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Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay is lucky to have an incredible network of Service Unit volunteers. Service Unit Central is packed with easy-to-find-and-use resources to support those volunteers, so they can spend more time being awesome!
Flyer Templates and Marketing Materials 
Customizable Recruitment flyer - Younger Girl | Older Girl
Need to add a QR code to the flyer? Try these - Younger Girl | Older Girl
NOTE: This flyer may still need approval from school districts. Please email MemberCare@cbgsc.org if you have any questions.
At the beginning of the recruitment season (late summer), Service Units will receive a limited supply of recruitment materials - flyers, posters, giveaways, etc. If you need additional marketing materials, please use our Service Unit Recruitment Supplies Request.
Recruitment Events
Recruitment Event Ideas
Service Units will typically host a bring-a-friend event or a community family event. Whatever type of recruitment event you host, it needs to represent Girl Scouts in a positive and welcoming manner. When you’re planning and/or hosting an event, always think, “A girl and her caregivers’ first impression of Girl Scouts is my recruitment event. What do I want that impression to be?” Below are some examples of recruitment events.
- Songfest
Invite non-members to learn some favorite Girl Scout campfire songs—no flames required! This is a great event to hold outside at a park or at a Girl Scout property. Create songbooks so all attendees can sing along. Share fun and interactive snacks, like s’mores or ants on a log. Set up an information booth where adults can learn about joining.
- Ice Cream Social
Flyer your school, community centers, etc. to invite girls and families to a free ice cream social! Bring Girl Scout books for families to check out, along with display photo board and girl uniforms to show off troop memories and accomplishments. Lead girls in a quick craft, such as creating a memorable SWAP. Allow girls and adults to socialize while enjoying their ice cream, then gather everyone into program age levels. Speak about your Girl Scout experience and answer questions, then let adults discuss volunteering and forming troops.
- Roller Skating bring a friend to Juliette's birthday party event!
This type of event can also serve as a service project! ask girls to “bring presents” —This could be donations of hats, gloves, socks, or donations for a local food pantry. Give the attendees a goodie bag to take home with a girl scout flyer and other small party favors. Invite your CES to complete registrations on the spot!
- Host a What Girl Scouts Do expo event
Include different stations: Traditions, Trips/Travel, Outdoors, Higher Awards, Badges, and make sure to include a Q&A space. Have girls in the SU run each station and include hands on activities that can be completed at each table. Check out activities here: Girl Scout Activity Zone | Girl Scouts
- Badge Workshop Event
Depending on the grade level, host a badge workshop event where participants can earn a badge. Check out the badge explorer page here: Award and Badge Explorer | Girl Scouts
- Sampler Troops
Sampler troops are a short series of meetings with new girls and their parents/caregivers, led by a current volunteer. At the end of the series, we will encourage one or more of those adults to step into the Leader role for the troop.
Interested in leading a Sampler Troop? Contact your Volunteer Engagement Specialist to get started.
Support for your SU Events
Add Your Event to the GSCB Calendar
- If your Service Unit is hosting an event that is open to anyone within our council, or open to the public, GSCB is happy to help promote your event by adding it to our Event Calendar. Please complete the Calendar Submission - Volunteer Hosted Events form.
Service Unit Members and Their Roles
The Service Unit team is made up of a team of volunteers who are appointed and trained on essential responsibilities to ensure their community is working towards the goal and mission of Girl Scouting. Each member of the team is important to the Service Unit structure, each having specific functions and areas of responsibility within the Service Unit. GSCB defines the roles that create the opportunity for growth and support within the Service Unit.
