The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority.
Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities.
For current COVID-19 guidelines, check your local council’s version of Safety Activity Checkpoints.
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.
Recognize and Support Each Individual 
Promote Fairness
Build Trust
Inspire Open Communication
Managing Conflict
Communicating Effectively with Girl Scouts of Any Age
Addressing the Needs of Older Girl Scouts
When Sensitive Topics Come Up
Report Concerns
Background Checks
Parents, guardians and girls trust that Girl Scouts is a safe place for them, and Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois takes that trust seriously. We are committed to maintaining policies and procedures that create a safe environment for girls to discover, connect and take action.
Criminal background checks are one of the tools we use to ensure that girls are safe with us. The council’s policy is to conduct criminal background checks on all new volunteers, and to repeat the background check every three years on every adult in an identified role. When a new member is placed into a volunteer role, the council's membership system sends a notification to that member at the email address on file. An email is also sent when a current member's record is about to expire. These emails will have a link for members to complete a new background check. Please ensure that your contact information is updated each year so that this safety measure can be completed quickly and your troop can have a fun and exciting experiences without delay!
What to do in case of an accident/injury:
If at anytime a member is injured due to an accident or incident, the following form should be completed as soon as possible and a staff representative will reach out as soon as the form is reviewed.
In an emergency, 911 should be contacted immediately. When the situation is under control by emergency medical services, the council should be contacted immediately by calling the GSofSI emergency line at 1-800-345-6858 and choosing option 3.
If contacted by the media for any reason, the only response should be to please direct them to the official spokesperson for the council, the Chief Executive Officer.
© Copyright 2009–2024 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.
