Additional Areas of Programming Comments
Comments to "Are there any other areas you would like to see more programming in?"
Comments are presented "as is" from the survey. They have not been edited for spelling or grammar.
Comments are presented "as is" from the survey. They have not been edited for spelling or grammar.
- More choices--the new badges try for progression but do a terrible job. And you can earn many badges without DOING anything--just sitting and talking/researching.
- Science and Technology. History and Civics. Art and Music.
- My Daughter is a 2nd year daisy. I would love to see more programs for Daisy's. It all programs seem to be for Brownie and higher
- outdoors, camping, hiking, survival skills
- Hands on skills
- Life skills. Not just money management and business skills. More science but bit just engineering.
- Get the girls outside plus bring back the badge programs
- If we must keep journeys, then YES, develop an outdoor skills journey. Otherwise, add a nice selection of outdoor badges. Keep in mind that some girls begin GS as Juniors and need to earn beginner skills then, not just as Brownies. More music based choices: songs, dancer, instrumentalist . . .
- As a former Naturalist on the county level, there are countless skills that can be learned in the outdoors that can't be completed under a school curriculum. Camp is a perfect environment, but it should not strictly be a continuation of school. Camp is unique!
- In the case of keeping with JOurneys, Personally I wish all JOurneys go away and go back to what Juliette Started.
- I would like to see traditional badges brought back.
- Back to our roots, outdoors, badges; cookie sales less emphasis and $ to go back to camps; if keeping the Journeys, give them the same clout as badges and not have to be a requirement for the Gold, bronze & silver awards - or have them as option and for those who don't want to do Journeys have other options as requirements. 2) Cookies teach nothing to most girls. Parents/adults are doing the pre-order sales; girls "do" booth sales but little of their input - too much emphasis on selling cookies "for the girls" but the rewards are minimal for the amount of time and headaches they cause.
- I think we are getting away from the traditional citizenship, civic duty, portions of the program. Girls in my service unit learn to do flag ceremonies, support our municipality, do voter registration drives etc ... but that does not seem to be the message sent by GSUSA as to what "should" be done. STEM program, leadership, financial literacy are all very important, but I think there is a lack of a formal program about the rights and responsibilities of living in this county.
- It doesn't seem like there is much in the way of outdoor programming available for the girls. When I was a Scout we went camping about once a month and many times it was at a Girl Scout camp (either the council camp or a nearby Girl Scout camp). With all the camps that are being sold off, those options are decreasing. My 2 nieces have left Girl Scouting and the older niece has since started a Venturing Crew (co-ed teen program of the Boy Scouts of America) with her friends.
- Develop at outdoor journey, but don't call it a journey.
- I cannot put enough stress on the important of our girl scout camps. The problem is that they are "under used" but my council rarely makes the opportunity to use them known to the girls.
- The Journeys are a GREAT concept. The suggested hands on activities are fun. The outtakes-stories are just long enough to be interesting and learn something without checking out an autobiography. Love the introduction of the Take Action Project (get those girls away from collection, collection, collection drives!) Coloring, book size, print quality are excellent. I have found the problem to be with the crazy variety/size/type/direction of font used. There are many kids out there who, find the font size (too small) font style (too stylized) font variety (hard to track/flow), the fonts are too hard to read. Combined small frequently changing fonts with dark colored backgrounds and kids with vision issues can't read them. As soon as it's difficult - they lose interest. Please check with a reading consultant for grade-level reading before making new age-specific workbooks. In some districts - kids as early as 2nd grade have one hour of book homework a day. Asking them to read / perform book work after 6- 7 hour school day, after 1 hour homework, at an evening Girl Scout meeting is a not what they want to do. I think the Daisy and Brownie Journeys should have been half the materials and half the book size of the Junior / Cadette books.
- sewing
- More local programming for Older Girls, including badge workshops AND just for fun programs.
- I would like to see more skills-based programs where Girl Scouts learn a skill, whether it is computer science (how to do basic fixes on a computer) or auto mechanics or anything outdoors in addition to the current few badges. Journeys are OK but honestly don't give girls much choice. . .a strange thing for an organization that says it is girl-led.
- there was nothing wrong with what we had Update as needed, but the overhaul was poorly planned…
- the way it used to be was enjoyable for the girls
- Yes, there need to be a full range of badges for every interest that girls can choose from. The limited badges now available are not helping girls stay interested in Girl Scouting.
- I would like to see Girl Scouting go back to what Juliette Lowe envisioned. If GS wants to add new badges then great but Keep the old. The girls need a wider choice of badges they can earn, part of being a good leader is making choices. So scrap the Journey's and bring back all the old badges and let them make choices. Remember keep it fun if it's too much like school they don't want it..
- Bring back badges in easy to do / select handbooks. The Journeys are awful for the leaders and the girls. My troop HATES them. They don't want to do any of them.
- Overall the Journeys were written by people who don't have children. Daisies and Brownie Journeys have too much book work and expect children to be writing, which at this age they are not or just barely writing. It is a lot of time wasted hand holding each child to finish their book work that is needed to complete the course, especially if parents cannot help because English or Spanish is not their first language. At these ages, activities need to be less book work and more hands on. They need to see what they are doing with their creativity is actually making a difference. They do not get this from the current Journey program.
- If we have to have Journeys, then yes, we need an outdoor one, but I would rather just go back to having an archery badge, a swimming badge, a hiking badge, a camping badge, etc.
- If Journey's are the only option, an outdoor one should definitely be one of the programs. All the old badges need to be brought back. There is not enough variety now and more action badges. There should be more outdoor and camping programming.
- Much more outdoors. If journeys must continue, then please add an outdoor journey.
- my troop finds the Journey program too restrictive. For a program that is "girl led" I find it difficult to accommodate the interests of my troop when I'm confined to the few badges and Journies. My troop is uninterested in working them. In addition, they take up a lot of meeting time. Unless we can find someone offering a "Journey in a Day" program, it often takes half a year's meetings to get them done. When you add in the demands of Fall Product and Cookie sales, it leaves very little time for other activities.
- As a person who studied educational practices, the Journeys are great. As a Girl Scout troop leader they weren't that useful. The things in the books were things girls did in class. As a leader, we basically just did whatever we wanted and pretended we followed the Journey and from the quarterly meetings with other leaders I learned that's what they did too. The other leaders (I was a leader after my time as a staff member) had great ideas on activities and opportunities for girls, none of which the council knew about, talked about...there's a HUGE disconnect between leaders and the council staff.
- The whole program as stated now is "program lite" - *everything* in my opinion needs to be more fleshed out. Especially the badges.
- Get back to basics. Experiences, try its, volunteerism. The Journey's are too much like school. We don't need a curriculum.
- The Journeys are okay, but I don't think the topics vary much from what is already being emphasized for girls in other areas of their lives. (for example bullying - yes, it's good to teach them about it, but they're sick of the topic because it's already permeated school) Definitely need more emphasis on the outdoors - but not necessarily in a Journey.
- I would like to see some of the old badge work from years past brought back or added to the new badges. New is bad, but you shouldn't completely throw away the old!
- I think most areas are covered there just isn't any depth.
- Journeys are like school work or busy work(from my scouts)! The training on how to do them is a joke! BUT they are better than studio 2B. We don't all live in a big city, asking country girls to go to a farm to learn where their food comes from is a JOKE!! We need program to help all girls.
- Most Journey'sa re not that fun. The WOW we liked the best.
- training of new leaders
- More outdoors; less reading/writing/reflecting
- Back to the basics, more traditions which are being lost today. Very disappointed in the program
- OUTDOORS!! That's what separated us in the beginning! Please bring back more basic life skills and less cutesy, craft party.
- Yes running a household making things for the home. Back to learning to make things for them self cooking class badge work (not eating at fast food place do real cooking) Learn about outdoor.
- High adventure outdoor activities - rock climbing, rappelling, kayaking, etc.
- Traditional camping and survival skills. Get them away from the technology and back into nature. It is bad enough trying to get them to put down ipods for an hour as it is!
- More badges. New format is fine. Easy to use and easy to implement. But there need to be many more options for Brownies and above.
- I would like to see more programming in outdoor programs, but dump the Journeys. They aren't fun, they are like school.
- I was a senior Girl Scout during the transition to Journeys and they were a miserable experience for me. The former interest patches and community service/leadership/career achievements provided a much more practical experience and sense of accomplishment.
- More do it yourself programs i.e. how to build things, repair objects, how things work like clocks. We have a lot of focus on "girly" things what about more life lesson programs. Also need to steer clear of using cell phones, computers and the internet and more hands on learning. Anyone can search the web.
- I just wished the teaching book coincided with the girls book, it seems to be a mix of things in the teaching book and not lined up with the girls book. I know girls are to be doing the Journeys but I read the teaching book and the girls journey book and so did my daughter and may be it is just us but it has us confused on where to go in the book and how work the journey. We have muttled through the Breath Journey but I really think it needs to be adjusted as far the teaching book.
- Camp!!Camping
- I would like to see more community service focus.
- Outdoors! Outdoor skills! Camping!
- If you keep Journeys, then an outdoor journey is essential. Personally, they need to scrape them and reformulate the badges.
- I think we need to offer more programs that girls can sign up for as an individual versus with a troop. We also need to find a way to get info out to more girls.
- Areas they can not do at school such as: camping/outdoors and those skills, some art skills such as sewing, first aid, manners
- Outdoor skill & opportunities in working in an outdoor field.
- Bring back the ability to explore many things not do focused ! It can't be like school outdoor activities
- Culinary
- Not necessarily and Outdoor Journey, but maybe include an option for outdoor/camping in the journeys that were developed. Adding another journey would mean one more to earn the Summit.
- older girl science programming. for example, food science, engineering or computer programming ... and more programs like the MEdia Journey for every age level. Girl really like movies and tv and music and creating their own... and bring back badges like swimming, archery, high adventure, and horseback riding. they were really popular... lastly, encourage girls to enter skill-based jobs. like plumbing, construction, auto mechanics, etc. CEO/Presidential positions are great, but not for everyone. the fact is, the avg. salary for a girl without a college degree is less than $10, but for boys it's about $40. That's because they go into specialized jobs while girls go into retail or food.
- Tech like badges for Maker and computer activities check Adafruit
- Citizenship skills. More (or rather BACK TO) the REPRESENTATIONAL form of governance, (for troops, for Councils and for the National Council) than the "steering committee" one in use in most Girl Scout Councils and the National Council.
- Outdoors Cooking Recreation
- The girls want the traditional badge book back. And while areas of interest cross levels specific badges don’t. For example in art cartoons is one age and photography is another but what if you are the wrong level and want to do photography. It was better when there were similar badges at different levels with different degrees of difficulty
- Less programing, go back to old books, badges and fundamentals
- Programming used to be a function of council and Service Centers(Clusters). Currently, very little programming initiates from these entities. The focus has shifted to volunteers in troops, service units, and areas to facilitate programs. As a long time troop leader, our troops have always facilitated our own programs, but we utilized council and Service Center programming to expand our horizons and expose girls to activities and adventures they would otherwise not be able to experience. That element of programming kept the girls interested and desiring to stay in scouting. Now it is in essence GONE!
- The current journeys need work before new areas are addressed. They are out of touch for the girls in our area. I'm not sure who they were written for but many sessions do not apply to our set of average suburban girls. Between two troops we have completed 6 journeys and our senior Girl Scouts find completing the journey before the gold award aggravating.
- Need concrete examples of how accomplish requirements/tasks for scouts. There is overwhelming amount of info on web from variety of troops. As a new leader, not sure what requirements, how to accomplish them. No real guidance from Girl Scout organization. Each troop just past down what they do.
- SUMMER CAMPING, TROOP CAMPING STOP CLOSING CAMPS!
- Environmental Education Program should have a higher priority in Scouts than Financial Literacy Program. I did not sign my daughter up for Scouts for her to learn to be sales person - despite that, she did sell 625 boxes of cookies last year! However, at 10 years old, the only goal or outcome she achieved from that was earning an ipod.
- I would prefer more outdoor badges and NO Journeys at all, but I don't see that happening. So if having an Outdoor Journey as a way to have more outdoor program, I would like to see one developed.
- Leadership, more badges that give taste of different things so girls can see if they like it.
- Media safety for all levels, More use of technology, disaster preparedness. For the organization to assist local troops with identifying women in their region or community who would be available for speaking engagements, girl scout meeting just to tell their story.
- I would like to see all of the journey books every printed to burn in a campfire at a country wide sing a long.
- Bring back more badges. There isn't even a camping badge at the Brownie level now.
- Bring back the badges/IP's. Girls learned more and had more fun doing the activities. Girls still want to have fun. Some girls are not born leaders and that's all I've been hearing about. Have fun activities for girls of all ages at the SU & council level. Too many programs get canceled because not enough girls register. If the activities were more fun for the older girls, I'm sure more would attend.
- Practical skills (sewing, woodworking), science (chemistry, physics), engineering, outdoor skills (hiking, survival)
- STEM.
- We want the old badges and awards back, just updated. The traditional Bronze and Silver Awards were much more customizable for the girls' individual interests.
- More of a push on the awards and badges
- The Journey should not be linked to the Bronze, etc. 2) Everything doesn't have to be about service projects. 3) Cadettes don't always want to help younger girls and it seems like many badges, awards, etc want that component. 4) What about some camping and outdoor badges!
- real skills such as making useful things
- While I would like to see more outdoor skills activities and sportsmanship, physical fitness activities (Eating for Beauty does not count) brought back, I cannot agree that I would like to see them brought back through Journey Programming, as I find my Troops have a lack luster response to this method.
- Outdoor programming does need to happen but NOT as a Journey. The older girls are not interested in more "school" work.
- More outdoor events in the go book.
- Nature.
- Just badges
- I miss having a wide variety of badges for girls to choose from. Exploration of lots of interests is part of what makes Girl Scouting interesting and with the new badge books you spend all your time on Journeys. It's really hard to keep an entire troop focused on a single topic for 8-12 weeks at a time. We have done 1 journey per level since Juniors, but only because it was required for the Bronze/Silver/Gold. It was not easy to get the girls through them (Get Moving, aMAZE and GirlTopia.) It's too hard to get them done in a reasonable length of time and seems too much like homework. Badges were easier because even if a specific girl didn't really like a certain badge, it was over quickly and hopefully that girl would like the next badge better. Journeys require a lengthy commitment that many girls don't want to make. We miss doing fun stuff and earning a badge for it! Now we just do fun stuff and have emptier vests.
- Interest areas and skills. Bring the focus back on the badges. Make exploring interests and gaining skills the focus so that higher level awards can be earned in a way that girls can call their own.
- Outdoors, science, technology!
- We need more outdoor skills ,true life skills and a way to keep girls of older ages interested!
- More badges!!
- Camping
- More service hours available by teaching younger girls instead of having to "make something better in their communities"
- Bring back the old badges! There was more variety, there are hardly any badges now!
- Please add more badges on items. Outdoor , arts, discovery . When I was a scout you could try anything you wanted now its too limited and the journeys feel too much like your teaching school
- I want to see any program that does not require or involvement in the Journeys. Requiring the Journeys has kicked my daughter out of getting her bronze, silver, and gold awards because she finds the Journeys boring and too much like school, no matter how we try to jazz it up. She is refusing to do it. My daughter likes camping, she enjoyed taking the photography class at her last troop, and crafts.
- I think it is unfortunate that almost all the outdoor/camping skill based badges were eliminated. An outdoor based Journey would help make up for this.
- As I see the outdoors idea taken almost completely out of the idea of Girl Scouts, I have to think what can I do to foster the love that I have with my girls. Closing of camps because "there isn't interest" is evolving more from the Girl Scout Program going to more of a techie field because "that's what girls want." 2) When the new badges and programs were introduced years ago, I heard there was a little friction, but it still incorporated outdoor activities. The new journeys and badges to supplement going with the journey really don't take the idea of the love of the environment that used to be in the program. Didn't Juliette Lowe want to foster a love for the environment, with a touch of conservation? That's gone, and with troop leaders who haven't had a lot of experience in these fields, NO ONE is stepping outside the box to try something new. Taking ALL the badges away was a huge mistake - so many at the National level tried to come up with new and different, how about using what we have to expand upon our knowledge. Incorporate the old style (and very numerous choices) of badges to help with the Journey - I did that for my troops when it was possible. And no matter how much I make the journey sound like a wonderful thing, NONE of my girl buy it. The word they use is HATE. Which is sad since that's what's mandated as the current teaching tool.
- Fix the current ones first. The problem is that there is no clear cut path of what you are expected to do to earn the patch. It needs to be more like a badge and the complicated mess it is now.
- My girls and volunteers are not fans of the journeys. We try to tailor them to the group's interests, but they are extremely long and tedious. My girls don't like the stories and think the journeys take too long to complete. Also, for younger girls, doing a take action project properly (doing a project that identifies the root cause of a problem and designing a program that is measurable and sustainable v doing a service project) may not be a realistic expectation at younger levels of scouting. It's my understanding that the intent of the take action project is to teach the critical thinking skills it takes to make a lasting impact in the community (in addition to fulfilling the requirements for silver and gold awards).
- Miss the variety of badges.
- outdoors, high adventure.
- Life skills
- I already do my own outdoor program with my three troops. I don't feel like I need a Journey to show me how to do that. My troops like the Journeys a lot. I think it depends on how much effort a leader puts into it. I'm lucky since I only work about 15 hours per week so I have plenty of time to adapt the Journey to my troops.
- My daughter is always asking for more outdoor activities & is always disappointed by the limited offerings.
- I would like to see more programming but no more Journeys. They are too scripted and take too long to accomplish. An entire year is spent on one journey. We lost half our girls in the year we did a Journey until we promised them we would never do one again. Programming - organized programs put on by council at a very low price and that actually happen vs being cancelled.
- More actual scouting - all the survival tricks that Boy Scouts are expected to learn. I want a level of Girl Scouting that will feed into Venture Scouting as naturally as the Boy Scouts.
- STEM and ART as a career.
- The girls just do not like the Journeys. My Cadette troop has never been interested and they just want to "get it over with" so that they can work on the projects they are interested in. Please please please get rid of them as a requirement for other awards and make them optional.
- Outdoors, leadership development programming provided at camps, teambuilding, cooperative problem solving, creative thinking, and all the other life skills that girls need to be successful, contributing members of society.
- Go back to the basics, teaching girls the skills they will need for life, the journey series stink. Take a look at the older handbooks and cover those badge programs with any updates to the current technologies, etc. Focus on outdoor programming, that is what most girls like best, camping, creeking, hiking, being in nature, learning how to camp and cook outdoors.
- scouting should focus more on customer service
- Outdoors, environmental science, STEMs
- STEM and outdoor.
- Journey stories are too long. Activities are school like. Young girls don't want to listen to a story for twenty minutes and then write about it. They want to DO activities. Journeys should be about exploration and hands on activities.
- Yes to the outdoor journey ONLY if there is no way to scrap the journey program all together. 2) GSUSA really needs to bring back the old badge based programs that covered every area a girl could want to explore!!
- -historical events
- Camping, Civic Safety and First Aid, STEM
- Unplugged camping. Get the kids away from electronics and out into the woods. Let them climb trees and lash and use hatchets and knives and gather wood and build fires and hike and learn how to take care of themselves out in nature.
- Bring back the variety of skills that the girls could choose from. Music, Dance, Camping, outdoor cooking, archery, canoeing, etc the list goes on and on.
- Outdoor definitely. Stop the stem. They get enough of that in school. Get back to basic. Knots, sewing, crafts, etc.
- I would like to get away from Journeys- they are too much like school. The Guidebooks and Journey books are too expensive. But if we are going to have Journeys- an Outdoor Journey should be available.
- More outdoor anything! Cheaper programs for lower income troops!
- older girls need programming to prepare them for life as teenagers and adults. we have been in scouts for a long time, and when it counts a lot, there is nothing other than the Silver and Gold awards that is keeping my scout in the program.
- Camping, Camping, Camping and everything that goes with it: swimming, canoeing, sailing, hiking. So many girls have learned to swim at camp and without camps and without the encouragement to do outdoor activities, these skills will be lost to girls. Once these camps are sold they can never be regained. It is terribly shortsighted for the GSUSA leadership to discourage camping and encourage camp sales. They should be helping the local councils to protect and save their camp.
- More of the computer/internet/cell phone based information. That is what the girls are moving into - we need to stay up with that to keep their interest. There could be so many programs developed to teach the girls safety in those areas.
- Back to basic outdoor skills
- Go back to traditional badges, get rid of the journeys, let the volunteers do what they do best and FIRE, yes FIRE the membership managers in Maine.
- Bring back the old badges please!!!
- All outdoor activities need more emphasis.
- The outdoors and camping.
- More badges to choose from what we have now is very limited.
- Eve
- An area would be showing the history of Girl Scouts. Because without this how are we to expect traditions, stories, and morals? A way to show this would be to create a "going back Girl Scout camp" where girls go back and learn and experience the older traditions.
- Ideally I would like to see the Journeys go away. Girl Scouts is about being Girl Lead and letting the girls find and follow their passions. The Journies are too scripted and thus do not allow the meetings where they are being worked on be girl led. Also due to other extra curricular activities it is unlikely for every girl to be at every meeting so in a 8-10 session journey noone in the troop is at every meeting to be able to earn it and most can not or will not make up stuff if they miss a meeting - so instead we do a Journey in a weekend which I don't think really meets the spirit but is the best we can do. If Journeys are here to stay then YES we need more of a focus on outdoors, outdoor skills, nature, camping, exercise, and MUCH less on sitting and talking about feelings. Girls want to DO not just talk about doing.
