Safety

Online Safety

Keeping girls safe is a top priority at Girl Scouts!  This includes staying safe while using online computers and devices.  Troops should discuss online safety guidelines as a troop and with their parents/guardians.  Check out Online Safety (PDF) for more information. 

Safety Guidelines

The safety of our members is our highest priority.  Protecting the volunteers and the council’s legal interests is also a high priority. Restrictions on Girl Scout activities are generally set by GSUSA in partnership with our insurance company.  Activities that are not allowed by GSNorCal are the activities which are not covered under Girl Scout […]

First-Aid and First-Aiders

For all of the information you need to know about First Aid and First Aiders, go to First Aid & First Aiders (PDF).

Supervision: Overnight Activities

Adult Background Check Requirements:                                                                                                     Any adult […]

Safety Activity Checkpoints and High Adventure Activities

How can you, as a Girl Scout volunteer, determine whether an activity is safe and appropriate?  Good judgement and common sense often dictate the answer.  What’s safe in one circumstance may not be safe in another.  An incoming storm, for example, might force you to assess or discontinue an activity.  If you are uncertain about […]

Adult to Girl Ratios

When planning activities for multi-level troops, please remember that the adult-to-girl ratio must reflect the youngest age group within the troop. Important information regarding adult-to-girl ratios can be found: Adult-to-Girl Supervision Ratios (PDF).

Immunization Policy

Vaccinations Girl Scouts of Northern California follows state law as it applies to public and private school attendance.  Visit shotsforschool.org for information about California’s vaccination requirements, including information from the California Department of Public Health.  A general overview of state laws regarding school immunization exemption is provided and annually updated on the National Conference of State Legislatures website.  […]

Additional Resources and Coronavirus Guidelines

So how are you feeling? Excited? Anxious? Not quite sure yet? That’s ok, it’s normal. We know that volunteering isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new, so we can’t thank you enough for jumping in to be the mentor and role model your Girl Scout needs! Guiding your Girl Scouts—even if you’re still figuring things […]

What activity is considered High-Adventure?

High Adventure Activities There are some activities that the GSNorCal’s insurance policy does not cover, and others where certain requirements must be met in order for the activity to be covered by GSNorCal’s insurance. Safety Guide to High Adventure Activities

Managing Conflict

Conflicts and disagreements are an inevitable part of life, but if handled constructively, they show girls that they can overcome their differences, exercise diplomacy, and improve their communication and relationships. Respecting others and being a sister to every Girl Scout means that shouting, verbal abuse, or physical confrontations are never warranted and cannot be tolerated in the Girl Scout environment. […]

When Sensitive Topics Come Up

It’s an amazing feeling when your girls put their trust in you—and when they do, they may come to you with some of the issues they face, such as bullying, peer pressure, dating, athletic and academic performance, and more. Some of these issues may be considered sensitive by families, and they may have opinions or input about how, […]

Report Concerns

There may be times when you worry about the health and well-being of girls in your group. Alcohol, drugs, sex, bullying, abuse, depression, and eating disorders are some of the issues girls may encounter. You are on the frontline of girls’ lives, and you are in a unique position to identify a situation in which a girl may […]