Communication Comments
- Comments are presented "as is" from the survey. They have not been edited for spelling or grammar.
- Very unhappy with communication other than with my membership manager.
- I know of new leaders who quit before completing training and being assigned a troop because no one would get back to them, answer their questions, give them girls, etc.
- Sometimes I have a question about a program and do not even hear back from anyone
- I feel that leaders are left on their own too much. Just sign up and left to flounder
- It's a wreck. So much that we try to circumvent it if at all possible. We don't have enough staff to pull it off by themselves, so they must rely on volunteers. Imagine that. And we are recruiting volunteers and getting them started as best we can without trying to follow the steps of the system in any particular order. We are doing fine.
- I had some issues last year and when I contacted GSEP it was hit or miss about getting and answer or someone returning my call. Even when I e-mail GSEP, I rarely get a reply back.
- don't get me started on the lack of communication by staff to volunteers
- Leaders can get approved quickly, but are intimidated by the amount of training they are supposed to have and the volumes they are supposed to read. Volunteer Essentials is much much too long. It is written as a breezy narrative but intended to be used on-line where people search for key words and read only sections. It should be a series of check lists, charts and bullet points. I can point to sections that contradict other sections, or seem to, when searched.
- I have almost no communication from my council heads, whom I have specifically told I wanted to hear from more.
- I received most of my training before realignment, but was involved with recruiting and troop organizing for my Service Unit for a while after realignment. I think things have been steadily improving since then, but at that time I found the orientation and first steps of new leader training to be extremely impersonal, leaving new volunteers ill-equipped and unprepared to start working with girls.
- Communication in our council seems only to be electronic, which is not effective for many of our volunteers. And what electronic communication we get isn't very interesting, nor does it have any educational components or anything that helps recipients understand how our council functions.
- As a team member, it has been VERY bad since the SU refiguration that occurred this summer...
- Communication is a big issue that I have noticed since I have become more active again. Staff and Member-Volunteers need to both attend training weekends, so they can learn from each other, and develop the Girl Scout sisterhood that used to be such an integral part of the Program.
- I think the training that is available for new leaders is much to be desired. Sit down with Seasoned Leaders and SUM's and find out exactly what new leaders need to know. Same goes for Team members they need more information for their positions, as well as SUM's need to know what exactly their position responsibility is. I don't understand why council has so many paid employees then it's the volunteers at Service unit levels that do the work. We're the ones dealing with the girls and parents. Get rid of half the paid positions and put the money saved back in to the program for girls.
- Realigning the Service Units and Councils so close together caused too much upheaval too quickly. And the staff at the regional offices knows very little about the history of Girl Scouting, which can be used for some wonderful events.
- I hear from too many families that they don't know where to go or what to do to have a troop. Schools once were a big source of information and support for troops. Now you don't even know who are scouts at school, who is looking for a troop, or where a meeting can take place. Our service unit volunteers are amazing, but the school support is severely lacking.
- My troop has had issues with the switch in which members "dissipated". I have been in contact with several persons and never was able to get my issue resolved. It seems that too few people had access in order to correct my problem and I often felt that it was "pass the buck".
- I actually was the volunteer coordinator at my council as we brought on the single entry system. I was also active in a local organization for volunteer managers. Basically Girl Scouts is terrible at volunteer management. As a volunteer I didn't even know what the council's purpose was and I'd worked at the council for 5 years. If I hadn't personally known people working at the council, I would have been completely and utterly lost as a volunteer.
- Council is spread thin. They act like they listen but things rarely ever get done. They will tell you things are great ideas and then nothing. The customer service they provide is poor. If it wasn't for my troop and other troops selling nuts and cookies they wouldn't have a funded position. They often act as if you are bothering them.
- I don't really know what the "Single Point Entry System" is - even thought I'm heavily involved in recruiting. I believe that communication is okay mostly between head volunteers and most staff, in the outlying offices. However, I don't think communication is there much at all between volunteers and staff at Council headquarters. I don't feel that most the Council based staff understand the various resources and limitations that are present for most of the volunteers.
- What communication! Area person is good.. nothing really comes to us from council. We make more programs and share info more then the council gives us.
- They are trying their best to keep it effective. It is just hard with it changing constantly. It is frustrating. I did not see anything on how to participate in he parade this year. Love leaders meeting but not a lot attend. It is very beneficial. I have not made any this year just because falls on bad days as other commitments.
- I volunteered to start a Daisy troop. It took over three months from the local service unit/council to contact me so that I could start my training. I was even told that I would receive some very important training on cookie selling and etc. Troop leader for over a year and still cookie training.
- Still depends alot on local level Service Units, ours has very 'untrained' people and no one is doing anything about it. We are losing very valuable volunteers at this point because of the frustration levels.
- It's always a hit or miss on who at the Council offices will answer back and who won't. Over the years, leaders tend to generate their lists of the "go to" ppl at Council that they know they can contact and get answers. Unfortunately, these lists are generally very, very small. (perhaps 3-4 ppl at most)
- The council seems to be listening but I;m not seeing any results. AS for the single point entry system, I never heard of it and this year I was the acting troop organizer for my service unit. We always have trouble getting new volunteers and it seems we get no support. it is left in the service unit volunteer hands. One issue our council has is that it is almost 2 councils in one Louisville (metro area) and the rest (rural area). The board is mostly metro and they don't understand the issues of the smaller rural areas.
- this person don't know what they are doing most of the time.
- i have no idea what the single point entry system is and I have been a leader for 6 years, I think that pretty much sums up how effective this is.
- I think that Council gives a lot of lip service to how much they appreciate us and how important we are and how much they want to hear our ideas. I don't feel like my opinion matters at any level. I think that GSUSA is run at the National and Council level by a lot of people who have never run a Girl Scout troop and have no idea the issues I face or the concerns I have.
- I was shocked to hear about the camp closures and shift in programming. I only found out through current counselors and parents of girls who hoped to enroll.
- Communication has always been poor between the higher ups and the ones doing a vast majority of the work. We need an easier way to get in contact with specific people when planning important events, or meeting people for events. That's where we lose out the most. However overnight camp staff has great communication between each other. Maybe look at other Girl Scout councils for other states and see what they do.
- I am thinking this is the computer program you have for volunteer to sign up and get their information inputted, RIGHT? If yes it needs to be taught to all volunteers. I would be willing to teach this to anyone willing to come to the class. I will doing my facilitator class on February 1st 2014
- It's confusing as a leader. I don't know which of my parents have been approved as volunteers or not. That info needs to get back to the leaders who are asking for parental help.
- I was so disappointed in the realignment of the entire organization in NJ that I gave up trying to volunteer.
- Staff needs to be evaluated and watched over. There is a VERY bad person within member services that has ran off many new leaders. Sadly, the whole council leadership turns their eyes and ears on what happens.
- In three years we've had two liaisons between council and my service unit and half the time our current one never shows up and has no answers to any of our questions or real information to pass on from council. A lot of times I feel that the service unit is working in a vacuum and no one really knows what's going on either us at the council level or the council level at the troop/service unit level.
- The new leaders at last nights service meeting, felt that the online training hadn't given them enough knowledge.
- So much to say here. My council is great! (name removed) is our service area manager and she is wonderful to work with. Quick to answer questions. Truly there for us. Now as far as being valued....I think leaders get shoved aside. I do this for my daughter and all the other little girls. As someone that spends at least 10 hours a week planning meetings/events, researching, and guiding, I think it stinks that we pay for our memberships. Throw us a start up kit. I have two troops, mostly on financial aid. Most that don't sell many cookies (my daughter does the grunt work) Help us out! Throw us a Girl Scout t-shirt. Something! Again, I am not referring to (name removed) at all, I mean Girl Scouts in general!
- Volunteers are not appreciated - sending me a bookmark gift each year is not the way to do it Only criticism-from council
- This isn't a "communications" this is really about the organization and purposes between the corporation and the Movement. The Movement has both girl and adult members, dues paying, Promise and Laws subscribing MEMBERS. Among the adult members there have been and are various ways to promote and provide programs and experiences for the girl membership. There HAS TO BE a core group that can accomplish the day-to-day management of the resources and provide leadership. That "was" the task of the Councils. they consisted of MEMBERS in a geographic region. That through the representational process hired employees to do the administrative work. The ownership is in the membership, not in the employees of the corporation.
- Communication is finally getting better. When merger happened it was awful and it has taken a long time to get it to this point. Of course we all need to realize communication is difficult for all organizations large and small. Even families don't always communicate effectively.
- Going to online training has made things less personal for new leaders. They comment constantly that they want face to face contact so they can ask questions etc. It also makes it difficult for "quality control" - there are some leaders that we, as trainers and SU Volunteers, never have a chance to meet.
- The 2 council reps sent to our area sign up night had no answers for adults asking about volunteering after they gave their spiel about how we need volunteers to be leaders and assistants.
- It is difficult to reach anyone at council. We walk in and there is no human receptionist just a list of names with numbers - not helpful if you are unsure of who you need to speak to. Our field rep answers all complaints and comments with "you should send an email." Really? To who? I may as well be talking to a wall. In our council decisions are made without talking to the leaders - at least not the leaders in our service unit. Instead of asking why family support hit rock bottom, they added a fee to membership dues. I see no interest in actually solving problems.
- Virginia Skyline needs an online background check and volunteer application system. I'm not sure what "Single Point Entry System" is suppose to be.
- I have yet to be called for the areas I mark that I would be willing to volunteer when I fill out my yearly registration as member. When I email council Staff they are very slow to reply - often they ever do.
- The online registration crashed just as the deadline occurred. Not a good way to make people have faith in the online registration.
- I've been a leader for many years so it hasn't been a big deal, but I've seen new parents walk away from leadership positions in our service unit because it took too long to get a troop started. It's ridiculous.
- The attitude in our Council fell well below acceptable standards for anyone. (name removed) chased so many valuable, intelligent adult Girl Scouts out of our North Branch office, and her attitude caused many to quit. We are all so sick of "you'll do it and you'll like it." Somebody -- PLEASE remember -- we are volunteers, going well beyond our duties to try to keep these girls. We need to fix this quick, or this will be our last decade.
- I have never heard of the Single Point Entry System for volunteers...does that answer the question?
- Training new leaders via online is a crime!!!! New leaders need to have a face to face learning experience...to be able to ask questions and get answers. They need to feel the personal ownership in the program & the benefits it gives girls.
- I feel there are no trainings or help or support.
- Our council used to have a time at our bi-annual meeting for the staff and board to answer questions and listen to comments by volunteers. A few years ago, this "open mike" time was eliminated. Volunteers in my area really feel like this was an effort to shut us up. We didn't mind turning our questions in in advance so that staff could research our questions ahead of time and not be blindsided, but not being allowed to ask questions or post comments at all is pretty disheartening. Also, we just adopted Personify, the online registration system, this year and it was full of glitches. My understanding was that we were one of the last councils in the nation to adopt this system, so I was shocked at how glitchy the new system was. It was really painful for quite a while. I don't mind the online trainings being offered, although I think people get a lot more out of a face to face session. But the way people are these days I think being able to take a class online is a necessity if you're going to get everyone trained. Otherwise they probably just wouldn't ever take the trainings at all.
- I used to be an uber active volunteer for years. Since the new council was formed communication has declined so much that I no longer can remember what council I belong to any more. I actually had to think about it for purposes of this survey. And some of the actions they have taken since the merger make me regret that I ever invested in a life time membership. I have never heard of the Single Point Entry System.
- I have a lifetime membership so I have not used the new system but from what I have heard from leaders in my SU, it has not been user-friendly.
- As a SU registrar and on the council eBiz help page I field questions daily from other SU leaders and parents. I find it very frustrating that the support does not seem to be present in SUnits for leaders and parents by a registrar or SU manager. Most do not know who those people are in their unit or that they have someone in their SU that should be able to answer basic eBiz questions.
- The whole online process has taken out the personal touch. People were hoping to register their daughters and possibly themselves at Girl Scout registration days only to be told, here's the website, register under this troop number. Having our system go down for "revamping" or whatever it was called and then having half our information deleted, that helped so much. Oh, and the website decided I couldn't go back on to update and fix what it deleted.
- I signed up to be a brownie leader in September and things were such a mess that we couldn't even hold our first meeting until January. Registrations were lost or not returned from Watermark and there was a huge lack of communication getting background checks from Watermark.
- I am not a fan of CORA - we have had more problems with this system. Also, since the switch to Personify, more than half of my service unit's training records have disappeared, which has created a host of problems. Unfortunately, as SU manager, I'm the one who has to listen to all of the complaints.
- The front line staff are well intentioned and some are passionate and skilled. Those positions when filled with qualified people are turning over quickly. Our CEO has been rude on several occasions that I have witnessed. Communication channels are unclear. There is no one to report camp maintenance issues to that will address them. Financial informations not transparent. Volunteers are not treated with respect.
- We got a new CEO in June, so things are changing, albeit slowly. There are so many, continuing dysfunctionalities in my council that I am not sure how much longer I am willing to hold on. Examples: council staff losing scholarship applications, applying for a job and not being notified, applying for a long-range property planning task force meeting and the email for submitting the applications doesn't work (and then staff member told me I couldn't be added to the task force because it would ruin the integrity of the selection process. Staff had been notified a month earlier that the email didn't work, but no one fixed it), being told that there was a board meeting but when I showed up, it wasn't being held. These are examples of only some of the problems that I have encountered in the past 6 months. My list goes on and on.
- NorCal is an awesome Council. I'm very happy with them. :)
- Fubar ed is the best way I can describe the current system. We don't know what is going on (I am the girl placement and adult recruitment person), council doesn't know what is going on. Volunteers get lost, take forever, and just plain give up.
- I have never heard of Single Point Entry or another that was mentioned to me recently to get new volunteers trained.
- Communication in our council has improved recently, but only after a group of grassroots members voted in essentially an entire new board of directors who are dedicated to listening to and including the opinions of the membership.
- Our council is making an effort to improve communications by scheduling monthly gatherings of leaders in each region with useful topical information presented AND good opportunities for feedback.
- Too many requirements for adults to volunteer, ridiculous.
- I was an adult scout for almost 10 years and when I was finally recognized they spelled my name wrong. After that many years they could at least spell my name right.
- Sometimes the training are cancelled in our area. Attendance should not be a factor. If there are 5 people signed up then that is 5 more troops that can take in new girls so that they too can benefit from the program. Cancelled training only hurts the potential opportunity for those new girls. What a horrible thought.
- Very disturbed about the articles regarding Joshua Ackley and his position with GSUSA in relation to his activities promoting pornography. I cannot believe GSUSA still has him as an employee in the Communications Dept. What are they thinking?
- It is not hard to communicate, but the lack of it from councils will be down fall in the number of troops. Girl Scouts should be the same across the nation. Councils should not have rules to fit their needs. Higher awards need to be the same across the nation. Training should be the same across the US. If Boy Scouts can do this, then GS should be able to.
- As I stated I was a staff who had direct contact with the volunteers. I retired three years after the alignment, just as everything was starting to fall apart. I retired with a heavy heart seeing how volunteers were being treated.
- The councils do not want volunteers who favor saving camps. All who wanted to save Eagle Island have been ostracized and told they don't "understand" the GS program etc.
- GS employees located at the offices and the IT employees should work some evening hours. Most volunteers work during the day and do their GS volunteer work in the evenings.
- Training needs to be held on a regular basis - not on an "as needed" basis decided arbitrarily by the council.
- Many people in our rural areas don't have internet and this system is very cumbersome and difficult. Many volunteers have to do the training and applications several times before council finally finds their records and gives them credit. These people are good enough to take time out of their busy schedules to volunteer and jump through all the hoops required by council, only to be told they have to do it again because someone lost their paperwork, or it didn't get sent to the right person.
- Our area rarely has trainings offered locally.
- We keep telling people that Girl Scouts is about the GIRLS and about GIRL leadership - and while council tells me that the girls need to lead our meetings (and they do and do wonderfully) council and national do not seem to put their money where their mouth is - in that they need to listen to the girls (current member girls - not focus groups of non girl scouts) and build and expand programming to keep the girls we have and attract more with similar interests not keep changing the program to chase girls who are not and have no interest in ever being a girl scout! Also WHY are staff members and adults being nominated for the national convention - should be our GIRLS ages 14-18 who are LEADING!! - If we believe (and I do) that we are growing girl leaders why is national afraid to be LED by Girl Scouts?
- I think there needs to be some system in place council wide to help new leaders get the tools they need to become successful. they leave this up to the service units- which is sometimes ridiculous- since some SU are not so cohesive. I recently asked to change SU because there is a lack of support among the volunteers, and I found the SU manager to be gossipy and clicky
- I was not aware it was called "the single point entry but I do know that we have list a number of volunteers for the reasons checked above. The same goes for donors. I can think of a nber of donors who no longer give... Costing us thousands if dollars.
- I have not volunteered since the new system was put into place.
- My council is great and I don't see the type of problems that others from elsewhere complain about.
- I don't feel we have any control/input to what GSUSA/Council decides. Our field execs are often new and I'm not sure of their experience level or how much pull they have to bring back our concerns to council. They are often not even present to guide us.
- I have had little or no communication with GSUSA since I retired. I am a life member and a retired CEO.
- When I have a question or concern, I am met by council and GSUSA with carefully worded statements, vague or deflective answers or outright lies.
- Consistent communication is the key. And not sending mixed messages. social media is great but our council needs to get the hang of it.
- Once volunteers sign up it takes too long to get them the training they need to be troop leaders (our current greatest need), even if they're willing to travel up to 90 minutes for training!
- It has been a few years since my active participation as a volunteer. At this time I am primarily a donor.
- In our council, volunteers are treated as the lowest employees on a corporate org chart. This is SO wrong. In the "corporate" model, the girls, and by extension the volunteers, should be considered the customers and/or shareholders of the council, NOT employees! The council staff are in place to support the program, which means supporting the volunteers, but we seem to run into obstruction, rather than support all the time. As a 50-year lifetime Girl Scout who has been an active adult volunteer in my current council for over 25 years, I am being "talked down to" by 20-something-year-old new hire staff members, many of whom were never girl members of the organization. Something has to improve VERY SOON or this organization (which I still love) is going to fall apart.
- I AM NEVER ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF PEOPLE NEEDED TO TALK TO.
- Because I have close friendship ties with current staff overseeing our local councils camp facilities and programming and she knows my background and skill set, I was "stalked" to volunteer. Finally I caved and did sign up- and managed to navigate the cumbersome process of figuring out what I needed to do next (it was NOT clear during volunteer sign up) and completed my online intro training. And then waited and waited and waited and more than 1 year later I am STILL waiting to be contacted and used as a volunteer. I have a B.S. in camp management, 10+ years of camp administration, previous certification in canoeing/archery/ropes course/rock climbing, extensive experience in other outdoor activities, former GS Trainer, it's obvious I have the qualifications to be a volunteer. It's obvious there is a breakdown in communication of what volunteers are available to troops and leaders wanting to come to camp.
- I joined post-realignment so I am unsure how things went beforehand. I think there is always room for improvement when it comes to communication.
- There have been many issues, particularly in recent months, with communication around training registration, candy/nut product delivery, and cookie training. In addition Field Executive follow-up and helpful communication with our Service Unit has been lacking. There has been too much confusion and miscommunication.