- Kids need to go outside.
- Science!
- STEM programs. Although I love traditional scouting, the girls need to be able to connect with the program through technology as well.
- We definitely need more outdoor programming; the journeys offered (which are so few, per level, and give almost no choice when required for Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards) tend to be focused on indoors, classroom-style or discussion learning, then doing a service project. For example, my younger sister (also a Girl Scout) did the A-Maze journey with her troop, and most of their time was spent on discussing things like bullies, and how to avoid them--which, honestly, was extremely boring for them, considering the fact that they were sixth-graders who had had anti-bullying rhetoric repeated over and over in school since kindergarten, and had already dealt firsthand with the hypothetical situations described in the journey book; they had real-life experience, and didn't need to discuss it, again, when time could be better spent learning something new. For their service project at the end of the journey, they printed out anti-bullying slogans and put them on their cell phones and backpacks to spark conversation. Not bad, but not exactly learning how to be a confident leader. Same with my Ambassador Journey, Justice: the majority of it was research and pondering. As a upperclassman in high school, enough of my time was spent on research and serious business (college applications, finances) already that to have that be one of my only options to get anywhere in Girl Scouts was extremely frustrating. Yes, there are important issues in the world that we need to learn about and consider, but these journeys are not the way to do that. They're boring, not very hands-on, and don't take into consideration the current educational climate of the girls they're geared towards (sixth graders already having been educated on bullying; high school seniors having huge workloads). This is not enough.
- Need more outdoors things, and more of a variety of skills. What we do right now is very one dimensional, especially compared to what I did in scouts 20 years ago.
- All areas of outdoor programming need to be represented. Environmental education... Outdoor sports.. Survival and outdoor camp craft ....
- More outdoor programming should be happening at Girl Scout Camps, which have the potential to really influence girls in positive ways.
- Less career oriented and more daily life skills. Divest from common curriculum and teach what can't be learned in school.
- Life skills, outdoor skills, cooking, science and technology
- I've read thru all three Journeys and although I understand what we are trying to do with them, they are another 'requirement' (at least if you want to go for Bronze, Silver, Gold awards) that are complicated. And they can be very boring. We really have to put a lot of our own work in to keep the heart of the program but make it more interesting for the girls. Girls don't want more 'school', they want to learn by doing and experiencing and having fun. We are actually doing the Get Moving Journey now and a lot of what is in that book are things they already learn in school. And what business is going to let us evaluate their building for energy consumption? SMH... I would like to see more of what the cub scouts do... in that every rank has basic requirements they all must meet (so we have consistency b/w what we are all doing at each rank) and then electives so we can pursue what we enjoy most on individual and troop levels. I just find there is little unity overall... each Girl Scout troop is just going off doing their own thing.
- Basic life skills, outdoor skills
- More and different badges. They don't want school. They want things they don't learn in school.
- Outdoor survival
- Not necessarily a "journey" but I would love to see more outdoor education in girl scouting. Our girls want that very much.
- Clearly I am biased toward outdoor education, as per my above comment.
- Let's get back to the basics. Cooking, sewing, community service. They have all fallen to the way side. Girls today are afraid to touch a knife!
- Stop closing summer camps and start restoring.
- Outdoor camping--it is so valuable, that many school systems include a week's program for students.
- If Journeys do continue an outdoor would be nice. The Journey program is very confusing. You have Journeys (the umbrella program) but within that you have patches, badges, activities. You have "guides". . . Journey guides, Adult guides, Program level guides , books, individual guides. Too confusing.
- I see a lack of variety and content in our current program. GSUSA needs realize not every girl wants to grow up and change the world on a grand scale. Some want to grow up to be moms, or bakers, or dancers, or librarians. One of the things I miss most from my years as a girl member are the five worlds--Well-Being, People, Today & Tomorrow, the Arts, and Outdoors. We could choose from a variety of challenging activities in the world(s) that most interested us, but were also encouraged to try (dabble in) the other worlds.
- SUPPORT GROUPS FOR LEADERS WHEN NOONE WILL LISTEN
- I don't have any idea what areas there is programming to answer this question. When I was a scout there was activities in all different topics and there was programming at the troop level, service unit/local level, council level and international/cross-council level.... no clue if those options are still there... but they did allow a girl to participate in a variety of ways in varied settings.
- BASICS!! My girls are clamoring to learn to sew, so we are going to have to do a MYO for that. Those badges cost 3x the regular badges, which takes away money from community service projects... We have lost so many outdoors type badges, such as compass work, kayaking, any outdoors things. It is sad, kids need motivation to go out and explore and to lose these badges is a huge blow.
- STEM
- Definitely the outdoors. My girls love doing things in the outdoors. I would like to see more variety in badges, like the retired badges were. Yes, some of them were outdated, but not all of them. Many are still very relevant today, and the outdated ones could have been updated. 2) The Journeys seem to cover what the girls are already doing in school. Girl Scouts should offer them something different.
- Basic life skills.. Car care, sewing, math, science badges Outdoor life.. Horse back riding, swimming, canoeing, archery, hiking, camping, outdoor cooking
- The basics are nothing to be ashamed of! The girls really miss the multitudes of choices they used to have. For volunteers, a means of measuring their own progress. EVERYONE is shy to share ideas and many have told me they are worried that someone will tell them that they are "doing it wrong". Some one needs to tell them that there are no GS police!
- GS got away from the teaching the basic scouting skills - cooking, outdoor, career badges, service. Not every girl loves STEM or leadership. Need to provide a WIDE variety of programs so girls stay interested - especially at the older levels.
- Outdoors, science.
- Go back to the basics. Daisy would no be please with the current GSUSA.
- Skills (cooking, car care, home repairs) things that are helpful and practical not touchy feely
- I like the old system of badges! Journeys are boring!
- Outdoor and camping skills, archery.
- Outdoor skills. Service instead of activism.
- If Journeys must be a part of the program, then yes... there should be an outdoor jouney at every level.
- More emphasis on core scouting activities - outdoor skills, survival, etc. Hated the Junior level Journey. Loved AMAZE but it took 6 months to do! We could have done so much more with that time. Learned our lesson and did the Mission Sisterhood at camp in a week and got it over with. Who thinks these things up? People who have daughters? People who have troops? People who have girls in more than one activity? I think the answer is NO.
- Badge work was so much fun and provide each girl an immediate feeling of accomplishments. More badge work integrated with the journeys may lessen the feel of "schoolwork" from the work in the journey. Kids today are so structured in their school and need more opportunity to use and apply what they've learned.
- A lot of the outdoor programs. As i was going through the programs there weren't a lot of outdoor ones. I feel like the majority of the girls tend to do the more crafty ones and things they are more use to and didn't branch out.
- A college prep program for older girls, as this is their focus as Ambassadors. How can they use Girl Scouts in their applications or essays, things like that. 2) Also recognizing sports interests. Title 9 programming would interest many of the older girls I work with. My daughter had no idea that it was only 40 years ago that women were granted many sports rights and how much that legislation changed and opened up many opportunities for women.
- Bring back focused badge work and leadership awards. Eg. When I earned my Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, a large part of the requirements enabled me to step out of my comfort zone while earning the badges and leadership awards. Also, the ability to build upon previous experiences was beneficial. I think awards such as Program Aide, Cadette and Senior Leadership awards provided girls the ability to progress in becoming strong leaders.
- Provide an alternative to the Journeys.
- back to the Girl Scout classics/basics....babysitting courses; general life-lessons (finances, cooking 101, etc...)
- Outdoor activities should be included. I have had several girls say that it's too much like homework.
- I think what we have is good. Girls are learning from it and I like that I have something as a guide.
- No. Girl Scouting should concentrate on the outdoors. It is the program that makes girl scouts unique. Only in girl scouts can you have safe, girl only (i.e. no pressure from having boys nearby) outdoor experiences. They develop leadership, and confidence in our girls. All the other programs offered by girl scouts are done (and often done better) by the schools and other organizations.
- Camping, singing, home skills, and survival skills in case of a disaster.
- I would like to see programming in job readiness, daily living skills such as balancing a check book. Since soft skills are not something girls are learning and school and they are vital to survive in the world today.
- Science and deductive/inductive reasoning. The girls need to discover how to postulate and then test the hypothesis. What is being offered in the materials is not open enough. It is far too directed like a school lesson - the designers seem to have been very narrow minded.
- Outdoors! This is the ONLY thing that scouting has to offer that is not provided by any other organization for young girls. Vague "leadership" and STEM skills are fully and adequately covered by dozens of other organizations. The commitment to outdoor education and providing urban girls with a chance to breathe some fresh air is the only thing that set the organization apart from the others and made it attractive in any way.
- encourage camping more
- Incorporate STEM activities into outdoor learning and journeys starting with Daisies. Often times by the time girls are in the 4th grade they already have the opinion that science and math are not fun. We can change that. The current journeys are not interesting to the girls and quite often are way to simple and boring. They do not challenge the girls. In my opinion the Daisy and Brownie journeys underestimate the abilities and interests of the girls. Review the current safety wise guidelines to allow more challenging and adventurous activities for all of the age groups.
- Outdoors, Outdoors, Outdoors. Kill the Journeys, and go back to the old badges. There wasn't anything wrong with most of them.
- I don't have a certain area to speak of, but I don't think it is fair to the girl of today to only have 24 badges available to them.. Where's is the choice? It seems like the girls are all being places in a "one badge fits all" rule. Before badges were retired in 2012 there was a lot more choices for the girls which means they had more opportunities to learn more.
- I think they need to become less confusing! Those of us at camp try to incorporate them but we don't have hours and hours to study them and they are just complicated the badges were much easier to sift through to find what we wanted
- Bring back more badges and phase out Journeys which has some good ideas but are generally boring. Bring back the emphasis on the outdoor program an service- and girl planning and leading.
- Life skills. In a natural disaster, most current Girl Scouts would not be able to take care if themselves let alone anyone else.
- Daily life competencies - food prep, child raising, consumerism, healthy life balance,
- Outdoor programming
- Science
- I think we need to go back to stressing progression. In our community there are leaders who take their Daisy's camping...and, I even saw on FB that a leader was discouraged when the parents didn't want her take their Daisy's to Disneyworld without them. Basic life skills...really learning, rather than just getting a badge for baking a batch of cookies from a box!
- YES! Look at the Eagle Required merit badges for BSA and incorporate them into our highest awards! The journeys are an okay resource, but they are not "scouting" and should not be the required "program"!!!! Also look at rank advancements, which incorporate longevity, service and skills!! Honestly, I am about to move my 15 year old to Venturing - this program is NOT scouts!
- Older girl 11-17
- The program should go back to the badges the way they were before the journey came out. Girl Scouts has changed so much since I was a Girl Scout that I don't even recognize the Girl Scouts anymore. Girl Scouts used to be fun for the girls and a learning experience now it is hard for girls to do the journeys. The journeys are complicated and hard to understand. Girl Scouts need to go back to the old was of badges and be fun for the girls. I live in the NYPENN Pathways council and contacted the council to help out when I was in college because I didn't want to help out full time instead of part time with a troop they didn't want my help. As someone who had earned the Gold Award I was disappointed. My home council always excepted my help on a part time basis. So I never contact the council again. As a life time member I get information mailed to me from the Northeastern Council and emails from the council on events and updates. I only get from the NYPENN Pathway council to donate money to the council that didn't even want my help. I also get invites to the womens awards for the area from the NYPENN Pathway council.
- Outdoor skills. High adventure programs
- Science, Technology, Engineering, Math = STEM Some attention should be paid to non-college degree careers, like work in the construction, plumbing, engineering, etc. fields, and girls should get some objective information on service their country through the military.
- There are not many badges or choices. So if the girls are not interested in a particular topic, not much left to do. Also, if you live in a VERY rural area, options are way limited. Liked the old badges with all the options. Even had the option to just change badges and cycle in new ones.
- Outdoor Programming, Camping
- Think more like boy Scouts, progression learning, hands on etc. They tend to be more like school work and not fun.
- Go back to offering a wide variety of badges.
- If we are keeping the journeys I would like to see a Outdoor Journey.
- I feel GS has gone away from its core principles. We need more outdoor opportunities. When I ask my girls what "they" want to do it's camping, archery, the things their brothers do in Boy Scouts. They took a particular interest last year after we were off the grid for 2 weeks after hurricane Sandy. All these badges promoting financial literacy and cookie sales are ridiculous. We need to get back to basics and have badges promoting outdoor activities, survival skills - cooking, sewing, knitting.
- Outdoor skills and camping. Girls spend too much time plugged in. GSUSA has fed into that and continues to feed the technological addiction.
- Outdoors and more
- stuff that is less traditional for girls. More science, more hiking, more sports.
- Yes in the Junior area what about the being your best and taking care of yourself. This is when the girls start thinking about appearance and those around them!
- Council Own Badges. Less control from National. Out Door FUN! Hiking, Archery, Boating, swimming, animals, pets, birds, trees, plants, outdoor cooking, skills,
- Ranking skills and outdoor programs for younger age level.
- More badges or bring back the old badge program that would include more outdoor badges.
- The Journeys seem to be too much like school. A lot of the badges also seem that way. It takes a lot of planning and research on my part to make the journeys and some of the badge work fun.
- We need to go back through the old badge books and add updated versions of many of them. We need more outdoor activities, canoeing, biking, rock climbing etc. We need more indoor activities too, more art, crafts, sewing, etc. We also need more cultural badges.
- More bridging and allowing the younger girls to see that there is better things to do at the older girl level.
- More diverse badges. For Cadettes there are no badges for camping or Thinking Day. More diversity is needed.
- I would love to see more activities/pathways like the old "worlds"- World of tomorrow, world of well-being, etc. This gave us so much more of a choice. Everything seems to be related to eco, etc. There used to be much more of a variety for the girls. I would love to see more variety again.
- The current girl books for the Journey's seem like "school". The girls are not interested in more "school" styled activities. It seems they want to get out and do things not read and discuss information.
- Camping
- The girls like doing hands on activities. They do many of these same activities at school. They LOVE getting out and doing activities away from the meeting place. Also, a very large percentage of our girls are rural. Many DO NOT have computers or good computer service.
- NO- Journeys need to be abolished , plain and simple. They bore the girls to death. There may be one or two journeys ideas that could be kept- but they should be broken up into badges. From a leader standpoint one issue with Journeys is following the expectation that we have to find a way to bring every girl up to date on something she missed. The program should have never been built so that being at every meeting/event was necessary. People have other plans and priorities, as well as the occasional sickness.
- Go back to the more specific badges. The curriculum feels very restrictive.
- Hands on science and engineering. Robot programs would be awesome.
- Rifles, archery, canoeing. The journeys are too much like school work!
- Bring back the useful badges that actually teach the girls practical skills. Put camping as a skill set by itself. Not all troops want to sit around and do crafts all the time.
- STEM, Career Development
- Cooking, sewing, taking care of basic everyday needs. Girls are no longer being taught to cook a basic meal, sew a button, save money, basic hygiene, etc. Programs in the schools and journeys are teaching the girls about caring for the environment,community etc, but how can they care for others when they don't have the skills to care for themselves. Confidence and self esteem go hand in hand when learning new skills even the basic ones.
- Outdoors and practical skills
- Stem
- More back to basics and the return to badges that have been discontinued, not because change in technology, but just because GSUSA think the girls don't really value them, or they don't fit in the "Leadership" theme that is being pushed. Not every girl is a leader and all need to learn how to follow as well!
- camping/outdoor badges
- Arts, environmental understanding, citizenship. Career exploration other than college/military, such as trades, entrepreneurship.
- I think outdoor programming should be a focus of Girl Scouting. If the Journeys remain, then an Outdoor Journey is needed. Though I like the smaller more focused approach of badges which promote development of specific skills.
- The Journeys too closely follow a school model....not engaging, and in many cases are developmentally inappropriate. Boring, time consuming, too school like, too difficult to implement. My girls love cooking, camping, crafts, fun service projects....that's what kids want not an extra hour or two of "school"
- The badges and program exploration was an excellent program that girls could apply to their life.
- Skills - Girl Scouts used to be a place where girls could learn different skills from homemaking to auto care to outdoors to art to ...They could try out different areas and really get an opportunity to explore many career possibilities. They also came away with practical life skills - I learnt to cook and clean in Girl Scouts, I found a life-long hobby (genealogy). I had the opportunity to camp, canoe, hike, swim, windsail, be a docent at a museum, travel to Wisconsin and milk a cow and so much more. I learnt career skills though the Dreams to Reality. So much of what I remember from Girl Scouts is missing from the current programme and I'm sad about that.
- More support needs to go to the weekend programs.
- Journeys are really not good - have to fully redo them to make them at all palatable to the girls. I would say scrap but afraid how you will find something worse. I do think outdoor programs should be emphasized, though not necessarily in a Journey.
- Some of the basics. I realize STEM for girls is important, but that shouldn't come at the elimination of sewing, needlework, etc. badges. The Tree badge for Juniors is a joke! If Gs believes girls are intelligent enough for STEM, they are certainly intelligent enough for real tree identification! We are looking at some of the Boy Scout badges.
- No
- More focus on outdoor experiences and National or Council sponsored service projects.
- My girls want outdoor programming. They want to be more like the Boy Scouts, and have badges that reflect their interests.
- We need to find ways to retain older girls. I feel they are consistently being overlooked.
- Focus on programming and council events and help, the leaders could use the help in planning. Programming should not mirror school. They spend enough time in a class room already.
- Older girls. We lose the girls at the Junior level. There is all kinds of cute things for younger girls but the older girls need things to do their age and not always just helping with the younger levels. Don't get me wrong, they like to help but need programs for just them and for their age.
- fishing and wildlife
- There needs to be more options on how to easily complete the Journey programs such as journey workshops for leaders and journey in a day/weekend options at all levels.
- I am not familiar with this program---the council where I was a scout is trying to sell Camp Eagle Island despite opposition from an active group that has raised money to support the camp.
- More outdoor and basics skills
- Low cost, high adventure for high school girls! You have to offer an exciting program to keep their attention. Last years resident camp choices for older girls were so limited my girls chose not to go. We are really hoping to have more options this year. We prefer badges vs these Journey books. It takes us months to get thru one and no one can remember what we really did. Badges could be completed in 1-3 meetings...offered more variety and themes.
- As wonderful and as necessary as it is to have the girls want to better the world, not everything they do should be an advocacy role. There should be more things the girls can do for pure enjoyment with perhaps learning a new skill as a bonus. Everyone needs some down time and Girl Scouts should also offer that to girls.
- We need to cover all areas of programming--indoor and outdoor--everything from learning to program a computer and operate technical equipment to organizing and planting a garden. In today's world, we experience many things and those who raise animals, plant a garden will be able to take care of themselves in crisis--same way as understanding how the current technology works, we need to emphasize budgeting, making "good choices" to help you in the future.
- Just starting to learn the programing as the kids are Daisy and Brownie levels this year, but I like how things have been updated to include relevant badges for technology. Not sure, but an engineering/building badge would be nice to expand on girls interested in legos, lego robotics, and other building toys at the younger levels. Could continue into CAD(Computer Aided design) at the older levels.
- GO BACK TO THE BADGES, PATCHES & AWARDS of old…
- Survival skills, life skills, financial literacy beyond cookie sales
- Forget an "Outdoor Journey" - the girls think these darned things are more like homework and nobody wants to buy any more of the expensive books.
- Please ask the current girls, currently in Girl Scouting, what they want! That is what leaders do- they ask their girls what they want to do! Studio 2B and Journeys, in my opinion, did not ask the girls what they wanted. I was asked by my council to read a journey (when it was still being developed) and offer suggestions from a leader's standpoint. Sure wish my girls had been asked for input prior to the Journey being written!
- By all means! An Outdoors Journey! One that highlights TRUE outdoor skills appropriate of the age level...so outdoor exploration of parks or such for Daisies, simple camp out skills for Brownies, Add in fire making and shelter building for Juniors, Orienteering and basic survival skills for Cadettes and high adventure skills for Seniors and Ambassadors...being sure to include nature conservation and LEave no Trace in ALL levels.
- Outdoors, camp and survival skills, nature and science.
- More events in outlining areas. Not just close to council office
- There needs to be more direction on how to make the Journeys interesting for girls and easier for leaders to implement.
- Home care, mechanical, crafts (sewing, painting, pottery, etc.), more hands-on activities, not naval gazing!
- I would like badges that require more hands-on activities and not 'listen to an expert', 'do the research', etc.
- I have looked at the Journeys a bit but have not done them with girls. I didn't love them but I would be willing to give them a try. I don't think they should completely replace badges. Badges are a traditional part of scouting and I feel strongly that should not be completely abandoned in the name of change.
- Badges need to embrace the girls different levels of life and ensure that they help in the growth of the girl.
- More STEM programs and badges, more outdoor skills and sports badges. Just more badge options in general, and especially badges that align so that multi-level troops can work on the same subject, i.e. why is there no hiking badge for Juniors or camping badge for Brownies? As a Brownie/Junior troop I find this lack of coordination annoying.
- I would like to see girls in award tracks develop through a well-rounded program, A journey completed in two meetings hardly shows development. Girls earning a Gold Award in a weekend hardly measures up to the intent of the award. The aspect of sustainability removes many excellent and needed projects from the list.
