In Girl Scouts, troop government is a structured, girl-led system that empowers members to make decisions, plan activities, and manage troop business. It teaches vital leadership, communication, and cooperation skills by allowing girls to take active ownership of their meetings and events.
As you are structuring and planning your virtual troop meetings, consider which style of troop government your troop will use to help establish a routine and keep your meeting running smoothly. A troop government is a structured, girl-led system that empowers members to make decisions, plan activities, and manage troop business. The five types of troop government are the Daisy circle, the Brownie ring, the patrol system, the executive board, and the town meeting. The patrol system, executive board, and the town meeting are usually used for older girl troops, but large Daisy and Brownie troops may consider using the patrol system too.
Click on the “+” to learn more about each type of troop government.
A Daisy circle is for the youngest scouts (Daisies). Girls sit in a circle to share ideas and vote on choices pre-selected by adult leaders.
In a Brownie ring girls elect a leader or pass a “talking buddy” to guide structured brainstorming and decision-making. This is a good form of troop government for Brownies.
The patrol system is used for older girls (Juniors through Ambassadors). The troop divides into small “patrols” of 4 to 6 girls. Each patrol elects a representative to attend a Court of Honor, where they decide on broader troop plans and relay them back to their group.
In this form of troop government, older scouts elect a core leadership team (the board) to plan meetings and manage logistics for the entire troop.
In a town meeting, the whole troop discusses and votes on plans together, relying on parliamentary procedure and consensus.
Last updated on August 11, 2026