| Role | Description |
| GSCB Senior Director of Membership and Engagement (Staff) | The Senior Director of Membership and Engagement oversees several teams within the organization, including the Volunteer Engagement team and the Community Engagement team. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include:
|
| GSCB Volunteer Engagement Team (Staff) | The GSCB Volunteer Engagement Team consists of a Volunteer Engagement Manager and Volunteer Engagement Specialists, whom they oversee. Each VES is assigned a territory of six to seven Service Units for which they are responsible for providing direct support to both the Service Unit and Troops. Service Unit Managers and Volunteer Engagement Specialists are partners in the coordination of support and success within the Service Unit and work together to support the SU Team. Volunteer Engagement Specialists are expected to support the Service Unit Leadership in the following ways:
|
| GSCB Community Engagement Team (Staff) | The GSCB Community Engagement Team consists of a Community Engagement Manager and Community Engagement Specialists (CES), whom they oversee. Each CES is assigned a specific geographic territory and is responsible for implementing recruitment and membership growth strategies within that region. CES staff work closely with Service Units, community partners, and council staff to build sustainable pathways for girl and volunteer participation. Community Engagement Specialists are expected to support membership growth and community engagement in the following ways:
|
| Service Unit Manager/SUM (Volunteer) | Volunteer Engagement Specialists appoint Service Unit Managers within their territories and support the SUM in developing and appointing members of the Service Unit Team. If a Service Unit does not have a SUM identified, the VES will assume the responsibility of appointing Service Unit team members. Service Unit Managers can expect to collaborate with their Community Engagement Specialist on recruitment efforts, community partnerships, and strategies to grow and sustain membership within their Service Unit. The role of the Service Unit Manager is:
A SUM develops and implements a yearly plan of work for the Service Unit; provides support to Leaders and troops and individual members; recruits, appoints, and supervises qualified volunteer support for the Service Unit; plans, schedules, conducts, and evaluates regular meetings of the Service Unit; and prepares for, attends, and participates in all scheduled council meetings and trainings. |
| Service Unit Treasurer (Volunteer) | The Treasurer maintains and monitors the Service Unit accounts. They provide accurate reporting of all SU funds to the SU and the council. |
| Service Unit Recruitment Champion (Volunteer) | The Recruitment Champion works with the CES to support SU and council efforts to recruit both girl members and volunteers. Helping to serve as a connector to local schools and community organizations. Additionally, they provide updates related to the SU’s membership progress and maintain a membership tracking system. |
| Service Unit Cookie Champion (Volunteer) | The Cookie Champion promotes, coordinates, and advocates for participation in the Cookie Program within their SU. |
| Service Unit Fall Product Champion (Volunteer) | The Fall Product Champion promotes, coordinates, and advocates for participation in the Fall Product Program within their SU. |
| Service Unit PR & Communications Champion (Volunteer) | The PR & Communication Champion coordinates SU communications across platforms with volunteers and caregivers. While also marketing and promoting Girl Scout activities and opportunities to the local community. Service Unit PR & Communications Champion Position Description |
| Service Unit Outdoor Program Champion (Volunteer) | The Outdoor Program Champion encourages troop/group camping, promotes council-sponsored outdoor programs, helps prepare troops for camping, and promotes council camp opportunities. |
| Service Unit Support Volunteer | The Support Volunteer is a key role that is willing to lend a supportive hand to the Service Team in fulfilling duties. Duties may include, but are not limited to: chaperoning, providing transportation, committee roles, planning troop activities, supporting SU events, and more. |
| Service Unit Delegates/Alternate Delegates (Volunteer) | Service Unit Delegates and Alternate Delegates serve as members of the Corporation of the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council to communicate governance information between the Board of Directors and the Service Unit that elected them. Delegates and alternates represent the voice of the Service Unit to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting of the council. Service Unit Delegate and Alternate Delegate Position Description |
Other roles that can be beneficial to the Service Unit:
- Service Unit Juliette Champion
- Service Unit Event Champion
- Service Unit Awards Committee members
Building a Service Unit Team
Service Unit teams thrive when there is a committed and diverse pool of adults to be considered for positions. It’s important to identify individuals who understand and can commit to fulfilling service unit team position requirements.
To help get you started, here are some tips on recruiting superstar volunteers:
- Familiarize yourself with the requirements of each volunteer position.