- I feel like Girl Scouting is on a steady path toward increasing bureaucracy and process-management, as well as an increasing focus on money and national image. At least in the case of the troops I've known, none of these changes have done anything to improve the Scouting experience for our girls, and some of them have made it worse. I've been a management consultant, and when I saw the rollout of the new materials, my immediate response was to think that Girl Scouting had been taken over by Management Consultants. Suddenly we can't just take girls camping, do badges and service projects, and sell cookies to raise money -- now everything is focused on grooming future leaders and using cookies as a path to financial literacy. Nice ideals (and superb marketing to corporate donors), but the earnestness is at risk of killing the fun.
- We have changed our Council Support person several times since the realignment. They don't follow up with complaints, and don't support their Leaders. We have gone to a Community/District from a Service Unit. If you miss a meeting, there is no relaying of information to the members. Basically, if you have to work or have something else come up, you are in the dark, unless another member sends you the information. I know everyone is busy with their non-Girl Scout life, but it would be nice to see that Leader Support that everyone is talking about.
- There is a learning curve for everyone with CORS! It will be great once evryone gets up to speed and uses the system to its fullest potential.
- The biggest difficulty with being a volunteer for GS is working with parents. I have received generally received great support from council. I had difficulty with opening a checking account due to mis-information and disagreements between the financial institution and GS regarding authority -- I wish there was more guidance/support regarding checking accounts. At one time we were encouraged to use a particular bank -- although it limited our options, it made things easier because we knew exactly what was expected. Now, we can go to any bank --- but then not all banks are familiar with GS requirements and in our case we wound up opening an account and ordering checks at a bank who later decided it couldn't agree to GS financial policies --- meaning we had to find another bank and another time that three volunteers could sit at a bank at the same time for 3 hours to open a new account and order/pay for new checks. VERY Frustrating. It would be nice to have more hand-holding guidance for new leaders.
- Where is the online Leader magazine that they promised???
- Make volunteers feel more valued. I volunteer in the service unit and in council and its not that great. Why the hell are you asking the adults anyway? Let's get real here. If the girls are happy, then the adults are happy. don't deny that I'm right. Also, I know that times are changing, but there are still people who value the old methods of communication. I am also in 2 troops, and interest patrol and a normal troop, and it is a pain in the butt to register for both. Like, it was literally impossible. You should have an option of both registering online and by paper.
- Never heard of this program, we have new leaders in our area and they are not in this program.
- Communication tends to be one-direction, from Council to service units/troops. Not enough going back to Council is acknowledged or well received or followed up on.
- Our council under (name removed) devalued volunteers.
- Not sure what that is.
- Communication is non existent and has gotten worse. 7 council reps in 4 years. Don't know who it is now...have never seen them or gotten an email and I am SUM! I have been the Daisy organizer/consultant and the trials we're putting these FIRST TIME VOLUNTEERS through is crazy. It's taking MONTHS to get them into the system, with a troop number, etc. They just want to start SCOUTING.
- I've not heard or seen a single point entry or at least it is not described as such.
- I have to call or email directly to council staff to find information. I used to be able to find everything I needed either in council info-email or on the website. Not anymore. I feel like I have to go fishing and feel lucky if I get the right answer. Our council website SUCKS!!!!! Need to go back to council IT staff developing the website instead of outsourcing it.
- we've experienced quite a bit of turnover with our field reps., and it's made effective communication very difficult to come by. I feel like any complaints, concerns we've had only go so far up the chain without the possibility of ever reaching the right person.
- Communication is not good at all. However, if a person needs help and goes to their local office they can almost always get help. I have had this experience and it is appreciated.
- Communication in our council was most affected by the dictatorial management style of the previous CEO: revolving door staff meant few gained the knowledge they needed to become helpful before they left.
- Our council has such high turnover rates that even when communication is running smoothly you often have to start over with your question/ concern when a new person comes in. It is extremely frustrating.
- In our council new leaders are poorly trained and don't have to take grade level training. The nitty gritty of what to do in a meeting is lacking and how to use community resources.
- Look on the facebook page of GSUSA councils around the country and you will see people posted comments all the time with regards to entering the program and getting started. It's not just a singular council but nation wide problem of potential volunteers, girl members having trouble understanding how to get there start in Girl Scouting.
- There is no communication between council & our Service Unit Team when volunteers sign up, leaving huge gaps in the Service unit being able to support the new volunteers.
- As a returning leader and someone comfortable with technology I have been successful in navigating the online systems; however, I have heard several first time and non technical leaders have experienced issues.
- I am unaware of the single point of entry system. Girl Scouts definitely needs to invest in IT to improve communications. Often times I've had to submit paperwork two or three times over several months to have my girls registered. Unacceptable especially when GS is complaining that membership is declining. Do we really know that membership is declining vs. girls are participating in events/troops but not having the paperwork processed/registered. Girls are also not made aware of their GS membership number. In my opinion girls should receive a membership card with name, troop number, date, and membership number each year.
- In my service unit, I used to do individual orientation to leadership for each volunteer, after which she or he took council training. I was there to hold the hand of the new leader. I am not sure they are still getting that.
- We need a way as members to communicate directly with other members. We also need ways to communicate with Board Members - their email addresses are not available to us members.
- The welcome specialist position within our council was a good addition. I fear we are losing the personal touch, which was the strength of the Girl Scout movement.
- As an active alumna of Eagle Island camp, we have consistently for more than a decade offered our help in fund-raising and maintaining the camp. Our efforts have been ACTIVELY rejected. The Girl Scouts, and in particular the Council of the Heart of NJ, are the only non-profit organization that I know that refuses alumni help. Most others that I have a connection with - colleges, the non-profit hospital I work for - actively cultivate volunteers and alumni
- I have no idea what the Single Point Entry System even is...???? And our council gives lip service to wanting our feedback, but argues the point and then you are considered a "bad volunteer" for expressing any opinion at all. Finally, they stop responding to your attempts at communication at all. I just had a council volunteer heading up and event remove me from a Facebook group yesterday, after she was VERY condescending to not only leaders in our council, but leaders in a neighboring council and we called her on it. All because there was inconsistency in the information given about the event. :(
- If a concern is brought up, then that volunteer is ignored. We have to support the council and council decisions or be willing to do all programming without support. There is a lot of things that are happening within the council that are being kept "secret". If you happen to find out about them, you are not allowed to discuss them.
- I have looked forward to being a part of Scouting again with my granddaughters,but with the changes I've seen and heard about the last few years doesn't seem likely.
- GSSGC allows volunteer members to blast other members on social media. Additionally, the old timers (council trainers) need to leave and allow new volunteers an opportunity. Their communication is old school. Additionally they withhold what information they do have for the benefit of themselves.
- The basic idea of single point entry is a good one, but the follow-up needs to be organized and implemented. An example is our council's "We Are Family" campaign. It should have been integrated into all areas of volunteer service, not just on recruitment of girls and adults.
- My council doesn't even offer the trainings they say are required.
- It is taking WAY too long to get volunteers ready to go. Even then our council does not utilize them. It took us raising a huge fuss publicly over the pending closure of our camp for them to even listen to us.
- Our council is awful for communication. This was seen with the last 2 or 3 council sponsored trips. What a nightmare.
- The people I talk at Council are professional. It is difficult to know whom to contact because so many position changes have taken place. Also, information is not shared in a timely manner.
- Communication seems to have always been a problem for GS. My mother was a leader and when I became one and complained about communication from the council she said 'I see nothing has changed'. Only these days there is really no excuse at all for lack of good communication. With email info can be sent directly to every person at the same time, and in a timely manner. This resource needs to be used better. More timely and accurate info needs to be provided. I should not have a dozen rather signafigant questions about how the newly revamped cookie and nut sales are going to work. Also- when I speak to my rep at council- she should know the answers- the system should not be that complicated- after all a Daisy should be able to understand it from the published materials- OR the Daisy is not mature enough to be participating in the sales!
- Our council is awesome. When I first joined GS in this Council in 2005 the communication was terrible, especially to outlying areas. When our current CEO came on board (in 2008 I believe), communication was a high priority and she instituted a 24 hour return call/email policy. It took a little while but I truly believe all staff follow this policy
- My first year as a leader, I felt a little lost. It was assumed that we knew how things worked. I will say that I like the break out sessions this year with our age level. It allows us to ask important questions in a smaller setting.
- background checks took way too long. some peoples information was lost and had to be reentered
- Since the realignment, we never receive emails from our "new" community regarding events or happenings within the community.
- There is horrible communication. When an email goes unanswered for over a week by someone you know is communicating with others there is a definite problem.
- Most of our troop volunteers have not been girl scouts. I feel that the organization fails in supporting new troops. The leaders are barely trained, given a thick binder with a flash drive, and told "call me if you have questions". When they have questions, they have no idea who to call, or if they do call, they don't get an answer. The staff working out of the council are overwhelmed with the added responsibility after the realignment. Their time with their families are now being sacrificed in the name of Girl Scouts. Which is wrong. So, yes communication is an issue as is training.
- I think that registering adults and girls takes entirely far too long in our council. Registration forms were turned into council in first week of October and still at the end of December, they can''t use the system to tell if you are registered.
- I'm a non-troop adult. There are occasional newsletters, but no other contact. Council doesn't seem to miss my skills or experience (40+ years). Only my local service unit seems to know I exist.
- As a Senior 9-12 grade it is impossible now to get program flyers out to troop leaders. The no paper program and no monthly meetings of Program Directors has really hurt Senior troops trying to put on program for younger Girl Scouts.
- I think that online communication, registration and training are great - for those with reliable internet access. However there are still many who don't have internet access at home or at their GS meeting place and they need a reliable alternate system that doesn't leave them feeling like a second-class citizen or out of the loop. And as a volunteer, I appreciate my council's effort in going green by only having forms available online BUT I don't really appreciate having to pay for ink/paper to print those forms myself for those who can't access them online. It makes me feel like council is saving money at my expense.
- I feel appreciated by my girls' parents and by the members of our service unit. Does council even know I exist? I have had no direct interaction with the Single Point Entry System.
- The website has marginally improved from last year, but it is still cumbersome and not user friendly. The only communication I receive from GS is to buy more things in the store. Occasionally I get program updates. Training notification is non-existent. When I'm not up to date, I don't' get "how can we help you", I get chastised. The rules and regulations for what we can and cannot do is too severe and restrictive. There is so much my scouts want to do that I'm not allowed to do with them, because GS is so paranoid about lawsuits.
- Ebiz creates a tremendous delay, and often much difficulty, when registering for membership or events. There seem to be numerous roadblocks in the registration process.
- I feel that the online registration is great however I believe having new members who have specified a troop going into a bucket before placement is not well thought out. Troop leaders should be given the choice to approve new the members for their troop with The SU Registrar's final approval. SU Registers are being bogged down with the new online registration process. This process is very time consuming for your volunteer registrar's.
- I wish council had better records of trainings. I've had similar trainings in all 3 councils but no one has record of that. I have dozens of blue training cards all over the place....too difficult to keep up with.
- The listening is OK; the follow-up falls short. Sometimes it seems you are just a pair of hands to do as you are told; thinking is not only optional but discouraged. In some cases, a pair of hands or some donated time is all that is needed but why keep pestering us with the same questions about getting new members, helping retain leaders, etc. if you are not going to listen and/or act upon the answers.
- The staff is like a closed book anymore. They are not open to suggestions or giving information like any other non-profit should. I think they have forgotten that this a volunteer based program. At this rate, the way the volunteers are being treated you will lose any and all quality volunteers. The only time they want to talk to you is when they want something or want to "take you to lunch" to brainwash you into thinking they have all of the answers.
- leadership knows what they want and will put committees together of "yes people" and when someone bucks the system, they are not listened to. Council chose to raise our cookie prices, and continue to give out junkie prizes and a sliding scale for cookie per box per girl instead of listening to almost half of the leadership committee they put together.
- Also error prone. I tried to sign up as a leader for my daughters troop and I was assigned to a different school. Sole reason I was volunteering was to spend time with her and to have her spend time with her friends at school. I had to contact council to get it fixed, but frustrating when that is your first volunteer contact that you have to fix issues. And with the new registration system...SERIOUSLY I can not believe GSUSA rolled out a system that requires parents to sign up online then forward the confirmation email to the leader they just met. Reporting should have been in place either for leaders to log in and get a list or to automatically send the confirmation to the troop leader email on file along with the parent. Also for this online registration system to be 'PAPERLESS' then tell leaders they need to print 3-5 pages of the confirmation email for each girl(rather than just the 1 page registration form we had before) seems like we are not using our resources wisely. It has been a huge mess with girls getting lost in the system and very frustrating to carry all that extra paper around to have each girls registration form with us at meetings.
- The entire area of communications is just seriously in need of improvement. It doesn't matter how often you remind leaders at a SU mtg to go to the website - they just don't unless that are looking for a form! Communications need to be PUSHED OUT to the volunteers instead of assuming that they'll run to the website everyday to try to see what is going on. And, since ads from GSUSA selling something can reach my Inbox every week, why can't my council send me weekly updates on things relevant to my status, to my girls ages, ets.
- This is one place where it seems to be EXTREMELY hit-or-miss... We've had some volunteers who've put in paperwork and been cleared within a week (Me) yet others have had their paperwork "Lost" repeatedly and their background checks taking as long as 3 YEARS to come through even though they had a MILITARY Security clearance and as such should've been easy to look up and clear!
- As a new leader taking, I felt that many of the requirements to get our troop registered and our bank account set up were not clear.
- Never heard of the Single Point Entry System! Perhaps our council isn't using it? I feel like I'm usually one of the people 'in the know' about what's going on and I haven't heard of this. Our council is doing a great job with training programs. Not sure if this is based on a GSUSA "single point of entry" or not, but it seems to be working okay.
- I have been registered for over 2 months and am still waiting for training.
- Councils do not respect the opinion of experienced volunteers. If there is any dissension with staff or National ideas, the volunteer is terminated. Often volunteers are treats as stupid slaves to the staff.
- i think more communication is better especially with the new leaders. I am new and still no clue what to do half the time.
- There is a big push to recruit but once volunteers sign up, there is little help for them. When they contact service unit directors or council, they never get help. Council rarely looks into anything or passes the buck to someone else.
- No face to face interaction.
- Our Service Unit is great. Council could use a little improvement in communication and communication skills
- Our council-volunteer structure has changed and communication has improved a little. However, it is too early to decide whether it is adequate. It definitely is not outstanding.
- If the volunteers do the application and background check online right away and all of their references respond to the email sent them right away it can take about 2-3 weeks for approval. Which seems long but with our litigious society and parents wanting to be sure the person who is with their kid is safe, I don't know if that process can be shortened at all because there has to be a system of checks and balances so that if the volunteer has problems in the future the council can say there was nothing on the background check and they received high reviews from their references. It's sad that we have to cover our rears so much in this age but it has to happen or there could be a lawsuit that takes the council for all of their resources.
- My contact at council is exceptional. She works incredibly hard at making sure I have the information and support I need. Overall, the organization seems to struggle mightily with effective communication. The biggest issue seems to be consistency. It can be very frustrating to get three different answers from three different people when you are trying to correctly complete paperwork or be sure you are following procedure. That sort of misdirection does NOT make me feel like my time is a valued contribution.
- we had a great registration system in our council, but had to switch to the GSUSA one, which is full of glitches and not user friendly. Things have improved somewhat now that we are used to it, but love our old system back.
- What is the Single point system? Never heard of it. YOU HAVE A LIST OF ALL GS LEADERS----USE IT! Contact us! Explain changes! COME ON!!! I just recently found out that (after multiple emails to Macedonia) although I am 20 minutes from Macedonia, that my contact is at the Lorain office. RIDICULOUS! I want to support GS. I want to be positive about GS. But guess what? We (leaders) are treated poorly. Communication is non-existent. I a positive when interacting with the girls (Cadettes) but I am completely frustrated with the leadership of GS locally.
- Councils do not desire communication...just blind obedience.
- As a troop advisor, once I called council and got everything in order, the registration procedure has been pretty easy. However, I have tried to get parents of girls who want to register to use the system...unsuccessfully. I am not sure why. My plan B has been to print off a paper registration and have it sent in with payment. One parent, who wanted to register as an adult, ended up printing off her own registration form and sent it to Tennessee Girl Scout Council thinking that maybe that was our National Office. So I don't think parents are having an easy time of it.
- Staff and board lack effective communications with the operational volunteers. Customer service is ZERO. Too much emphasis is being placed on electronic communication that is excluding many girls and adults in my rural area.
- The Executive Director of the combined councils is a CEO only, not a Girl Scout. You need to get people in leadership positions who care about what Girl Scouting is doing. The CEO gets only her supporters on the Board, which limits communications with others.
- The constant changing of who is in what position at council level so you never know who to call can get a bit annoying. I think too many people who use to be in scouts have been let go. We are losing too many traditions. This goes back to the focusing on bringing in the new girls and not retaining the ones you already have. From a business stand point it takes less effort to keep the clients that you have than it is to draw in new clients.
- Websites are slow and difficult to navigate. It seems difficult to find anyone to ask questions.
- Nothing was put out about Single Point Entry in our area. If we are looking for volunteers, we beg parents and do the best we can with the limited response we get. We had one troop close as there were not any volunteers to be the leader. We also have 3-4 schools in the city where there are lots of interested girls, but no adults to lead them. Council has put in place a program with college girls leading, but only in the Nashville area. Not in any of the other counties where it is needed.
- I have had serious delays in replies to emails and messages from certain council representatives. I recently received a reply to an email THREE WEEKS after I sent it and two weeks after I quit waiting and sought help from another person.
- We have lost 3 new leaders this year for lack of communication from the council staff, and the reply from the council staff is that she is very busy and is doing as much as she can and that they need to go online and do something on their own. Our new cookie person is having a major communication problem as well. How long will any of these people put up with the lack of communication/support before they just say forget it!
- Council needs to spend more time making sure volunteers get training required. Online training teaches nothing.
- I have girls who have signed up and sent me copies who are still not on my registration log. I would rather collect the paperwork myself so I know who has turned it in.
- There is not a clear contact list, of who to go to for WHAT at the council level. No one knows who is doing what. We don't have a service unit manager, and the one filling in is doing horribly. I need a contact list of all the people I can email/call, for concerns or questions in various areas (like, confirming registration - we had one girl we thought was registered through the online system and was not and we did not know until 3 months into the fall year!)
- Since resigning I'm not in the loop anymore. I requested being removed from the mailing list - I still receive requests for donations sometimes but no other communications. Then again, money is all they want from me.
- The major issue I see is finding adults who are willing to volunteer. I my SU, I can find enough girls to put a troop together but lacking 2 troops in our elementary due to the lack of volunteers to lead the troops.
- As the service unit manager, I don't hear about new leader candidates until they show up at a meeting (or on eBudde)- and that is not a really good way to welcome a new leader.
- (1) The communication between staff and volunteers was unsatisfactory and remained that way through the merging. Very little staff training, very little passing along of neighborhood knowledge when a new staff rep gets assigned to us (even when the previous staff rep still works in the Council). (2) It is especially frustrating when a small change in a procedure or document occurs and volunteers are not notified until we hand in the "old" one and are told "you used the wrong one" -- and in the case where a brand-new staff member communicates, sometimes we are told "we never did it that way" when in fact of course we did, for years before that staffer was employed. (3) the pace of new troop formation has slowed since the startup process has moved to Council staff rather than handled locally by volunteers.
- As a life member I do not show up on my Service Units list of adult volunteers because I do not register every year.