- More badges - and less school like!! Especially for older girls
- more programming geared to daisy and brownies in our area
- Would like to see programming in my area.
- If the Journeys were kept.
- More choice in badges such as the old junior badge book with 100 badges so girls can find something that interests them and have more options.
- Self-image
- Outdoors, more stem and how to make it fun. Our council has done a decent job at training leaders on Journeys. But I think it would be helpful to have overnight events to complete journeys. Our troop has to trick our girls into Journey activities. And we consider ourselves well trained on journeys.
- I am expecting that the journeys are expected to stay. Therefore, I would like to see and Outdoor Journey developed as well as more activities that offer insight in adventures activities and safety/self-defense activities. In addition, I would prefer the Gold Award pre-requisites show more leadership requirements and badge activities supporting the project in some way instead of competing journeys.
- More council trips and activities. More outdoor programming - the one thing they DON'T get at school. Less fluff and liberal leaning garbage.
- I understand that badges need updates regularly, but my girls are very frustrated with the limited selection and conversion of ALL materials to colors and presentation they feel is stereotypically (and negatively) "girly". While I appreciate the inclusion of a make-your-own badge option, it's frustrating that it's set up to only be useable on a girl-by-girl basis. That option can be where they fill in where the overall badge selection is thin, and determining appropriate requirements can be an excellent experience as an individual AND a troop. Finally, I'm frustrated with all the talk of "rebranding" and the "corporate" approach to programming. Calling a service organization a brand is trendy doublespeak that gets in the way of actually understanding that we're focused on helping girls grow. It appears to lead to programming that assumes girls learn more by discussing than by experiencing and doing. This is rather a sea change in the organization, and while I realize it follows a lot of current trends, I don't think those trends are going to pan out to be a source of great growth.
- Communication
- The arts.
- Educate leaders about silver and gold award. There is so much misinformation about theses awards!
- Tons.....bring back the diversity of program that the badges offered!! More cooking, more science, more arts & crafts and way more outside activities.....hiking, geocaching, letterboxing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, etc....
- Self esteem, confidence, women's issues
- Go back to badges that offer girls many more options to explore what they are interested in instead of pigeon holeing them into 3 areas. I have been in Girl Scouts since 1960 and have seen MANY program changes, this is tie for the worst program GSUSA has passed out. Girls are not interested in the Journeys and therefore are not working toward SIlver and Gold Awards. That is real sad.
- technology/ science
- The Journeys feel like school, and they ask leaders to take on the role of teaching things for which they may not have the training. The last thing we need is things that require more training. I would rather see a return to lots more badges but keep the bronze/silver/gold awards. If the organization wants to invest in leader guides, then plans for earning badges in one or two meetings would be helpful.
- Better, and more older girl (high school) programming.
- Badges need to be more interactive / hands-on and less RESEARCH-y / School Work-y. Badges need to take in consideration that some (especially smaller) towns will not have an expert that they can rely on for ALMOST every badge. Girls HATE doing the Journeys. I have girls who finished their Bronze who are considering NOT doing the Silver because they have to do a Journey in order to get it.
- More badges especially in all areas. In years past badges were in the many world categories so there was something for everyone. Camping badges for all ages
- definitely the Outdoor Journey - many of us surprised that wasn't a part of the 'first three'. But, very excited that an Outdoor Journey is being developed. Programming -- in basic life skills -- that is very much missing now.
- Half my troop quit because they hated the Journey so much.
- I would like to see good relevant programing for older girls. As frustrating as Studio 2B was it had some good things for older girls. Also revisit the Silver and Gold Awards-I think they have made them way too easy. The Leadership and other aspects are gone. My girls who earned their Gold under the current rules said they worked harder for their Silver under the previous rules than they did the Gold.
- There needs to be more options especially for older girls. Also the older levels need to be combined again. There should only be one set of patches/awards for Senior and Ambassadors because by that time most troop have merged.
- Why do we have to limit the areas to explore? Looking back at the first handbook, there was a lot more exploring going on than in the limited Journeys.
- Activities should be participatory rather than pen-to-paper. Badges and awards should have clear, well defined requirements, with substitutions allowed / encouraged. We don't need a badge to earn for selling cookies every year. They are excessive, redundant and sends the wrong message. Sure cookies finances the people that are authoring the badges, but at the troop level, it is a small part of what the girls do. It SHOULD be a small part.
- I have been a leader for 13 years, when the Journeys came in I thought they would be interesting. After these past years the girls and myself find them un-awe inspiring. They do not push them to want to do more. Myself and my daughter both prefer the individual Badges. We can work on the Badges that interest her. So when you have to work on a limited Badge to be able to continue on to something new you lose interest. You have come out with individual Badges now. That has been beneficial. Keep that up. The fact that they have to do Journey for the Bronze, Silver and Gold award does not work when they have no desire to do it.
- Community Service in the Local community. Interactive Partnering (hands on for the girls) with Local established community service type organizations.
- Return to basics. For 6 years our girls complain about Journey's being homework. They want to be outdoors, work on mission projects and learn skills thru badge work and hands on experience. The cost of the Journey program with the rise in price of the books and badges is sad. Also, the quality of the pins and bags has gone down. Could we not find and American manufacture?
- I think they need more outdoor activities, but I don't think the Journey format is the way to go. If we must have journeys, then there SHOULD be one for the outdoors.
- I would like to see more outdoor/active badges. A greater variety of badges should be available to the girls. ALL badges should be included in one package! I find it misleading that the handbook does not have all the badges. Many parents expressed to me the feeling of being cheated when they bought it. I bought the ones that are supposed to be associated with the journey the girls picked this year, but the Leader guide gives no info about incorporating those badges to the journey. I can see no way that these particular badges are supposed to be used with our journey.
- Outdoor camping.
- more choices for the badges that could be earned. more LEGACY badges. There is not one for sewing, baking, canoeing, archery, etc.
- Technology and science
- I would really like to see additional badge options. The limited selection makes it very hard to find ones the entire troop is willing to do together, plus it fails to encourage girls to earn badges on their own. With the old badge set, we could easily find badges to do in meetings, and the girls could each do additional badges that focus on areas that interest them.
- More badges. I know it is assumed that all girls have joined at the younger level, but some of them just join in Cadettes. Maybe we need to bring some of the subjects, like art, to the point where Cadettes have a painting/drawing badge that is not the comic one. (just one example)
- More local possibilities
- Yes, I feel that girls should be able to explore various career options, for their futures.
- I would like more outdoor programming, but not through a Journey. The old handbook was more practical to use as a leader with girls.
- Outdoor survival skills
- You need to develop more help in implementing Journeys. The normal meeting schedule in our council is meetings every two weeks. With this schedule it takes a whole year to do a Journey and some of the momentum is lost.
- More for Cadettes and higher
- The feedback I get from leaders is that it is too much like school work to the girls. The leaders need books that will help them use some of the traditional Girl Scout programs to supplement the Journeys- they know it can be done from training- but no one tells them how to do it.
- More badges, greater variety. Journeys would be ok if (1) the girl book had a clear path to completion (extra optional material would be fine to include), and had badges to earn along the way at specified points. That's what I had expected when I had read the original promotional materials.
- The older style badges had varied interest that peaked the interest of a wide variety of girls. The way that they were written seemed to incorporate the important points to hit. This helped me, as a leader, know what I need to investigate so that I could help the girls fully saturate themselves in the subject matter. This enabled them to try new things and possibly find a new passion. These were the things that kept the girls interested.
- Basic life skills - how to manage day to day expenses, cooking, sewing, cleaning (why one shouldn't really throw every thing in the washer at once) things we used to learn at home. With more women working outside the home home those skills are being lost.
- The journeys are terrible and do not teach leadership to girls. Previously girls were encouraged to provide programming for younger scouts within the local Service Unit and council. This allowed younger scouts to learn from the older ones, and to have older girls to look up to. Now the focus is to complete journeys which are too broad in their spectrum. Badges and IPs were more selective and allowed for a wide variety of learning for the girls and troops.
- Again, the girls don't like the journey. They do them because they must for the bronze, etc awards. They like the big patch sets, but the constant talking about the topic is so tedious to them. They want to earn badges, bottom line. I'd rather see lots of skill badges. Tie groups of badges together to earn a patch signifying the earning of the group, like the summit awards. While the journeys are unsuccessful in my troop, if they will continue, we need an outdoor focused journey. While growing tomorrow's leaders is a fine goal to have, giving them confidence to be in the outdoors is not something you can give them by talking.
- more Outdoors programs, year 'round, community service
- bring back the badges!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The areas of interest aren't the problem.The delivery of the Journey program is very school like.
- The Journey's alone are not great and too much like school; parts of the journey are okay but they are pegged into a journey in order to move forward. They take quite a bit of time and push out the exploration and fun. Confused about what you refer to as an "outdoor journey" many would argue that there already is one in the "It's Your Planet - Love It”
- outdoors, all aspects. community service.
- Some form of activity badges. Examples: horseback riding, swimming, archery, etc., all the kinds of activities that were in the old Junior Badge Book. They wouldn't have to be regular badges - they could just be a small square, with a different colored outline for each level of GS (DBJCSA), and could be worn in a row around the bottom edge of the GS vest. Girls LOVE to do activities as Girl Scouts. Fun patches are expensive, take up too much space on their vests/sashes, and are too "little girly" for older girls. I'd rather see us use our resources wisely with patch money/space used for significant patches, and have activity badges that are earned by learning/doing these activities at their GS level, and still be recognized on their vests. Please!!!!!
- Hands on, literally, badge work to learn useful skills that doesn't require tons of work, talk, and time. More bonding activities for local groups to come together rather than drive hours to meet girls and leaders we will never see again.
- I like the concepts of the Journey Program but they are too much like schoolwork. I like the concepts that the Boy Scouts have where you must earn a specific numbers of badges to earn the higher awards with specific badges required.
- We need more STEM, but also bring those throwback badges with outdoor skills, cooking, sewing, hiking and so on back with less rigid requirements. Outdoor cooking and skills would be awesome.
- Journeys are too directive and too vague at the same time. There is a specific set of things you "have to do" and a bunch of things that you can do--I'd rather have a menu with lots of options to choose from, like the old badge model
- Responsible citizenship Creative conflict resolution and cooperation Home making (OK, don't jump! I'm not thinking about the old homemaker badges, but people do still need to feed and clothe themselves, as well as pay the rent and keep the lights on.)
- Quality outdoor experiences. Resident camp has gotten watered down to where the girls are limited in the quality of their experiences. i.e., horseback riding is expensive and the girls spend very little time riding--like once or twice during the session. This compares to my horseback riding at GS Camp where we rode daily and went on long trail rides (outside of an arena). My daughter refuses to go to GS camp anymore.
- Leadership, finance, sports, STEM
- If you have to stay with the terrible Journey program than at least make one for the basics, like camping and PLEASE make it easier to follow. We don't need cartoons. And make the leader's book actually follow the girls' books.
- More STEM based programming--these girls are interested in technology, robotics, and more science than ever before.
- Basic skills for girls to be independent and healthy....there is so much emphasis on STEM right now, that many girls don't even know how to care for themselves in everyday ways (sewing on a button, cooking, taking care of their homes - whether it be a home or a dorm room, preparing for life skills)
- Outdoors!! Back to basics!! Sports!!
- Outdoors!! If you are keeping journeys, you definitely need an outdoor journey! More skill badges related to the outdoors. Also, more badges in general- not finance or business related. Bring back the old badges. Where else is a girl going to learn about astronomy?
- It is not that I don't want an Outdoor Journey developed, but I don't want an outdoor journey as the ONLY way a girl can be encouraged to develop skills in the out-doors. Girls need more badges in out-doors and lots of other areas.
- I know some of the guides were reviewed by girls who live in the city of New York. But here in Tennessee our girls are in a rural area, and do not have the resources to travel to council for some of the activities scheduled. Also the books are geared more to girls who live in the city. My girls are more interested in outdoor things, Stuff that makes them think outside the box sometimes, and if more fun and being stuck in a classroom or simple step by step ideas. My daisies are also being left out in the cold on patches. It is not fair that they only earn the ones in the petal series. They are much more capable of doing things like the big girls and should be given the chance to do so and earn some badges just like the big girls do. They really enjoy some of the old stuff that I did as a girl scout. Some of the old stuff is still relevant.
- Sports such as sanctioned sports mainly softball and basketball. I think we lose a lot of girls to sports and it's accepted rather than competed with.
- As a leader to three troops each with a completely different dynamics of girl members; they find the Journeys extremely tedious and boring. As a leader I find them extremely difficult to implement tedious as well. I don't understand why there is a girl handbook that doesn't even apply to the steps required to earn the Journey. To me, and the girls, it a prettily packaged piece of "fluff" designed for GSUSA to get more money in the form of merchandise sales.
- Non camp physical exercise, Writing skills
- Really dislike that the girl guide books do not include all badges and you have to purchase a set even if you only want to complete one badge in that set.
- Basic scouting skills
- Science, girls in Oklahoma are not expose to enough science.
- I'm so pleased the volunteers who are members and have invested time and effort into actually working directly with girls are advocating for outdoor education. I am extremely concerned about GSUSA's commitment to outdoor education and camping. It's obvious to me from the comments of National and my local council that STEM is the new focus and camps are just a diminished part o the program, but are being sold off. I'm growing tired of PR blasts about STEM and products available in a store. Girl Scout memories are built through developing skills through earning badges and going to meaningful program including CAMPING. An indoor STEM workshop will never replace a camping experience. And STEM and camping can be combined.. I would also like to see our local council provide more outdoor adventure for older girls, many of whom want to canoe, kayak, camp. But, because older girls are busy and have varying interests, I would like to see flexible program offered by staff. By flexible, I mean programs that scouts can go to without a trained leader...so if it's a canoe program, then Council provides the trained certified folks, not the troop. We need to get the girls outside and we need to figure out how to make it work for girls and their leaders.
- Outdoor/Survival Skills, Science/Nature
- As a Scout I used to LOVE having a book to plan and dream up which activities I would like to do to earn different badges (on my own and with my troop). It should really all be in one place - accessible for all girls and their parents and leaders. If leaders are seemingly having such a difficult time grasping the joy and wonder of a journey then it would appear that the presentation needs to change to be more accessible. Maybe it is as simple as supplement packets? I liked the whole Brownie elf story with the idea of thinking of others and being helpful around the house and to think of the needs of others, but I don't see these brownies "getting it" as much. Not sure why. :-( Maybe it is in the presentation of the book? Haven't compared my old book with the new one to find out.
- The journeys are very good but did not come with enough support for leaders. There could have been more techniques and supporting materials and real world scenarios so leaders did not have to do it all themselves.
- If you are sticking with Journey's there should be an outdoor journey, at least a "Leave No Trace Journey" if not a camping Journey.
- Scrap the Journeys and emphasize the badge work with actual skills to master. Get back to basics and uncomplicate things.
- Outdoor education
- Bring back simple badges. Spend money on programming and camps, not journeys and poorly written books.
- Outdoor skills, careers, crafts that take more than 10 minutes,
- Please reinstate all of the former badges! We need more badges to earn, not less! In my opinion, GSUSA wanted to focus the program on leadership skills. I get that. But why delete everything else?
- I realize we want girls to develop their own activities, but I think most girls need a better structure.
- would like to see some shorter programming- easier to implement than the journeys - along individual badges again, to keep the interest and ease in keeping girls on par with the program
- In addition to adapting to new and updated ways of doing thing, we need to remember to hold on to some of our traditions, songs, ceremonies, outdoor adventure, etc.
- Careers
- We should be the premiere organization for outdoor activities
- I'd like to scrap all journeys and get back to badges. The outdoor skills should be in the badges and they should be fun- not school like with homework.
- Conservation, Nature, Survivor skills
- Outdoor, handy skills (home repair, car, bicycle maint)
- There used to be a huge variety in the older girl badge choices. Now they are very limited and we are told that is because girls are working on the journeys and their silver or gold awards and have less time. My girls HATE the journeys and only do them because they are required for the silver or gold. Otherwise we would prefer to do other badgework. But not having a lot of choices for badges makes us come up with our own activities. More outdoor and living skills are needed. Also more on leadership - not the current journeys, but something more concrete with step by step incremental learning how to lead, how to facilitate a team, etc.
- We need more outdoor badges and programming. Our camps are not being utilized because our adult volunteers are not being trained or given the materials to use the outdoors.
- STEM badges at all levels
- Science, outdoors, crafts, sports-- I have Cadettes and there are less than 30 badges. Many of them are about cookies sales and most of these girls have been hawking cookies for many years, They don't need to dedicate more time to that!
- More local programming. We have to drive long distances to participate in programming.
- Some councils have done great things with on-line guides to help new leaders use the Journeys programs effectively. I am all for more outdoor programming, especially if those who voice their support for it also add their financial support and lift their voices to ask others for financial support as well.
- I want the old badges back. Journeys are NO FUN and take way too long. They are too much like homework. What is this about every level has to have a sustainable project - it's completely unrealistic and unnecessary. It's too much work and again, not fun. Who is out to destroy Girl Scouts at GSUSA? Why have you all signed up with a company who makes practically SEE THROUGH white shirts as part of our uniforms? Are you kidding me? I had to return my preteen's shirt and I would never allow a high school girl to wear such a shirt. You can see her bra right through the fabric! I'd rather spend a few more dollars and get something made with quality. Regarding the long sleeve t-shirts such as the cute Daisy shirts, can you please offer them in adult sizes as well? The leaders and parents would really like to match their daughters.
- There need to be more options and shorter options such as the old badges where girls could take the leadership role. The journeys remove leadership from the girls and their options to explore new areas.
- I would like to see more outdoor programming and also programming on how to teach girls cooperation and sisterhood.
- Animals, Health/Human Services, Community Outreach, Self-Esteem/Building, Relationships, Construction
- Camping for the parents and the kids optional.
- technology, performance, community service with less emphasis on "sustainability" since the sustainability comes by having girls who grow up to be women who give back, not by trying to make each girl into an entrepreneur
- Bring back the old badges and make Scouting an honorable place to be. The new program dumbs down everything and girls are smarter than that! Crafts and the Outdoors are still very important. Decision making and taking charge are good but not at all what everyone needs! Not every girl is an A student nor does she aspire to be a fortune 500 CEO!!! I've taught many a girl to sew and cook and love the outdoors and they have come back to me and thanked me for that training!
- I would like to see the journeys leave. They are too much like school. My troop cannot stand them and only works on them to achieve Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and well as Program Aide. My girls would be happy to never hear of this portion of the program again.
- Wilderness programs
- Your Journey question is also difficult to answer - and at first I thought this comment box was asking me to expand on that response - not offer up other programming ideas. it's way too broad brush to say the Journeys are awful or excellent and not ask me for more details about what I like or don't like about them. So even though you didn't ask, I will tell you! Likes: they teach that being a leader who can affect real change in the world requires in depth knowledge of your topic. And to put together an effective "take action project requires many skills that will help a girl in many areas, personal and professional, as an adult. Dislikes: Topics are too narrow and it's too easy for girls to feel bogged down. My scouts really like the fact that Girl Scouts lets them explore a variety of areas. The Journeys channel girls for a long time and that's what makes them uninteresting. Also - they do not live up to their billing as "pre-fab" programming for leaders. I have spent hours and hours thinking through the process of helping girls plan and make decisions about their Journey. Lastly - to get at the question you ask at the top of this comment box - yes, I do want GS to re-emphasize outdoor programming. I like the fact that it's not required like it is in Boy Scouts - but I would like it to be available and compelling enough that girls WANT to build their outdoor skills.
- Sports, arts
- I think leadership topics and concepts need to be strengthened and addressed at the Service unit level and that will flow down to the Girls. I've met some awesome leaders through Girl Scouting, but sorry to say, I've also met some that seriously need help.
- Go back to basics. Have badge requirements that are able to be completed at meetings. Journeys were a miss. the story is not good and doesn't tie into the badges. We will not do them! I don't like that LIA / PA / bronze/silver/gold is now tied into a journey. It should be its own thing.
- My girls don't like the Journeys and think they're boring. And we just do the bare essentials. If National is telling us to adapt to the interests and needs of the girls then how are we, as leaders, giving them the same experience? It seems like you wasted a lot of time and money on Journeys when we have to adapt it anyway.
- Outdoor skills and more investing on camps
- Bring back a wider selection of badges and have more outdoor and science related badges.
- Women around the world.
- A wider variety of badges. We've already done the one create-your-own that we can do. There is so much that isn't covered any more.
- Camping options for older scouts that do not require "sleep over" camp. Skills can be learned & facilitated thru day camp as well.
- I would like to see more options for outdoor camps in the northwest.
- If we're stuck with Journeys, then there should be one that focuses on outdoor skills, challenges girls to go beyond their comfort zone with hiking, camping, boating and more. There should be more focus on camping and outdoor programs, survival skills, hiking, career exploration for middle and high school age girls, environmental science programs, group service projects to give back to community. We do a lot of these types of things with our troop. 3) Regarding the cookie program question below - I say below average because mostly it's the parents selling cookies at work, the girls don't do all that much with it. The cookie sale has gotten very long and the cookies are expensive. A lot of the girls in my troop come from families with financial difficulties - asking them to buy or sell cookies that cost $4+ a box is a problem. There should also be an option for families or troops who don't wish to participate in the cookie sale to "buy out" of the cookie sale.