- Magnify strengths in others: Observe the skills and abilities of others within your Service Unit. Consider skills an individual may want to develop that could apply in their role.
- Communicate needs: Make a personal request with a specific role in mind.
- Consider recruiting former troop leaders, lifetime members, alums, and community members, and conduct interviews.
- Be honest about the time commitment that the position will require.
In Service Units with fewer troops and therefore, less volume, you might have several people on your team who assume more than one role or serve in more than one function. In larger Service Units, multiple people may be needed to function effectively and not overtax any one person. You may find you need additional (non-Service Unit Team Member) volunteers who are assigned specific duties under one of the listed Service Unit Team positions.
A good SU volunteer recruitment tip is to access Looker to look for lifetime members or current members who may not be assigned any roles and reach out to them to see if they would want to participate in a SU role. Looker resources can be found on our website under Service Unit Looker Access.
Sometimes, you may need help getting those volunteer roles filled. Never fear—your Community Engagement Specialist will help with recruiting new team members! They will guide and support your search for volunteers and give you advice along the way.
What matters most is that each service unit builds an effective team, promotes healthy communication, and serves as a role model to your troop leaders and girls.
Service Unit Looker Access
Service Unit Looker Admins, access Looker here.
Access Service Unit Volunteer Looker Admin training here.
Service Unit Admin Looker Help Guide.
Service Unit Meetings
- Annual Planning Meeting
The Service Unit Team will hold an annual meeting, typically in July and August to plan for the upcoming Girl Scout year and develop the Service Unit Annual Plan.
Having a plan helps the team and other volunteers know what you want to accomplish for the year, where, when, how, and by whom it will be done. It helps to keep the team on track for a successful year. This plan includes goals to aim for and behaviors that we have identified as helping to create a healthy Service Unit.
It is a partnership between volunteers and council staff to promote Girl Scouting in your community. It also leaves a lot of room for customization, because we know that every Service Unit is different. Your area isn’t the same as someone else’s and the same things don’t work for everyone. There is room to identify the things that you want to work on, and where you want to see growth.
- Service Unit Team Meetings
Before meeting as a full Service Unit with all troops represented, a meeting should be held with the members of the Service Unit Team to discuss and address what is to be presented to the Service Unit at large. This meeting could be held an hour prior to the full Service Unit meeting or on another day. Conducting these meetings is a very important part of building the leadership of your Service Unit.
- SU Meetings
Running a Service Unit meeting is an important responsibility of the Service Unit Team, especially the Service Unit Manager. These meetings can happen monthly or bi-monthly and should focus on the specific needs within your Service Unit. Ideally, 20% of the meeting should be spent on announcements and Service Unit business; the other 80% should be spent on collaborating with each other, mentoring each other, planning events, and learning new skills.
These meetings are when you will have the most opportunity to connect with your leaders and Juliette caregivers, and not only give them the information they need, but give them tools, connect them to others, answer questions, and give them the support they need.
- Who should be invited to SU Meetings?
- SU Team
- Troop Leaders
- Juliette Caregivers
- Other Volunteers and Members that live in the community
Communication with Council, Troops, and Families
Service Unit Managers should expect regular and timely communication with their Volunteer Engagement Specialist. This communication is most often informal through texts, emails, and phone calls as items arise. However, there are ongoing formal communication pathways for SUMs to receive information, such as:
- Monthly/Bimonthly Meetings with VES
- Monthly Service Unit Team Emails
- Bi-Monthly Volunteer Newsletter
- Bi-monthly Service Unit Manager Calls
- Looker reports
Communication Within the SU
Communication is key to the success of the Service Unit. As lives become busier, technology advances and individuals have various preferred methods to communicate, it becomes even more important that as a Service Unit Team you are communicating the most important things in a variety of ways.
Successful communication within a Service Unit looks like:
- Volunteers sharing successes and challenges at Service Unit Meetings.
- Diverse volunteer viewpoints are expressed and valued.
- Volunteers are being informed about council goals and priorities and how they are achieved within the Service Unit.
