Community Partnerships
Cultivating Community and Making a Difference

-increasing membership
-providing greater visibility
-creating financial opportunities
-providing new learning experiences for girls and adults
-sharing resources, equipment, and facilities
-forming positive relationships and new contacts
-fostering community goodwill

Girl Scouts of the USA monitors the latest research in education, as well as child and adolescent development, through partnerships with educational institutions. GSUSA continuously analyzes and conducts research through the Girl Scout Research Institute to stay up-to-date with current growth and development trends, as well as changes in education.

Partnerships with colleges and universities also enable girls to explore opportunities for higher education and provide girls with role models, mentors and advisors.

Girl Scout resources (books, videos, program and Web site activities) not only reflect federal, state and local school curricula, but have been developed to promote tolerance and diversity. Resources for all age-levels address the following content areas:

-Leadership development
-Health, fitness, safety, consumer awareness
-Science, technology, math and financial literacy
-English, language arts and literacy
-Languages other than English (pluralism)
-The arts (visual and performing)
-Career development
-History, citizenship and government, including diversity and inclusion

”In March 2007, 50 girls participated in the Girl Scout Intersession Program. As I talked with them during the program, I found that they thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experiences and learning about Girl Scouts. This program has sparked such interest in our girls that a teacher and another adult volunteer have agreed to start a Brownie and Junior Girl Scout Troop at our school. This, I believe, is a direct result of the Girl Scout program offered during our Intersession. Girl Scouting complements the culture of excellence currently present in our school.”
-Dr. Cheryl Finch, Asst. Principal
Bassette Elementary
Hampton, VA

"Children and youth are an essential and integral part of our congregation at Great Bridge United Methodist Church. We feel God is calling us to this ministry with young people. One way we live out this calling is through the Scouting Ministry. Through our partnership with Girl Scouts, we are able to offer learning situations where the girls develop courage, confidence, character and faith."
-Rev. Danny Kesner

Girl Scouts and religious organizations share many common goals when it comes to serving the needs of girls. In general, both strive to help girls in the areas of leadership development, service to others, skill development, career exploration, and international friendship. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience Program reinforces the goals that religious organizations have for their youth.

Girl Scouts is a value-based organization, and, since 1912, partnership with faith-based organizations has been vital to Girl Scouts' success and reflective in Girl Scout membership. Though non-denominational, Girl Scouts endorses universal values - for example, respecting oneself and others, and making the world a better place.

Through partnership, religious groups strengthen their connection to girls, their families and youth in their communities. Religious groups sponsor more than 13 percent of all Girl Scout troops, and over 20 percent of Girl Scout troops hold their meetings in buildings owned by religious organizations.

Religious partnerships will ensure that regardless of race, creed, national origin, disability, or socio-economic situation, girls in the community who want to be Girl Scouts, will have the opportunity.