- It is difficult to complete a journey when older girl troops only consist of one or two girls.
- more program for older girls. Opening up adult activities for them is not the same as having program made just for them. Sr/Ambassador programs are sorely lacking. Make separate programs for HS girls. Having program for middle school girls (cadettes) and calling it "older girl program" turns off the older girls, HS'ers
- STEM. I'm on a STEM alumnae committee, and am trying to set up a badge day at my workplace (I'm an engineer.) The journeys and badges barely touch on STEM subjects. Our committee is having a hard time trying to figure out how to tie STEM activities in with earned awards.
- More things for the Daisys and Brownies outside of just one month of the girl scout year.
- Bring back the varied interest badges. Horseback riding badge! A large variety of craft badges (sewing, knitting, clay sculpture, etc). Some badges of interest to older girls are only offered for younger girls, such as painting.
- STEM, computer safety for juniors and up- social media
- Manners...from introductions to interviewing skills
- Girl relationships - bullying, kindness, "mean girls", etc. Quite honestly, the Journey programs are confusing, boring to the girls, and many leaders I know simply "modify" the Journey to fit their needs. Sometimes these modifications leave the Journey looking NOTHING like it started, which defeats the purpose.
- The Journeys are way too much like school work. The girls have plenty of school work without Girl Scouts. Where are the badges for practical life skills like sewing, cooking?
- I would like to see more emphasis on learning skills...not just leadership. I have Middle School and High School aged girls who don't know how to cook anything, sew on even a button, let alone have any outdoor skills. What ever happened to introducing our girls to new things and expanding their experiences?
- Digital programming and the virtual pathway, especially for older girls. An active Juliette community.
- outdoors,backpacking, advanced outdoor cooking, practical stuff..like how to fix things, change tires, etc. pocket knife training, self defense, survival techniques
- Camping, Outdoor Skills
- Outdoors, Camping, Leader training, networking & support
- Bring back more badges in a larger variety of areas.
- Leader online training
- I would like to see more age appropriate Daisy and Brownie programs. I see a lot for the older girls.
- I would like to see more troop camper training and survival skills taught to girls in an organized handbook. I think the journeys were designed to create the leadership skills, but the books are too overdone, and the program with all the field trips, interviewing etc. is too hard to deliver in an hour and a half or so per meeting. By the time we get to the end, girls have to constantly be reminded of the steps. Most troop leaders I know find them difficult and tedious.
- more science/engineering and outdoors
- More outdoors, survival and conservation.
- The program preaches "learn by doing" but the only thing girls are doing for 50-75% of Journeys is reading, writing and talking. Dump the current books, which are expense and worthless and give leaders a list of possible "get out in the community" activities that will have the girls "doing" something that will result in "learning." Go back to a complete range of badge options!!! There are not enough options to allow girls to receive recognition for activities they enjoy; to expand their experiences; or to encourage them to try new things. Quit changing the requirements for medal awards to match the current "new fad program" and base them on the development of true life skills - first aid, survival/emergency preparedness, basic cooking, money management, sewing, citizenship and community service/involvement.
- Add more legacy badges. Bring back some of the old, old ones. Girls really do like doing them and learn some wonderful life skills.
- Our council does provide opportunities in all areas considered Girl Scouting Activities including everything from arts & crafts and STEM as well as camp and babysitting, skills enhancement and trips and opportunities for growth. However the price of all of this has become out of reach for many kids and families. So not MORE just less expensive, but with QUALITY opportunities.
- I miss the horse try-its, badges, & interest projects. We have over 300 girls attending each year at our horse camps, and now they do the work and only earn a horse patch for the back of their vest/sash.
- The new format appears to be more about selling more materials that are less user friendly than in keeping in mind the practical and logistical ways in which girls, their leaders and their troops use them.
- I do not want to see an outdoor Journey, as the Journeys are tied to Common Core school curriculum. My girls do NOT want to re-hash things they have already learned in school. They want to experience NEW things that they are not able to do in school or at home. The only way to do that is to have a WIDE variety of badges that can spark or build on their individual interests.
- I think that GS should go back to the format of having many, many badges in all different areas. Girls are not all the same - they have varying interests. With the new program, they are pigeon holed into only a few categories. We are losing the girls b/c Journeys are like homework and they DO NOT teach leadership......they have been put in place to keep the funding by United Way - let's be real.
- *Please do not make any new programming mirror the current Journeys. The Journeys are the exact same information they're receiving in school. Journeys are boring, tedious, & make the scouts feel like they are in class instead of a troop meeting. *For new programming, create an outline for council-led events that emphasize it & have councils hold these events. *Bring back more badges. The new guides have eliminated so many badges & my girls do not like what are currently offered through the book and through the Journeys. Make ones similar to Boy Scouts.
- outdoor skills, camping, etc.
- High adventure.
- More outdoors stuff in general
- If we have to stick with the Journeys, an outdoor one would be a giant step forward, but it needs more than just that - add back badges the girls can work on that pertain to their interests and stop it with the cutsie patches - my daughter who is 11 has asked if she could join boy scouts since they have better badges
- interpersonal communication since that seems to be a lost art with the increased use of technology to communicate.
- The schools are bombarding the children with anti-bullying programs, etc. They do not want to listen to it again when you have to complete a Journey. They are boring and the girls hate them. We need to get back to the original ways of girl scouting. Fun and Learning by Fun.
- The journey are a lot of reading our children do that in school and homework Girl scouting should be more about activities
- I don't think Journey's are the way to go.
- If Journeys are going to stay they need some type of adventure for the older girls - rock climbing, hiking/backpacking, mountain biking, something that gets the girls outside and doing something that they normally wouldn't have a chance to do.
- Return to skill-based badges! They can create ones that teach girls some of today's tech-savvy skills, but for heaven sakes don't make it "reading" about the skill and then "journaling" their thoughts on the skills! 2) Also, allow the focus of the Silver Award to once again be focused on Service to Girl Scouts (SU level and above). It's fine to "encourage" a community focus for Silver but why did service to GS have to be cut out. This severely crippled the number of events/activities we could offer to Girl Scouts at all levels in our SU.
- The simplicity of the brownie badge book, is much more appealing to leaders. The number of materials that a leader feels compelled to purchase, are extremely expensive and all the additional books are not using resources wisely. Daisy program activities are fun, but reading the stories are boring for girls and leaders. I didn't want my daughter in girl scouts so she could sit down and listen.
- Travel. The journeys programs are stupid and unnecessary but i guess it was a way to force people,to buy more garbage from you.
- Leave No Trace, boating, ceremonies, real camping, backpacking, nature, active things for girls to do, hiking, a variety to accommodate all girls so they do not feel a need to go elsewhere. Girls can get lots of financial literacy from planning their own troop programs and trips and fund raisers. It does not all have to come from cookies. The emphasis is on cookies, nut and magazines because that is where council gets its income.
- If we have to keep the Journeys, then they should at least give us one more, just for the outdoors
- I think taking away the variety of badges, to let girls explore a variety of interests, including the outdoors, was a terrible mistake.
- Outdoors, Skill Building, Arts
- I would like a return to more badges and ones that are actually work to earn. You get out of things what you put into them, and easy badges are easily forgotten.
- Computer skills, data management, communication, public speaking
- I am attempting a Journey for the second time. We started the WOW Wonders of Water Journey and abandoned it for lack of interest in Brownies. We just started work on the Amuse Journey for Juniors and the girls hate it. They are bored by it and don't really seem to be getting the point of studying role models. We will finish it so that they can earn their Bronze Award but, I seriously doubt that we will work on the Silver in Cadettes as a troop. I would love to see many of the old badges brought back. It is nice to have one that is an overview of a subject like science, the outdoors, the arts and then more specific ones for girls who are interested in that area. The girls miss the opportunity to further explore their new interests.
- The Journey's are not user friendly for Leaders. I am not an educator and nor have I been trained to be. I feel that the Journey's leave little to be desired. They need major improvement. My Cadette's like the traditional badge earning.
- Older girls leading younger girls in things that interest them. Maybe working side by side in the community.
- I'd like a way for individual girls to have the GS experience by using the Journey book outside of a troop setting.
- The journey/ what is needed to earn badges is complicated, may dailies complain that they do not fully understand what is expected.
- I'm very disappointed in the Journey program. The old books full of badges need to come back. They gave so many more options and were less "forced". I started with Daisies a couple of years ago. I didn't do the Journey books the first year and had great success just working on the petals. Leaders really are smart enough to figure that stuff out. I did the Journey books the 2nd years; the girls lost interest, I felt lost trying to figure out how to make them work in my situation, and the troop dissolved. :( I'm a teacher and have been in scouting for over 15 years...the journeys just don't work.
- There should be more outdoor badges.
- Not all girls are leaders. In order for there to be leaders there has to be followers as well. Scouting should be all about the out of doors. Not about homework and sitting and listening to someone else talk about their adventures that they had in Scouting. They should be having adventures themselves.
- Many of the traditional badges should be back in the scouting program with additional badges that provide a well-rounded opportunity. I have been involved in both girl and boy scouting and have seen the differences in the programs. While they should not be exactly the same, the differences seem to be gender oriented. In this modern world the Gold Award could have the same impact on society that the Eagle Award has had for boy scouting.
- There are currently alot of activities which have no organized badge, but these activities are extremely popular. Consequently our council is using badges created by other councils to fill the void, or creating them ourselves. I don't think that this is the way to go.
- Camping and the outdoors is a big part of scouting. Some councils want the camps to be Holiday Inns. The girls need to learn outdoor skills, cook on campfires, how to survive if needed.
- Need more for older girls. It's hard to keep them interested and it doesn't feel like GS is doing much to help.
- arts, sciences, physical activities, nature programs both indoor and outdoor, skills to learn to grow up, learn to be responsible citizens of our world
- Outdoor and physical skills for the younger girls. They don't want to sit and be lectured and have discussions--they do enough of that in school. I feel like we make up our own way every meeting just to keep them interested but also learning.
- Go back to what GS was in the beginning. Girls like earning badges not a few crappy journey pins and developing their leadership skills by teaching badges to the younger girls.
- We have had two troops both of which used the old badge program and the journeys program and they both liked the old badge program better. They felt Journeys was a lot of "homework" They liked more the hands on council and Camp stuff and to be able to finish a badge in the meeting rather than at home.
- SKILLS!!!!! Let's go back to teaching girls basic, life long, important skills. Honestly, my child gets enough of the government backed programs at school (STEM and common core). She doesn't want to then come to a meeting and learn it all over again. Example - The water (WOW) journey for Brownies - she learned all about water, conservation, states of matter, etc the year before in 1st grade at school. Then she gets to repeat this at a Brownie meeting (2nd grade). It's not all that fun or exciting. I think a planned trip to the beach for a troop or service unit beach clean up would accomplish the same end result and be way more fun for the girls. (And far less expensive for the parents with all the extra Journey specific stuff you are asked to purchase.)
- The biggest problem with the journeys is getting training to the adults who are working with the girls. Our council has several excellent courses which really help. From what I have read on these forums, many councils don't.
- Don't want outdoor Journey - want outdoor badges!
- badges that teach skills other than" business" first aid or cooking. we choose to purchase "fun patches" when we complete skills work (knot tying, outdoor cooking options, )
- Drop the STEM, we are not schools and there are WAY toooo many other organizations implementing these programs. We need to get back to basics and do outdoors, service, letting girls "TRY" things and become leaders through trying and succeeding. It's obvious that GSUSA is only about money in having us buy so many things to get even fewer badges then were available to use 3 years ago. Remember the Try-It books, priceless. I've left for Frontier Girls who are basically Girl Scouts from 5 years ago. Priceless as a former Girl Scout Leader started this. Yes Girl Scouts empowered her to make a change. Thank God for her.
- The old 'worlds' helped us measure a balanced program, but it can be done without the markers.
- Bring back the badge books. The girls loved exhibiting their badges on their vests and sashes. They got a feeling of great accomplishment when a badge was completed and they were awarded with the badge they worked on.
- Go back to the BADGES - girls enjoy working on them.
- Programs are too expensive to attend. Camp fees have risen dramatically. City kids got the shirt end if the stick on this one.
- When you ask the girls what they want to do, the answer is a resounding "go camping"! Less focus on technology. They girls know more about the subject than many adults will ever hope to know. STEM is important to our girls. When we can infuse it into our basic program, it can be useful. When we ram it down their throats, it is useless. GS offers a non-formal" type of education. It should never be school-like.
- Outdoor skills are what GS should be about. Leadership can be learned and developed outdoors! This is what GS offers that other activities do not offer. I am very interested in offering high quality outdoor opportunities for all levels, especially the older girls. Retention will be improved if girls are able to participate in challenging activities that they cannot find in other organizations.
- Direct toward our diverse population in the outlying areas
- I would like to see a return of the array of badges that were discontinued.
- History and WAGGGS. The girls need to learn about the organization Juliette Gordon Low started back in 1912 and the meaning of WAGGGS.
- OUTDOORS
- Boating - Nautical skills
- Help volunteers with National Jamboree's travel gives older girls a reason to stay in Girl Scouting. Most national Jamboree's are affordable to most girls.
- Perhaps more household repair, physical fitness and some automotive repair (additional skills again, similar to or mirroring boy scouts).
- I learned so much through my camping experience as did my daughter. I feel Girl scouts need to embrace camping and all a girl can learn from camping to make our future leaders.
- More outdoor programming is essential. The journeys are too much like school. I would like to see more "legacy" programming reincorporated.
- self esteem programs
- Everything in the old program should be brought back! It didn't need the complete overhaul it received; some badges just needed to be updated (ie. photography, computers).
- More badges need to be offered so the girls have more choices.
- Outdoor Skills, Survival Skills, real world application of Job Skills, and a return to the diversity of interests covered in the programming as recently as the 1990s. Our troop is using badge books and manuals from 1920 - 1990 to construct challenging and educationally challenging opportunities and activities for our girls that capture more of their interests - rather than the current program materials.
- I would like to see more of an emphasis on the girl scouts supporting their communities. Learning more about how they can impact their communities as an individual and as a whole. You have to remember, a lot of the girls live in very rural communities and not the cities and the suburbs.
- all outdoor aspects,,real camp skills to show they can do something more with less...environmental education is non existent .need it...history of site/area how the past connects to future... we have old farms for camps,,,use the history...agriculture/sustainability....these should all be on site not in some museum classroom or other place.
- More in the outdoors, camping, gardening, animal care, beekeeping, raising flowers, plant identification, tree identification, survival skills. Some of these things are those that use to be taught in schools and science class, but are not anymore.
- I would like to see more activities in the Lehigh Valley area. The majority of trips are in the Philadelphia area which is over 1 1/2 hours from here.
- As old school as this sounds, some of the domestic skills are being lost to focus too much on STEM. This is a highly educated (PhD) person saying this - but there is something to be said about holding on to traditional crafts as hobbies that are just as important for the girls as seeking science, engineering and math.
- I would like the outdoors included in more programming. I would like to see a more creative use of camps and other owned buildings
- Basic skills that earn badges, like in the past. Girls need to know how to survive in the real world. We are missing so many opportunities. The leaders try to encourage these things but GSUSA doesn't have programming in place to support them. If the leader or parents have unlimited financial resources, they can do more but for the poorer troops, it is very difficult to participate in anything GS related.
- I think we should focus more on the outdoors. I know it varies among Service Units. Our campouts are run by the older girls and so we have none of the outdoor activities like kayak, sailing, archery, etc.
- Specific retention pieces for girls at all levels, especially Older Girls. More about traditions, songs, ceremonies, etc. that are non-camp.
- These answers seem to contradict each other. I would like to see a different set of programs, but if Journeys are kept, then there should be an outdoor Journey.
- I would like to see the journeys incorporate more crafts and snack options. I would also like to see them work hand in hand with badges so that they can earn badges while completing journeys.
- Outdoor activities would be a bonus!!
- I would like to see more programming in computer coding.
- Life skills
- No this is my biggest complaint about the new program.
- Money management. Saving and investing. Credit use and balancing a checkbook. Financial independence for girls
- outdoor skills, traditional scouting skills
- When we started Journey's we were told there would be new ones in about 2-3 years- well we still have the same ones. They are too similar so once we did them as a Junior then a Cadette the girls really aren't interested in the same topic as a senior too. Also GS has things backwards- the older the girls get the less time they have to research and dive deep into an area- they want to dabble in many things not bog down in one area. we need try-its for seniors and ambassadors.
- Go back to the old outdoor programs!
- I would like to see more opportunities for GS to explore ALL career interests. My daughter has an engineer for a father and has plenty of STEM opportunities. Thank goodness she is in talented art and talented music at school! The old badge program provided so many opportunities to learn new things. We can still explore all interests, but it was nice to see options laid out.
- I always loved the plethora of badges that were available to girls. For me I could point to the diversity of program as one of the things I loved best about GS program. No matter what your girls were interested in they could find it in a badge. Now it seems that the options have decreased. I am sad about fewer choices.
- outdoor badges: skills, cooking, fire building, archery, canoeing, swimming, ropes, adventure---high ropes, fast water, rappelling/rock climbing, caving, horses
- Camps expand more camp activities and bring back tweedale
- I would love to see a variety of outdoor badges come back & anything to do with horses & wildlife my girls really miss those the most.
- When a troop meets every other week there is no way to finish all journeys and badges. I am ok with things taking time to finish. I actually like the girls working on things for a few times before earning the badges. i just hate that there is no way to fit it all in.
- outdoor skills are lacking in training
- Less requirements for badges.
- Drop journeys, focus on modern badges
- I would love more Girl Programming involving basics such as sewing, cooking, navigating and personal development.
- I'd like more skill badges available at the upper levels. My Cadette troop did a journey in 6th grade. I like the journeys but they really don't. For their Gold, I think we'll crank out most of a journey in a weekend sleepover, leaving more time for other fun/service stuff.
- The girls need to learn about going outdoors and exploring
- Sports, like archery. More emphasis on basic life skills.
- more skill development, having skills to offer to assist people with is originally what the badge program was about. We need to get back to that standard, where earning a badge meant you had become proficient enough in a skill to be able to be of service.
- camping, archery, hiking, really anything outdoors
- Outdoor skills; service. The journeys I have done and looked through require FAR too many 'worksheets'. The girls feel it's like school & is boring. The steps also repeat. We did the Brownie Quest & all the map components were just ridiculous. The girls didn't want to feel like they were skipping, but it was also boring & tedious trying to cover all those arbitrary steps.
- I feel they need to by the way of Studio2B.
- Go back to how girl scouting use to be
- Badges that can be earned without concern with one's level, especially once they are in middle school so they can earn them no matter when and don't have to re-earn them once they move up.
- Camping and outdoor skills in general!
- Please remember the outdoor program should be hands-on whether within an urban or rural area
- More arts and science (yes, beyond what we have now). Most of the areas that fit in the old "World of People". Life skills - everyday ones.
- STEM! The Journeys have very few (and well hidden - you really have to hunt) science activities, and the Badges have relatively "fluffy" science. Girls WANT to do "real science." In addition, there should be some sort of Journey/Badge/Award programming for our girls who are members of FIRST Robotics teams. There are SO many girls who wear the GS brand, who receive GS grant money, but are not getting the full GS experience. As a former council staff member who oversaw 5 FIRST teams, the girls were eager to earn "something Girl Scouty that fits with our program!"
- You will need to make the outdoor journeys, fun. So far most of the journeys are boring, too much reading and lectures. If it's not fun, girls will not do it. Please have outdoor people come up with the journeys, not people who know nothing about the outdoors, like you did with the safety check list. (scuba one doesn't make sense, you didn't have someone who is scuba instructor certified come up with that one or one that knows anything about scuba diving).
- Give girls opportunities to explore/try out different things to find out where their interests lie. now seems to be towards leadership and advocacy. While this is not bad, this is not for every girl. We can't have all chiefs. Also, there are too many "parts" to a level - ie Juniors - Bronze Award (which requires at least one Journey) plus Jr Aide (still not sure of the requirements - not spelled out very well) pus Bridging
- Stem programs
- I feel that the current journeys could be done (by a creative leadership team) in the out of doors and don't necessarily see why a journey should be made specifically to be done outside.
- More STEM programming, we are saying this is the next thing, but have yet to see any programs.
- My girls feel like Girl Scouting has become Girl Hoteling and Make-uping - their words.
- Badges have been restricted, more should be added for the girls to have more variety.
- Put more in to the camps.
- Badges--while I know the direction is for D-C-TA, sometimes girls just like to try new things. I know that the part of my own Girl Scout experience as a girl included trying so many new things without having to try to make anything more of it than I tried it, learned it and enjoyed the learning aspect. I have confidence now in trying just about anything new and I know that comes from my GS experience as a girl. Outdoor Journey can be good or bad. We would have to keep in mind that it would need to meet the needs all over--rural to urban to suburbs and one that can meet different regional terrains to be all inclusive--that'll be tough. I do believe girls need to get outdoors to experience that Journey...so it shouldn't be so generic that a girl could complete it without going outside, but keep in mind that not all leaders will take their girls camping. Some reasons include a leader not comfortable with camping, so they don't get training. Others include the cost of going to a council camp is unaffordable. Thankfully in our council it so more than reasonable; but in others, it is like the cost of a major trip so some troops may not be camping because of that. So I guess while some of the program should include camping in an outdoor journey, there has to be other program choices that get the girls outside and discovering/connecting in non camp settings, too. Not just outdoor camping skills.
