We're taking a little break here on the Troop Leader Experience podcast, but make sure to binge the 6.5 years of content we've already got here for ya in the meantime!

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We're all reeling from the results of the 2024 US federal election and although I'm not trying to get political in this podcast, Girl Scouts does have an interesting relationship with politics throughout its history. In this episode, I'm diving into the relationship between Girl Scouts & politics going all the way back to Juliette Gordon Low.

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ESPECIALLY if you hang out on Pinterest or in Troop Leader facebook groups, it can start to feel like there is just way too much to realistically do as a Girl Scout troop. And as a troop leader who really wants to make this experience as high impact as possible, that can sometimes feel overwhelming. How do those super troops on Facebook (or sometimes even the guests on this podcast) seem to do EVERYTHING there is to do? If you have ever felt this overwhelm and pressure to do all the things, this episode is for you.

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No matter how old your girls are, you might have the same experience as one of my listeners who asked me how to handle the situation when it seems like the girls are always bickering and complaining, "That's not fair!" In today's episode, I'm sharing some of the foundational conflict resolution techniques and strategies I've used in my troop, learned in my educational background specializing in conflict resolution, and as the former mediator for my local council.

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Giving back to our communities and making them better places is a fundamental part of the Girl Scout experience. Sometimes this looks like Take Action projects, or high awards, but just volunteering in general is something most troop leaders say is important to them when envisioning running a troop. But, especially when you have younger girls, what the heck kind of service projects can you even do with kids in K-12? Here's a great big episode full of ideas.

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It's a new Girl Scout year officially and I'm reflecting on some of my favorite traditions!

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When recording last week's episode, I came up with the idea to do some activity suggestions - both indoor and outdoor, for all age levels - to build problem solving skills and conflict resolution skills. I hope you can use some of these ideas with your troop!

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We hear people talk about "girl led" in Girl Scouts all the time -and although I've broken down what that term really means in this podcast a few times before, it's never too much and this week, I'm doing one better: I'm giving you 15+ examples of what it looks like to actually lead a girl-led troop and to foster leadership skills among your girls, no matter how old they are.

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In today's episode, I'm sharing some tips for what to pack when you take an outdoor adventure with your troop. Now listen, this is not an exhaustive list, especially because that largely depends on what the heck you are doing. But in general, I learned from experience that there are some essentials you should just bring with you for any field trip or outdoor adventure with your troop no matter what you're doing or how old they are. Here are my essential items that you must have! + Some bonus items that will really pay off... trust me.

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No matter what age group you're working with, we've got ideas for you to spend time adventuring outdoors! Outdoor activities are a huge tradition in Girl Scouts and so valuable for mental health, leadership skills, and relationship building. Tune in for another ULTIMATE GIANT LIST episode!

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