- We no longer have a council staff member at our Service Unit meetings. By removing her, you have removed any connection we might develop with council. Previously in GSWP, leaders knew almost all staff members at council, and they were happy to help you out. Now, they are stretched too thin and are too worried about the bottom line to care about what happens in service units and troops.
- I don't see a single point of entry. Process seems complicated.
- In my experience my council is very good with communication.
- Assuming you mean the background portal check required for all adults working with children. Once all the current volunteers went through the system and kinks worked out the new volunteers seem to be having an easier time. I do wish some of the basic training would go back into the towns because it was a way that the new leaders got to know each other and we got to know them. Most of the volunteerism is aimed at the troop level and I don't see a good way to volunteer at the council level so that is something that I think could be improved.
- GSUSA needs to communicate more with volunteers directly, and not only when they're asking for donations. Leader Magazine went away, but NOTHING replaced it! There should be a "Pearl" system to communicate with all volunteers when appropriate. We also need some kind of discussion forum for volunteers to ask questions - there should be one sponsored by National, and ones for each Council. National should also make it available thru their systems for each troop to have a canned webpage. Troops basically have the same communication needs, it's insane that we have thousands of VOLUNTEER leaders all over the country trying to solve the same communications issues within their troops without a common tool to use. Pampered Chef, Thirty-One and other home business consultants are provided with a webpage for their businesses, but Girl Scouts can't provide them for our leaders? Please help us!
- Getting new parents in is not working! They don't end up following thru due to all the problems. Not enough online direction or assistance available
- Our area especially is not known for effective communications. Staff members are themselves uninformed. Staff sometimes seems more geared toward getting members signed up rather than fostering the relationships they already have.
- I have never heard of this system before.
- It is extremely intimidating for a new leader, there is no training except for online training and a quick chat with a current leader. There has to be more to teach leaders. Kudos go to our coucil who have recognized this and are working to make changes.
- It has been a very rough road through realignment in our area. CURRENTLY things are fantastic. However, the first five years were just awful. Our CEO only cared about the city girls from 'her' area. There was a complete cessation of program and support to the outlying areas and camps within our council. There was no leader or troop support, our girls and adult leaders plummeted and we were barely holding on. The rally point came when they wanted to close our only local camp and a troop boycotted cookies and led a campaign to save Camp Evergreen. Our new CEO came in at that time and was responsive and open to our concerns. Now that GSWW is working WITH our area and supporting our local troops, camps, and girls, our numbers are increasing daily, our camp numbers are way up, and we are becoming a strong presence in our community.
- I have never heard of the Single Point Entry System
- Our Council is virtually impossible to reach. NO ONE answers their phones and they return calls/emails weeks later! It is a very frustrating experience. If my daughter wasn't adamant about finishing 12 years of GS, I would have quit years ago - as it is, I have only THREE more years to go!
- I can say from personal experience that the communication with leaders from the council is terrible. But the communication to the girls working on their Gold Awards is much worse. They actually work against the girls, and have created a such a negative atmosphere that many girls and leaders that have been through it encourage other girls not to bother with trying for their Gold Award. Questions go unanswered for weeks or months and instead of encouraging the girls and mentoring them they antagonize them. It is such a wasted opportunity to further create young female leaders.
- the overall system works well - but what is the purpose of the service unit now? Really - I register my troop with council and then have to separately provide the same information to the registrar. Decide to whom the information should be provided. Duplicating this type of information is a waste of my time and the registrar's time.
- Our council needs to keep the Service Unit manager in the loop - often she is the last to learn that a volunteer has been appointed!
- The communication has improved but I feel council can do a better job. When asking a question or for more information, you don't always get a response. The new website for our council is not easy to navigate & there are too many areas to figure out. And some information is nowhere to be found.
- The new systems, while "getting" there, are difficult to track people in getting the adult volunteers placed and supported and the girls placed in troops.
- Single point entry system? Don't know it.
- eBiz stinks. It's too hard to use and it's buggy. As a volunteer event coordinator, I've had 2 events where girls showed up who said they registered, but weren't on my roster. The council says it's a set up problem in the system. If it's too hard for council people who have support from GSUSA, it's too hard for mere mortals. I have parents who just gave up on registering their daughters for activities last year and as Girl Scouts this year because of the difficulty.
- I feel it is fine on a local service unit level. My dissatisfaction falls at the larger council/national level.
- As a new leader three years ago, the adult leadership training is horrible. You are given a 8 hour course that is impersonal to what you do as a leader. It is not specific as to the girls you are leading. It would be very helpful if the GSUSA staff over this revamp it so that is goes over the general stuff and then gets down to the leaders role in that level. Some new leaders are basically thrown into the water to sink or swim and often times come out beaten, sore, and frustrated because they have no idea what to do.
- This is not councils fault but the duties or lack of seasoned volunteers stepping up to bridge that gap between council and new volunteers. Once again there is not enough emphasis placed on training
- I've never been satisfied with our council modus operandi of registering members online or even registering troops/girls for event. There are ALWAYS glitches and it is way too time consuming to complete something seemingly so simple. I could complete these simple tasks much quicker the old paper and pencil way.
- I believe the Single Point Entry System refers to the on-line training and single "face to face" training (Organizing a troop). This seems better, because it's easier for leaders to complete training so they can start troop meetings. It did seem that some leaders still didn't know what they needed to do for training. I don't know if it's because they were not given anything at registration, couldn't find the instructions at the Council website, or something else. 2) Need better communication from Council so SUMs & MCs know which new leader applicants have been approved so we can follow-up with them re new leader training. SUMs and PCs also need periodic updates on who has completed which trainings, so we refer them to the appropriate trainings before they take a field trip/go on an overnight. Councils should set the training reports to run weekly or bi-weekly and email them to the SUMs or PCs...or allow the SUMs to log on and pull certain reports for their SU: such as leader training records. 3) Most of the time I get a timely response from Council. But, other times I do have to follow-up with a question or request. I think this is largely due to understaffing. 4) I think both my council and the troop leaders are being asked to do too much. I suppose that's how it is with these kind of organizations: relatively few to the bulk of the work.
- First application was lost electronically. Now approved, but in holding pattern to lead or coordinate activities.
- the councils should look into life scan for background checks. The background data will come back quicker which would help get people started faster. Also maybe do training online through videos and quizzes instead of setting up dates and hope people come. This is how the boy scouts did when my son was in boy scouts.
- I think everything being online and digital is ineffective. Online training seminars do not provide the same one-on-one experience you could get working with a trained leader in person. The attempts we've had for webinars for annual giving training have been filled with technical glitches and been ineffective. I receive forwarded emails from council, from something called rail scout, from something called Green something or other, From Girl Scout alumni associations, My Council store, GSUSA store, currents and community emails from My community director or other leaders. I get at least 30 forwarded emails every week. Many leaders tell me they just delete them all without ever opening them because it's too much. In fact my two coleaders from my Girl Scout troop that just graduated said to me that the best thing about no longer being a Girl Scout leader will be not getting the Girl Scout emails. The idea of blindly forwarding emails to everyone on every list is just ridiculous and keeps people from paying attention to the important emails. I don't enjoy the new system you have to enter so much information just to even check dates of programs and if there is still availability. I would like to be able to verify if there are slots available for a program without taking seven minutes to enter information. We once had a program where you could pull up the calendar and look at the color coding next to a program to tell if it was filled, canceled, still accepting more applicants, etc and it was simple. I just don't like the new system.
- I can't say that I've never been thanked or recognized, but 99% of the gratitude comes directly from other volunteers, not staff. Even GSUSA sends the leaders emails with links to the store for leader appreciation gifts...how insulting is that? I'm not volunteering for gifts, but I think just saying "we appreciate you" should be uttered by paid staff frequently. I don't think staff realizes how much time and effort it takes to be a leader. With that said, I do appreciate when staff makes a gesture and I remember it vividly because it hasn't happened much. I also think I would feel more valued if the was less red tape involved in being a leader. Due to all the rules, paperwork, etc. I feel our time is not valued. In order to attract more volunteers, this needs to be streamlined. I know from my own experience as a long time leader, but I also know from conversations with leaders contemplating resigning as leader. Finally, I would like to see GSUSA present it's organization as a meaningful experience rather than a business of cookies and trinkets sold by the store. There is too much emphasis on product sales and it is a turn off for many leaders.
- I know I would have GLADLY signed up as a volunteer three years ago IF it would have been made available through the leader and/or the council. I just found out about this process this year when our troop was in dire straits with our leaders quitting in September! I have a feeling Girl Scouts would be getting a lot more volunteers and maybe even leaders if this was presented more/better. I also like that my co-leader, who is more high-energy than I am, is perfectly willing to let me take most of the training at my own pace. I may take two years to get it all in (what will take her one year) but as long as I have a couple of basics then our troop is good to do most things. Had I known it could be that simple I would have started last year! :-) It was made out to be like it was all or nothing. Obviously, I wasn't hearing from the right people!
- Technology is significantly impacting us as we attempt to get families to open emails etc this is very time consuming for volunteers. There is FB, Shutterfly and many other apps and people are always asking what's better, how to implement. If there were basic instructions for a new leader with 2 or 3 choices they would appreciate it. Our model has leaders constantly re- inventing the wheel. It is a waste of time and energy.
- It took me literally three months and dozens of phone call to get myself and my daughter's registrations transferred to this council. Since I was volunteering to lead a troop that would otherwise have to be disbanded I would have thought they would have made it easier. Recently, another one of my High School Scouts "went missing" in the system and was told she couldn't sell cookies until she reregistered. It took another 6 phone calls to find out that because she 18, the system doesn't recognize her as a scout, but as an adult.
- The online modules are sometimes unavailable. There could be better communication to the new volunteers on where to go and what to do. Directions are more fluffy than useful.
- It is very hard to be a leader. So many rules and steps. I just love that you make us pay to take kids to events. Really? Where else are leaders charged to volunteer? Each troop should get dues paid for 1 leader and 1 coleader or volunteer.
- As a Lifelong member, I am not much involved in my council. I do not have children in the program. My granddaughters in New Jersey are not members which makes me think that there is nothing in their area to interest them or their parents in getting them involved. They love to hike, canoe, camp, etc. They love art activities. My girls go to local day camps and church camps, so they are getting camping without being Girl Scouts. It makes me sad for them. GS camp was lots more fun than church camp.
- The website is very difficult to navigate and find the classes or programs you are looking for.
- Have not heard about the single point of entry yet
- I don't feel that I was given anything - just we need leaders. Thanks for joining here is a list of girls on the wait list- who are no longer interested by the way
- Our Council does a really good job of supporting the Volunteers, but we have a hard time getting the Volunteers.
- I have been to meetings to discuss camp closures and we were lied to by the counsel representatives-- they did NOT follow through on their promises (apparently their promises are not engraved upon their hearts). We have had 2 scouts in my troop disappear from eBiz, but they still had their confirmation emails to prove they registered, so I'd say that system is not working properly. All of my years of service disappeared and I have emailed about it and been told it will be fixed, but it has not. Twice when we've try to reserve campsites on eBiz we got a confirmation and it took out money, but when we got to camp they did not have us on the list. There was a serious flaw int eh communications.
- Being listened to and being agreed with are two different things. Change has to happen for the Girl Scouts to survive, and that means we have to change with the program. We all WISH that none of the camps be sold, but the REALITY is that the burden of having so much property is dragging down our efforts to serve girls.
- What I can tell you is that I've been a leader for 7 years and I've never been contacted about additional training, etc. Much of the training that is offered is over an hour long drive. I have had a few leaders, (name removed), who was willing to take an entire day and teach the outdoor training in our area but it rarely happens.
- The training of new volunteers is impersonal and they miss too much valuable information in the new training formats.
- In the past eight years, there have been an excessive amount of changes in our area both at Council and girl level, at least one each year. Some I understand but many have had a negative impact on Girl Scouts as a whole. I am a member of the former Genesee Valley Council in Rochester, New York. I know from my own experience, and listening to other leaders, that our area is very underserved since the merger. Most programming is now done in the Buffalo area and while my girls have been very interested, they ultimately decide not to attend due to a 1½ to 2 hour commute. A wonderful camp in our area was sold out from under us after we were told it was “resting.” I have personally been to several camps in our council and this camp was larger and nicer than others are. With the sale of this camp, it seems Council is making a statement that we no longer matter. The most recent change to the cookie program has created a lot of negative exposure in our area. I sold cookies in the Fall when I was a Scout (over 40 years ago) and people in the Rochester area expect cookies in the Fall. During the Magazine and Munchie sale, my granddaughter (a nine-year selling veteran) took a lot of criticism and I know she lost sales because of the change. There was very little publicity about the change so most people didn’t find out until the poor girls knocked on their doors to sell candy and nuts who is left to explain the change and why it took place. Most decisions over the last eight years have been a done deal before those of us in the trenches even knew what was happening. We were never asked or consulted about the changes, but we are the ones that have to deal with the aftermath with the girls, their parents and the public.
- Since realignment, I have gone from trying to work with the board, the staff, and girls in the area to grow scouts to now just trying to survive the year with my girls. I HATE the unprofessionalism, "we're from here and you aren't" attitude, the total lack of experience of our staff, being constantly told there is no money for anything except to pay staff (who provide nothing for us as leaders...can't even get a correct roster with girls registered after providing the paperwork 3 times). When I grew so frustrated that I blew up, I was told I need to be more respectful. I'm now done with (council name removed), and will be writing national to request an organizational audit to see what if anything can be done to save scouting in my council. It may be too late.
- I do not really know how the new system is working as it was implemented after I became a leader. There is too much involved in getting signed up to volunteer or even participate. Things need to be made simpler.
- I hate these choices! I HAVE noticed changes since realignment, and there were a couple of rough years, but I believe the system is working pretty well now.
- This is an online sign-up and there is no follow up. You can be approved to be a leader, but can be essentially invisible after that "welcome" email. Many trainings are left and not done.
- We have one new person on our council staff that seems to care about the volunteers, every one else just wants volunteers (that are NOT paid) to set up events, run everything and make it a great experience. Council doesn't help out in gsnim on a positive level!
- I don't communicate with council often but since realignment it's gotten worse. Phone calls and emails aren't answered because they don't have enough time to do it. They aren't enough people at council to handle 32 counties worth of leaders. In our Service Unit we tell leaders not to turn things in registration forms and other forms to council before we see it because we won't find out a girl is registered until 6 months down the road. Our Adult Development Specialists don't find out about training leaders take until months later unless we tell them. Frequently council loses paperwork so we have to resubmit it.
- I generally only communicate with my Service Unit, not Council. And since I became a leader after the realignment, I can't compare.
- I am a school representative for my school. Trying to get the new Daisy troop going this year has been very slow and painful. There is no system in place to tell them what they need to do and when. There is no one tell them what training they need.
- We have always been disconnected, I think as we bring in no other revenue than membership. SO we have been left on our own, with only one or two core volunteers trying to maintain standards and train others. We got very little, or at best, sporadic, support over the last 20+ years, but now with the retirement of key personnel, we have fallen off the map. Now to get any answer we have to stay up late and physically call the US. And even that is a crapshoot.
- I don't think the communication issue at my level is from the realignment. My preferred method (email) conflicts with my Council (phone). I work in a call center and can't take phone calls during the day.
- Communication or lack of is always an issue
- Our entire council is frustrated. they attempt to listen to our ideas and concerns but it is the higher ups that are not listening.
- I was to attend a grade level training that was cancelled and no one called or emailed me to tell me. I left work early to participate and then never completed it b/c I was annoyed. I think asking people to spend 4 hours on a weekend or an evening is too much. It's difficult to be a full time parent and work fulltime, be respectful of people's time, especially your volunteers.
- Communication?? What communication??
- I feel too much has been left up to the volunteers on the service team to communicate with the new volunteers and get them trained. Things tend to fall thru the cracks.
- Honestly I have never heard of the single point entry.
- Communication stunk when I was a troop leader. It's been 5 years since I had a troop, but it was getting worse every year for the 7 years I had a troop. There was no communication for the 3 years my daughter tried to remain a GS through the Juliette program.
- our council has gone out of its way to not listen to volunteers/leaders. They do not want to hear any criticism and it is widely known that if you openly criticise counsel, they will make it so that you cannot continue in your position. It has had a chilling effect on volunteers speaking up. This causes many long term volunteers to give up and leads only newer, inexperienced volunteers. The overall atmosphere has changed for the worse.
- It was very difficult to get my parents registered, through the background check, and affiliated with the troop. It took numerous emails and phone calls, over several months.
- What is the "Single Point Entry System"? I've been a GS leader for 8 years and I've never heard of it.
- I don't know about the single point if entry system. I know that it is confusing from the GSNEO site to get signed up and I had to contact Council several times before they contacted me to set up Volunteer Essentials. Then they just set you loose to have a troop with no real guidance!
- I have had numerous, can I say again, NUMEROUS issues with communication over the past few years. Emails go unanswered, information cannot be found on the website, I'm told one thing and then hear I should have done something else instead. There are some employees who need more training, or maybe need to retire. The website MUST MUST MUST be updated and reorganized to be more user friendly for improved communication. We are losing members, energetic and willing parents, because the communication is lacking.
- The CMEs (replace with new acronym of the year, every year) listen, but seem frustrated and ill equipped (no office, no mobile phone, seriously?). I had a positive experience with a council level board member. My other experiences with council employees makes me wonder why on earth they are employed with Girl Scouts.
- Big lack of communication.
- The process is way to slow, too many fall through the cracks, and this starts every new volunteer with a negative and unorganized impression of Girl Scouts, if they even stay that long. It is absolutely ridiculus that new volunteers have to pay for their basic training required to run a troop, that is a slap in the face instead of a warm and appreciated welcome for serving Girl Scouts and our community.
- It is difficult to compete with a volunteer's time and other choices. I don't think that these volunteers get enough credit or recognition. Maybe some recognition for years of service, etc. an opportunity to use camp facilities with families as a reward or something. A service pin/award noting their valuable contribution, etc. a letter from the CEO of the council or something.
- Prior to our new CEO, my answers to the questions above would have been very different. The changes we have seen in the last 2 years are the most encouraging thing amidst all the recent changes at the national level. (name removed) is amazing, and has gotten more people involved in council decisions, listened when we wanted to do the work to repair our camp and has taken the time to listen to the girls in our area about what in Girl Scouting is important to them!!! Although I am not happy with the way national is going, I am no longer planning my departure as I was 2 years ago.
- The councils do not have a good enough tickler system in place to notify adult members when their background check has expired and needs to be renewed. Mine expired over 2 years ago. I mentioned it to a staff member and asked how I get notified. She said, "I don't know, let them come to you." Now 2 years later, my Product Person at council informed me tonight that it has expired and needs to be renewed as I am a cookie chair and cupboard.
- I sometimes feel lost among the staff at our large council. It takes so long to meet them because we are so spread out. Often by the time you get to know someone and they know you, they are laid off or switched to a different office or need to move from office to office, so nothing is consistent and the "go to" person you loved and trusted is no longer there for you. Many are too overworked or "over-commuted" that they just don't have the time to be as nice and considerate as they once were. I want my friendly GS environment back! I want to be known by the staff and noticed, I want to notice them to and thank them for their work and time, I want them to have connections that they've developed over time and then can share with volunteers. I want them to hear my ideas and be able to act on them even if it is next year, because they are still there and remembered that I may have had a great program idea of something that might work for a situation now. I want to know them, not keep trying to get to know their replacement. (Cheaper & Younger version) I want friendship with "my" staff back!