- There were so many more outdoor skills badges, STEM badges in the earlier program that should be updated to the current format not just retired.
- We need more guidance with teaching the girls about community service.
- I would like to see adjustments to the badgework as well. There is such an emphasis on field trips, etc. for the badgework now that it makes it very difficult to complete the requirements as intended. Car seat laws and GS regulations make it hard for some Daisy and Brownie troops to do regular field trips. Some families lots of field trips are difficult to navigate.
- We've pretty much scrapped the GS programming and are doing our own thing for the most part with badges sprinkled in here and there. We've decided to venture more towards things the girls are interested in. The Journeys are morphed to about 20% of their original content. We don't buy the book or work out of them. Too expensive, and too much like what they are presented with during the day. Need to get back to learning about the outdoors, independence and self sufficiency.
- Outdoor Journey - YES!!!! Badges related to outdoor skills would also be helpful - particularly with an emphasis in Leave No Trace and campfire cooking.
- Wildlife and Fishery
- Bring back a focus on developing Outdoor Skills!
- Not so much an outdoor journey but outdoor badges. My girls have been working on improving a trail at your local property for the past two years and love it. They want to have fun and work together not solve the worlds problems
- Keep out camps
- Less frou-frou and more badges that mean something, not "internet", make-up and other things that are useless.
- Get rid of the journeys. I have seniors and ambassadors and they HATE them. They would much rather work on badges so they can explore different opportunities for college. There should be a progression to earn the silver and gold award, like they had previously. Needs to be better organized. There is no support from council or even at the national level
- I would like to see skills based experiential programming in science, arts, life skills, health, communication, sports and recreation.
- Camping, volunteerism, careers
- Save our Girl Scout Camps!!!!
- I think it would be beneficial from an outdoor educational Journey. I know there are some troops that choose not to teach outdoor skills for different reasons and I feel if offered, those troops might try the outdoor educational aspect of Girl Scouting.
- The arts. Honestly, we need to go back to the Five Worlds. It helped to balance the program.
- I would like to see more badges involving hands-on activities for the girls and less "research" type subjects
- I think we need to go back to the tryits - I can't say I would like an Outdoor Journey when I have already said I do not like the Journeys... I have had many moms say they would like to see GS act like Boy Scouts in their program…
- Outdoor programs and real community involvement. Leadership roles that have meaning that are appropriate for age.
- I ask my Girl Scouts what their favorite part of different events is. They always say the things we learn to make. They like using recycled materials for crafts the best. I have taken training in the 'lost arts' of girl scouting, like weaving, knots, knife skills, trail signs, plant and tree identification, birds, insects, frogs, clouds, rocks, earth science in general. They want to learn camping skills, how to build a fire and care for a tent and pack a backpack. Not sit and read stories. Unless it's around a campfire. :-)
- More exposure to events going on. More ideas to give the girls wanting to earn the Bronze, Silver or Gold so they can actually earn them. 2) Many areas do not have internet and with everything being directed to go online is holding them back.
- Literally, yes: computer programming. Not just a specific program - logically thinking through how things work and being able to demonstrate processes via programs. Make it GS-relevant by designing games about GS activities; using Minecraft or another program to model existing GS sites and then share those with the community.
- The back to basic skills badges should return. I don't mind keeping the the new badges but the old should never have thrown out.
- My council does a great job of STEM programming; perhaps other councils could do this too!
- STEM is great, but not every girl is going to be successful in those areas and we are definitely losing the girls who are artistic, creative, athletic, going to be someone in a certificated program, or maybe who strives to be a homemaker.
- Big return to 'classic' skills. I lead a Brownie troop and many if the badges are pretty difficult to accomplish in the troop meeting setting. Scouting should NOT require homework! Prime example: the 'my best day' badge is all about stuff they do at home (lay out your clothes for tomorrow) How was this ever thought if as something we should be doing as a troop?!?
- My girls do NOT LIKE the journeys. They are older girls and feel like it is too much like homework which they have enough of.
- World cultures/international understanding
- There needs to be more badges to choose from. My girls wanted badges for archery, camping, fire safety. There are none of these. I have only been a leader for two years. These journeys are painful to plan for, the girls are bored by the stories and all the reading - they want activities and action.
- Science, I really miss the science badges at the junior levels, and we need more in the Daisy and Brownie levels as well.
- More opportunities in all areas of a council and alternate dates. You are out of luck if you cannot make the time and date for good programs as it is one and done. Council's are too large.
- There shouldn't be an Outdoor Journey because there shouldn't be ANY Journeys. Go back to the old badge program. It worked and interested the girls.
- Older girl (Cadette, Senior, Ambassador) activities.
- Traditional Badges with the new knowledge and environmental practices that we are involved with now.
- It seems like the old badge books offered a lot more than the current ones do as they seem to rely on the Journeys (which don't take as much time as we were led to believe.)
- Basics - I think we are losing the GS basics. You have to move forward with the times but the old stuff shouldn't be forgotten. Knots, knife use, songs, traditions Journey's - I think they are harder to earn if I do what they say - more trips and speakers, take a video class - really? do you know how expensive it would be for each girl to take a video class? What happened to badges we could earn as a troop at our troop site? Everything is about go here, take this class, some of that is great!! but not every badge. The rest of the journey is too much like school.. they already learned about nutrition - do something different.
- Girl led programs where older scouts lead training in Outdoor events. Adults then are required to answer any girl who comes to them, "I don't know ask your PA or Girl Leading this event." Stop letting leaders circumvent the system by taking everything online. These people are Not interested in the girls. Only want to be the cool Daisy and Brownie parent. Then do not ever get the girls Outdoors (well, to the yogurt shop).
- Outdoors
- More "legacy" areas - camping and self-sufficiency, badges in many different areas for girls to try out new things. Once a badge always a badge - girls should be able to earn any badge offered in the last 101 years. More STEM and more outdoor stuff, less navel-gazing. My girls find the Journeys worthless and duplicate of what they get in school. (I would like to see GSUSA spell the plural of Journeys correctly, without the apostrophe, also.) Financial literacy is a fine thing but way over-emphasized. It seems like half our whole program these days.
- adventure programs especially for older girls--caving, water sports, canoeing, etc
- Abstinence education and Virtues.
- Have more materials to support the volunteers in their roles of running summer camps and service units.
- Outdoor, save the planet, basic skills like sewing, crafts, knitting, etc. Some girls actually like this. Also, what about professions? law, architecture, engineer, medicine, etc. Careers. How about financial planning and budgeting beyond cookies?
- Anything that isn't in the core standards for schools!! The girls get all those IN school. Girl Scouts should expose the girls to other areas of potential interest. Journees are sooo difficult to do. It takes hours of reading to figure out the goal and then make them fun for the girls.
- As a person with two daughters - neither is interested in camping.
- STEM
- Why are the badges for horses, sewing, and swimming discontinued? The girls need to learn about things like this, not just computers! Knives, fires, knots, there should be more about the old-school basics, my girls are always on ipods, cell phones, they are more computer savvy than I, but it's the horses, the sewing etc...that they tried in GS that they loved! Journeys are book work and they don't come to GS for that!!!
- Anything and everything - that's why badges were so great. Girls could do anything and earn a badge. If they liked to knit, they could do that. They could do sports, outdoors, almost any and every hobby had a badge!
- A larger selection of Proficiency badges with more outdoor badges: water sports, swimming, canoeing, skiing, camping, outdoor cooking, and interests such as theater, women's history, dance, photography. Badges should be tied to advancement - perhaps girls could substitute several badges for a Journey. Journeys are so restrictive - girls cannot explore their interests. Service projects now seem irrelevant - everything needs to be a TAP; however service projects are a wonderful way to connect to the community. Yes, we can still do them (and we do) But, when the girls are putting so much time and energy into TAPS, the amount of time for service projects is limited.
- Horse work. Auto mechanics. Real engineering and architectural work.
- Special events, the events offers in the Go magazines has been declining in our council. Over the last 3 years the offerings continue to get worse with each passing year.
- Outdoor activities encouraged, not limited. More Service/volunteer/community based badges/activities
- There needs to be more 'fun' options for older girls.
- The Journeys are a great leadership tool, and a wonderful program for new leaders who need guidance and have a program to follow and they do lead the girls into action, leadership and a community action project. But I feel that the schools do not offer chances to explore different experiences as the badge work use to do. Girls in school are stuck in electives, or magnet programs so do not get to try/test different hobbies and career choices. The "heritage" badges are good but limited and repetitive in the age groups. For the below questions on financial literacy - The cookie programs as designed teaches the goals, earning, marketing, selling. On a whole, the leaders do not allow the girls to make enough of their choices when dealing with the funds.
- The Journeys seem very repetitive. The antithesis of a Journey that would move forward from place to place. The girls enjoy the activities at the beginning of the journey, but get bored of the same connections being made over and over. They were looking at the leader saying "we know".
- Service, charitable, volunteering
- More opportunities for camping!!! One month out of the year in our local area isn't enough!!!
- Basic life skills. Bring back cooking, housekeeping, child care and sewing, basic home and car repair. They are important parts of life too that everyone needs to know.
- Need to go back to offering more badges options for Teen Girl Scouts. Drop the Journey's program. The teen girls in my troop had little to no interest in completing the journey's. After being in school all day, they had no desire to do more book work and writing. They want "hands on" activities.
- basic outdoor skills
- A FULL selection of badge topics at every age level. Girls are not only interested in dance in 2nd and 3rd grade, and in being musicians in 4th and 5th grade, and photography in HS. There should be a badge at every level for each of these topics. Camping badges at every level, sewing and crafting at every level, science at every level, sports at every level, etc. Councils should be providing programming with trained certified facilitators frequently. Archery, canoeing, ropes courses. They build these things in our camps, and them make them almost impossible to use. Offering older girls "webinars" is NOT programming. Sit in your own house, on your own computer equipment, and get charged $6 or $8 to attend a chat???? This should be free, and not the majority of what you are offering as programming.
- More localized training for every area
- science
- All areas related to spending time outdoors: camping, hiking, swimming, boating, first aid, knots, etc.
- Camping, specifically keep the camps open. Keep Tweedale open.
- Girls like the traditions. They may seem insignificant to your program developers, but when grandmothers, mothers, older siblings see the traditions, the younger ones want to be a part of that organization. That doesn't mean things don't change, because they do. But adapt a program for the girls staying in scouting, not necessarily for those who left because some left for other reasons, not the program. An assumption is made but not confirmed. A great GS program is one that works with the world the girls reside in, not make the girls change to the program that is developed or canned by marketers and branding companies. As my friend (name removed) says, do what you know. Show them the cake and offer them the frosting. There has to be substance and making continuous changes that create financial hardship on the families does not make for a low cost no cost program. We need to be prepared to live in a world that is not fair, is not always safe, not always level and is not always financially stable. Build a program around that. If we really believe what Juliette Gordon Low taught the original girls was to work hard, share your time and talents and learn as much as you can so you are able to help more people. I look at the WAGGGS newsletters and the international agendas but we don't even get close to hitting goals like that trying to get journeys done (homework) so that we can work on an award. What happened to leaders being role models that guide girls into adulthood, making the world a better place and being a sister to every Girl Scout?
- I wish there were more things to do in the upper levels.
- Not so much another area, just a comment on the above. The Journeys are all (and I have led girls who were working at each of the six levels through Journeys) written about two years older than the girls they are for. The activities are more often age-inappropriate that appropriate, including high school topics (and even typical high school education programs like chemistry & geometry in the stories) for the Cadettes, origami (appropriate to 4th graders) for the Daisies, and so on. There was a promise at one point that the Planet journeys would stress the outdoors, but they don't.
- World Thinking Day - it seems like a big deal, but I have yet to see any programs being run on this!
- Outdoor programming has been lost in our council. When we spoke to the members of the board, they were all frail older women who hadn't been camping a day in their life. They didn't see the value in camping.
- Put tech stuff into the camp program.... get the girls involved but if placed in the outdoors setting. Camps do have electric outlets!
- STEM and service
- I think the concept is a little high level for Daisies (that's the age level I lead). They have a difficult time focusing and remembering information of that nature.
- Outdoors/ camping experience helped to make me who I am today. I learned the power of working together, networking, An appreciation & desire to protect nature and a belief that, Yes, I can do whatever I need to do.
- Again all the old basic outdoor activities
- More emphasis on camping
- Events!
- there should be a combination of journeys and badge programs. Many of the girls miss the badges. Also for the silver and gold awards it might be more attainable if there was a combination of both journeys and badge programs.
- yes how to make cheap crafts sleepovers outdoor cooking letterboxing pool parties simple cooking skills
- Girl Scouts should look at encouraging girl and women to look into other occupations besides business. There are Scouts who are interested in organic farming, machine & electronic maintenance/technology, the military, habitat restorations; even at the Junior level We need to continue STEM, and connecting with Girl Guides and Scouts around our hemisphere and the world. There is virtually nothing to promote international understanding. It was very important when I was a Girl Scout and was very influential my career choices.
- More programming for Juliette's!
- Many of the badges are too limiting. If I have a girl new to scouting, or a fly-up whose Brownie leader never took them camping or worked on first aid, the junior badges in these topics prepare the girls for nothing. 2) The examples of service in the journeys are too far fetched. The girls need to see goals that are attainable for the average girl who lives in a small town, plays sports and takes music lessons. In "Getting Moving" they are asked to find a building in their community which needs repair and get the city to do something about it. Safety? insurance? The story in the "Agent of Change" is laughable ---- the school board lends school buses???? 3) Real life possibilities. Not things that one girl in 150 could accomplish. Project examples that would be spring boards for the average girl with limited time and fourth or fifth grade maturity.
- The traditions that JGL built this organization on......
- STEM
- engineering, sewing, journalism/media
- I feel Girl Scouts has been losing their role as a patriotic organization.
- Outdoor programming is absent in the new program. Only having 1-2 outdoor type badges to earn at each level leaves few reasons to get the girls outside. The Junior badges contain too much "look this up" and not enough go out and do. If the Journeys must stay (I don't care for them and my girls don't particularly love them, either), an outdoor journey would be helpful. I'm afraid that making the Silver Award now be outside of GS will mean many service projects in our camps go by the wayside. An outdoor journey would be a great way to bring them back in and give troops more reasons to use our camp properties.
- My scouts are not the least bit interested in the financial badges. They do learn about finances when they sell cookies and plan trips but they want nothing to do with the badges. My scouts would like to do more hands on science. They like the sorts of activities that they used to do on those PBS shows like Zoom, Dragonfly TV and Fetch. They like to do real science and engineering projects. They liked the Special Agent badge. They also liked New Cuisines and Comic Artist because they like badges with lots of things for them to DO.
- I feel that the old books helped more for badges and kept the girls motivated. The try it's was a great start!
- Increase outdoor skill requirements. Also: It seems to me that girls are not required to be proficient in any skills, outdoors or not, in order to earn badges...a simple exposure to the skills appears to be sufficient for recognition and I don't feel that's in keeping with JGL's vision for girls and the Girl Scout Movement. We've embraced mediocrity. I've heard from the adult training department in my council that adults want to attend less trainings. In order to keep adults happy, outdoor skill trainings have been severely watered down and rushed.allow the adults to spend a longer time in training with more opportunity to practice and ask questions. They will feel better about their own skills and be better able to pass them along to the girls in their troops.
- SKILLS--Scouting should teach life-long-use skills, like it used to. Girls should still learn sewing, cooking, car care, bike repair, tool use, first aid, babysitting, emergency preparedness, etc.
- Girls say journeys are too much like homework and take up too much time to only earn 3 badges
- More badges based on outdoors!
- Too much emphasis is placed on the current 3 sets of Journey's. We had to spend to much time trying to figure out trying to get all of the girls to do something as we are a multilevel (3)troop & ALL of the girls wanted to do something together. We are in the process of developing something with the wonderful northwest art collection that the Junior League of Seattle has. One of my parents is an active member & I am. Sustainer. There are huge advantages!!!! But not with a journey that fits. By the way the journey stuff is too expensive. And with the strange set of issues we leaders are dealing with a couple of infomercials on line about the ADA & HIPPA or similar with bullying would be appreciated.
- For Older girls (9-12th grade)
- Outdoor, Adventure, Swimming 2) For older girls, a more solid program like Boy Scouts
- camps
- The Journey's seem too much like school. The girls like doing badges and seeing a completion. The Journeys are esoteric. However, some of them are very good. Brownie Wow journey is great and we incorporated many outdoor activities in South Florida. Junior Amuse journey was fun. The Media Journey is also good. Working on Breathe journey now and the girls feel there is a lot of school stuff in it. The girls want stuff in badges/journeys that they don't get in school. We try to incorporate fieldtrips in all of them but some of them take months to complete. Too long to keep the girls interested. We need to have meaningful items (like Amuse, and Media (haven't done a senior one yet)) that keep the girls engaged.
- Scrap the journeys and return to the original program. It is possible to work within that framework and still make it current and relevant. Return to emphasizing the Core Values. Starbucks has done this. Why can't Scouting?
- There aren't enough outdoor badges. Plus the Ambassador level doesn't have enough badges.
- Girl Scout traditions
- Math & Science, specifically. I know this is 'incorporated' in other areas, but I really think girls need to be exposed to STEM, it was evident that people agree at Girltopia, where the STEM section was one of the liveliest. But it does need to be about more than robotics.
- Sports, Outdoor education, History (we are in an area with a lot of national and local history yet there are not badges available any more to encourage visits to them). If you want to have the girls focus more on STEM activities, bring back and add more to the science badges we once used to have. There are several events in our area that I used to encourage girls to attend under the guise of earning the badge, but more so to learn something or pique an interest in. Now when those groups ask me how to amend their programming to encourage more girl scouts to attend, I cannot give them an answer, as the a whole Journey cannot be earned at such an event, nor is their one specifically for science
- leadership roles for girls
- Didn't there used to be more focus on things like auto-mechanics and home repair? (The Ms Fix-It badge?) Learning about this stuff as a Girl Scout was *super* important to me, because it was the only safe space I had to understand how to change a tire or look at an engine, etc. I also think I learned to fix a lamp. We still are not teaching girls these things, and these skills were invaluable to me, especially in my college years when I did not have a lot of money.
- more skills, less "leadership" angle. The girls don't want MORE schoolwork type activities!
- Girl Scouts used to have a strong connection to outdoors and nature. I feel like this is a missing piece now. I understand the science, literacy and such as connections to help girls excel in school and maybe think about a career track. STEM activities are important but camp activities provide girls with so many other benefits. STEM activities can be built in but I believe that does not need to to be the primary focus at camp.
- More of the "Old Fashion" type programs. Getting back to what GS used to be. Not so much "modern" things like spa, shopping, etc.
- More council events
- Life skills: planning meals, coupons, better budget badges (not just cookies), cleaning, public speaking, etc. How to on community service - not every girl goes to church, or wants to do everything thru churches, teach them about how to reach out and do community service of ALL kinds.
- Just about everything. Let the girls' interests lead their direction in scouting: Animals, science/technology, nature, arts, camping, sports, home econ (sewing, cooking). If you want Journeys, have them girl-related: Mental health (regarding healthy relationships, covering bullying and abuse issues as well as coping with stress and dealing with difficult situations); Physical health (regarding nutrition & exercise, covering issues like different body types, drugs & alcohol, and eating disorders) and Healthy Futures (regarding college & career exploration and covering volunteer opportunities, unconventional careers, and for older girls, what it means to run a business (not cookie sales) from the ground up. Give the girls lots of choices in what direction each journey takes (are they more into nutrition and cooking, or more into sports & fitness?) and give them lots of variety to accomplish the journeys. The Journeys should be badge-oriented instead of having separate awards required. If you want a take-action project as a requirement, then have that be the one and only award for the journey.
- Instead of a choice of 3 Journeys, why not have one book that lists badges they have to earn at each level & a list of electives. And a variety of outdoor badges/electives at all levels of scouting. Between the uniform, binder, and Journey the cost is outrageous & the Journeys don't really work well for our troops. They see it so much as homework that we hardly use it. We only use the Journey for the main objectives to earn the awards. Our troop finds the stories, etc. very boring.
- I think Susa has made a mistake by focusing so completely on leadership development. Scouts used to have something for everyone, and that is no longer the case.
- Journeys require too much time and singular focus on one topic - difficult to do if you have multi-level troops and/or girls who lose interest after completing 1 of the 3 sections. I would rather see a requirement for basic skills/legacy badges to be completed for the Bronze, Silver & Gold requirements that would allow girls to choose areas that actually interest them.
- Less focus on 'school work' or school activities. My girls like to do activities. I try to find activities that they wouldn't even try without being in Girl Scouts.
- The Journey's take too long so I'm not a fan. Most of the teen troops I've talked to are just doing the required Journey's and then focusing completely on service and outings. We used to have the super-scout types that wanted to earn everything. The new program doesn't inspire these type of girls to do this. 2) Practical skills and skill mastery. The badges need to reflect the Council Own's badges that were so popular. These were often written by experts or passionate hobbyists. My impression was that Girl Scouts wanted to tap into this revenue stream. The national GS has not delivered anything similar. 3) The most successful leadership program I've seen for girls is in Day camps where the girls act as PAs to the younger girls who are working their way up to the year they will do PA training at the summer day camp. This program was run by volunteers in a Service Unit. Junior PAs helped with activity programs or assisted Senior PAs who were in charge of a small group of girls during the week.
