Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Girl Scout Silver Award

What is the Girl Scout Silver Award?  Community Service based achievement.  Highest award a Girl Scout in grades 6-8 or ages can earn.  Designed to help girls set and reach goals.  Encourages girls to practice leadership and make lasting changes in their community.  Takes about 1-2 years to complete.

Girl Scout Silver Award Process  Prerequisite - One Cadette Journey.  Develop a community Take Action Project using the Guidelines to the Girl Scout Silver Award.  Work as an individual or with a team of 3 – 4 girls from your troop.  A minimum of 50 hours is suggested for completion.

Community Take Action Project  A Take Action Project : Makes a lasting difference in the local neighborhood or community (outside of Girl Scouting). Puts the Promise and Law into action. Demonstrate an understanding of sustainability in the project plan and implementation.

Guidelines to the Girl Scout Silver Award  The Girl Guidelines contain: step by step instructions to complete your award. support tools to help guide you through the process every step of the way. The Girl Guidelines Booklet and other support materials are located on the council website - search “Silver Award”

Step One  Complete a Cadette Girl Scout Journey.  Each Journey concentrates on a different sets of skills for you to choose to personally develop. ( A Journey is completed when the award(s) within the Journey have been earned.)

Points to Remember  This award is completed as an individual or with a group of girls.  The award suggests a girl completes 50 hours from the start of step one to the end of her project.  The Take Action Project focuses on the community (outside of Girl Scouting).  The Take Action Project is reviewed and approved by the troop leader.  The prospective award recipient must demonstrate an understanding of sustainability in the project plan and implementation.

Step Two: Identify an Issue Decision-Making Tips  What matters to you?  What connections can you make between the issue that concerns you and what is happening in your community?  What would benefit the community immediately and long-term?  How do you want to make a difference? Refer to page of the Guidelines booklet

Step Three: Build a Team  As an individual or small group find people who: Are committed to your issue/project idea. Work together well with others. Accept constructive criticism. Respect other points of view. Will accept direction from you. Refer to pages 3 – 4 in the Guidelines booklet

Step Four: Explore Your Community  Look around your community for people and/or groups that are drawn to your issue.  Seek out people who can help you establish contact/find experts in the field addressed by your project (networking).  Seek out the skills and strengths of others.  Respect different points of view and ways of working.  Build a team and recruit a Project Advisor who brings special skills related to the issue your Take Action Project addresses. Refer to pages 4-7 in the Guidelines booklet

Step Five: Create a Plan  Review all your data.  Identify the root cause.  Determine the skills you will need.  Look for a new way to solve the problem.  Think about how you will live the Promise and the Law through the course of your project. Refer to pages 7 – 8 in the Guidelines Booklet

Step Six: Develop Your Project  Work with your team to: Develop your plan. Include the goals the group wants to attain. Create a plan to get others involved. Decide what supplies will be needed and how you will get them. Create a budget and a money earning plan to cover expenses – remember no fund raising for another organization. Develop an understanding of sustainability in the project plan and implementation Refer to pages 8 – 11 in the Guidelines Booklet

Step Seven: Make a Plan, and Put it into Motion  Develop a timeline and budget.  Delegate the work to members of your team.  Put your plan into motion.  Keep a record of all you have done – letters, photos, video, journaling, scrapbooking. Refer to pages 11 – 13 in the Guidelines Booklet

Step Eight: Reflect, and Share your Story  What did your project accomplish?  What did you learn about yourself?  What did you learn from the others on your team?  What skills did you gain?  What was the impact on your community?  How will you share what you learned with others? Refer to pages 12 – 13 in the Guidelines Booklet

Celebrate!  Turn in your Final Report to the council office.  Hold a ceremony at a troop meeting or in your community.  Invite family and friends, your team members, and the people or organizations who were helped by your project.  Set up a display so that others will learn more about your project and its impact on your community.  Encourage others to continue the work you have started.

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Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Girl Scout Silver Award