- Online registration for first time members has made tracking their role difficult this year. Members sign up and then associate with a troop which has complicated getting them in the right place. In the past first time members joined on paper and we could place them correctly.
- I have been a leader for 12 years now. I do not know about the SPES or how it works. In fact, this is the first I remember hearing of it. To elaborate on feeling if my opinions are actively listened to... Several years ago, my council had a partnership with an historical plantation, where the girls got to go and participate in a reenactment. They got to make (or rent/buy) their own historical costume, learn about the different "jobs" on the plantation, and then later reenact them for the public at a reenactment event. It was an awesome experience for my older daughter. When it was time for my younger daughter to be able to participate, the partnership was abruptly called off AFTER registration due to an apparent conflict with the organizer at the plantation. I repeatedly tried to discuss this with my council, urging them to reestablish the partnership, but my efforts were completely ignored.
- We have seen a huge disconnect between our council and volunteers. It's become us vs them....volunteers are not highly regarded.
- As an Alumnae Association committee member I receive excellent communication. I hear rumblings in the field about major disconnects
- Communication at our council was horrible prior to the last board meeting. Since the new members have taken over, it had dramatically improved.
- The volunteer coordinator at our council is great, but I think new leaders need more help on how to get started - I have weathered through the changes that have been happening because of my prior experience with Girl Scouts, but new leaders are floundering.
- This is the heart of the failure of realignment preparation. It was a good idea, though some of the configurations were poor choices. GSUSA should have listened to councils' concerns about some choices, but it's too late for that now. Alas, GSUSA seems to have no way of knowing what is really happening in a council and how disenfranchised members may feel. Then, again, what can GSUSA really do to intervene? My local council only wants my money but not my differing opinions.
- How about a website that is easier to navigate and use...very confusing and cluttered.
- Again, the answer I am looking for is not provided. This survey has quite the negative undertones! I feel communication between staff and volunteers is very good and improving. The 2nd part of that answer choice, about there being no change through the realignment renders the response in accurate; communication, in my opinion has improved especially by way of electronic means, social media, conference calls, and a greater network of members through the bigger territory.
- When I say I feel valued it is by the troop leader not the council.
- Our staff at Council has a high turnover rate, so that as soon as you get to know someone they change and someone else is in the position. It is also impersonal because most communication is done electronically.
- What communication? The only time i hear from anyone is to remind me to register and pay for the priviledge of volunteering.
- Please, we had a corporate executive hired as the CEO of our Council Board! She had no experience at all in Girl Scouting. She was not even from our state (NJ), so she had no idea or care about Girl Scouting. She was repeatedly asked if we (alumnae) could help. Repeatly ignored and rebuffed. And she was nasty. We raised a lot of money to improve the camp, bought a barge (island camp), only to realize she accepted this money to fix up the camp to sell. This money was the only thing she accepted from us. We, trusting what she said; camp will be opening up as soon as some repairs are made with our money, only to be betrayed. Lying was easy for her. She also choreographed a horrible situation. She did not let the parents and campers know that the camp and summer they had planned around the camp will be closed, until the beginning of June. Not only did it leave families "in the lurch", but highly disappointed the children looking forward to going to camp, including the 7 girls I convinced to go to the camp. The year before 3 girls went to EIC, loved it and wanted to bring 3 more friends in addition to my lot. Understand this: my community is a rural lake community where sleepover camp is not even considered. The buzz about camp from those 3 girls spread like wildfire. Seeing this, we AGAIN approached (name removed) to be able to market the camp on our own and was ignored. People were turned off, trust from parents waned, but the passion did not. I think Susan did not understand that we, former and present Girl Scouts, honored our pledge and believed in G.S. values and would not go away. *It is a mess now, and the media is all over reporting the way the G.S. are being reconfigured, and treated. And I think this is good. Many non Girl Scouts are also appalled. Ms. Lowe had a vision that was embraced worldwide. Roundups, camping, camp craft. All undervalued now, except for the cookies. Horrible, simply horrible. My father, an Eagle Scout, has sent back his pin in protest and has donated $1,000.00 to fund any protest of how Girl Scouting has been treated and changed. My mother, before I was born and then after, was a Girl Scout leader. Both are alive and are over 90 years of age, sharp as tacks and as I, are deeply dismayed. But being a G.S., I DO believe that wrongs can be corrected. I have been quoted in G.S, magazines and have been asked to speak about what Girl Scouting and camps have done for me and my peers at Council Board meeting in the past. After the change in leadership a few years ago, we were never allowed to even sit in any board meeting. Ever. And have been lied to repeatly. PLEASE, if you believe in the power of women, change the way you are treating this most valuable and sacred program. Thank you.
- As SU liaison part of my job is to interview new adults. I find this helpful in getting new leaders started, answering their questions, introducing them to SU mentors and meetings and doing their Step 2 training. I also help set up new troops and recruit new leaders. I do not think I should interview cookie moms. That should be the responsibility of the troop and cookie chair as well as training them.
- Recruitment of adults should not be in the hands of volunteers only!
- As I don't have the foggiest idea of the Single Point entry, nor do I receive much information from the council, I'm going to say that communication is seriously lacking.
- I've been a volunteer for a very long time and I'm not sure of the experiences of new volunteers getting into the system.
- My council has frequent changes. This makes it a bit difficult to feel they know what they are doing. However, the new people that have been hired seem to be fantastic. I look forward to meeting our new CEO and seeing the direction we will take next. 2) I like the online email newsletters. I appreciate not having so much to forward to leaders and parents. I am a Service Unit Director. I've been a scout for 49 years. 3) I think the websites should be better. Each council should not have to design a unique website and struggle for years to get it right. Our website is under going changes almost every year. It seems like the national group should design a website with a few choices for front pages to be unique and provide it to the local councils to use. Then they could spend the money to get a fabulous design that could actually work. We should not be handicapped by our technology. 4) On that topic----why do we have to struggle so much with the membership portion of our technology? GSGATL has Personify for staff to use, ebiz for members like me, ebudde for cookies and enutte for Chocolates and Magazines. These programs do no speak to each other. Data can be correct in some but not in all. I spend hours and hours trying to get my ebiz roster correct. It will be correct by January for cookie sales. Then we start early registration and the data gets messed up somehow. It seems so wasteful to have so many hours spent by volunteers and paid staff on this small detail. I don't know how to solve it, but I know that something should be done.
- This is my 4th year as a leader so, I am not completely aware of how things were before that time. I do know that in the time I have been with scouts the communication with council has deteriorated. I also noticed that this year in particular, the programming from council has been very minimal.
- Communication is aweful!! I only know alot about how the council and service unit operates because I am the type that stays on top of all my options. Texting as well as other social media should be utilized more by our national conglomorate.
- I often feel clueless as to what is happening; I had no real mentor to help me out when I started. If it wasn't for my years as a scout and my years as an aid when my mom was a leader, I would have quit shortly after starting.
- Once we merged communication broke down. Instead of taking the best from each council and developing a working plan that would work, we just went the way of the biggest of the 3 councils, the one that had the worst communication of all. Our council encompasses both very rural, suburbs and inner city. You cannot lay down a blanket communication system and think that it will work for everyone. That is totally unrealistic. To think that everyone has a computer, access to a printer and can print numerous pages is not true. We are spending lots of money to reach girls in the inner city but at what cost to other girls. Our rural girls are floundering. They have no easy access to libraries, girls clubs, playgrounds etc... Once they are home they are pretty much stuck. In our area our rural schools have more girls on subsidized lunch programs then in the inner city. What are we doing to reach them, to help them? We are one-sided in our approach to the inner city girl to the detriment of the market we always reached.
- I wish the single point entry system would work, but I feel that it gets confusing to me and I give it up. KISS is what I use to communicate
- The same issues are for girls signing up--very laborious and cumbersome. I'm all for progress, but in this area, it seemed the old way worked much better. There are huge delays in getting girls into troops this way.
- Between the complexity of the SPES and the problems with the data base, some volunteers are discouraged before they even start!
- The sign up process is time consuming and repetitive. I can volunteer at my child's school with less hoops to jump through than with GS, and I am exposed to more kids with a lower adult to child ratio at the school. The volunteer program needs to be seriously redesigned. I have already filled out 3 forms, essentially re-stating the same info, completed one training on line, and need to complete yet another - and I am simply a parent volunteer who steps in to help out at meetings and events right now. I have to PAY to volunteer and I feel like restating my info on an application form, back ground check and the new volunteer form is just getting ridiculous. If I was a leader, handling money, or held another important position in the troop/service unit, I would understand more paperwork/trainings, but I'm not and the extra paperwork/trainings make me want to stop helping out and just drop my daughter off. But what happens when we all feel this way and the leaders have no parents to help? G.S. needs to get there act together and find a solution, because I, and several others in our troop are ready to do just that.
- Changes are happening in our council, but volunteers are being released from their positions due to the perceived "negative attitude" as we "fight" for our unit leaders and our girls. Emails seem to work well for our council.
- I do think it is better than when I came in BUT it is up to the individual Service Units (or whatever they are called today) to implement it. I have NO idea why there are paid council staff. It should be a crime. Everything I see (minus the stuff in the stores) is run and implemented by volunteers.
- Personal prejudice is also a factor in the approval system.
- Having a human to answer questions make a much better experience for many volunteers. They know they want to help but often don't have enough information to help guide them to "non-leader" positions.
- Our Council has greatly improved in the past year with the hiring of a new CEO. Prior to that communication was very bad. It always seemed to me that there were too many staff people trying to do the jobs the volunteers should be doing and consequently the volunteers did not feel valued. Now that we have more council staff that came from private industry instead of the Girl Scout system I think we are a more efficient council and staff are being held accountable for their work.
- Phone calls are not returned, questions go unanswered
- I only receive communications with our troop leader and personal in our regional store and on our Fbook wall.
- All I know is any software system our council uses whether it is for cookies, nuts or registration is less than user friendly and makes things harder than they need to be and extremely frustrating for those who have to use them.
- Communication is non-existent. Emails are rarely if ever returned. Calls go right to voicemail which either take a week to return (if calls are returned at all). Even if I take the time to drive to my local office (regional office, not the council headquarters), it always seems to be "Let me check on that and get back to you."
- I have been a leader for the past 13 years and i feel that GSUSA is trying to push the older leaders out to bring in a newer group. Trainings are constantly changing (which is not a bad thing), but when you come from a training being more confused, that is not a good thing and is driving volunteers away. when you have to be retrained for something you do for a lifetime, and have to sit there and watch the trainers fumble is not very good. It also isn't very good when the trainers are asking you for your input because you have done it for so long. I've sen this at many trainings.
- many folks are back to the us and them... staff vs volunteers
- I am the GS troop organizer for SU (# removed). I have been told that council hired an employee to help me recruit parents to be leaders. I have sent her emails but never an answer. (name removed) at the LV office has helped me more than this person. If it was not for the support of (name removed), I would have stepped down from being the Troop Organizer. Also financial aid-one year it took me until June (after my troop closed for the year) to get financial aid for papers that I hand delivered to the LV office in September. It took 10 months to get financial aid??? That is not a good turn around time.
- I get too much information from the online store. Again, funded troop information needs to be focused or translated if different from regular troops. Not just for leaders - but also among the council staff members.
- There are alot of forms, directives, instructions and such levied to leaders but not much one on one communication and hardly any assistance. The volunteers run the service units, the troops, are held responsible for recruitment, training, planning events, etc. But, if council finds a way to use those plans to make money, they take them over without so much as a nod to those volunteers who started it.
- Communication is lacking in my service unit.
- I signed up just 3 years ago and it took about 4 months before our troop was up and meeting. I have seen with them introduction of eBiz an initial slow down, but this year it appears that council has done a good job of acclimating new volunteers and getting them through the initial phase so they can start their troop meetings.
- Communication between volunteers and staff was always poor, even before re-alignment.
- I think there are way too many emails. I also think that there needs to be a training module so that people who are supposed to be able to walk others through it know how it works.
- I am having a lot of problems with the web page. It is very hard to follow. There could be a better web design. I signed up for a program. Then they told me I was not registered. I then registered but then no one told me that I was pack on the list for the other program. I am not sure why also the program was on a Friday. Most of the leaders are working, we are no longer stay at home moms.
- My council offers numerous ways to stay informed.
- I don't think our council is using this yet. If they are, they're supplementing with other ways we've always done it.
- There should be more communication from council to the troop level. Routine email updates about changes in policy and programming should be sent out to all leaders. Many times, I have learned of new systems via other leaders on facebook not from council itself. I've had to seek out answers from council... they should be informing volunteers on a regular basis.
- I think the reduced training has contributed to the high turnover- leaders get in over their head, not trained enough to handle it all.
- I feel that our council communicates very well with volunteers. They frequently update their volunteer blog and I receive the updates via email. They let us know about upcoming opportunities for GS.
- Our council has a councilwide committee of volunteers working on communications. The first 4 years after the merger have seen connections between staff and volunteers growing weaker and weaker in our council. Now, due to a very innovative VP of Volunteer Development, we are putting together volunteer run committees (15- over 100 volunteers) in collaboration with staff liaisons throughout the council. Everyday we seem to grow in this area. It gives us all a voice and what we work on and plan is listened to and becomes the new way of work for us all. Great things have happened in our council this past year. Can't wait for the next year.
- Beyond frustrated with communication.
- The biggest delay is getting the interviews done.
- (name removed) is awesome at listening and coming up with answers & solutions!
- We have a new executive director and there is a concerted effort by the staff to be responsive, positive and timely.
- I have had horrible experiences with communication. No one ever answers the phone in the council store, and I have stood there in person, watching it ring, and watching the manager chat informally with an employee until it went to voicemail (Arcadia). I tried for 3 years to get my daughter into a troop, always to be told none were accepting her age group, so I would need to start my own. Once I finally did, it took 3 months to get a troop #, and only then because I threatened to quit if I didn't get it within the week. Then, at my first service unit meeting, I heard one of the management members praise all of the leaders as every girl wanting a troop had been absorbed into one. So why was my daughter never absorbed for 3 years? I also was frustrated to hear about Juliettes, as this option was never suggested to me. Also, eBiz is beyond maddening. 80% of my families messed up their registration, and it took me about an hour to figure out how to do ours. Then it probably took me a total of 3-4 hours of time, working separately with the families who had done it wrong & mgmt to get it sorted out.
- I appreciate all the informative emails I can get!
- How has this impacted my troop? Parent volunteers have STOPPED COMING TO HELP at meetings because they are now required to take training. We have had to CANCEL camp outs, activities,and the second door at cookie booths because parent helpers must now undergo training. AND the parents who DO take the training come back to us disgusted with how simplistic, repetitive, and propagandized it is. They tell me they didn't learn anything I haven't already told them, and resent the time spent on trying to sell them on everything from Journeys to financial donations.
- Emails are an easy way to communicate but the personal contact is much more important. It is too easy to miss or ignore an email.
- Our Council has rearranged our Membership staff so often (at least once a year) that new recruits are often lost in the shuffle. I worked for the council for only 14 months, and in that time my Membership colleagues went from being "Recruitment & Retention Specialists" (where they recruit, register, and assist volunteers in a geographic location assigned at random; usually close to their home office) to being EITHER a "Recruitment Specialist" or "Retention Specialist" (one "set" were assigned to a geographic location and were meant to work as a team, but rarely did. One recruited & registered, and the other would connect volunteers to their Service Unit.) This was ineffective, so they went back to being "Recruitment AND Retention Specialists." And that was only 14 months! We lost MANY volunteers due to the staff shuffling and terrible management.
- Our council is working hard on communication. Our CEO came and met with the various Service Units to find out what is working, what isn't working, what needs improvement, and ideas. I believe that has helped a lot with our communication. Many volunteers felt like she was working hard at making changes and took our suggestions. (ours wasn't a (expletive removed) session, like some of the others were). I talked with members of a near by council and their CEO and other council members have yet to do something like that and they don't feel like they were heard. Our CEO also came camping with us to find out why our camp needed to be saved. and She realized it isn't about money, but what our camps have to offer the girls.
- It was easy to sign up online, but I think all training should be done online.
- This is possibly the biggest problem at GSNEO, While the volunteers are the backbone of this organization GSNEO staff are rarely responsive to volunteer questions/concerns, are uninterested in our opinions and couldn't possibly care less about showing their appreciation for all that we do.
- Because we are nor running our councils as a business many staff members have never been involved in t he program and do not "know" GS and the turn over is so great that staff really does not get to know the volunteers. Staff wants to control all events resulting in large events and eliminating the smaller Mall events and individual level events that were formerly conducted by Associations and Multi Service Units. They complain that they don't have help, but do not want the volunteers who formerly worked on these events to have any say. Many volunteers have just stepped back and stopped offering assistance, waiting to be asked. But they are not asked as the staff does not know who to ask since they are new employees. Many volunteers are "pushed out" of projects they have worked on for a long time. After being ignored for a while, they simply go away and GS loses some more valuable resources.
- Communication "specialists" are hired with little to no experience with Girl Scouts. They are put on phone, computers and at recruitments without the aid of knowing the program. I strongly dislike calling my council and pressing buttons to talk to someone.
- A friend of mine was a leader or an assistant leader for 9 years and only began receiving any communication from our Council the last year she was in the program.
- So a volunteer uses the single entry then it appears that everything comes to a halt. New volunteers - leaders are ill equipped to lead the troop.
- Not intuitive
- Based on the restructuring, it feels like there are too many fingers in the pie at certain points that results in confusion, duplication of efforts, and challenges in compiling all of the information.
- I'd like to see MORE personal interaction. We no longer see our GSHPA Member Associate at SU meetings. Training is online for many certifications. Office hours are 4 a WEEK!!! Also, while office is only open for limited hours, we can't borrow materials/books/etc - they have to be used in the office! Whose materials are they??
- I feel that our Council does the best they can sometimes. I personally know of local Leaders who have contacted our local Council about issues / complaints, etc and we have always been told "let me check on that and get back to you". Then we never hear back from anyone. Lots of communication issues here.
- Low income families living 1 hour or more from council facilities do not have on-line access and paper filing is tough. This can not be directly fixed at council....
- Our Council has improved but the ideas that Council Board, etc are not accountable to members remains. Members should be allowed, even encouraged, to participate and attend any Council function they desire. The Council is theirs and nothing it does, with the exception of some Personnel and Legal issues, should be kept secret.
- There are no volunteers in our community, lack of communication.
- When our councils merged the role of delegates was greatly diluted to the point that staff do not need to communicate at all with volunteers. Staff hired from other councils that were in a leadership position did not take the time to learn basic programs/ safety systems that our council developed. One of the results is that one of the largest resident camp is under utilized because the systems that were in place to operate the camp have been abandoned. No current staff know these procedures. Those of us who do know the procedures are very uncomfortable using the camp because we do know the surprises that could happen
- We don't even know where to begin to contact the higher ups in our council to voice our concerns about their not using Camp Nawakwa this year---there is no way to get into contact with them.
- What training? I haven't been able to get any
- I can't even begin to outline all the problems this has caused in our neighborhood. One outcome? At my local elementary school, for the first year in 11 years we have no new Daisy troops.
- I cringe when I have to walk a new co-leader or parent volunteer through the process. It usually takes a few emails back and forth to get them through the initial paperwork. It always takes them days to get it done, especially when they keep getting "error" messages, and then they can't even figure out how to get someone at council to help them at that point. I have to email them the email/phone number of helpdesk to them. It often winds up taking weeks, and I have to monitor both them and council's response to the issue and/or application. And initially, I send them a very detailed email with every weird-o thing they have to click on just to get registered online as a CORE account holder, then to register as an adult Girl Scout, then how to fill out an application online to be a co-leader, and then how to do the background check. Bleah!