- Sure, many... Ask the girls. They are the ones that should be making this decision. Have a survey that the girls can reply to and you might be very interested in what they provide for you.
- Older girls need more scope to explore and fewer safety regulations. What ever happened to Girl Planning??? When programs are "canned," girls do not feel the same level of involvement as when they determine what directions they want to go and how.
- can we get back to ...small craft/canoeing, the outdoors stuff?? rather than all the social?
- more outdoor programs, cooking/sewing, self esteem and anti-bullying
- Need to give leaders ideas on how to get girls to earn patches and petals. Kind lost about this part...should be some kind of set program for that. Should also provide info about how to get the girls active in the community.
- Outdoor survival, science, self esteem confidence is all branched off the Girl Scouts
- Making journeys a part of the GS world is ok, not the center of everything. Bring back more expression of individuality.
- Camping! Camp is a great way to incorporate lots of programming that can't be experienced in other ways. They might be expensive, but camping and other outdoor activities are more than worth it.
- Something more "rank" related, similar to Cub/Boy scouts. If you are at Cadette level, you need to acquire these X skills. And the X skills are well rounded, not like the journey.
- Traditional activities, such as crafting and camping; those activities that are 'girly' (e.g. sewing, homemaking, etc.); and even those that girls did back in JGL's day - which we now consider risky & won't allow the girls to do.
- I would rather see the entire Journey program gone. Why is it GS celebrates 100 years by doing away with the program that worked? Bring back the badges.
- bring back badges for outdoor related skills like archery, swimming, etc., or approve Council's Own badges for these skills. Add more STEM programming esp. robotics.
- create a program the girls will enjoy and want to experience. They don't want more "classroom time"; they want hands on fun experiences.
- Some harder badges for each level.
- More outdoor and life skills.
- I think the outdoors is key to Girl Scouts past and future. We need to continue to provide girls the opportunities to explore their natural world, learn survival lessons, enjoy unique outdoor adventures and build confidence in themselves. The Girl Scouts need to continue to value what camps have to offer girls, the opportunity to make new friends, try new things and build self confidence and life skills. I see far too many camps closing or offering new programs and forgetting what outdoor skills are the basis of our program.
- Technology
- We are in the Antelope Valley and would like to see programs in OUR area. Our girls sell cookies and we have nothing. I would like to know where the money is being spent since they do not offer our girls anything.
- STEM, Camping, Traveling, outdoor adventure.
- council-wide outdoor programming for all ages
- I am at the Daisy Journey level now and I feel as if at this age group there should be more directed structure. Clearly the flower garden journey should be the very first step to help the girls learn about scouting
- Swimming and not make them "pass" a retarded swim test to be in 3-4 ft of water at camp!!
- The Journeys requirements are too vague. Everyone translates them differently. What one troop will take a year to accomplish, another will do in 6 weeks, depending on how they interpret the "requirements", which are NOT easy to figure out. I believe that if Journeys are going to be required for advancement toward bronze, silver and gold awards, there should be more consistent direction/specifics. Not just what you interpret that they are. Also, they are pretty cliche, boring, and, quite frankly overwhelming with what they imply a girls should be doing with her "take action" project. As a Senior Scout, all you can do is "imagine a perfect world, explore the food network or look at networking through sisterhood". There is not much room to explore anything else if you are working toward the larger awards.
- Not a Journey but a more organized outdoor program.
- recruitment, new troops, etc
- More camping, self sufficiency. Don't lose touch with GIRL PLANNING; it is the key to the distinction of Girl Scouting.
- The Journeys make little sense to me. The girls' books and the leader's guides do not correspond well together. The girls' books seem like an updated 'magazine' like publication similar to the failed 'Studio 2B' program. Many of the activities are uninteresting and school-like to the girls. I have yet to work with a troop that enjoys doing them. They only complete them to meet the requirements for their Bronze/Silver/Gold awards. The girls in my troops (Juniors and Cadettes) enjoyed earning badges and they don't have many available to earn now. They especially miss the horse badges.
- Only if you keep the Journeys there needs to be an outdoor skills journey, but I don't see the journeys as something the girls like
- More cooking, sewing, nature. Back to basics. Patrols.
- STEM Some councils are doing a good job with programming but others do not offer anything truly STEM related. My council calls making cosmetics a STEM event. There should be more about electronics, building, etc.
- General Science topics (not computer/technology based)
- All journeys can be done with an outdoor approach. Should have more interesting badge work. Current badges rely too much on research and outside "experts". Need a more hands-on approach.
- more outdoor program; one of our camps is "at rest" even though it would be heavily used, they won't put money in it only in the bright shiny new camp they are so proud of; all our other properties are being neglected, volunteers are more than willing to volunteer to work at them, the property manager won't allow it
- More technology badges incorporated back into the Girl Guides. Currently, most of the STEM activities are only found in other series and Council-organized events.
- Outdoor and STEM.
- Weapons - Archery and shooting. My cadettes are interested in these and other hands on activities.
- like the old badges, not many now
- More summer camp and more council sponsored activities. In our area the activities were cut in half. My girls miss the old try-its. There isn't as much for the girls to try with the new journeys. They liked being to pick from a wide range of activities.
- We love STEM- our council makes it a point to have a STEM program for all levels but the manager staff person always plans something unique and cool just for our older girls.
- More badges like community service, supporting our troops, helping the aged, helping the sick, and collecting food! Less emphasis on selling, more on doing
- We loosely follow the theme of the journey, but to follow them by the book is very boring for the girls. They should incorporate the coordinating badges for each journey in the leader guides.
- Instead of making more journeys, it should be more try its for girls. STEM is an area to develop. Outdoors is another one
- Theater and Music-which includes Singing Traditions
- The Journey's are too much like school work. The Journey requirements have not been as rewarding as the badge work. Our troop has had less time to do badge work and community service due to the required Journeys.
- More hands on training for running regular meetings. We need more guidance as girls change and grow.
- My hands on learning like etiquette, more cooking, sewing, fashion design, repair and my culturally based activities. There is also no banking and savings badges for younger girls. Financial literacy and planning starts early and a banking and savings badge would be great.
- I'd like to see badges for all areas. I remember the progression of badges for say outdoors or arts.
- Science! Real science - not 'science of style'. Starting in middle school, we need to keep girls interested in the science. And the Outdoors Journey would add a lot. Awards should have other prerequisites that don't require completing a journey.
- Girls need more physical activity -- but it has to be fun. One council does a Tough Cookie run (like tough mudders) That looks fun. There is enough (for now) of self esteem and "you can be anything" messages. The girls get it in school and are bored of it. Need more of the traditional skills (updated for today) like emergency preparedness. Our area had Hurricane Sandy, Other areas have other disasters. Our council did a Zombie Apocalypse day with the emergency preparedness theme. It was a traditional skill with a pop culture theme to make it "not school." Need to boost the civic responsibility. The new legacy badges for civics are too watered down. Need more service. I did not like that the badges now make a service project optional. for financial literacy - next question -- the cookie program "can" be very effective but only if the troop leaders are trained and encouraged to support that part of it and not just sell sell sell. the 2nd next question - the financial literacy portion of the cookie program should not be scrapped, but others can be developed as well.
- Please get rid of the journey books. They are terrible, hard to follow and not age appropriate.
- Outdoor
- More with sustainability and environmental issues.
- Do not care for the journey program structure.
- Continue to develop programming for high school age scouts from financial literacy to leadership to travel opportunities.
- Bring back more of the skill base badges, encourage the girls to *do* rather that to read, talk and journal about it. The girls are shut indoors enough, they need to be able to get outdoors.
- The Journeys are hard for a troop to work on...weekend retreats planned by the council are great...my oldest daughter has gone to two "Raise Your Voice" weekends and loved it.
- Outdoor programming and badges.... Horseback riding, archery, high ropes, swimming, camping etc.
- Badges
- Outdoor skills, especially teaching ADULTS and girls that the outdoors is not something to fear. 2)Life skills - more than just 1 badge dealing with home skills, car and basic home repair and upkeep.
- I think the councils should be able to have their own badges back. The fact that all councils had to quit their local badges program is a crime. There may be multiple areas that could do such a badge but it's still somewhat unique to their area. Our area gets hurricanes. I valued teaching them the local badge. They understood it and will be prepared if it happens. Yes other councils have hurricanes and they should be able to do it too. To try to find a local badge that only that council can do-hog wash. Let the councils have their local badges back.
- Would like to see more faith based options available.
- Outdoor field guide creation, ecology, sustainability, animal tracking, natural resource management, scientific experiments, math art and activities, camping!
- More direction with the Journey's they are so vague, yet required for certain awards. The girls don't even find them interesting or fun.
- The outdoors should be experienced in camps and other activities, not taught with a curriculum. First Aid, auto and home repair, basic skills would be better programming for older girls than worrying about their media images, as well as having the opportunity to explore their own interests.
- From my understanding, every journey has some sort of outdoor and/or civic service component tied in to supplement the journey itself.
- Camping and the outdoors. I feel like the only outdoor experience available a VERY water downed version of environmental awareness. Girls are taught to care about the rain forest and other distant lands, but do not learn to love the land in their own back yard. How do you teach children to love the world if they can't find value in their own backyard.
- I think new troop leaders should have mentors. To help them out. Not just say here is the material go for it. You're on your own. Figure it out.
- The camp craft is being lost.
- Badges! Why did GSUSA have to scrap so many of the existing badges? And there are no supplemental badges for the Ambassador Girl Scouts. I'll say it again, Girl Scouting is supposed to be about what the GIRL wants. If she doesn't want to earn her Gold Award, her choice of badges/activities is very limited. Which means my troop does a lot of activities/service projects, etc, for which they only receive "participation patches" that I purchase from third party patch companies.
- More on life skills, healthy eating and active lifestyles including bicycling trips, maintenance and on-road skills. More opportunities for competitions like robotics, solar-power, science fairs, etc. 2) The journey's are wonderful. LOVE THEM. More should be done to connect people who can help with journeys like walkability assessments, energy audits, media/journalism. An on-line community to share meeting strategies would be really helpful. A pinterest board on each Journey would be exciting.
- Tools and resources to help bring the journey alive for the girls. Ex- the media journey, troops should be allowed to sign out equipment from council (cameras, projectors, computers etc...)
- Reopen camps. Make camping more accessible.
- No more Journeys....go back to try its....I have lost several of my girls do to the journeys...they find it boring, and too much like school, their thoughts,..
- When I was a troop leader, my girls enjoyed earning badges and IPPs that they could choose and earn in a weekend. The Journeys have so much reading and take so long to complete that they feel 'like school.' They are also expensive.
- Service, leadership
- Training for leaders on how to better control their girls, and a clear understanding of consequences. I loathe the Journeys (don't the girls already sit in school all day, learning to some corporate driven test?!)- they take up too much time, without any real demonstrable proof of scouting enhancement.
- We need more outdoor materials! We also need more stem activities. My adult daughters, who graduated from HS as GS, said where is the outdoor stuff, where is the science stuff. It's too touchy feely. We would have been bored with this, it's too much like school.
- Survival training; leadership training; more programming focused on STEM career paths
- At one time we had the 5 Worlds and that gave the girls a good basis for trying new things in the different areas. I think we need to look at the Journeys like they use to look at the Signs of the Rainbow, etc.
- traditional manners badges, sewing for cadettes, court sports. missing the older more traditional badges
- Programming should focus more on community service and outdoor skills.
- More high adventure - rock climbing, canoeing, skiing, ropes courses.
- outdoor/nature
- more activities for seniors and ambassadors
- More fine Arts, More outdoor living skills
- Yes, I think GSUSA should be tracking the "my own badges" that the girls are creating and offer those to all girls. Perhaps making a separate pathway for shorter term skills / knowledge the badges represent instead of the long, boring Journeys (again, what both my daughters have said). If they don't want to offer physical badges, why not offer digital badges through Mozilla's Open Badge program. Please note that though both my girls wanted to do their Gold Award, neither of them have been able to complete a Journey. They pick up the book, look at it, sigh and put it back down.
- I wish we had a larger badge selection all in one book like in years past. The girls enjoy programming with skills, such as babysitting, sewing, camping, archery, etc. More artistic or individual things would be good as well. They want to create or experience more than what they get at school.
- All! You have shown the girls that you do NOT care about their interests. You took away age related badges. You took away IPAs. "Oh, but you can make your own!" is the cry most often heard. Balderdash! GIVE the girls books to pour over, carry to various events, collect signatures and spread the word about Girl Scouts at the same time. The girls themselves are your best marketing tools during these times when they are educating individuals and or groups while on their badge-earning, experiential learning, exhilarating journey through their scouting life.
- I loved being able to go to Girl Scout camp, and having lots of choices as to where I wanted to go, so sad seeing the decline of girl scout camp.
- Everything needs to be looked at! There are more things to developing young women then computers.
- GET GIRLS OUTDOORS! This is HUGE! Girls learn so much by being with other young women in the outdoors, and they enjoy themselves while doing it! Train leaders to feel comfortable taking troops camping, make more outdoor events and awards available, and create true women of courage, confidence, and character who make our WORLD a better place.
- STEM programming and outdoor events like camping. Coding, more sciences.
- I was VERY disappointed in the new badges. What happened to the Outdoor section? I would like to see more outdoor and healthy living programming. I think the programming should go back to the basics.
- Please more stress on community service even if it means less stress on technology...the girls get the technology in school.
- The girls hate the Journeys! They lack challenge, are boring and are too much like school. All the girls I've talked to love the old badge books better than anything they've seen in the journeys program. Why is it that Girl Scouts at the top never learn that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Listen.........REALLY LISTEN.........to us at the upcoming convention!! We are in the 'trenches' with the girls! We know what they want!
- career choices.
- I wish there was a choice between OK and horrible for the Journeys. I do not like them at all, but I wouldn't say they are horrible. I think they need a more clear direction for girls and need to be less liberal. I would love more outdoor programming, but I don't think it should be in the way of a Journey book.
- Badges. Badges have been the cornerstone of Girl Scouts since 1912, the purpose of a badge is to learn skills that will be needed or enjoyed by the girls who earn them throughout their lives. Many of the girls that I lead through the GS program went on to have careers that they attribute directly to program and badges they they earned while in Girl Scouts.
- What about basic things that we used to learn in scouts? I know technology has changed, but I still think it's important for girls to know how to sew a simple stitch or sew on a button. What about using tools? The Journey programs ask the troops to "sit and discuss" so many things. The girls sit in school all day, they do not have an interest in sitting and discussing things at meetings. They lose interest quickly. They want to do activities and learn new things!
- Outdoor skills. Civics. REAL financial literacy (not selling crap for which others take the lions share of cash). Return to something that works for girls & volunteers. We are NOT your slave labor. Honestly, and I know these are words of war, but look to the BSA for how to manage a decent program and treat volunteers well. They have their problems too...but I'm MUCH more content with my role in the Boy Scout Troop & Venture Crew. In fact, my girls are looking forward to being old enough to join Venturing. It has true leadership development AND outdoor skills. Also, look to BSA to enhance your training. GSUSA leader training is NOT helpful. It's feel-good BS that doesn't teach a new leader how to run a troop or what the goals of scouting are. The BSA Youth Protection program is MY guide--buddy system, sleeping arrangements on campouts. Safe Swim Defense principles kept MY girls safe in a situation last spring when girls & adults in MY troop fished 2 other girls out of a swimming situation that ought NEVER have happened (due to no swim testing & buddy system, even though there were 2 lifeguards on duty).
- I think the journeys are an important part of leadership development, and need to be preserved and tweeked. They are the trickiest part of the troop leadership tasks, since not all the girls are really that enthusiastic about them in the first place. 2) The council webinars about bronze awards would only be helpful to anyone not able to read a couple pages of FAQs (but somehow able to connect to an online webinar). Where is the glossy (but meaty) video produced at a national level? Where is the inspiration for the girls - seeing so many examples of other troops have done that they wouldn't think of simply replicating someone else's project but begin to see the full range of projects they could take on. (This goes for journeys as well). Leverage the scale of economics here - thousands of girls and troops working through the same challenges. These kids, well mine anyway, are saturated in media, for better or worse. Play that to GSA's advantage!!! 3) Where is the iPhone/iPad app for badges, etc.? Help ME (the leader) here. 4) All I know is my girls sell A LOT of cookies, and GSA and GS of AK take the lion's share of the money. What, my girls ask, do they get back from state and national for all that hard work?
- I'd like the badges to not look look like cartoons and there to be a more varied interests…
- Council. Events
- Outdoors, I remember there being more outdoor stuff back in 1983 when I was a Brownie about the outdoors. I liked that handbook so much better as well, still have it and refer to it often. Hardly use any of these new ones that cost too much for the girls in my area.
- Cooking
- Friendship development. honor(explained), respect
- I think there should be more patch opportunities for Daisies. Brownies on up have so many patch opportunities and Daisies only have petals, financial leaves and 3 journeys.
- I don't like the name journey. It is too vague. Girls and parents don't understand what it means. But for the money you spent in research and money we have to spend on new books, keep it.
- Camping. I would love to see more camping and outdoor patches. There is just one hiking patch and one camping patch between daisys, brownies and juniors. There should be more opportunity for them to be outside and to challenge themselves to be out there.
- maybe something in the area of organization.
- learning new sport skills
- Girl Scouting has moved from teaching young women about the out-of-doors and basic self-care. While I see the need for the Self-Esteem building programs, so many girls don't know how to sew a button or cook. There are badges for the younger girls , but not for the older ones. The badges for the older girls don't seem to build upon what was learned as a daisy, brownie, or junior. We need to return to those programs.
- Go back to the books prior to the Journeys. The girls hate them and commonly refer to them as a bad after school special. Many of the girls refuse to do them at all. The only troop members that do the journeys only do so when forced too. A few troop members have asked it we could substitute the Boy Scouts badge books as they are more fun, have more to do with the outdoors and cover what the girls think scouting should be about.
- weather science and other areas like first aid, that is a core standard, the girls need more knots and practical applications like the boy scouts my troop has also done archery and knife safety
- Outdoors, everyday living
- Daisy Gordon Low was always busy outside doing things. There are very few badges that require outdoor activity. Also, things that could teach the girls camping skills would be great.
- We would like more badges. They are shorter and easier to accomplish and hold everyone's attention. This goes for when I had Brownies and Juniors.
- A more girl-friendly pre-requisite plan for higher awards. The journeys seem totally disjointed from the actual higher award. The girls do not see the connection or seem prepared to start a project. The 1995 handbook gave them much more direction.
- Life skills.
- camping!!
- I am frustrated with the Journeys. I get the point of them but with Daisies, they were unrealistic. They don't want to make charts and have a discussion. They want to run/play/touch stuff/make a visual impact.
- Traditional life skills that all people need, similar to the old badges.
- The current badges have moved away from outdoor skills and are very "school" like. They are difficult to be performed in the meeting and necessarily assume all girls have computer access. There is no parity between the age levels. So, a troop such as mine which features three levels can't work on a skill say during our camping trip which would go toward a similar badge, such as camping or outdoor cooking. I have done 4 journeys with varying success. Intellectually, the material is challenging for the younger girls in the age level. Meeting twice a month prevents continuity; girls just have a hard time remembering what happened. We have found success doing a "daycamp" so that the journey is performed outdoors. Girls spend all day at school inside, Girl Scouts should allow them the opportunity to do things outdoors, letting them be active.
- Traditional badges and more life skills.
- I would definitely love to see more STEM oriented programs that are age specific and more detailed than just "visiting" an attraction. More "hands on stuff". Change a few of the age requirements for a few activities like "archery" if a Brownie learns it during Brownie Camp - I would like to think I would be able to offer it to other Brownies during the year. Currently I am only offer it to my Juniors. Even if a couple of my Brownies have done it and have been introduced to it.
- Gun archery
- The badge program has worked for 100 years, I don't understand why everything has to keep changing; uniforms, programs, etc. Boy Scouts are recognized because everyone knows what the uniform represents. Their badges are still the foundation of the program and the boys continue to earn them and learn.
- Outdoor program, yes...via Journeys, NO!
- Bring back more of the badges. These spoke to so many of the girls' varied strengths and interests. The new program seems to assume that all of our wonderfully individual girls will enjoy earning the same 10-20 awards. Even if they are optional or require a longer wait for made to order badges, i'm sure it would be appreciated.
- Council sponsored programing/events/programs. Outdoor programs based on current research regarding connecting youth to nature.
- If Journeys stay, yes, I'd like an outdoor journey. But I would like to see a return to the broader selection of badges, especially older girls, and a return to one badge book for ALL girls Cadette through Ambassador. What if a girl isn't interested in BOOK ARTIST as a Cadette, but as an Ambassador develops an interest in that area? The current badge program is too limiting. It also makes it very difficult in rural areas, where older girls levels are combined, to work on badges as a group.
- I think that Girl Scouts should reprogram their structure so that girls can join at any level without being overwhelmed like in Boy Scouts.
- I would like to see more outdoor badges and activities relating to outdoor skills.
- Bring back earned awards on topics girls are interested in.
- The journeys need to be more flexible and more age and level appropriate . Ex senior mission sisterhood had activities better suited to a new troop not for girls that have been together for years
- To clarify - IF the Journeys stay then let's at least have an outdoor one - but prefer the scrap the Journey program all together - my girls have only done them so that they can then work on the higher awards for which they are required. If they were not required for the higher awards my girls would not have done them. Girl Scouts should not be school it should be about all the things that you can't do in school and in other groups and should allow girls to experience and try many things. I miss the wide range of choices available in the former try its, badges, and IPAs and also the many council own's options.