- Volunteers are being included in the Service Unit Annual Planning Process.
- Volunteers and girls are involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating Service Unit Activities.
- Usage of a variety of communication methods and platforms to ensure all volunteers are engaged, such as email, text chains, FB groups, Google Sites, GroupMe, Slack, Scout apps.
Communication with Troop Leaders and Juliette Caregivers
Warmly welcoming and engaging new leaders and Juliette Caregivers at the Service Unit Level is important to the success of the Troops, its volunteers, and our youth members. One of the most exciting parts of Girl Scouts is the community and support that is created for not only girls but also volunteers.
A Service Unit reception to a new leader/Juliette Caregiver should include the following:
- A welcome email with information about the Service Unit such as Contact information for SU team volunteers, upcoming meetings, programming and events, etc.
- A place on the agenda at the next Service Unit Leader meeting.
- Create time for introductions of all volunteers, new and old.
- Encourage networking and an opportunity for questions.
- New Leader/Juliette Caregiver meeting with the SUM(s)
- Provide them with dedicated time to come together to learn about Girl Scouting, GSCB, the Service Unit, and Troop/ Juliette management.
Reaching Out to Disengaged Leaders
Every Service Unit has volunteers who are actively engaged in the programming and support opportunities provided at the Service Unit Level. We know life gets busy, and volunteering as a Troop Leader is a big job; however, we want to ensure disengaged volunteers know they still have a community of support to lean on.
As a Service Unit Manager, it is important to be the connector for volunteers to the Girl Scout Community. It is recommended that the SUM and/or SU Team set time aside each year to reach out to volunteers you haven’t heard from or seen in a while.
Use these questions to start the conversation:
- How are they doing?
- Why haven’t they attended events or meetings?
- Do they feel like they are a part of the community? Do they feel welcome?
- What can the SU do to provide value to them?
Supporting Leaders and Juliette Caregivers
Supporting Leaders
- Training and Development: Offer training sessions and workshops to help leaders enhance their skills in areas such as communication, conflict resolution, and team building. Provide resources and tools to help leaders effectively manage challenges.
- Mentorship: Pair leaders with experienced mentors who can provide guidance, advice, and support when facing difficult situations. Encourage peer-to-peer mentorship among leaders to create a supportive network.
- Open Communication: Create a culture of open communication where leaders feel comfortable sharing their challenges and seeking help when needed. Encourage leaders to communicate openly with each other and with the organization's leadership.
- Recognition and Appreciation: Recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of leaders. Celebrate their achievements and milestones to boost morale and motivation during challenging times.
- Problem-Solving Support: Offer problem-solving support to leaders facing specific challenges. Provide them with access to resources, tools, and experts who can help them find solutions to their problems.
- Emotional Support: Acknowledge the emotional toll that challenges can take on leaders and provide them with emotional support. Offer counseling services, stress management resources, and opportunities for self-care.
Supporting Juliette Caregivers
Juliette Caregivers should receive the same support as Troop Leaders.
- Ensure that they are kept up to date on all council and SU happenings.
- Encourage them to sign up for councils sponsored events and badge-earning workshops.
- Promote networking between Juliette Caregivers in the SU.
- Provide information on higher awards.
- Include them in training sessions and workshops.
Managing Conflict
Different perspectives, communication styles, and expectations can sometimes lead to tension, and that’s okay. Avoiding conflict doesn’t make it go away. In fact, it can often grow into frustration or misunderstandings. As a Girl Scout volunteer, you play an important role in creating a positive, respectful environment.
Learning how to navigate conflict helps:
- Strengthen relationships
- Model healthy communication for girls
- Build a supportive troop community
- Remember: Conflict isn’t the problem; how we respond to it is what matters.
Whenever possible, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay (GSCB) encourages members to work through concerns informally using open communication. Additional guidance can be found in the GSCB Conflict Management and Resolution Handbook, which includes communication and conflict resolution strategies, support resources, and information about the GSCB Conflict Resolution Request for Support process.