- As a volunteer I feel that the staff are always grateful for my help, but the other troop leaders and parents in our area are completely ungrateful. They expect answers at any time of day or night, expect to be given personal training, deliveries, mentoring at the drop of a hat. It is very hard to continue to volunteer when you are criticized at every turn.
- Hours are few and inconsistent. Tulsa staff our rude, rude, rude and condescending.
- Our service team is great. Everyone at our council office works hard to take care of our volunteers and members. We have a talented and committed help desk team who have done a remarkable job with the rollout of the online registration and keep our website up and running thru the glitches. We have lots of training opportunities and the people who lead our classes are always experts in their subjects. Our Girl Scout store is beautiful and well run. I don't have anything but good things to say about our group. They are super stars!!
- We're on at least our third Council rep (Field Director) since I started leading (ca. 2007?). One was awesome; one was OK; I haven't gotten to know the newest one yet. Less turnover would be nice. Also, they need to know their audience - wearing short, tight skirts and low-cut, tight tops with super-high heels to a service unit meeting at which most folks are in jeans and casual tops (aside from those who came from work, who are mostly wearing nice pants and tops and sometimes jackets - and mostly flats or low heels) is weird. I'm sure part of this is that some are VERY young and those things are trendy right now, but that look really stands out in our SU. Maybe it plays better in other parts of the council. Physical presentation is a form of communication. So is checking your own records. In two different years in which I donated $100 to SHARE ($50 for each of my girls), Council sent me postcards afterward asking me to donate to SHARE. I found that incredibly offensive and unappreciative. 2) As far as getting volunteers signed up (and doing much else) - PLEASE pick one or two types of online forms/documents THAT WORK (maybe Google Docs?) and keep using those. Don't change formats every year or two. If you're going to send forms out as fillable PDFs, make sure you leave enough space for all of the answers (people DO have more than one phone number these days, for example!). Make sure e-mail links work and that people at the other end respond promptly so leaders (or whoever) know submissions went through OK. 3) Put everything online, particularly Journeys and badge and Medal requirements.
- The new ebiz system needs to work on all browser formats.
- Northern California Girl Scouts has an incredible staff and communication on all levels is great.
- I don't feel enough is being done on a council level to support leaders through programming events. All training offered us centered on the Journeys. If a troop only wants to do badges, we need support/training/events there too
- We need a better process for communicating when volunteers are approved and ready for training.
- When I have emailed some of the higher level management with concerns, I have never received a response. At the council level, I know who will respond, and deal directly with them.
- I have been a leader for 5 years now. I have no idea what program is being used to start a new leader- BUT I do know that it has changed almost every year. I am currently trying to help a new Daisy leader in our school. Really if there were good training - she wouldn't be so lost. Also they tell us that we need to update our training after so many years- update with what program. There is no one on staff that can teach me anything about scouting. YES update on First AID and CPR a MUST. But other than that- the training staff- if there is one is a joke. I also know that there is vast difference between councils on training. National should have standards for all U.S.A. members. I have over 10 years with BSA - GS training is a joke can't hold a candle to Boy Scout training. Which I taught in the end! Oh and I tried to get a position with GS to train others- Ha Ha Ha- SNOTS. Its the only word I could think of that was nice enough to write.
- The first five years after consolidation, G.S. staff seemed determined to collect and throw out all previous council records, including of events and people contacts, e.g. leaders, trainers, alumnae, etc. Now, it's ironic that staff members are asking for that past information, most of which is either destroyed or in unaccessible "iron mountain" storage.
- We have no membership specialist, our recruiter is not visible in our area, there feels like no council support, an answer to email takes weeks, all the 'rules' seem to not exist any more. took away TRTC, who is organizing the 'area;s'? who works with the meeting place? who helps the leader get started? under stand the expectations of the meeting area? Changes are necessary but the changes = no support, no rules, no one to be sure you follow expectations. registration system - where do I start? love register online - can't put expected troop#, leader can't view until 10/31!!!! troop starts 9/10 - how are we to kow who is registered for nuts? or who are new girls are? co-leaders can't see, NO TRTC to double check, Community lead can't double check. In GSHPA - are rosters are still not correct. and this december. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE
- What communication?
- As a leader I feel appreciated by my parents and local members of GSUSA. I feel that National, council and most staff have a disregard and/or low opinion of the volunteers.
- Trying to find out if people have all the training necessary or required and background checked is a nightmare.
- Any organization can only be as good as its communications are. Therefore, communications is a key thing to pay attention to every year regardless of how good or bad is has been in the past.
- I think my council staff does an excellent job of communicating. In fact, I think they probably over communicate because there are so many volunteers who hate change and the move towards electronic publications, etc. That they have to do printed newsletters etc. I always get ill with other members who don't know what is happening because the council shares it in at least three ways when they could be spending their time doing other needed things rather than spoon feeding lazy volunteers.
- Membership went up from $12 to $25, for the programming. Yet my council is STILL offering most programming in the Worcester area. What about Western MA??? We have many horseback riding places in this area, can't a paid staff person look into program at any of those places? Why am I as volunteer always needing to find my own program? What are we paying the extra $13 for???
- Always had a receptionist at Council; now there isn't one and no one ever gets back to you; turnover at GSHNJ is so high - revolving door for Field Executives and other staff.
- The council staff does a phenomenal job trying to communicate, but their numbers have been reduced and they are overworked. GSUSA's communications are poor, their response to queries is almost non-existent - perhaps they also are overworked. Computer training for new volunteers does not work. There was a time when our council had the best group of professional and volunteer trainers in all of GSUSA - but the paid staff was cut and the volunteers were mostly disbanded.
- The turn over of staff at the council is very high. Most times, it is not certain who exactly is doing what.
- I don't know about the specific program but I have found that it is increasingly difficult to volunteer through Girl Scouts
- I would like to see more of Constant Contact be used as a weekly messaging tool that shoots out to EVERYONE on the list. Many programs are not filled because we have to go looking for something on the web site instead of being fed the information in a constant manner. Much information can be placed on the site instead of just one message at a time. I feel the The Single Point Entry System had deterred new leaders who may want to sign up then get lost, due to no follow up on the council or Service Unit level. It is a better and more complete system but I think we loose leaders when they have to start by all the upfront work to volunteer.
- My phone calls are seldom returned so I need to seek alternate ways to get my questions answered. There is confusion within my service unit that impacts good communications. For example I'm an event director for a specific event and found out i wasn't on the email list regarding this event and changes were bring made without my knowledge (date, time, location). makes me not want to volunteer my time and effort again. Follow up from council is also poor. I was promised a refund of $5 owed to me that never was provided. I stopped asking.
- A lot of staff has changed since re-alignment...it is the volunteers who cannot always get on board, which is hard. It is what it is, and we need to get it together and move forward. We also need to stop re-inventing the wheel...sometimes older ways are tested and DO work better!
- I'm a registered Girl Scout and have said and marked that I would like to volunteer, but have received no communication from council other than general troop stuff. I don't want to be a troop leader, but can help in other ways, helping supervise evening, weekend, or summer events, teaching a skill, etc. I've even told people who work for Girl Scouts when I'm at meetings at the Girl Scout Office that I'm available, but I've never been called. If you have people who are registered and are marked as volunteers, you should be contacting them, not having them repeatedly having to say, I'm here!!! and getting no response.
- Volunteers should be able to expect a same day reply to an emailed question. Sometimes, we have to ask 3 and 4 times, copying emails further up the chain of command until someone gives a basic answer.
- It could use some improvement. Maybe a help line for new members to call with questions would help.
- Our council allowed new troops to do online registration rather than paper registration this year; it has been a disaster for new troops. Not only do they rarely get the online registration done properly, it doesn't allow for the initial relationship building between new leaders, their service unit and their member services executive. It's left a lot of confused new volunteers.
- I am still waiting for volunteers who signed up in October to be processed and given a Troop. Same time line as the last few years.
- We continually have problems with the system, not working, being too cumbersome, not knowing if their information got transferred, their files were lost, the program has changed, the system is down, they can't find where to go, they gave up, etc. For many staff, volunteers and parents PERSONIFY is a dirty nasty word that only infuriates and frustrates. Girl Scout registration should be open, if you're going to use an online system, all year long . It shouldn't have to be re-worked so often that by the time we get web training and wait for it to go online, it's been scrapped for something different. Systems from national shouldn't go online until the smallest council in the most remote area has tested it and has input on the bugs. Those of us not in the tech world need to know our base parents that don't have computers have a way to interact with the system. Aren't we trying to reach ALL girls? Instead of changing programs every 5 or 10 years, we need to provide help to the girls we are trying to serve.
- The biggest problem with communication is that, by design, it functions like a game of Telephone. Word has to get passed from one department at Council through another, to a service unit Comm person, to other service unit volunteers, to troop volunteers. In a time when we are accustomed to instant social network links and multiple touches to get information across -- this is nonsense. It's a stupid way to operate. I'm certain it has lost us many members just because word never reaches them.
- There is a huge disconnect between what we are trying to do (sign up) and those who are able to help us do so. More often than not I am asking for help, and girls are falling through the cracks. It was easier to do it manually.
- Again, my communication with the council in Indiana has been excellent. With the New Jersey council, they are disrespectful.
- This is a huge area in our council. It was so hard for me to find out how to sign up and get trained to be a volunteer. Even worse, before I decided to be a leader I had tried to call my council several times to find out if my daughter was placed. One of the employees at the council SCREAMED at me that I needed to stop calling and that it was too soon in the year. If I hadn't been determined to get my daughter in scouting, that interaction would have ended our attempts to get into scouting.
- If I hadn't had the most amazing GS Leaders and in return know exactly how I want to lead my troop - I would've left years ago and volunteered my time somewhere else.
- thee is a disconnect between council and service units and troops.
- you get people wanting to sign up but the su manger scares them away
- This new system makes it harder to get Volunteers. So much of the work that was done at the council level has fallen to Scout parents who are already overwhelmed by family and work commitments. The are pushing their girls towards sports because it is less of a demand on their time compared to Girl Scouts.
- I have been a volunteer for over 40 years. I used to feel important to the council but now I feel as if I am an un-paid employee of the lowest level. They are going paperless so now I have to prinit the pages I need. All the troops work hard to sell cookies or magazine/nut & candy but we never hear about how much was sold or the number of cases of cookies sent to the service people. We are expected to just do as we are told and not expect any feed back. 2) On the application there should be a place for the new volunteer to state which troop she will be working with, if it is know. It took three weeks for my TCM to get on my troop roster. If I ask a parent volunteer to register with the troop that should be completed in a very timely manner. 3) The staff is doing a great job considering their limited number and the constant turn over.During last year's cookie sale four of the five staff members either quit or were fired. So much got lost in the mix-up that I am surprised council ever got the books right.
- I don't even get email communications any more from the local GS office since staff changed.
- It's difficult to get a reply from GSCNC whenever e-mails were sent, it took average 2-4 days through multiple people before we even hear anything back. That's very disappointing and not very helpful at all.
- I have been a leader for over 20 years and the staff in my council seem to disregard any suggestion I make as "the old way" of doing things. However, we are continually losing girls and leaders. They ask for ideas for recruitments or activities but when I tell them of things we "used to do" that the girls/adults enjoyed they say they want new ideas. I have been told that just because it "has been done that way in the past doesn't make it the right way". I have to say though, if that way worked, and the new way is not, should you really turn up your nose? I helped during recruitments this year but when I asked about where we were in the process of getting them in troops or starting new ones I was told they were handling it. A month of so later several girls are still not in troops.
- I have met so many families who are frustrated with the process, waiting up to a year to find a troop. That's preposterous. It also seems Girl Scouts is working harder to recruit in schools that are more affluent while ignoring those in financially challenged areas.
- I think that our council does a poor job of managing the cookie program. I have written letters about this issue and they have gone un answered. Our council rarely asks for input from the field. Having said that, I am a very outgoing person. When I search out program leads and ask for assistance these folks are very helpful and giving. They often share lesson plans and are sometimes even willing to add more trainings if I can round up enough interested girls.So, my experiences have been very uneven. Mostly, the higher up on the org chart people are, the less responsive they are to the field.
- What's the single point system?
- It's hard to know who to contact with questions any more since staff positions keep changing and department names have changed.
- Overall, I think our Council does a pretty good job. They seem to honestly be trying to foster communications. I wish the job retention was better--the faces change too often. They also seem to be focusing on getting younger women who are hip, stylish, skinny...but who don't know a thing about Scouts.
- Volunteers REALLY like to know they are appreciated. I have never been acknowledged for what I do for 11 years now & neither have been some of closest friends in scouting. The hoops are out of date that one has to go through to appreciate a co volunteer
- Although streamlined, new leaders are not getting enough training so that they understand the Girl Scout Program and philosophy
- The emphasis on volunteers getting more volunteers is ludicrous. At least in our council. Troop leaders who also do all kinds of other roles at the SU level don't have time to do what I believe is "Council's" role. Membership recruiting needs to be done by council with support from leaders not the other way around.
- It does not work. And we go around the back end and bring them in through troops anyway. What is happening is that new leaders do not know enough about other volunteers and getting help when they go through council.
- I have moved several times. I attempted to stay involved in Scouting, but I found it difficult after I moved away from my home Council. It was almost like trying to break into a clique. After becoming an Educator, I didn't seek additional responsibilities with youth outside of my church. I think there are lots of former Scouts who would continue their membership, but don't know how? There is no communication with former scouts and no campaign to identify us or seek us out for support or involvement. Now that my children are raised, I would love to work in a camp..but the camp I love the most does not offer summer program. It is just there for troop camping. It is far too great of a facility to not be utilized more. Most schools in our area have or are moving to "Balanced Calendar" I would love to see camp sessions available during the Fall break and the Spring break. Get the girls supervised, challenged, and build positive qualities, instead of leaving them unsupervised while parents are at work and leaving them vulnerable to experimentation with things that will prove to be barriers to positive self esteem and fulfillment of their potential.
- I started out as a troop leader, then a cookie chairman, then treasurer, and finally, once my daughter bridged to Cadette, I felt able to pull her out of her troop, which had other leaders that avoided camping and science. I kept her in it for so long because it is very difficult to join a new troop, but was extremely unhappy in that one.
- 10 years ago I started as a leader with little communication from our council as staff turnover there was a huge problem and programming was minimal. With the realignment came hope of more money and more programming, and while that is true on paper in reality with the larger area to service, programming gets filled up ridiculously quick and my troop was often shut out. As far as staff communication, there is still some major turnover and many staff members still seem to be struggling to understand their new positions and/or new guidelines making my job as a volunteer difficult to navigate with the. The new rules seem to micromanage me as a leader, but not with practicality or flexibility I need as a volunteer . There are also several staff members that have visited our Community meetings who have neither been a Girl Scout, nor a leader and cannot relate to what we try to tell them. They view their position as a manager telling staff what the company line is and not with compassion for us volunteers trying to navigate all of the changes and still create a positive experience for the girls. I feel even more confused and abused as a leader nowadays then I did when I first started.
- I have no idea what the Single Point Entry system is - is it implemented at GSWISE? Because it was a nightmare for me to officially get involved as a volunteer. I filled out the online form in September 2012, and then I didn't hear anything for a month, and then I kind of ended up starting to volunteer before I heard anything back, and I got my e-mail confirming my volunteer status in February 2013, I think. I was so confused when I finally heard back that I called the council to see if there was something I was supposed to do or if they had resubmitted my information recently. I was told that their system had just gotten hung up, I think. I also had a problem because I changed my name when I was married, so I had multiple entry lines in the database. This took months to resolve, and I still have some issues with multiple communications sent to me - as an alumna with my maiden name to my childhood home, and as a current volunteer with my married name to my current home. I find that I feel valued by individual employees at the council, but not by the council in general. I also get the sense that the council doesn't appreciate the staff that I know who go above and beyond. I have not had an issue with feeling devalued because I am at a point where I could take Girl Scouts or leave it. I don't have daughters, and I'm not sure that I want them to be Girl Scouts if I do ever have them. I do have older friends, other volunteers, who have expressed serious frustration with lack of communication and lack of appreciation from the council. I get too many mass e-mails from GSWISE and GSUSA, and there is very rarely information that I care about. I would prefer that a lot of this information be disseminated to me via social media or on the GSWISE website so that I can access the whole history at one time and decide if anything is important, rather than getting an e-mail every week with a lot of information that I'm not interested in.
- Other than help being welcomed at camp, volunteer offers have seldom been accepted. Even basic help with cookie sorting, badge resource assistance ( I am an RN who also volunteers routinely with a therapy dog organization) has not been accepted.
- I have signed up for alumni email lists from my camp so many times, and the council never follows through, or I will get one email and then not hear from them again until they need money or are putting together a new list. Also, last year when they had "town hall" meetings about Camp Tahigwa, it was clear they were not interested in hearing opinions. This was obvious not only in the questions asked but also in the leader who asked us to chant "there will always be camping in Girl Scouts." It was bizarre.
- I' ve never heard of the Single Point Entry system.
- I will be honest. I have been a lifetime member of Girl Scouts for a very long time. This is my 40th year in Girl Scouting. I was very active as a trainer, and held many other roles across all aspects of Girl Scouting. I am not active any longer and feel badly about this. I am not active because I have been so disillusioned about the direction Girl Scouting went with the merge of New Hampshire and Vermont. In Vermont I was valued. During the merge I was told that I knew too much and was told to not share my voice. Basically not only was I told we don't want you but we want you out. I used to earmark my United Donations to Girl Scouts. I don't do that any longer. I can't and feel good about it. It is sad because I believe Girl Scouts made me the woman I am now. It was always my goal to give back to Girl Scouts and maybe help at least one girl have the same experience I had. I have no children but yet I volunteered for over 30 years.
- The member associates and everyone are spread way to thin. They have big areas to cover. Sometimes it is nice to be able to stop by a service center for a chat, to share ideas and to get excited about scouting. It is hard to do that with limited office hours that don't always work with my schedule. Not that anyone has not been able to help me, just a nice thing.
- The staff seem to see the volunteers as paid staff. They expect too much and help very little. They seem to forget that we are volunteers and treat us as workers. We almost never have phone calls and e-mails returned. When calling with a question, we get passed around or answered far to vaguely to be beneficial. I have had the occasion where I was told that I "had" to do something. My gut reaction was or what, get fired? It was something that was time consuming and time is something that I have very little of due to being a troop leader. All this being said, it is just the a few that tend to treat us this way. Others are very helpful and appreciative. However, not many return phone calls and e-mails which can be very frustrating. It also seems as though it is a very rare occasion that someone is actually available to help with questions therefore no need to return phone calls or e-mails.
- Never hear a word from council.....only from current volunteers who were active while I was on staff....
- GS websites are hard to use and then have to follow up with emails to council make things impossible. Getting started as a leader take months and is almost I possible- we almost have up.
- I don't know what single entry is? We have very limited onboarding, it's a one and done thing, there's no follow up program. I have no idea if/how this is working and I'm on SU board. Council does not have strong ties to our SUs that are in the suburbs. Most efforts and outreach are all in Nashville (city) so we get what they decide. Council seems very 3rd person to our SU and troops.
- Overall, our council does have a representative that comes to our SU meetings. She does a fantastic job of responding to our questions and following up to point us in the right direction. As far as recommendations that may be made, it feels as if her hands are tied and that nothing really goes through or the reason why. She has never said this, just comes across that way.
