings do not appear on your gsLearn dashboard or if you have questions about these trainings, please reach out to the Volunteer Experience team at gstraining@girlscoutsgcnwi.org or to our Customer Care team at customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org .

The Volunteer Basics learning path includes:

GSUSA Delivering Inclusive Program
GSUSA Mental Wellness 101
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: Troop Safety
430 Troop Safety Update
430 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention

Some roles and activities require more training. Courses for specific roles and activities are listed below.

New Troop Leaders and Assistant Leaders toggle arrow

Trainings:

430 Leader Basics 101: Foundations for a Great Troop Year
430 Leader Basics 201: Delivering the Girl Scout Experience
430 Leader Basics 301: Guardians of the Girl Scout Promise
430 Leader Basics 401: Budget Basics for Success
430 Leader Basics 501: Safe Adventures and Smart Planning
Following completion of the new leader onboarding process, troops should also plan to add a Troop First Aider (this does not need to be a troop leader, but should be a registered Girl Scout who will attend any field trips or troop activities happening outside of the meeting place); see Troop First Aider Policy for more information

Returning Troop Leaders and Assistant Leaders toggle arrow

Trainings:

Returning leaders have learning paths designed specifically for their Girl Scout age level each year. Courses that may have been taken as part of a previous learning path will present as complete and you will not be prompted to retake it with the exception of 430 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention which needs to be renewed every 3 years. These learning paths for returning leaders include:

430 Returning Leader Brownies
430 Returning Leader Juniors
430 Returning Leader Cadettes
430 Returning Leader Seniors
430 Returning Leader Ambassadors
430 Returning Multi Level Leaders
Each troop should have at least one Troop First Aider (this does not need to be a troop leader, but should be a registered Girl Scout who will attend any field trips or troop activities happening outside of the meeting place); see Troop First Aider Policy for more information
Appropriate Bridging course(s) as your troop moves from one age level to another
Appropriate new Grade Level learning path(s) as your troop moves from one age level to another

Service Unit Managers and Service Unit Team Members toggle arrow

Trainings:

The Service Unit Manager Basics learning path includes:

430 Service Unit Manager Onboarding*
GSUSA Service Unit Training-Effective Meetings*
GSUSA Service Unit Training-Developing & Growing the SU Team*
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: Funding the Fun-Managing Girl Scout Troop Finances*
430 AFR and Cash Detail Report Access for SUMs
GSUSA Looker Onboarding for Service Unit Volunteers*
Conflict Management
GSUSA Delivering Inclusive Program*
GSUSA Mental Wellness 101*
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: Troop Safety Update*
430 Troop Safety UPDATE*
430 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention*

*If you’ve already taken this course it will present as complete and you will not be prompted to retake it with the exception of 430 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention which needs to be renewed every 3 years"

Troop First Aider or Camp First Aider toggle arrow

Description:

First Aid/CPR training is required for one adult member (known as the Troop First Aider) associated with a troop in order for the troop to travel anywhere outside of its usual meeting place. While a certification is required for each troop, the person certified does NOT need to be a leader or assistant leader.
As outlined in “Safety Activity Checkpoints,” a First Aider must complete a Girl Scout-approved first aid and CPR training that includes specific instructions for adult and pediatric CPR, first aid, and AED (automated external defibrillator) training, which includes a face-to-face, hands-on skills check for:
- Checking a conscious victim
- Checking an unconscious victim
- Adult and pediatric CPR
- Controlling bleeding
- Sudden illness including EPI pen use
Partial instruction (meaning only First Aid or only CPR) or online-only certification will not be accepted.
First Aid/CPR certifications MUST be renewed every two years and it is recommended they be administered by a training vendor on our council’s approved list:
- Emergency Care and Safety Institute (our council's provider)
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
- Ellis Education Services

First Aid/CPR training is offered through Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The training includes two components: an online training and an in-person skills assessment. The cost for both sessions is $50. Register for First Aid/CPR training at girlscout.info/facprregistration

Notice Educators: If your school district provides the opportunity to train and receive the Heartsaver for K-12 Schools Course, (through the American Heart Association), you may be able to request the Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course (at an additional cost). The Heartsaver for K-12 Schools Course alone does NOT meet Girl Scout requirements. The Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course does meet Girl Scout requirements as long as the hands-on session is also completed at an AHA Training Center and a course completion card is obtained and submitted to gstraining@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

See our council Troop First Aider Policy for more information.

Adult Outdoor Training toggle arrow

Trainings:

As troops begin to plan activities at camps or overnights away from home, the following trainings will be required, based on scheduled activities:
- 430 Overnight Excursion Training - Necessary for an overnight trip
- 430 Fire Safety and Building – Necessary to have a campfire with s’mores/”stick” cooking
- *Outdoor Cooking – Necessary for more extensive outdoor cooking over a fire or with charcoal
- 430 *Rustic Camping – Necessary to sleep in platform tents, tabins, yurts, or pitch-your-own tent sites where there is no electricity, all food will be kept in a cooler, and cooking will be done outside.
- Basic Medication Administration – Necessary for troops and service units reserving Girl Scout camp sites. This training is not available through gsLearn. It is administered online by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and can be found here: https://media.dpi.wi.gov/sspw/av/bmap/story_html5.html. Your certificate of completion should be submitted to council as part of the camp reservation confirmation process.

* Outdoor Cooking and Rustic Camping include two sessions: an online session and a required in-person training. The in-person session is a combined training for both Outdoor Cooking and Rustic Camping, which runs about 4 hours. (We do not offer separate in-person skills assessments for these trainings.)

Product Program Volunteers - Fall Product and Cookies toggle arrow

Training for our product programs, which include Fall Product and the Cookie program are all run through the Product Program team. Volunteers who take on Product Program roles will be contacted directly by the Product Program team.

When Reserving Girl Scout Camp Sites

Current training is required when reserving a GSGCNWI Campsite or for our Trip and Travel approval process. This includes the general volunteer courses required for all registered volunteers, First Aid/CPR certification, and any Adult Outdoor Training courses required for your requested camp activities.

Please note that any outdoor training taken prior to 2009 will need to be retaken to meet our council requirements.

We encourage camp reservations be made prior to completing training, but your reservations will remain tentative until all necessary training is completed. Once training is completed, the council can approve and confirm your camp reservation.

When booking more than one campsite or fire ring, each site or ring requires a registered adult who is currently certified in all the required courses.

Camp Reservation

Travel Planning

Trip and Travel Application

Council Finder

Volunteer Training

"Be prepared” is our Girl Scout motto.

Our volunteer training can prepare you for your Girl Scout roles!

Empower Yourself

Trainings:

Trainings:

Trainings:

Description:

Trainings:

When Reserving Girl Scout Camp Sites

Questions or gsLearn issues may be directed to customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.