- 1) Girls would like more camp trainings 2) for leaders like myself who would like the option of more trainings. It keeps the moral and excitement ongoing. 3) winter camp program just like summer resident camp. 4) girls say winter programs are lacking, there is not much to do.
- Planning and organizing for girls /// outdoor activities... Archery age lowered.. If the girls are interested enough to try they should be able to do it. We should find ways to empower the girls at any age of interest not deter them. Boy Scouts allow the boys to do it at a younger age. It's not like the girls would be by themselves at kindergarten or first grade.
- Yes, basic outdoor skills and camping but not in the form of a journey.
- Sewing, reading, public speaking, STEM
- More badges in general
- I would like to see an Outdoor journey if it actually makes sense, has NOTHING to do with common core standards, and takes some girls' and leaders' opinions into account while being developed.
- I would like to see more badges return. Skills are important. So much of the STEM stuff is fluffy and watered down. The badges were specific and skill driven. That is important.
- The basics
- I'd like to see less programming around cookies and selling.
- All areas. Our area does not offer us any programs.
- Outdoors, Skills <sewing, camping, knots>, Family, Arts/Music (which youth are getting LESS of in school)
- STEM
- More for older girls in terms of helping them stay in and be "cool" at the same time. The Gold Award needs MUCH more P.R. at a National Level so that it is known and respected more.
- Outdoor, varied badges
- Much much more recognition for major accomplishments such ad bronze silver and gold awards and service hours.
- Support the girls wants and needs
- More programs and events for older scouts, college visits, dealing driving, dating.
- More outdoor programming. Less focus on school-type programming like the Journeys. Girls don't join Scouts to do reading and school-type work, they join Scouts to try different activities with their friends. The program is to girl-led, but the Journeys are far too complicated to be girl-led; I as a leader have a hard time figuring them out.
- More outdoor activities and more traditional Girl Scout activities.
- Yes, cooking, self awareness, dating,
- There are too many requirements to earn badges and they feel like school work. They take up a lot of time as well. The requirements need to be cut down.
- This is a CRAZY question -- you are closing profitable camps that are near capacity and serve a growing and profitable area and then you ask about an OUTDOOR JOURNEY????? Girl Scouts should have not turned their back on the camping and environmental factor of their roots. For profits successful camps with a long community history are being closed - girls are being herded over an hour from home to "mega camps" with plans for air conditioning and internet access and then NOW you ask about an outdoor journey???? GSA turned their backs on the Outdoor journey when they decided to sell the land that grows strong girls.
- Yes- Traditional programs that focus on SKILLS. The scouting experience has been hijacked by grant money led programs. They are not a bad thing- but GS has lost balance with tradition and the seasoned volunteer has lost heart and left. This is a sad part of our recent history. An apology needs to be sent out to the public and an invitation to return to our roots needs to be made. We need our former volunteers wisdom and experience.
- Rural Areas in general.
- We find it difficult to give the Journeys our full attention when they take so long to complete. When the girls come to a meeting, they don't want more of the "school" atmosphere. They generally don't mind having some instruction on what to do with the Journeys, but they are more interested in badges, community service projects and putting on or attending events.
- There are already Journeys at each level about outdoors. The It's your Planet, Love It Journeys are all about outdoors and nature conservation.
- Outdoor skills, Ambassador level programming for after you've earned the Gold, Fine Arts
- Basics and Beyond - we don't have enough girls that even know how to JUMP ROPE! They barely know anything about games and outdoor fun. We should focus on more outdoor and healthy living.
- STEM, Geography
- Outdoor training in councils is inconsistent. If leaders must have training then Girl Scouts should be able to provide it. Girl Scouts should be the industry standard for innovative outdoor programming.
- Oh please!!! We had Outdoor Journeys...we had local camps our girls attended when young that they looked forward to being staff at. We had girls who couldn't wait to go to our local camps. Then.....the camps were sold.
- more daisy level awards, beside the Journeys & petals there's a scarcity of awards the Daisies can earn even thru the various Councils, I would like to see additional Awards developed, maybe an Animal / Pets one
- More outdoor activities. When developing a new activity do not do away with the old ones. this limits the girls. It is tough every couple years they have to learn a new system. It does not go well for developing leader skill when the program they are used to changes a lot. This is one of the main reasons girls drop out. and why my troop has removed themselves from the book process and gold award now requiring journeys.
- STEM
- Personally, I LOVE the Journeys and the GSLE! But the girls think they are too much like school-work and most leaders don't know how to implement them correctly. More leader training is needed to show leaders how to make them fun and exciting and not so tiresome as many leaders don't combine Journey materials with appropriate field trips, coordinating badges, guest speakers, or other ways of making them interesting.
- I like badges and try-its because they can be adapted and don't feel like school work. You can make them fun for the girls. Journeys feel so much like school work. Studio 2B and the charms were the same way. I wish GSUSA would look to it roots for ideas and not to the future. Sometimes things just need to be adapted or up dated not recreated.
- We would love the horse badges to come back! We would also like to see the badges about planning trips and experiences on every level to return. The Daisy books can not be read by most girls of that level, so they require leaders/parents to read to them. Several of the Brownie badges are either too simple or not relevant to my girls. The older girl badges ask the girls to do things that even people who work in the banking industry do not do by hand. They also require the girls to do things that would place an unfair stigma on them in public, like hanging posters at school, where many other kids are unkind to them.
- I feel that the Journeys program is a great program but was poorly implemented. Thankfully, some of the leaders I have worked with tweeked their style to have it make more sense to how it's used.
- My girls are frustrated that if they "miss" doing a badge at the brownie level, there is no opportunity to do that style badge at the junior level. The Arts and Nature badges for the levels are a do-it-or-miss it type thing, where the old dabblers were so much better allowing the girls to do what THEY WANTED & WHEN THEY WANTED to do it. My girls love the outdoors, camping, and learning outdoor skills, but we were all ASHAMED AT GSUSA that there is LITTLE programming for outdoor skills at all grade levels. Why can't girls learn bits & pieces of knots, trail signs, compass, fire safety, age-appropriately throughout their experience.
- My kids are in school all day. I don't need to be a "teacher" to them when they are supposed to be having fun. I felt like a science teacher doing the WOW journey. It was ridiculous, and a bit over my Brownies heads. They are at all different reading levels and attention spans, the projects were either too hard or didn't really make sense to them. And I did tweek them for my girls. Which is more work for me, a volunteer mom that works Full Time with 3 kids in different activities.
- Girl Scout camp and more council programs
- The decision to eliminate the "old" badges and create the new Journeys with their corresponding badges was a very poor decision indeed. I have not met one troop that has enjoyed the journeys. They are just tasks to get through in order to earn awards. The badge books from the past had a vast choice of interests with so many activities to choose from. My troops (and those we ran workshops for) always enjoyed these activities. Now the journeys are too focused on one topic. Also, the activities that are in the Journeys are ridiculous. Either too difficult to get girls to be interested in or too "dumbed down". Do you really think that high school girls want to make puzzle piece friendship pins? They do that in pre-school!
- Bring back badges and make the requirements for highest awards mean something. Girls need more pre-lims in order to do final projects. Journeys are not preparing the girls for the highest awards.
- Fine arts
- I know it sounds dorky, but the old badges on things like Hospitality are really needed. It's great that the program works on things like public speaking, but many of my girls are so far from being able to do that. Learning basic social skills, like hosting a party, etc. are needed first. I know some of these things are woven into some of the Journeys, but it would be great to see a badge on it too. Also, the old badges that explored different cultures were good for my girls - it could broaden their horizons, and many could also contribute personally. Things that are more adaptable to the urban environment and troops where transportation is a problem - everything has to be done on site - would be good.
- I would like to see GS be done more the Juliette Gordon Low way. She was for the girls to have fun, but they had to come together & find ways to do that as a troop. I would like to see more input from the Scouts..
- Home economics
- I loved the outdoor aspect of girl scouts and it seems to be missing from the lower levels.
- More badges in science
- I think you ask too much from the troop for what they get back
- More technology based programs - exploring social media
- Definitely the out of doors that is the primary area that I do training for our council. Especially an outdoor journey unless they wise up and scrap that program. I also hate that we see less and less emphasis on the traditions of Girl Scouting. As a long time scout both as a girl and now as a leader for 14 years I hate to see the direction we seem to be drifting.
- Back to developing badges -- had some girls liked, they just need to return as updated
- you need experienced outdoor people to develop these programs. not people who know nothing about the outdoors. The girls I have talked with feel the journeys is homework, lots of reading. The girls wants hands on programs and they love earning badges and tryits. You missed the mark on this one. I don't know who you surveyed, but believe me when you talk to girls from different councils, different ages and they tell you it's boring, and more like homework, there is something wrong.
- Go back to the basics! The essence of Girl Scouts has been lost.
- Camping has always been a great part of Girl Scouting. Talking city bred girls camping develops a whole new set of leadership skills that no "journey" has be able to duplicate. The very best troops that I know, have a strong camping program for their girls.
- More activity, less "school work" for Journeys
- I think that girls need to be exposed to women in Leadership positions so they can have real "role models" to talk to and give them a look at real life! Also more exposure to a variety of career exploration.
- Accepting others. Where I live the girls are too judgemental. They do not accept everyone. Somehow my daughters hanging in there!!
- Various different outdoor badges should be developed at each level camping first, hiking, winter fun,. Sewing at every level. Listening to the Past type badges at every level. Photography. Discovering new hobbies. There should be a whole badge on Council Camps at each level. Make your own badge simply just does not cut it.
- Not happy at all with the Journey books; the girls find them too much like school work
- The Amaze Journey for the Cadette level was good for the age of the girls in dealing with peer pressure, stereotyping, first impressions, etc. but at times the girls felt like they were in school. We tried to make as fun and interesting as we could which shows in the size of our troop, but again, a little too much like school.
- Better science and technology.
- There needs to be a return to a broader focus of exploration of various topics and areas. The drive to explore and try different roles seems to have been greatly reduced. The girls in my troop want to see more outdoor activities/badges and a much wider variety of topics/badges to explore. This has been reduced with the current new curriculum.
- More badge opportunities, especially in crafting
- I was disappointed not to see more badges regarding science, technology, engineering and math.
- a commitment from GSUSA and my own council to support outdoor programming and summer camps
- STEM
- I would like to see programs that focus in an age appropriate way at each level, the lost arts (sewing, quilting, cooking,etc) and outdoor skills (rope knotting, survival skills, whittling, etc). Also I would like to see focus on areas that are lacking in our culture, manners, table setting, respect etc.
- I love them! But our troop has only bought 1 book in 5 years. They used our cookie dough money to do it with. After they had us pay dues twice last year.
- Improving skills - cooking, sewing, orienteering, botany, etc, etc.
- the journey are hard for leaders to get their mind wrapped around and therefore how do you help the girls understand the concept. they are also written over the girls understanding and capabilities and putting the earning of a patch/award package for a journey does not make sense and if going thru journey the way it is intended some of the awards may not get earned therefore they still get the award how do this make since. I have some that the girl did not have their books due to the parents not finding the importance so the girl did not stick around or what not in attendance to receive or earn that portion
- More on service
- I'd like to see the old badge book come back. When GS said they were updating the program, I expected they would UPDATE the badge books...not throw them away. They essentially are eliminating the diversity of program that is one of the reasons I wanted to be involved. My girls earned over 30 "old" junior badges: they had a blast and enjoyed the adventure of discovery. This year GSUSA's new badge binder provides zero badges of interest to my girls. GSUSAs response to this is that journeys are the program, not badges. My response: the badges were the cobble stones and mile markers of the journey girls of the past took.
- More Outdoor Programming!
- swimming, boating, horseback riding
- More badges. A lot of them were taken away when the new Girl Guides to Girl Scouting was introduced.
- Outdoor, survival, sports and fitness, trying new hobbies, science and art. To me badges were not about mastery of a subject but an in depth introduction, something that would speak to you and say "wow I would have never thought I would have liked that", or " I never thought I could".
- More outdoor skills badges at all levels. My Daisies and Brownies are Girl Scouts because they love to camp, hike and be outside. We also try to do many STEM related activities while outdoors (natural laboratory!).
- I would like the journeys to be more intertwined with legacy patches, so the girls can earn them jointly, but still enjoy the journey.
- I want more outdoor programming - but I do NOT support journeys as I do not feel they support the girls. Girls should earn in MANY areas prior to working on the highest honors - not concentrate in a single area. 2) Science, robotics, computers, future oriented technologies
- I think that too many badges were removed, there were many overlaps but, now there do not seem to be enough. My troop says the Journeys are too much like homework. They have been turned off ever since we tried BREATHE…
- Math, engineering and science.
- The Journey we used for Juniors was okay. The girls were fine doing it, but were not interested in the other two. Now that we are Cadettes, they were interested in only ONE journey. We are a 1/4 of the way through the book and they are interested and can sit through a meeting doing it, but we can see the book is already "dated." I am glad I did not have to do a Journey as a Daisy or Brownie. Too much info for the girls to sit through.
- I would almost rate the journey's as horrible, because they take so much time to do in a meaningful way. Yes, you can breeze through them, but then you lose what value they do bring. I like the idea of more outdoor options, but really believe doing them through badgework is a much better solution. Not all girls enjoy the same thing, and doing badgework allows the troop to divide up if they want to work on different things. It also allows the girls to be the ones who are REALLY deciding what they are doing - not "how" they are doing something that someone else already prescribed.
- The journeys has a wonderful premise: teach girls to develop and implement a service project; however, my scouts feel the topics are boring and take too long to go through. I used to do only one item a meeting but have since moved to a Journey in a Day w/o implementing the project. My scouts want badges so the topic changes rapidly and they are earned in 2-3 meetings at the Cadette level. Additionally with the pressures of Honor classes and extracurricular activities, they do not want to feel as if more work is being presented at our meetings.
- SEWING, OUTDOORS, SURVIVAL, TRACKING, PHILANTHROPY, FUNDRAISING
- life skills- home economic ie. sewing, healthy cooking
- There are fewer choices for various interest left after the recent switch to Journeys. When I was a girl, we could essentially do a badge based on anything and if there wasn't a badge that covered the entire interest, there was at least something similar. Now, it seems as though there are very few badges remaining and the focus is almost entire on the Journeys which can often leave out the interests of the individual girl, who if there are still kids like I was, to just do badges by herself when she felt like it. As an individual, I would like more naturalist badges in broader categories because not every Brownie is interested in bugs and not every Junior is interested in flowers and it's a shame for them to have to wait or for them to have missed out if she joined later or bridged prior to the change of program.
- basic girl scouting ..
- Actual physical skills incorporated into regular programming. Cadette-o-rama is outside of the regular programming and there is no support for learning the skills required.
- I would like to see some of the old skill badges back. Sewing, cooking, knot tying, etc. Skills that are useful in the real world.
- A lot more badges at all levels. Swimming, sewing, boating, for example
- Bring back the legacy badges.
- I would like to see a STEM journey.
- No journeys but get the girls outside
- I want our old badges back.
- the badges are now a joke.
- I would like to see less emphasis on cookies & World Thinking Day & more hands-on applications for the girls. The Journey concept is awesome! I loved it as a leader because I had a curriculum to follow that I could embellish as appropriate for our group. The girls, however, hated it because it felt too much like school.
- Younger levels, Current Leaders training or mentoring New Leaders
- If there must be journeys then, yes, there needs to be an outdoor journey. More badge variety. One badge book per level.
- More focus on community service. I would like to see more events, patches and programs for the Daisies.
- Outdoors and community - but not in Journey format. Brief things that can be done.
- How could anyone with any sensitivity to the child training process have suggested the movie Mean Girls for Cadettes to watch? (AMaze)
- Can we have more activities offered from the council and service unit level? Where our volunteers need help is in programming, and instead we are asking volunteers and service units to put emphasis on membership development. I get why this is, but it drives away volunteers that really want to focus on working with girls. BTW kids like selling cookies. They don't need the financial literacy window dressing. They get it.
- Outdoor badge work/skills. Horseback riding, archery, canoeing and such.
- Traditions
- Bring back and add to or update the badges and let the girls feel some accomplishment. The journeys are way too long and drawn out and very poor substitutes for empowering girls to try new things. Girl scouts should be another avenue for girls to really explore the things the like and want to do.
- Back to Basics
- Outdoor skills. Scrap the Journey's.
- I would like to see more in the arts and music personally as those are areas that I am interested in myself.
- Outdoors. There are virtually no badges focused on the outdoors or nature.
- A true virtual program to allow so many girls who cannot join troops to participate. An online cookie sale program on existing platforms like Snackbooth so that girls are learning modern skills in the cookie program and customer are being tracked, managed and satisfied.
- More skill-building badges, less emphasis on Journeys.
- Conservation, Environmental Sustainability, Wildlife
- TRADITIONAL skills. They are seriously lacking!!!! Bring back the original IPA book for Cadettes and Seniors!
- Please bring back the old model with generational updates. For example, still offer girls opportunities to learn about their food footprint and journaling. There are many wonderful ideas within Journeys; it is the execution that is a dreadful failure.
- Camping, including cooking, hiking, orienteering, knots, all of the traditional skills
- I said this above, but I wish that the offering of outdoor activities were more robust for younger girls--canoeing, sailing, rock climbing, and archery--should be offered at the Brownies level and maybe even Daisies. Not all troops or girls may want to participate in these activities, but they should be an option.
- Better organized outdoor programs, even for the youngest Scouts. I'm an assistant leader for our Daisies troop, and I'm always sending out emails to the troop members every weekend we go for an outdoor event. In our age of being so connected to information online and fed to us, I'm trying to stress an outdoor connection for our girls - some of the best lessons we learn as we are actively outdoors, investigating, expanding curiosity, learning.
- As leaders we don't have a choice with the Journey books as they are required for the Bronze, Silver & Gold. I had girls refuse to do them. My Juniors were bored with the activities last week and I had to switch gears.
- In any areas-make sure that the programming is ACTIVE. I have "history" with the old programming and old badge books and usually supplement activities, outings and projects from that with the Journey programs. I believe that I am the only Leader that actively uses the Journey programs with each Level of my Girl Scouts in the Troop within my Service Unit. Some Troops go the other extreme and do nothing but a "Craft Activity" every time they meet. IF you use the Journey programs exclusively -- it becomes DANGEROUSLY very much likened to school work or subjects. It is a great resource for those individuals who were not Girl Scouts or Leaders themselves from the old programming and need a guide to get them more confident in planning and leading meetings with the girls.
- I don't know how the journeys have been working out, but I liked the traditional badge approach and would have preferred updating the badges rather than replacing them with journeys. That way different troops can pick to do activities that interest them. Badges were also a nice way to break down activities to be planned and led by different girls. My girls were not interested in doing the journeys, so we didn't try them. (Our troop disbanded with 8th grade in 2010, shortly after this transition was introduced.) When our troop disbanded in 2010, the council events had seriously deteriorated. Assuming that's still the case, that's where I think increased programming effort should be focused. When I started out as a leader, there were numerous council activities that our troop could attend, so we got out to camp. We went to events like Daisy Day, Brownie Day, Winter Fun Day, and numerous others. (They did creek stomping, ice skating, and canoeing, as well as countless activities with varying themes from crafts to science to team-building at stations throughout camp. One time we carried a butterfly net much of the day, trying to catch a monarch in order to have it tagged.) As a leader, I tried to go to as many council events as possible, since all we had to do was show up! I couldn't ask for more support as a leader than that! The prices were very low (maybe $1-$3 per girl). These events showed that a lot of fun can be had for a low cost, and these events got leaders and girls familiar with camp. After the council merge, it seemed like these activities were disappearing, and new activities were at a much higher cost. A lot of fun can be had using existing resources and without purchasing supplies. Since I'm no longer a leader, I'm not sure if there are many council events currently, but fun council events at camp could be a way to increase camp utilization. If you have volunteers willing to put on these events, then the trick is to get the leaders to bring their troops. I know not all did, and I was never sure why. Perhaps a marketing effort to promote the way I saw it would help, such as by saying, "Leaders don't have to plan anything; all you have to do is show up with your troop! What could be easier? Please support these events with your attendance, so that we will continue to offer them.
- Please bring back so many of the old badges. There are so few badges for girls to work on -- we need to expand the badges to meet the diverse interest of girls.
- Go back to having fun council events that DON'T involve things that are like extra homework for the girls!
- Community service
- More programming that challenges in STEM and a return to more traditional Outdoor.
- I think you should go back to IPP - they gave the girls and troops so many more options . The Journeys take too much time to complete, and don't allow for the individuality of your troop...if they only like equestrienne events, etc...in the past they could earn the 2 horse patches and then probably the 2 animal patches and they would have been happy...now there is no time for the individuality with a journey.
- COMMUNITY SERVICE!!!@! you really need to have more interest projects/badges. The whole point of girl scouting is being able to try new things in a safe environment. The journey just rehash the same idea OVER AND OVER AND OVER
- More outdoor for sure and thinking outside the box and not so many crafty things
- Getting back to a large variety of options for girls and not pigeon hole them into Stem, financial literacy, selling cookies, and leadership training in a book.
- That GSUSA has implemented programming that can be tailored to the values of individual girls is, in my opinion, a good thing. I would like to see programming in relationship health and programming that exposes girls to each other's values more. The idea of developing leaders without first developing compassion is utterly terrifying to me.