- In this area, there are major gaps. Everyone assumes online options are best, but many in our area either have limited or no access to computers or are computer illiterate. This is really impacting our inclusiveness and is alienating lower socio-economic families, who often need these opportunities the most.
- Not sure what the SPES is exactly, but common complaints heard from new members are that they submitted a request or registered online and never heard back from Council. I think this may be partly related to reduced/overwhelmed staff, however....
- New leaders need to get essential training for running their troops as soon as possible. I like the 'This is GS" overview. That helps everyone. New leaders need not just the financial but outdoor and first aid training. These trainings need to be offered regularly and this is an area that I feel should be offered to volunteers free of charge. Eliminate obstacles to volunteering and having well trained leaders.
- again, lack of leadership at our council. in the three years i've been with this council, it seems they've reorganized themselves five or six times - there is no communication within the staff organization at the council office- so they rarely effectively communicate with our service unit/leaders.
- I still don't think there is enough training or information available on what all of these programs are and what they do.
- as with all communication you need to make things happen for your self and be persistent and you will get answers
- I feel appreciated on a service unit level but often feel changes at council or higher often don't work. I also feel that there is a lack if organizational or administrative skill at council or higher. It's very frustrating for the volunteers to deal with the various issues that result from this.
- The user interface needs clearly defined. I work extensively with online platforms and websites and still find myself taking tons of precious time to try to remember the correct steps. It needs to be easier and more obvious. Or we need to be able to turn in our paperwork and checks like before.
- It was a horrible mess in our area. It took place literally weeks before Fall sign ups. So many girls paid on line and never got into a troop. Recruitments were a shambles with little support from council because they didnt have people in place and properly trained in time. Turn over in employment in our council for the following months kept us out of the loop on who was our assigned coord. We were at a loss at who or what was going on. It feels like we were not taken into consideration when decisions have been made on timing of this and our needs. It doesnt feel like it was truly for the volunteers and girls. So much has been changed and the communication is horrible.So many of the employees left for other jobs...it was like a mass exodus. THat is very telling...
- Internet access is a problem in our area. I am CST manager and have volunteers & girls without troop numbers. It seems an act of congress this year to get new troops organized!!! Very frustrating.
- I don't even know what this is. And I am a Service Unit Coordinator... Just finding volunteers is our biggest challenge.
- I have been a Girl Scout since I was seven. I am 65 now. I am happy to be a Lifetime Member and was also a paid executive for ten years; I was recruited to conduct a training class at the regional training for new staff members. Girl Scouting so heavily influenced my life, I can't measure it. I have been in MT for 30+ years now and local troops had me come for speaking engagements during my tenure as Director of the Humane Assoc. But the council and program doesn't know I exist.
- Not only do I feel that communication has not improved, I feel that our council communication is worse than before the 4 council merger. Too much importance is placed on being one council when it is more than 4 1/2 hours from one end of the council to the other. Very few troops/girls are able to attend activities outside of their local region. While there are many opportunities in my regional area, some of the areas seem to be grossly neglected. The majority of the activities communicated over social media are all in our southern communities. If there are adequate activities in the northern regions, they are not well communicated throughout the council social media sites. Looking at our program opportunities guide, I see many activities in my region, but very few offerings in the 2 northern regions. I would like to take my older troop to activities in other areas of my council, but there are not many worth the 4 hour drive. I can only imagine that those who live in those areas must be frustrated. I also think that, with this latest council redesign, there is much less importance placed on training and supporting our leaders. There are fewer trainings being offered and while we do have online trainings, new leaders don't get the person to person support they need from a qualified 'expert' trainer who can give them ideas and suggestions. Many new leaders can't make it to service unit meetings and even then may not have enough opportunity to get questions answered as sometimes there are many people trying to get questions answered by just a few people.
- New volunteers need more face to face support from experienced leaders. Communication from my Council is limited to an irregular emailed newsletter and occasional email reminders to sign up for various trainings. Leader meetings similar to Service Unit meetings were flat out discouraged.
- I notice a lack of follow-up with new volunteers who are not proactive about pursuing the training they need themselves. Some new leaders in my area are slipping through without adequate training and support because it does not appear that they are being tracked for fulfilling their obligations to complete appropriate training as leaders.
- I encouraged two bi-lingual younger women to sign up to be leaders in a disadvantaged area. 4 months later, they still had no troop and lost interest.
- I've never heard the term, I train new leaders to our service unit. It is very overwhelming because the volunteers do all the work to recruit & train new leaders.
- I joined as a leader two years ago and the process of starting was next to impossible. A simple timeline with a list of who to contact at each step in the process is crucial.
- I'm not sure what system is being referred to but getting my troop up and running this wasn't the easiest task. Need to also transfer training from one council to another easily.
- Needs to be a new leader checklist with contacts, it took me over a month to open an account and i have an mba! Useless training as well, needs an uptick in professionalism, and more resources , i live in washington dc and there isnt a website with the vendors who provide programatic assistance. I have had to call around myself and get lists from other troops
- I don't even know what the the single point entry system is. Our council rarely responds to emails or voice mails.
- I don't see any recruitment of volunteers happening. I think this needs to be a focus, too! The program is only as good as the volunteers running it.
- Our council and my County/area (Wake 18) do a great job with communications.
- For Leaders, online training or webinar type meetings would be great. It's not always easy to be at meetings. Having online training opportunities would be great.
- Even as a current and returning volunteer, I was extremely frustrated with the system.
- Service Unit Meetings are one way, Here are my ideas, no sharing may be due to time. Journey training is lacking, my guess is because you are supposed to be on the journey to invent the journey as you go. There may not be any hard requirements so you don't really understand when a girl has earned an award. If you define the requirements and a girl misses a meeting, it takes just as much time to make up a missed meeting on paper and the girls most of the time don't do it so now you've doubled your time and for nothing. Now that journeys have been around for a while searching on the internet and participating in yahoo groups has helped. This is very time consuming. Again either you can slap something together or take the time to do it right, and I found I just didn't have the time that it took with the results I was getting from today's girls.
- Communication is virtually nonexistent since the merger.
- In general I feel that communication in my council is good. However, I have been a volunteer in the council a long time and can know who to ask. Sometimes there is turnover in the most direct service unit council communication positions (membership specialists I think is the term) and that makes it hard to know who to contact or at least matching a name with a face.
- My Service Unit is very appreciative. However, any input / suggestions for change seems to stop at the next higher level (i.e. Council staff).
- volunteers do most of the adult recruiting, sheparding through the application process, and the initial training
- I signed up to be a Girl Scout leader only because I could not get my daughter in a troop and couldn't get any cooperation from the Council, despite the fact that she was on a waiting list. The membership director at the time (name removed) was great, but she left and we felt like we were on our own starting our troop. Since then, there have been a few membership directors. I think this position should be required to have the person stay and commit to more than a year. I do like that the Junior and Brownies have their own directors now.
- As a former staff member and current training facilitator it takes me forever to get responses from many of the departments in our council. Our team had a commitment to answering and or responding to all questions within 24 hours. Today it sometimes takes months at a time and repeated requests for answers and information. If volunteer has volunteered to carry out a program should not spend more time trying to get answers in order to prepare for the event. That happens too often here. I currently do not volunteer for events and activities, only first aid and CPR classes.
- We have some wonderful staff members, but they are vastly overburdened. If it is not urgent, we are pretty much on our own.
- I have personally witnessed membership events where three key staff members all told potential new members a different way to sign up and be engaged, but there was no accountability for any one staff member to re-connect with the new member or her family once they registered. Leaves a bad taste in a new members mouth.
- In my opinion Service Unit Registration Coordinators should have access to an online system containing information on their county's members. It should be linked to our council office and should allow registration coordinators the ability to have a place to ensure volunteers are approved, registered, and up-to-date on training's. Currently, I have to wait for an email from someone at council stating the adult is approved, then I have to wait for the adult to register and another email to come through, then I have to wait and see if another email comes through confirming they have completed training/s. Or I have to contact someone at the Council Office and see if they can track down information on a prospective volunteer. I believe allowing registration coordinators access to an online database that council oversees would alleviate wasted time and hardship concerning adult registrations.
- We are regularly unsure as to when troop meetings will occur and notices of cancelled meetings or extracurricular activities are not sent out in a timely manner. The parent group is exclusive to new parents and often dismiss their feedback.
- Re: Do you feel valued as a member/volunteer? I attempted to continue as a volunteer, but we had moved and the new council wasn't interested because they didn't know me. Re: Do you feel that your opinions and ideas are actively listened to and followed-up on in your council? Like any organization, GS Council have to balance resources. I had an internal champion who was my "go to" person to get things done. Together, we figured out how to accomplish the results within the constraints of the system. This is no different than working with any organization and requires a collaborative approach.
- I and many members became delegates to express our concerns. The board and staff went out of their way to make phone calls to other members to discourage them to vote for us. I had a friend play me a recording on her answering machine as a paid staff member told her that I and others were not good candidates and were only interested in our issues. At meetings, we were not allowed to ask questions or bring up valid points about the decision making process. I tried for three years before I and many others could make a bigger impact in our community through other organizations.
- As with all communication, it comes down to people. My service unit (Byram, Netcong, Stanhope) happens to have an excellent troop organizer/registrar (name removed) who follows up and supplements the council communications. She helps to provide our new leaders/volunteers with everything they need to make sign up simple and streamlined. However, not every service unit has a (name removed), and I don't know how we'd manage without her.
- Pick up the phone and call new volunteers to help them understand the opportunities available and what roles are available.
- I don't think the single point entry system is implemented in our council. We still have live trainers.
- i know we have a terrible time finding volunteers
- The registrar at my former SU purposely told leaders not to inform me (a troop leader) of the havoc on scout created in another troop. Said registrar also purposefully delayed forming a much needed troop, and did nothing to promote new troops forming. (I was no the SU team last year, and know this for a fact). Forming troops, recruiting leaders and adding new members needs to be completely handled by a dedicated, paid staff member. No "ifs", "ands", or "buts" about this. Tie it to someone's salary, and recruitment will have much better results. And DO NOT have a current staffer try to support this, in addition to some other job for which they were hired. As I stated earlier, this needs to be a dedicated position for each county (I'm in a large metropolitan area).
- Communication between me and my local membership specialist is excellent. Communication between me and the council as a whole is not so great. I find it hard to communicate concerns.
- (name removed) is wonderful as the head of our council. she and her team are enthusiastic and VERY organized and cannot be nicer to work with.I say this of our former (name removed) as well :)
- never heard of this
- I think it is hard for staff to invest themselves i communication when they are fearing for their jobs/ in a hostile work environment.
- Many communications are made during meetings and times when staff is busy. There is no tracking system for the ideas that come into council. I'll bring things up and I'm told it's a "good idea", but then they forget about it. There's not enough staff to do what is required now, much less look to make improvements in the future. Surveys only go out to support what is currently being done.
- Our Girl Scouts go door to door selling cookies during January blizzards in order for the council employees to deliver a substandard program, not follow the law - not responsible for what they say or do, plus be disrespectful to scouts who seek answers to their questions. GSNNJ's flag was higher than the United States of America's flag. When this problem was pointed out, the EMPLOYEE said, "So what." I do not believe she was referring to the journey. Our council's program delivery and response to the volunteers and scouts is so very poor, that many of the parents and leaders have approached council employees and have VOLUNTEERED their time to help put the grossest of problems to right. We are refused. Instead attempts are made to placate us saying, "We are working on it." "We have paid professionals to do that job." The troops numbering system is a poor smokescreen to mask the great attrition rate directly linked to poor programming, poor council support, plus poor Gold Award management thus having the girls disgustedly drop out of the program. From where will the enthusiastic camp counselors and future leaders come? Where are the troop drop reports indicating reasons for leaving the program? Why am I on hold with GSUSA for extended periods of time? Two weeks ago after 1 hour and 20 minutes, I had to end the call due to prior commitments. Other times spent on hold has been similarly disappointing.
- Websites are an area of concern for both councils I interact with. Websites need to be more user-friendly and easy to navigate. Online registration is another issue that has been causing problems in my local council.
- Since adopting Willie Pietersen's "Strategic Learning" philosophy, GSUSA has become impersonal; adopted a stance of vicious competitiveness; has become profit-driven; tone-deaf to the desires of its members; dictatorial and repressive of free speech of its members; and has shelved everything that Juliet Gordon Low established, including honesty, self-reliance and woodsmanship. Because council CEO's are required to be trained in the same philosophy cult, the same problems are repeated in the microcosm of the Council level, leading to disgust, dissatisfaction, and attrition in membership. Get a clue and stop hiring non Girl Scouts from the business corporate world and go back to what made Girl Scouting great in the mind of the public.
- I find it easy to communicate with people, but they are often unresponsive or can't help me. It sometimes takes too long for staff to respond. Getting started with the process was pretty easy. The training needs to be much better.
- There seems to be a disconnect between the online registration system and our local contact. She still requires a hard copy signature for volunteers. Also we had a really bad experience with the background checks - we had a parent get flagged and we were not contacted until after we asked about it 2 months later. Really poor communication on their part.
- I have not heard of the Single Point Entry System for volunteers.
- GSEP has moved away from personal contact to a rigid decision to ONLY accept computer registration. They have also made a contract with a for-profit company to perform criminal-background & child-abuse clearances...requiring social security #s to be entered on-line. No other clerances will be accepted. Long time volunteers are now being forced to either stop working with children in overnight situations, or go against common safety practices by publishing our soc. security #s on line.
- Replies to emails and phone calls have been delayed but I know this is because of lack of staff
- We are in the process at GSNCA of improving communication. We have a new board who really listens to concerns and tries to help. Once a new CEO is in place, we hope the progress continues.
- I am a trainor, SU Member, and troop leader. It is VERY difficult to get a new volunteer/leader through the system in a timely manner.
- I'm not exactly sure what the "single point entry system" is. eBiz??
- I have troops visit my GS collection three times a week for much of the year. I have been doing this for more then 25 years. These troops come from all different areas of our council and even from neighboring councils. In resent years I have been shocked that leaders didn't seem to be trained at all. Now, it doesn't surprise me, many ,many leaders don't even have the basics down. Some have made up their own program because they don't like and/or don't understand the current program. You would be surprised at how many troops just don't earn anything at all. Combine that with the fact that no sort of uniform is warn, I wonder how they are even a GS troop. Some troops don't even give the girls Brownie wings or membership stars.
- We are forgetting that volunteers are doing this for FREE and for their child/children- and we are IGNORING THEM. Training online?!?!? Programs from a book??? Sign up (PAY YOUR MONEY) and IF there's a troop, your daughter will get in... but maybe they can just read a book and earn things... ARGH!! SHAME ON YOU!
- The communication in my service unit is deplorable! Information is not supplied in a timely manner. Meetings are poorly attended by troop leaders. Events are planned at the last minute and unorganized (not all, it depends on who is planning them). I want my girls to remain in scouting, but is is very frustrating as a troop leader. I do not feel that Girl Scouts support their leaders and that is why there is such a frequent turn over of leaders. No one seems to know what is going on!
- I have no clue what the Single Point Entry System is. Is it the training system? Online is good--content is horrid & mostly irrelevant.
- I've never heard of the Single Point Entry System. My unit volunteer coordinator is AWESOME at communicating with the leaders in town.
- I feel like my immediate supports - Membership Specialists are hearing our concerns, but they have no control over program issues - which are my main concern - which is the girls main concern.
- I have had some issues trying to get my 19 year old signed up as a leader. Just realized we've been waiting 2 months so going to contact someone higher up to get it resolved and have Noe talked to for not responding to his emails. Also, when I was a leader for my older daughters troop I had went through over 32 hours worth of training, which was well worth it, but the troop disbanded and when I came back to be a leader for my younger daughter a couple years later I was told I would have to redo everything, which is upsetting that none of that previous training counts, especially since the new training is terrible compared to how it was before.
- Communication needs improvement.
- The website is not user friendly. It's too much work and turns people off
- As a trained leader who move into the area, I had to wait for 2 months for them to even start trying to move on my training. And despite my repeatedly telling them I didn't want to run my own troop, they NEVER DID find a troop for me. I found my own troop and joined. Very disappointing. If I hadn't already had such a love for Girl Scouts and already been a leader, I would have dropped from the program.
- I think having a master list of everyone phone #'s and e-mails would be helpful instead of having to hunt them down when when we need them. when I find them and contact them everyone has gone out of their way to be helpful.
- I use to love hearing what troop's throughout the council were doing on a bi-monthly basis before the re-alignment. The girls also miss the magazine this refers to. If you are unfamiliar with it this publication was free. It featured different troops covering each of the age levels. The write up would have a group photo, story of what they've done and favorite part of being a scout. There was also a leader section with Q and A of different things they have done or how they went about doing something. A third section (and as a leader my favorite) provided a list of all GS related activities in the area including council organized field trips, badge earning workshops and troop money earning activities as well. The final section of the magazine (actually scattered throughout) had individual girl provided pictures with short captions describing favorite GS moments.
- Our council had communication issues even before realignment; realignment only amplified what was already broken.
- online BLT should be avail 24 hrs not just specific days
- There's not enough communication of recruitment. Not enough push in our school
- First, let me say how much I hate COMAR. It has only worked one time cor me in all the times I have needed to use it. The helpdesk is great, unfortunately I have talked to them so often I feel like I know them. Second, if it weren't for a Girl Scout volunteers FB page I would not know about o it many of the different activities that my girls would enjoy participating in. So, I think communication could definitely improve. Even between service units it could improve greatly.
- Much better this time around.
- Research shows that the best way to get people to volunteer is to talk to them face-to-face. We are getting fewer leaders registering because they don't have to come to a registration night to sign their daughter up. Our council has a 3-hour face-to-face training, but often the new leaders have 5 hours of questions.
- Training could be more in-depth.
- My disappointments with GSUSA are related to the new Journeys and badge packets and have little to do with Council.
- Sadly, i'm too new as a volunteer to answer much of this; as a former girl scout, however, I have seen a drastic decline in the program that saddens me.
- When I became a leader 3 years ago, I really felt very lost and didn't know where to go for more information or even what the first steps would be. I hope the new system is better for new volunteers.
- Our council's problem is they cannot follow the "Be Honest" part of our GS Law. After finding out by chance how the money that was promised to our area after the sale of our camp and our Service Center was going to be used in two other areas I requested a meeting with council. When it was first set up I was told to invite all volunteers to which I did. Today I received a message telling me it was just for my service unit. Crazy part of this is our city is split in have and we have 2 service units. Why would our CEO, COO, CFO, members of the board come all the way from Dallas to only talk with half our town. They know what they promised us with the proceeds of the sales but hoped everyone had forgotten. I didn't forget and as Historian I kept all documentation of what they said. If they has just met with us and talked about it but they are so deceitful.
- Some staff suck at ow through and call backs.
- There isn't enough person to person training for new volunteers to understand what they need to do. There isn't timely follow-up from staff to the volunteers trying to ensure the information is corrected. The volunteers are spending way more time that the staff members to get information correct.
- communication is zero and when connected with concerns the council staff did not response effectively and were downright nasty. They did not even follow own policies regarding issues.
- New leaders are coming to us not knowing even the basics - they are being taught nothing about their local service unit - or Community - since local Community members are no longer involved in recruitment, training, or placement. Council does not know each Community intimately and does not know what is best for each individual area.
- Training should not be limited to a few times a year. Communications should go out to all volunteers and not rely on a chain of command. Some leaders/volunteers only send out what they think needs to be passed on and not all communications.
- There have quite a few times I have had to resend emails for a few times before getting a reply. Also for the last 2 years council went to 1 sum meeting for all of the towns and it was a mess since you could not discuss programs and issues. Since I ended my Sum position they went back to 6 smaller meetings. I hope it is better
- Not sure that this is in effect for GSCM as in addition to my SU working to recruit girls we are also recruiting their adults to be leaders, TCM, and fill other positions so ..... Once we get them then they need to be background checked and trained which takes time but is also critical for the safty of the girls and to retain what "Girl Scout traditions" that still remain as these folks get started with new troops and girls.
- As I have been a Girl Scout for 38 years, communication is not an issue for me. However I have noticed new leaders whom seem lost with the lingo and sometimes do not find a leader mentor to help guide them. Those of us who do offer to help meet some resistance because new leaders are already overwhelmed and seem lost in the system.
- I did renew my membership briefly a few years ago in order to assist a local leader with a presentation. I was a little surprised how onerous the membership process has become.
- I've never heard of the single Pont entry system.
- I haven't even heard of this system, and we had two new volunteers signing up this year.
- I just rejoined last year as a volunteer so have no experience with realignment. I also just moved to a new Council and don't know what to expect here. I do know that someone at Council dropped the ball and it's taken my daughter and I over a month to get any information about how to find a troop. I contacted them in early December and all I got was "well, you can Juliette." She home schools and Girl Scouts is where we make friends. I think the Councils are too big.
- We used to have awards banquets where we would be recognized for our years in service and the amount we volunteer. Now we are treated as if they don't want us around at all.
- I have never heard of the Single Point Entry System. But new leaders need to have training opportunities as soon as possible. Trainings can NOT be canceled.
- I feel like there's information that is not being shared about closing camps and why. Just be honest about it, why keep it a secret.
- We had a lot of new troops start - but I think that had to do with our council's employee (who was FROM our town) and was GREAT! However, she got fired because she was too outspoken for what we needed as troop leaders. It was a total shame. The new lady was nice but completely clueless as to what troop leaders do. She only lasted a year. We do not have a new membership person yet. They only seem to last about 12 - 18 months.
- Our SU leader does recognitions for leaders, not council.
- There is little to no communication and it is delayed and there is a preference to the original part and offhand feel to the newer part
- I don't feel our local staff know what is going on in the overall area of Girl Scouts or if they do they do not pass the information on.
- The daily communications that I get are about sales in the council shops -- But did not get adequate communication about council merging into mega council, camp surveys, camp closures, etc...
- I hate the way this is handled. Your encouraged to come to these sign up for Girl Scouts meetings and bring your children. You get them all excited and then get there realizing that there isn't room unless you become a leader. I did in fact become a leader, but this just isn't feasible for everyone. This can be very disappointing to some of the children and parents.
- (name removed) is an excellent communicator at GSNEO. As a delegate- Initially I met with a board member over coffee and tried to ask her how we could bridge the rift between the Board's decision to sell our camps and the members. This inspired me to run for a delegate position. For the last two years I fought for the will of my constituents. The Board did not honor a resolution made by tho voting members of the General Assembly. How can you respect a Board who does not follow their own Code of Regulations? Investigate this for yourself. I thought I could help build a bridge only to find out that the will of the dues paying members were not valued or respected.
- To my knowledge, my council doesn't use this.
- Online registration for girls and adult volunteers is a nightmare for rural areas where we do NOT have high speed internet.
- The time is essential in signing up volunteers - Our area has very few and when one is interested it is very important to get them signed up as quick as possible to keep them interested and help them get started. I've already seen 2 volunteers that lost interest when our council failed to contact them within a MONTH. A MONTH!!! What do they think these people will do in a month - sign up for a sport or dance... other activities come up often and they know this but still delay communication.
- It takes us almost 3 months to get a member identified and trained. It takes us to 2 months to get them background screened. The process requires a lot of volunteer effort to help get the troop up and running. It would be better if some of the load could be handled by council staff.
- We have lost communication. E-mail, facebook, twitter etc do not replace personal contact. GS is all about relationships. To build and bond - you need activities that strength group need.
- I don't know how communication is first hand, I have heard from other volunteers and staff that it hasn't improved. I know it was abysmal when I was a volunteer.
- We hear a lot from council at the beginning. getting enrollment up. Then poof they are gone. Leaving volunteering to figure it out. deal with angry parents because council took their money and we still 1/7/14 do not have a current enrollment roster. year is half over and many girls are not placed in troops.
- The amount of training for new volunteers has significant decreased and this has resulted in newer leaders not knowing many of the Girl Scout guidelines, safety checkpoints, rules, traditions, etc. This can cause a breach between newer GS leaders and older ones.
- Many staff members wear many hats that sometimes projects or people get left by the wayside.
- By my observation of this year's registration process I believe that my service unit improved the process over how it was handled the past 2 years.
- As a Service Unit Manager I am expected to not only deal/straighten out all of the registrations for our leaders and girls, but I am also responsible for training them. Council provides a small booklet and Leadership training...not "real world" how do I run a meeting etc...if they are tech savvy they can read the Volunteer Manual, but most are not even aware of it. The old training under Penn Lakes was more personal, streamlined and comprehensive.
- There are a lot of people in my area that don't have computers or computer access. This makes communication by computer totally impossible. Council's comments are that they can go somewhere and get it. "They need to enter the 21st century." (this was an actual quote from members of executive staff. I was in a meeting with many others when this was said. It immediately "turned off" several volunteers who were present. Communication is awful.
- As a Service Unit Manager, I would love to have access to the registration system instead of always going through my membership manger, who is often overwhelmed.
- I didn't know this even existed... I filled out a form and a questionnaire..
- In our area communication is @ an all time low. Last year two of our cookie booths were tripled booked. This year I can't even find out who to talk to about certain booths. I can't even find out when our next SU meeting is!
- This is January 2014. In our Service Unit we have a new volunteer that expressed interest in being a Troop Leader back in August 2013 and she is still waiting to start her troop, finish the required training and find a Co-Leader. No council support to help her find a Co-Leader. Council is not supporting outlying areas (farther away from council offices) very well at all. We are left to our own resources and communication between our assigned staff member to our area and our council offices is very poor.
- I have been volunteering and didn't even know there was a single point of entry system!
- As a Service Unit Manager I am not overly happy with the slow pace we have getting the new volunteers set up and ready. So my service unit is taking a proactive roll and making sure our new volunteers are getting everything they need. It has been a struggle with this past fall the start of these Launch Parties which drew away from traditional recruitment nights in our area really confused lots of people and made it harder for us to get our new troops rolling. I did my regular recruitment night and we started 3 new troops that night but I think the Launch parties are a way to sign up more girls and up their numbers without really getting the girls into the traditional troops that most are seeking.
- I am thankful, our CEO held townhall meetings in the various areas. I think that helps. I talked with volunteers in another council, and they have no idea who their CEO, much less what is going on in there council.
- i recently had a co leader that wanted to start her on troop, council keep telling her to go to a bank and open a account. 1: she didn't have a troop #. 2: she needed another person on the account. 3: she couldn't find a location. in our county we are a hour drive away from council, so not all of the programs that they offer for activities our parents don't want to travel. we have asked for more programs closer, but they don't respond. we had troop leaders quitting due to no help from council. we currently only have 4 good troops and two of them are the same leader. we have girls interested, but not enough troops for them.
- With the availability of training via the web, we've seen a drop in those new members attending the service unit meetings and then participating in the service unit events, even with a reach out from the SU director and leader mentor. It's hard to teach that value when you loose the face to face training and orientation.
- Some of these we're hard add for me to answer. I retired this Fall after 35 years as a Professional staff member so I lived most of the changes. My personal opinion is that Girl Scouts have lost that personal touch. In the council I worked in they got rid of the receptionist so when people came inn they had to ring a bell and hope someone came to the front to help them. Volunteers hated it. Also if you called you did not get a real person and had to just through hoops to find someone to help you if you did not know who to talk to. I have moved and visited the local council where I moved to to volunteer but every one was away at a meeting and now two months later no one has yet to contact me. I will persist but I know others would probably just walk away.
- The current administration at GSUSA under (name removed) is trying to correct the damage done by previous administrations. They seldom listened to what we volunteers said, believed they knew Hebrew than those of us in the field, and wasted millions of dollars on endless trips to Macy or GSUSA for some kind of training or meeting that could have been handled via webinar or more localized training.
- I am a Council Trainer and I never heard of "The Single Point Entry System". What does that tell you about "COMMUNICATION"?
- This was frustrating this year. I hope it's easier and smoother next year.
- I was Organizer/Recruiter for my town for 8 years up until last year. I truly believe there is no better way to do this than to talk to people about volunteering. This is time consuming but very effective. I have a big problem with GSEM's communication method. I truly feel that it is all one way - council to volunteer. If you have a question email, they will answer you and that is good, but everything is very impersonal. I used to know the council employees and what they did, now, everything is just an email. Besides driving to the council office and standing in the lobby and asking questions, if I didn't get an email answer or agree with the email answer and want to talk with someone about it, I wouldn't know what to do. Areas of council such as "outdoor programming", "programming", "training" etc... should have open meetings that volunteers could attend and give input. We are the ones spending time with the girls and I think council is loosing site of that.
- Since it is nearly impossible to get any followup on any question, and this is in the last 3 councils I've been involved with, I have pretty much given up on trying to volunteer. I want answers to questions about the local council BEFORE i volunteer and this system does not allow this.
- Our Council has not implemented a Single Point of Entry System and our current system still needs work.
- At the camp level yes they are very nice. Troop level No. If you do something it is stepping on someones toes.
- The first thing that comes to mind is “What Communications?” Seriously, when our council announced that one of the camps will be closing, they stated that they spent a couple of years scrutinizing, discussing, evaluating, and meeting before coming to the decision to close. Really? We heard NOTHING about this until the decision had been made. This is a prime example of how the communication has deteriorated. All the correspondence we receive covers upcoming events, programs, patches, and fund raising. Pretty much where the business end is concerned, the general feeling conveyed to us is ‘it’s none of your business’.
- We are losing leaders because of lack of communication from Council. I feel that my Council is afraid to require trainings of troop leaders because we are so short in support to begin with but I think it is hurting us in the end. Leaders are feeling lost. And we have a SUPER high turn over rate of paid staff so no one really knows who to call or forms bonds.
- I felt when I joined that there was not enough training. It was suggested that we attend Leadership Essentials, but never listed as a requirement. We were left to flounder with no support. Training is not always offered consistently. I recently helped a new Troop get started and they were left to wonder if there paperwork had been received, since checks were not cashed in a timely manner. Our Council is going to online sign-up so hopefully this will speed the process. Again, I am involved in Cub Scouts, so their registration and renewal process is easier. I get a receipt when I drop off applications. At GSCTX I did not. And there is no way for me to check to know if a parent has registered or had the CBC. These are things I could follow-up with my parents on, but am not able.
- I just volunteered last year and have never heard AF this single point entry system. I got an hour sit down with an employee for my training. I was so overwhelmed I almost quit. I had to fight to learn about official trainings and meetings. I am still quite lost and don't know where to turn. I don't know what training will help me or if they are even offered. HELP ME!
- I'm brand new, started in September 2013, I have never heard of this system, and I had to look up trainings in my area to signup for. If I wasn't involved with Boy Scouts, I would have probably never looked into trainings.
- NO MORE EMAILS FROM THE GSUSA SHOP. I want email about program, opportunities, what's new. Staff has one single job - communicate with the individuals that are hands on with the girls. This is not the 1950's there is no excuse for a poorly done website or having any policy / rule / training not posted and easily accessible by leaders.
- I have had several issues with girls transferring from there old troops and into mine, (older girls level) We have had problems getting there funds transferred into our troop and I am not receiving the support from council on this process.
- Being a former School Organizer, I still believe you need personal, hands-on (sometimes hand-holding) to get people involved. Lots of TLC needed to bring people in!!!
- The feedback I have from troop parents is that the overall level of communication from council is too much. They feel highly spammed. They'd prefer messages were sent topically, and that there were options to "opt in" or "opt out" from different types of communication.
- Some email correspondence is unprofessional. Staff should be reminded how to write an email, treat volunteers with respect, etc.
- every council should have online training
- It is greatly improved from a few years ago, however it is still too difficult to navigate. It should be very easy for new volunteers to get signed up, complete their training, and get their troops running. It think this is a major hurdle for many new leaders and several give up before getting started.
- I don't know when the realignment occurred. This is my 9th year as an adult member, and my first as a non-leader. As a Service Unit Registrar, my job has become very easy. However, with the on-line registration start-up in 2010, I spent at least 250 hours, in 9 months, working as a Registrar. Now, it is more like 10 hours a month - at the most.
- I feel like Service UNit members respond rapidly to emails. It's hard to get Volunteers/Leaders/Parents to read and respond. I wish we could develop an email system for Girl Scouts, so LEADERS would have an @gsusa email account, and it would feel more official.
- Staff at my council have their phones on voice mail exclusively. I have never once been able to call them - I either have to email or leave messages. Also the registration system is poorly constructed and it drives me NUTS that after Sept. 30th it is impossible for a leader to re-activate a member who dropped off the roster- especially when the parent forgets their password and no one at council ever answers the phone.
- nca made it very clear the no longer needed their skilled and seasoned volunteers
- It was much easier to communicate with Council prior to the consolidation. The council is way too large. It is very difficult to have since councils become 1. This was a mistake. Nothing works as smoothly anymore.
- My Council communicates with me frequently & effectively, but I feel like I only get solicitations from national. I feel disconnected from the rest of the world out here in Guam. I think we also make too many hoops for our volunteers. CPR/First Aid is important, but it is wrong to charge our volunteers $50 to take it. We also need to focus on making the job of the volunteer easier. It is never acceptable to tell a volunteer they must drop everything & drive to the council office to make a payment. Time to offer online payment options. Consistency in messaging & tone with our volunteer leaders is important - parents, too!
- With everything being online it is impersonal and does not offer us the option to ask questions or get answers.
- GSCI sent out flyers to recruit new girls to girl scouts. When I sent in the interest for my daughter, it took forever to hear back. And to find out the reason that it took so long was because there was no volunteers to lead the girls. I had never been a leader and was hesitant. How could I do it? When I said I would, there was one other mother that had signed up at the same time. I do not think we had enough training or support. We had lots of questions and not lots of answers. Even today I feel we are still flying by the seat of our pants.
- We lose track of volunteers in training in this process. It needs to be more personal and give volunteers a feeling of connection to the people of the organization. Webinars are not people.
- GSEM seems to have a great website and email links...
- GS Heart of NJ has tacked on a "service fee" when registering for GS's . So now it's $15.00 membership and another $15.00 to process the membership. So council takes $15.00 on every one who registers. And they wonder why the numbers have dropped so low they can't sustain themselves. As a lifetime member I am truly grateful that I did it years ago but as a lifer we get NOTHING! The only communication I get from GS'ing is solicitation for donations, etc.
- I feel in general, well supported by my fellow leaders and my service unit team. Beyond that I find the greater organization (GSUSA, GSNNJ) impersonal, tediously full of repetitive paperwork, and of little value to myself or my troop. I find more resources at Making Friends.com, there facebook page and from pinterest than I receive any meaningful communication or materials directly from National or Council.
- The biggest issues we face is that we are told that we need to just let our issues over the program changes go. They said they did numerous studies and this is what the girls want so we just need to deal with it.
- The volunteer system in Atlanta works perfectly. GSUSA should get out of the business of developing technology.
- I frequently work with troops who are unable to bring their girls on outings because there must be x number of adults who have gone through x training to do anything outside of a regular meeting. I have even looked at going through the GS training process so troops can visit our facility even without the appropriate number of adults but the process is too daunting for a working individual.
- It can take months to get a troop started. I understand that leaders need to be checked out, but the whole process takes so long that potential leaders and girl scouts loose interest and find other activities to fill their time.
- Communication in our Council is awful. The process to register girls, adults and volunteers is unclear and onerous and puts too much responsibility on the shoulders of the volunteer SU Registrar. We need a registration program that is efficient and current.
- I spent 10 years as a troop leader then about 6 years as neighborhood chair. I volunteered extensively at the council level, most notably organizing our council camp, Tambu, which is a boy scout style jamboree for middle school and high school girls. I transitioned out of my active involvement just as the new systems and the council consolidations were taking place. So I do not have a lot of experience with the new systems. However, I was the person about 8 years ago that saw one of my councils most incredible properties (Camp Arrowhead in the Columbia River Gorge, don't even get me started about how rare this property is) listed up for Auction. I was part of the grass-roots movement that successfully got this property off of the auction block. There is now rumor that one of our other properties, Camp Mountaindale, is being considered for sale.
- A point of clarification to my above selections. My local troop--without question--makes me feel like a valued member. Our troop leader is generous and responsive; she is great. But I have struggled with communication with the Council office. For example, I have been calling and emailing people about starting an Asian American heritage Council's Own Patch. We have one for African American and Latino heritage, but not Asian American. But no one has responded even to say that the Council is not interested. It also wasn't easy to figure out when I could sign up for camp certification. There are no email announcements; I just had to keep on checking the website to see if something was listed. There should be a better system, especially since troops need First Aiders and Camp Certified parents to do camping. Maybe a blast email every quarter about upcoming certifications to troop leaders? This could be sent before the sign up?
- As a trainer, since the training was revamped I have said we are no longer training leaders and people who will stay. Our service unit doesn't support the new leaders and they feel lost and don't come back. Volunteers are the blood of Girl Scouts. Appreciate us or lose us.
- What is the Single Point Entry System for Volunteers? This is the first I have ever heard of such a program or system.
- I don't like it when potentially valuable meetings are turned into small group table discussions. I feel this approach is designed to make the attendees feel productive, when in fact all they do is take up time without accomplishing anything. This approach avoids giving time for what the attendees want, which is to be able to ask questions and get answers from those in charge and to share opinions with the entire group. They allow those in charge to say that they held meetings, but really they avoided presenting information, answering questions, and hearing from the attendees.
- I personally am usually well treated and listened to but I do not think is the experience of many of my fellow volunteers. Also there are so few staff members due to budget cuts there are not enough working hours to communicate easily.
- Probably the biggest issue is the lack of communication
- The biggest communication issue I see is that organization and roles of staff are constantly changing.
- I registered as a volunteer with my council last year, marking that I wanted to be involved but could not commit to being a troop leader. I know the council regularly utilizes volunteers in other capacities, including phone banking fund raisers, training and other things I am quite qualified to do. Nobody ever got back to me. I followed up and still nobody got back to me. I decided this year to simply not register.
- Whenever I want to sign up for a program or volunteer for a program, I have to know the people involved personally and contact them myself. This is a struggle for me, but I do it. I know that there are many who get so frustrated trying to sign up that they just give up on attending programming and events!
- Our council registered girls as individual members, but troops were not found for several girls. These parents/girls are extremely upset and although the council is advertising "alternate programming", girls want the troop experience!
- GS needs to use technology to improve communication: Service Unit List Serves? Facebook Groups? Podcasts? It is practically impossible for me to attend a Service Unit meeting -- why can't we meet by Webinar? Utilize technology to bring folks together!
- Communications is fine. I really like getting it via email. I know this wasn't an option for my older daughter, but I'm glad we have it now.