- Girl Scout camps and history
- Outdoor and Camping!
- Return to a greater variety of badge work. Return to more consistency across the age levels for badge work.
- Traditional areas. Girls do not need to constantly sit around and talk about their feelings. It's time to get back outside and learn something.
- I would only like to see an Outdoor Journey developed if it was completely different from the others. Skip the story. Focus on skills and adventures.
- There is already an environmental journey. I would rather see legacy badge for outdoors with an outdoor progression for each age level
- Not necessarily a Journey book, but put more emphasis on outdoor activities. The girls need to get back to some basics. It needs to be a totally different experience from every other opportunity out there. If Girl Scouts is going to survive, we have to offer something unique. And it better be fun!!
- bring more "fun" into badges...more crafts, games, activities...less discussion/research. Kids currently have so much school work, scouts should be fun while learning things they DON’T learn in school.
- We live in Brooklyn. We have some wonderful parks in New York City - Prospect Park, Staten Island Green Belt, Gateway national Refuge, Central Park - there should be a partnership between the Girl Scouts and the Parks to get the girls outside more! Urban and suburban children desperately need the outdoors.
- back to the basics.... camping skills, life skills.... boy scouts have tons more opportunities and way cheaper
- I think Girl Scouts should expand its program more, when it condensed the number of badges offered it cut down on a lot of decent programming already offered and doesn't make sense why they would limit what is offered.
- More outdoor camping type programs. Girls spend so much time nowadays with technology and materialistic lifestyles. Girl Scouts should introduce them to the world around them, and show them nature, not how to online shop--they already know how to use technology. Teach girls something they don't know.
- Keep the focus on STEM - but if you don't get our girls more opportunities for outdoor events... don't be surprised when they don't show any interest in any of our world's ecological problems.
- STEM
- More leadership opportunities for older girls within the council. Perhaps girl assistant troop leaders? You are always looking for more volunteers and older Girl Scouts are more than willing to jump in!
- I have worked with older girls for many years and they do want to camp. There needs to be a variety of skill sets in their badges for those girls who may or may not of had many outdoor opportunities. I find they want to still do most of their activities with hands-on activities not discussing and researching everything.
- Hands-on crafting
- The Out of Doors and incorporating STEM into the out of doors
- a return to more outdoor skills and leadership; bring back more of the badges that cover basic skills/action and less "bookwork"
- Camping, horseback riding, watercrafts, more arts and crafts, more theater, dance, music
- Traditional areas! Sewing quilting cooking (not the snack nonsense), emergency preparedness.
- If an outdoor journey was developed, it needs to be action oriented. 2) Almost all of the older girl journey requirements are very thought oriented. The girls that I work with are already taking mostly AP and honors classes, they need action oriented Girl Scouting.
- Outdoor Education/Fun
- Life skills like cooking, sewing, community service (with other troops), dealing with peers etc
- outdoor skills, like Boy Scouts
- Outdoor; equestrian; water sports
- Cheaper Events for the Older Level Girl Scouts
- Bring back the outdoor program and badge programs. Girl should be able to earn canoeing, horseback riding, hiking, etc. badges. The girls are complaining that the journeys are too much like "school".
- Camping. Outdoor activities. Places where girls can get out of their comfort zone and out of the modern world.
- Girl Scouting to me is a sisterhood where you can learn things in a safe environment. I think we are focusing too much on the journey and not enough on the badges and camping. I can do journeys in another form without being a girl scout but badges were special only to girl scouts.
- Outdoor in general, then some specific areas such as "pioneering", aquatic, forestry,geology,astronomy,ecology. First aid, emergency preparedness,health services.
- The girls want to earn more try-its.
- These journeys are tedious and painful for leaders to execute, and the girls to complete. Since inception, I have witnessed nearly EVERY girl who has participated in a Journey dread the next one to come, if not continuing work on the FIRST one the try. At any level below senior, consistently far more complex than is appropriate for the age level. Example: Daisies are NOT ready to roll-play complex situations. No vote for and Outdoor Journey is only due to the terrible
- Yes, camps, stop closing the camps!
- I've only seen the journeys for daisies and brownies. We decided they were not worth our time. I do think we need more outdoor skills. I think we have leaders that don't like to camp so they have passed that on to the girls. I always hear leAders say that their girls like to camp in hotels. Well , if you or no one else shares their live for the outdoors with them, they won't have it either. I also think we need more in sustainability (environmentalism). We touch on the surface but people bring all kinds of single use throw away items to every gs meeting, event or camp. They use styrofoam for a plate for a craft project, etc.
- I think that we could do all three of the present journeys at camp and that should be a goal of the volunteers - let's make the 3 journeys better and have the girls explain how it helped them to do a journey on camp property. We have really amazing girls and we need to educate them about the governance and why the journeys are important from many aspects - easily understandable to those not involved in Girl Scouts such as college admissions/scholarship committees, non-profit foundations. 2) I did not particularly like the Journeys when I was a volunteer the first two years but I did a journey with my girls and what they took from it was more than most of the badges - so I went back and really analyzed the old badges (before they were redone) that everyone loves so much and other than they are quick, easily done and had lots of volunteer leaders making great help aids they were not that much better than the journeys and I will say Studio 2B had some gems among the lemons. What we need to do is make the programming that we have better - embrace it and stop fighting over something that really was done for the benefit of the girls - just keep making it better. Every volunteer that complains to me about journeys, I work with their troop to do the journey and over half like to love them and the girls feel the same way.
- Basic life skills, STEM
- More camping for girls
- No in Journeys as they are a waset and boring.
- I can only answer this somewhat because not being an active member I don't know fully what the current programming is. But I want to see more camping and outdoor education encouraged. There is so much research out there that says kids don't get outdoors enough and experience nature. We need to encourage that and camps are a vital part of that.
- Need more badges to choose from. Journeys take so much time and planning that they are just too much for many leaders to undertake. More focus on nature. Just need a wider variety in general. And put them all in one book. It's very annoying to have to buy supplements to get all of the badge requirements. It would make it easier if all the badge requirements were online...using resources wisely. The Girl's Guides are too expensive.
- I would like more emphasis to be put on helping others in the community and less on finished a journey.
- Anything outdoors. Basic survival skills, knot tying all of the basics that GS was founded under. We need to get back to basics. Our children need to get outdoors more than ever before.
- Easier ways of finding out about badges and requirements. Give the girls more things to work for, I think my girls would like it better if it was like the old badges, give them options of different badges to work on so they can find something they are actually interested in to do. I am worried that they are so bored they won't come back next year. I try but they want to do more than a story and talk but really do something.
- A better science and technology one.
- As I noted above, I would love to see much more learning in practical areas such as cooking, wood-working, auto mechanics, child care, landscaping - my troop girls love learning actual skills rather than sitting around talking about their feelings!
- I would love to see more activities in the book for our area (Carroll, IA). It seems we have to travel to do anything fun, we don't even have day camp anymore!
- Councils should STOP selling their camps! I ran our council camp for two years up until the day it was sold. It was one of the saddest days in my life.
- Why do we need journeys? Wasn't the basics of our original programs earning badges and "testing" skills?
- Woodworking, carpentry, survival skills, anything outdoors
- THE JOURNEY'S FEEDBACK FROM THE GIRLS IS IT IS TOO MUCH LIKE SCHOOL. CONSIDER JUST BRINGING BACK THE OLD BADGE BOOK?
- I have been in scouting for 50 years and I am disappointed in the journeys program. The badges were working and gave enough variety to keep girls interested. I know journeys are to take a year, however why do some troops finish in a month? What happen to outdoor programs for Girls?
- Outdoor experiences are lacking.
- Camps should be utilized more. By selling off some of the camps, you're making it very hard for some people to get to a camp in a timely manner.
- Although we have not done any journeys I have not heard good things about them... too long, lose girls attention ( bored). We are just focusing on the petals and some other service related activities as well as some Fun/ learning experience activities.
- self respect , doing good for others, what it's like to be a girl in other countries
- I am hopeful that if an outdoor journey is created that it would help to get more troops out there and camping and give the girls more of what they are asking for!
- CAMPING
- Camp - The outdoor program has been gutted, leaving camp as having little program tie-in value
- I think there should be more outdoor programming/traditional programming -- skills early scouts might have learned. It would be really cool to have some sort of history programming, where girls research Girl Scout history and then learn two or three skills that girl scouts of a certain time period would have learned.
- More events that actually let the girls of all ages have camping experiences in every season
- The requirement of a Journey (Or two) makes getting Gold/Silver a lot harder, and usually they aren't related to what the project will be for
- older girl adventure experiences.
- camping
- Outdoor Programming. Enough "self-esteem" talk. Let them get out and set up a tent or go fishing or rafting. Their self esteem will skyrocket at what they can do!!!
- Anything to deal with camping, survival skills, and backpacking.
- I wish I could answer this, but we haven't done any of the Brownie programs. I thoroughly enjoyed the Daisy programs.
- I'd like to see an emphasis on utilizing the Brownie Book as the primary badge workbook and journeys as an accessory. The brownie book is so cool! Unfortunately I didn't realize it until more than half way through the year. We could have been so much more involved with the community.
- More girl activities that involve science and real world activities to prepare them for their futures...tired of going to an event to color and paint nails
- Backpacking and outdoor stewardship.
- Science, math, engineering.
- Outdoor appreciation, Environmental preservation, Outdoor Cooking Skills, Camping Skills
- Besides outdoor skills/camping, there should be more community service and leadership.
- I'm not sure what an Outdoor journey would look like. After-all, you can put outdoors into any journey. I would like the adult How-to guides to be re-done to be more useful for a leader. If you follow them verbatim, they are dry and a lot of reading to the girls. Many leaders can't adapt away from that.
- Tech, survival, craftsmanship, more Boy Scout style activities
- Camping basics for sure, but there is a definite need for a knife safety course equitable to that which the boy scouts can earn!
- Get the girls outside. Help make them more independent and empowered. Quit saying you're empowering girls and actually do it.
- Our publications seem to be "cutesy" and the standard of Girl Scouting as envisioned by Juliette Low seems to be getting lost, As a leader, I found the Worlds to be the best, naturally flowing way to present program. I was very sorry to see that program tool scrapped. It seems like tradition has been put aside and current, trendy, fad-like materials have become the "norm".
- If we have to keep the Journeys, I would like to see an Outdoor Journey such as the one that (name removed) has created, but I would also rather just scrap the entire Journey program or at least untie from the Bronze, Silver and Gold Award requirements. Need to redo those badges also because most of them have become so lame and there are not enough choices. The Council owns were popular because those were the things the girls were interested in. Instead of seeing what the girls wanted to do and working towards that goal, GSUSA thumbed their noses at the girls and went with badges that don't interest them. My troop of younger girls has only earned 1 badge in the last two years and that was a struggle to get them to finish it.
- More council sponsored programs for girls to interact with girls not from their troop. We used to have monthly programs offered locally, plus 6 weeks of day camp options in the summer. Additionally, our camp should be reopened.
- GET BACK TO BASICS! The Badge book worked for over 100 years, yet it's been scrapped due to numbers declining? Of course numbers declined. Volunteers were very poorly treated which broke up troops. Council saw their jobs as more important than the Girls whom they purported to serve. The "Tree" (that is, the organization put onto a tree "graph" shows that the tree is upside down with girls serving the Council as opposed to Council serving the girls via the volunteers.
- I would like to see an outdoor journey developed only if the journey program as a whole is revamped. The girls hate the journeys and only do them one time during each level and even then only because they have to in order to earn a higher award.
- Traditional Girl Scouting!! Seriously, were the people making up the programming now EVER in Girl Scouts? Or are they all just college grads who think they have really cool ideas to move Girl Scouts in the 21st century? Because there is a HUGE disconnect. I really think the Girl Scout organization needs to hire experienced Troop Leaders (who were also former Scouts) that understand what goes on in a troop.
- The Journey booklets are too much like school work, that's not what girl scouts is about and that's not what makes scouting fun. My favorite things when I was a girl scout, which was only a year ago, was when we would just go out and do an activity, whether that was whitewater rafting, camping, volunteering at Care and Share, making crafts or tee shirts with my troop, going to laser tag, etc. When my troop had to do Journeys a few years back so we could start our Silver Project, it was like pulling teeth, I can't imagine doing having to basically do homework before any scouting activity. And to the best of my knowledge from my previous year in GS, that's all the Journeys are, homework.
- The girls need more hands on with things they will actually use. Such as, car repair; fishing, gutting and cooking over a fire; properly making a fire; more science related programs. (I haven't been aware of many STEM programs in my area.)
- the fun of Girl Scouting used to be the activities - especially camping. I just overall don't get the sense it has the importance that it once did and everything is aimed at the award piece.
- Health and fitness, reading programs (especially for Daisy and Brownies
- Outdoor training in simple accomplish able steps, if it already exists I haven't seen it, I've been referring to an older g s manual.
- More badge work for the outdoors. Bring back the old try its, Jr. Badges, and Interest Project Patches. Let us earn those-- providing troops options.
- Badge work. We lost soooooo many badges with the new program.
- There needs to be a variety of activities, the old badge program gave the girls options that better matched their interests.
- The Journey's seem to point each troop in the same direction and does not give a lot of room for each troop to put their own personal spin on things. Journey's are just one more book we have to buy in order for the girls to achieve the leadership goals we are working towards. The books are not the best use of our resources. I would rather we spend our money taking the girls to areas where they would never get to go otherwise or helping others in our community.
- Daisies need more options
- more badges from the old books brought back.
- No outdoor journeys but outdoor badges would be great!
- Outdoor programs, camping, outdoor cooking, etc.
- More outdoor programming!
- The current journeys are too much like school work. I have earned a Summit with my Daisy troop, and my Juniors only want to do the ones they have to to earn their awards. They don't interest them, and are not easy to do on your own for those that would like to.
- Just the world and the changes going on around us. GMO vs organic, adventures, camping,
- careers, colleges, etc. Things they don't learn about in school.
- STEM subjects, outdoors, and GLUTEN FREE COOKIES!
- common interests, pop culture
- Leader trainings and more adventure journeys for you get girls. Like swimming, hiking, horseback riding.
- Older Girls. Seniors and above.
- I love the journey in a weekend. We have several girls joining at different times of the year so it makes it hard to catch others up on the journeys. One weekend and minimum expense ( $30 ) we were able to finish the book and enjoy the camping experience with the girls. We even had meal time where the girls cooked, and it was impressive.
- More science! More math! Anything that gets our girls thinking and exposed to different things.
- More emphasis on outdoor skills and a broader scope of earned recognition available to the scouts. For goodness sake, I had a parent email me asking about the requirements for a sewing badge. Her daughter wants to work on a sewing badge. Thankfully I have the old book, made a copy and gave it to her. I will be buying the old badges off of ebay for her. I lead brownies and Cadettes, but have also lead Daisy and Junior under this current program .... not a fan overall. Our Jr troop tried to follow the Agent of Change as written ... ugh! It would have wasted an entire. They were so bored. We changed it up and made it better. I have helped the Cadette girls do a journey because they want to go for silver. We are using online resources .. not buying the books (they are 'cute' but a waste of troop money and don't add value) . The girls don't even know they are doing the Air Journey , but do know the point of what they are learning. Oh, the badges are garish! How sad that a reputable organization has these cartoonish badges ... they are an eyesore.
- When I was a scout, the majority of the money we raised went to partially, if not totally fund out troop activities; so we were very motivated and involved to sell cookies and plan our year! What can a girl possibly learn from the current paltry amount that flows to the troop: "working for the corporation"?? Any nationally fostered efforts to raise money via "child labor" should go predominantly to the troop, NOT the corporation. I only give money to troops directly. I stopped buying cookies years ago. PLUS, there's the whole health issue with the cookies…
- The new badges are very limiting. In some ways, they are too simple, and the girls do not learn. In other ways, they may never be able to earn one step as there are not as many choices.
- The Journeys can work if you cut out all the crappy fairy fluff and story telling and just concentrate on what you want them to learn. It is heartbreaking to know how much money was spent developing them and turning them into a cute little book that we can not afford to purchase even if the girls liked them.
- More high adventure. My daughter plans to join a Boy Scout Venture Crew next school year.
- I have not used the Journey materials myself (not currently working with a troop). However, in workshops about the Journey materials the leaders say the girls do not enjoy a continuation of "school" for their GS program. Of course, an experienced person can introduce more & personalize the program for their girls. This is asking a lot from the new leaders, especially when the materials were promoted as so easy to just pick up & use. Girls learn more in 1 weekend at camp than 10 troop meetings!
- STEM
- My girls want more choices of well thought out, educational but still fun badges. Outdoor badges, music badges, arts badges, science/tech badges. The like field trips and affordable outdoor activities.
- Camps and the outdoors.
- STEM and languages
- STEM Move back to the basics and away from being little "Green" salespeople which will attract more girls to the fun of scouting.
- I feel the Journeys were a great concept but were packaged wrong. Instead of scrapping the badge program, GSUSA could have updated the badge program with the new badges and added new ones. The journey content could have been incorporated into a new handbook for each level instead of stand alone activities thus improving and updating the program in a way that maintains the ideas of the organization's founding. The problem with Girl Scouts was never the program (badges and handbooks) it was the image. And that has not changed with the new program.
- There is too much emphasis on the Journey program. And they are not fun. Put time and money into something else. We don't need any more Journey programs. Would rather see some outdoor badges developed that girls can work on across multiple levels of scouting.
- Outdoor survival. Archery. Riding.
- I just wish there were more badge opportunities for girls. I personally found my career path and my favorite hobbies through Girl Scout badges in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Many of these badges don't exist anymore and it is saddening that some girls may never be exposed to crafty hobbies like crocheting, knitting, and cross stitching because they don't have a family member that does it. I found these activities because of a badge and a parent of a troop friend who I wouldn't have known did these activities otherwise.
- Outdoor skills. Career connections to each badge at Cadette level and above- like the Boy Scouts have.
- Return the sewing badges and craft badges that the girls loved to work on and earn!
- Survival. I know that can be lumped under 'outdoors' but there's very little of that these days as well. Girls should know how to defend themselves, feed themselves, and just plain survive! Leadership isn't just about self esteem and setting yourself up for a cushy job later in life. A girl should be able to take a hold and really thrive if they ever end up stranded or in danger.
- I do not like journeys
- The more outdoors and nature and survival being taught the better. Also an anti bullying journey would be very helpful and useful.
- Could the months be broken down into "goal months" to help leaders,stay on track to help girls achieve their badges.
- Girl Scouting does lots of community service. And that's great... but, much of the service is strictly "service", as in girls "doing good" by simple service projects with one-time deal events, such as canned food or clothing drives or working soup kitchens. I'd love to see more emphasis on "public work" projects, much like the Gold Award and Silver Award require. I want to see girls REALLY making a difference, not just doing some charity work here and there. I want girls to be able to identify problems in the community and work to SOLVE them, rather than (as an example) just making cat toys for shelter cats. I want them to start a program to help educate other people about spaying and neutering and raising awareness for animal abuse, and what people can to do be proactive in PREVENTING overflow in animal shelters. They can "do good", but I want to see them "do better"! I want them to work to get the community to come together, with public work projects and progressive, positive, "change-promoting" lifestyle.
- Service projects, management/leadership, starting a business.
- Each badge needs to be focused on one skill. Until the girl can teach others.
- Girl Scouts needs to go back to the badge program where the girls can work on what interests them.
- older girls, real life skills, less about feelings and note taking and more hands on materials. my girls are bored with the cadette level programming. it feels to them like school work, which they have enough of. they enjoyed crime scene investigator. night owl. where we could go out and experiment and see. most of what we are seeing for badge work is boring. note taking. journaling. go meet an expert. this is not fun, nor applicable in most cases. we are having a difficult time staying hands on with what is in the book. we did enjoy first aid as well. again though, we got to get hands onto practice etc.
- Back to the way Juliette Low wanted girl scouts to be. Girls should learn camping and more things the boy scouts learn. Girls need to be taught independence.
- Older Girl.
- camping, archery, canoeing
- Journeys need to be revamped. The concepts are terrific - and the supplemental skills badges are great, too - but the stories in the journeys are really very poor & hard for the girls to relate to. I'd rather see them focus on the actual skills and concepts and scrap the fictional story aspects. Most leaders I know are pulling the journeys apart so that they can present them & complete in a manner appealing to the scouts.
- I love the idea of an outdoor journey for all levels. but we need to have a great outdoor training for our volunteers so they are willing to take the challenge and have fun with your girls outside, at camps at state parks and much more.
- I enjoy creating extensions with the Journeys to help the girls choose their path. I would like to see additional outdoor badges and life skills like sewing ... The girl really feel successful when learning these skills because their moms don't have the skills.
- If outdoor skills concentrated on an appreciation of the outdoors and ecology, camping and camp craft would be more interesting to the girls. Instead we dribble through and lose progression of skill building because we try to do it all and then nothing is done correctly or completely.
- We are missing the outdoor skills, and the indoor skills. And there's not enough for girls who have performing and fine art skills beyond elementary school. For example, my daughter can't earn any badges for her music and theater, which she's continued to practice through high school.
- STEM
- the girl scout daisy and brownie handbook story is really awful.. the kids cannot relate to it.
- Basic life skills.
- GET BACK TO BASICS. The girls have no idea of what can be accomplished without the use of a computer.