- I have no idea what Single Point Entry System is. I have not heard of this. I do not always feel that the thoughts and feelings of volunteers are being heard. I feel that we are in the front line and meet the girls and parents every day. This gives us a different perspective than employees of Girl Scouts.
- When I became a leader back in 2010 it was very frustrating and took forever to get what I needed and fully understand what I was doing.
- Everytime an idea is brought up at a meeting or to a director/member of council, we are brushed aside and reminded that we are "just a volunteer".
- There is NO communication in our Council! Girls sign up, no troops available. No active recruitment for either scouts or volunteers is done! Employees make token efforts to recruit volunteers - but every single thing, including the training, costs us money - and no one bothers checking to see that troops are following the safety checkpoints or rules. There are "troops" of 1 adult and 1 girl just so the "troop" can sell cookies at booths ... other "troops" have phantom girls listed .... there are long-time troop leaders that have only 1 or 2 of their many scouts actually registered as girl scouts, but still attending events and selling cookies - and every single person I've spoken to at the council says "that's so-and-so's responsibility to check that" .. It's disheartening knowing I am going to such lengths to help the girls in my troop be "honest and fair" when no one else plays by the rules. Take Better Care of you Volunteers! It is absolutely obvious why there is such a lack of them. (I've been in this same Council for over 7 years now - it's just getting worse and worse for us troop leaders).
- Since the realignment it has gotten Very impersonal. You try to contact people and never get an answer. Sign up for an event, never hear anything and the day before, find out it is cancelled after you have prepared thinking it was a go. I miss my council, we use to have a great time. We were all family, now we are just a number, usually a dollar sign.
- I have been a leader since before the merger of our council so the training issue is not really much of an issue for me. But when I wanted more training for outdoor programs I have to travel a long distance and the amount of time that involves makes it prohibitive.
- Hadn't heard of this at all.
- People are not getting trained. Troops/troop leaders are unsure of how to take their girls on trips not to mention camping. staff training is horrible because they cannot answer any questions and do not know the membership they are serving like they did before realignment. the impersonal method in which communication is happening is straining the relationship with the membership and has severely handicapped our council. The fashion in which this neglect of the Girls, Property and membership in general has been allowed to continue for the past five years since realignment is disgraceful. Communication is still uncertain even with a brand new board and the repeal of our Three-Phase Property plan. GSUSA's communications were nonexistent when the council was struggling the most and now it is too late because we the membership are attempting to fix this huge communication and trust break down.
- Our council sends out a lot of email updates, which is nice. I don't know what the single point entry system is. The communication problems come up when I have questions which either get lost in the shuffle or just ignored; I don't know which.
- I do know of many people who have volunteered and have never been contacted. I assumed that this was the fault of the merger and lack of staff expertise. Of course it could have been this new system that I've never heard of- perhaps this means that communication is a problem?
- I signed up as a coleader in August & got my email notification in December!!?? Crazy delays make me wonder what the heck does all the "staff" really do?? Our camp situation & having member's opinions listened to has gotten better since our Board of directors had major changes but there is still need for improvement with staff.
- When possible an in-town or in-service unit contact for each new GS volunteer is essential. Having an online potion is OK, requiring it and replacing human faces was not a good idea.
- It is impersonal. One needs a guide or mentor to keep them interested in the process and to answer questions and misgivings along the way.
- I get plenty of emails and most of it is good. I think it takes too long to get people set up and I wish the that if you are going to have us login for things, we need just one login for all the sites.
- The council has had several meetings to get input from it's members. To date they still plan on selling parts of the lands,decisions made from their committees which members are not informed of or allowed to attend. The board meetings are closed, why? So they are aware, but refusing in many aspects to recharge or reevaluate their process. Ex, to date, they insist that resident camp will only take place at one of the camps, acknowledging that's it OK if volunteers want to and am able to staff three weeks of activities, but the council will not. (Because there is not a need, was the original response, but upon proving there was a need, still saying no.)
- I as a leader just helped a new troop get started. Not council. No help from them or they still would not be started. (and it is Jan.) Terrible training, and communication.
- I'm an sum and I have no idea what you mean by single point system. Sad. I guess that means it's not effective
- I can tell you that staff opinions are not more valued than volunteers - and I truly thought that before I came on staff. I think that each council has challenges with communication and are working very hard but if over half the people you communicate with are not communicating back - not that involved with governance you can see that this is not an easy issue and more study and work needs to happen.
- There needs to be more and continued recruitment for adult volunteers by council.
- There is just a lack of communication and understanding. there is no support.
- I am totally confused about the online registration system. The process and rules have changed numerous times and the communication to volunteers (trainers, SUMs) has been non-existent. It has been extremely frustrating and has made it very difficult for new leaders to register.
- I felt as a first year volunteer completely alone. When a question did come up or a problem I was put to the side.
- I feel I am heard by the person I'm talking to....but not sure anyone above that ever hears us. Volunteers are appreciated by the person directly involved with us from Council, but not sure anyone above them cares one way or another. Communication from our membership manager (or community development staff person or whatever other title change they've made in past few years) is wonderful. Turn-over in staff in our area has been a challenge but things are improving with that now. The online registration system for volunteers is a pain. Every year, I have people who don't receive the email back or people who don't have high speed internet (very common issue here due to cost and being rural.) Another issue with our rural area is that the system has to check your address -- and it's difficult to know how they want W7765 County Highway M written out (it could be W 7765 CTH M or W7765 County Hwy M or W 7765 Cty Hwy M or various combinations and abbreviations.) Girl Registrations are another issue. It takes WAY too long to get girls into system and get information to the right person to add them into a troop. Parents don't realize they are requesting information rather than registering their daughter and that leads to confusion. Adults signing up miss some "submit" button and nothing goes through. I'm very computer literate and I had issues with the online registration this year. Too many steps!
- our council has NOT even started using the program as of yet - we have been told for 2 years that it would be active but still nothing!
- Since I became a Lifetime member 8 years ago I have receive almost no communication from GSUSA or my local council. I have offered to do programming, to help at camp, to volunteer with troops and I usually never hear back from the council. I usually have to contact local leaders and even once they know of the programming I can offer and THEY tell council, I never hear a word. Lifetime members are a truly underutilized asset of this movement.
- I know the internet and technology is the future but some people want things in their hand and face to face training. Internet training is so impersonal and doesn't promote the excitement in people like face to face sharing with a group. Some people also like to receive printed materials. Our service unit and council has everything on the internet and all the printing costs of the things you need is laid on the volunteer. An extra cost that could make them think twice about returning for another year.
- Our council hasn't implemented it. It sounds like a good idea.
- Our Council and Service Unit seem to be trying to get everyone online and involved as quickly as possible. I haven't had to personally due this lately but it seems like it is working.
- I am a lifetime member registered in one council, but I am attending school in another, when I tried to use the internet system to sign up for an event online, I was unable to sign up without having to re-register, so I had to go into the office.
- A new volunteer being assigned to one person in the council as a person to go to for questions/answers. This assigned person calling the new volunteers to see how things are going. I am a newer volunteer and that was the hard part for me. (I had never been in GS and everyone in the troop new). But eventually we have found our way.
- I think the realignment happened too closely to the program changes. Council staff were trying to get a handle on what their territories were and what their jobs were and also trying to explain new program to their volunteers. I think there was a disconnect with volunteers and staff because of this. Also there was so much turn around with staff that the volunteers felt they were not known by staff and did not know which staff to go to with concerns and questions. The realignment felt like an unwanted "top down" decision to most volunteers, and perhaps staff as well.
- My old rep: (name removed) was amazing.. If I needed anything, she was there. I never worried about anything because I knew she was an email away. Now, because of the "new community" I don't know who to call, so it is a little concerning, but not that much.
- Cookie sales were very unorganized this year because we went to a system of purchasing the cookies before selling. The website & most of the curriculum had not been changed to work with this new system. The online system for ordering the cookies had not been changed and was VERY confusing! During the last few days for ordering cookies, the entire Dallas area's phones were down for two days following the two day weekend. For four days we could not get in contact with anyone from girl scouts to explain how to order or the website. It is extremely difficult to get in contact with anyone in the council. The only person that ever returns my calls is a volunteer. None of the occasional emails from the council have any type of contact information, no phone number, not even a working email. It is horrible!
- I feel my council could do a much better job effectively communicating with volunteers and girls. Kudos to them for taking the time to do surveys and hold town Hall meetings to give us a voice. However, those opportunities to be heard were not well advertised and did not reach a large percentage of our girls and volunteers.
- Parents get no communication in our service unit. No idea what's going on most of the time. What is the realignment??
- Since the emphasis is on digital, electronics and on-line trainings, the novice leaders are missing quite a bit of communication and interaction with others. These are a vital part of the overall effectiveness of new volunteers.
- I gave up communicating with Council a long time ago and even though I have done some Council events (helped with Leader Enrichment Camp--Trailblazers), we were made to feel like servants and not volunteers. We put in a lot of hours to plan and develop the activities for the weekend and for the volunteers that did a minimum number of hours the council didn't want to comp our camp fee for that weekend even though most of us had done jobs that had previously been done by paid positions and we worked most of the weekend (more than an 8 hour day for sure).
- I was a Girl Scout trainer for approx. 20 years, but then programming started changing every time we turned around. Then we went to online, and reading a book instead of taking training. It affected programs and girl and adult experiences. NOTHING replaces attending a training with experienced, enthusiastic trainers and meeting with other volunteers who are experiencing the same challenges and concerns. Even those volunteers who complained about the time commitment left excited and renewed.
- Neither GSCO NOR GSUSA really CARE what the volunteers think. I know this from 13 years of personal experience. And, though they could have used my many years of experience in the organization, local council was THRILLED that I left and did not ever consider asking me to stick around to help others. That's okay, I'm now doing other volunteer work where I'm appreciated. Do miss working with Girls, as mine are now all grown up, but we are continuing to get together without the parent organization's umbrella.
- I turned in a volunteer packet in October. This is the first day of February and I have heard nothing back.
- There is no focus on recruiting new volunteers.
- Even when I was still in GS, council didn't value our input, for one, they didn't like seeing a troop that did more than just crafts. Bur as the only older troop in our area, you'd think they'd want our input because obviously we were doing something right! Most troops dissolve because older girls get disinterested with it and think it's lame to be a girl scout after 10. We had girls joining or wanting to join up until our last year, when we all graduated.
- in all honesty, my two co-leaders were lucky to get anything to help them get started. If I didn't have the years of background as a leader then we would really be floundering
- Not enough follow up. I feel lost frequently and I am a retired elementary teacher. I think all new leaders should have a seasoned buddy to help them through even if it is just a bi-weekly hone call.
- There is a serious delay between requests for recruitment fliers and actually getting the fliers in the hands of girls in our community. Multiple request for fliers started in November- we got them in January. There is a serious gap between the recruitment part of the council and the service unit volunteers. Waiting lists are never provided to the Organizer. New Volunteers sit on waiting lists for months before they get Orientation. 5 new leaders this year volunteered in September and the Orientation Specialist just got the names this January. There is such a gap between the Recruitment at the Council and the Service Unit Volunteers and there seems to be a lack of caring at the council level. The Recruitment Specialists from the Council are not allowed to come to Service Unit Meetings- creating a huge communication gap that needs to be addressed.
- It is very difficult for those living in rural where the internet is difficult to obtain if at all. Not everyone is computer savy yet.
- Volunteers need to feel that they have ownership of what they are doing. They want to be part of the planning process and want to feel that they are valuable. Volunteers don't want to feel like "customers" at camp they want to feel that camp is their home and that they have ownership of the programs that they are helping with.
- It would be ideal for the service team to be made aware of any new volunteers and the training they have had. It is difficult keeping track of which girls are actually registered since we cannot see ebiz records. Let alone volunteer info.
- Wow .... staff communication with volunteers is deplorable. But, that may just be a reflection of the caliber of employee they can afford to hire. Our motto .... our girls have girl scouts DESPITE councils best efforts to mess it up!!!!
- I've never had anyone approach me to volunteer, nor have there been any notices placed on 'volunteer needed' websites/bulletin boards. Once you are out of the 'community' , and if you don't have children, you're forgotten.
- I have served as a Delegate for my Service unit, and feel this has really helped with communication. GSNCA has also increased communication in the past year through email, etc. Prior to this time, they were not doing as well, and I am glad to see improvement.
- Communication in OUR council has improved drastically since our grass-roots group took back the council board. However, many other councils are struggling, and every time I see the GSUSA CEO, my teeth just grind.
- communication in general: MAJOR emphasis on doing everything on-line is a big problem. Many people in our council are in areas without high speed internet access. Even ignoring the fact that every family can't afford this - it is not there even if they could. "Just go use the computer at the library" is not that helpful. How many times have you worked on GS planning, etc. late at night after little ones have finally gone to bed? How can the older girls use safety checkpoints at a meeting to determine information needed in their planning?
- For the most part, I have to say that I have been pretty satisfied with communications - until recently. I have 3 issues to relate: 1. COMAR. As I mentioned earlier, it is a great registration tool but no Council should use this as their primary tool for communicating camps and other activities. While finding the right information is difficult enough for us leaders, most of our parents do not want to be bothered with it at all. If they provide payment for the troop to register their daughter for GS, they certainly are not going to go perusing GS for things for their daughters to do; and parents who are new to GS often don't even know to go look. How can you sell a product that no one knows about? 2. Council communications. In 2012, we participated in our Council's Sojourn to Savannah. For the most part, it was an awesome trip. Our issues, again, were with communication. We knew that girls and adults would be receiving a number of patches and pins. Some of them were included in the cost of the trip, some we paid extra for. This was all fine. The problems were two fold. 1. They never told us exactly what patches and pins we would be getting, so when we went to some of the attractions, we were not sure whether to buy a patch or if we would be getting one. Many ended up buying patches that we were under the impression we would not receive only to get a duplicate one after we returned. 2. Not enough patches were bought for everyone and we had to wait as long as six months for some of them. In the end, the Council rep would not respond to emails and it was up to the leaders to hound Council or the patches that we paid for. AND, because we were never given a list of what to expect, we were never sure that we received everything that we supposed to. It left a very bad aftertaste for what was an otherwise wonderful trip. 3. Our current Council Membership Manager (MM). When our highly efficient, extremely organized, knowledgeable, personable and helpful MM received a well-deserved promotion, I fully expected there to be a learning curve with her replacement. It is a proven fact that it takes at least a year to learn a new job. What I didn't expect was the immature, rude, unprofessional individual who took her place. I cannot convey what a disappointment she has been. Once again, I can only use my own professional experience as a frame of reference. I can understand someone being new to a job and having to learn the ropes. I understand that a new employee isn't going to have all of the answers. That is fine; but I do expect that employee to offer to get the answer and then follow through. I also expect that MM to understand that I, as a registered Girl Scout, am her customer and I expect her to treat me as such. That is not what we have experienced with this particular MM. I have seen her berate leaders who were trying to do what they believed to be the correct process. When she deems that something is beneath her or not her job, we frequently hear, 'don't blame me if this gets lost;' or 'don't ask me, I don't know;' or 'I'm busy enough, I can’t be responsible for this.' When we ask questions in service unit meetings, her standard answer is 'I don't know' with no offer to find an answer, she doesn't take notes - doesn't even show up with paper! Quite honestly, for the first time in my 9 years as a leader, I find myself trying to avoid contact with our MM at any cost. The ultimate display of disrespect towards us leaders, as I mentioned earlier in this survey, was her blatant accusation in a SUM that we leaders are only interested in reducing our own work loads, not in the girls that we give so much of our own very precious time and resources to. Quite honestly, if I treated my clients the way this MM treats hers, I would have been fired on the spot. I could go on, but I think I have made my point. Leaders thrive on the good relationships they hold with Council personnel. Good communication practices benefit the girls, the leaders, Council and ultimately GSUSA.
- The system works if you can get the volunteer in the first place. We can get girls on waiting lists but we haven't had new leaders in ages. Active campaigns to get new volunteers needs to be done.
- However, signing up girls has DEFINITELY been a problem.
- Communication would be nice.
- There are times where you get no response what so ever for volunteer opportunities. It shouldn't be a fight to volunteer to help your daughter's troop! What a joke!
- I am new to the area so as my first year in this council, (I have been in another council for the past 2 years) I am pleased so far with my service unit. there could be some improvement to our council and how it operates but I am so pleased with my service unit we choose as a troop not to participate in council events because the council is poorly run in my opinion
- the Tabs to find where you need to go. With all the app that the general public is using I strongly feel that a tab to get to the right location is far too far. Walking new parents thru the tabs is frustrating.
- I don't like the people at my council office. They are not helpful. I have sent donations to my previous council in Texas because they are much more appreciative.
- I hear complaints from everyone I've met in the program both that they do not hear enough detail and often enough from the council. That everything that is going on is opaque to them.
- It seems in my experience, the communication between volunteer/employee and staff is either really great, or really terrible. But fortunately, most cases with the terrible communication were taken care of, letting certain staff members go and replacing them with more reliable communicators.
- Non camp people try to run camp, which is definitely part of the reasons camp, at least I'm my area, are suffering
- I think the Single Point Entry System can work if you have volunteer leadership in the units that are fair and easy to work with. If there aren't, there can definitely be a breakdown in the system.
- Our website is very difficult to maneuver around and navigate through.
- In Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, there were two times in which I tried to volunteer (travel and camp), but had difficulty getting a response from the person I was contacting. However, I think this was more due to the employee and less to the organization as a whole, and the issue was resolved quickly and effectively. Overall, I've had a lot of success finding ways to volunteer with GSK. With the Girl Scouts of the Caribe, I have had a much harder time trying to get involved. Part of it is probably cultural -- it's hard to get anyone in PR to answer phone calls or emails -- but part of it is lack of flexibility for volunteer participation. I offered to help with outdoor and GSLE programs, or even create new programs, but the only volunteer option the local program coordinator really gave me was starting a troop. There is only one troop in my town, and I would consider starting a troop -- but I was told I would need to meet once a week and advised to make it Friday evenings. I asked if it could be every other week, since starting next August, I'll be commuting a lot for grad school, but it didn't seem flexible. I asked if there were any short term activities or events I could help with, but the program calendar is pretty sparse.
- You make programs to get certified to do things for the girls and when their aren't enough people to fill the program you cancel it. You don't make times that are available to working people and then close the opportunity to people who can make it.
- When ever I spoke at town halls, area meetings, or emailed I was shot down or ignored.
- Never heard of the Single Point Entry System & I have been our SU registrar & trainer.
- The issue is two sided. People have to be proactive in completing the clearances and the Getting Started so they can get started and the Council needs to streamline the banking so the troops can go go go. BUT it is totally faster than in the past.
- After being a leader for 15 years and running camps,leading a SU, managing SU cookies,leading 3 troops, training leaders and PAs etc. I got a call asking if I wanted a mentor to help me. I had no troop, no daughters in troops, and was past my active involvement. NO communication at all.
- Our council realigned 5 years ago and it's been a long, achingly slow work in progress. The web site is boring and not well designed. The I-Mis system is awkward. Communications are improving, slowly. We get a monthly e-Blast, which is good. But a lot of the training has centralized and gets canceled too often, and hearing about those cancelations is still a mess.
- leaving phone messages and sending emails are a process. my co leader has had a LOT of difficulty in the past with communicating with counsel reg; cookie sales, etc.
- Training for new volunteers/members would be more effective if done by experienced volunteers. Most of the staff have little knowledge of what it takes to be an effective troop leader, and how to keep the girls enthused about Girl Scouting.