Can you explain why Journeys must be completed before earning the
Girl Scout Bronze Award?
By completing Journeys, girls
get to experience the level of commitment needed to earn the highest
awards available to Girl Scouts. They’ll gain valuable skills, and be
better prepared to develop, plan, and implement the Take Action
project needed to earn their Bronze Award.
How do you define a
"completed" Journey?
When Girl Scouts
develop and carry out their Take Action project, they earn their
Journey award and their Journey is considered complete.
How are the guidelines for the Bronze Award different from those
for the Journeys?
Take Action projects related to
Journeys give girls predetermined themes for their projects. But Take
Action projects for Girl Scouting’s Bronze Award have no predesigned
theme; girls choose their own.
How many hours of involvement are needed to earn the Bronze
Award?
Each project is unique, so the time necessary to
take the project from planning to sharing to completion varies. The
nature of the project, size of the team, and degree of community
support will all affect the amount of time needed to complete a given
project. The focus should be on delivering a high-quality project
rather than the number of hours necessary to achieve it. However,
after Journey requirements are met, the suggested minimum number of
work hours is 20.
Are troops allowed to work together toward the Bronze Award?
For the Bronze Award, girls must work together in a team setting.
Are girls allowed to begin working toward their awards over the
summer?
Yes. Girls can start working toward their awards
after they bridge, or transition, to the next Girl Scout level.
Can Girl Scouting itself be the subject of a Bronze Award?
Girls may focus on the Girl Scout Movement when planning Take
Action projects for the Girl Scout Bronze Award. Younger girls are
given the option to develop leadership skills in the comfort of the
Girl Scout environment.
Can a girl earn her Bronze Award if she moves after beginning her
Take Action project?
We encourage councils and Overseas
Committees to be flexible and to take girls’ best interests into
account. Whenever possible, a girl should continue to work with her
council or Overseas Committee to complete her project.
Can volunteers, council staff, and parents use the adult
guides?
Any participating adult working directly with
girls toward achieving their Bronze Award is encouraged to use the
adult guides.
Are there different requirements for girls with disabilities?
No. The requirements are the same for every Girl Scout. Because
work toward the Girl Scout Bronze Award is to be done to the best of
girls' abilities, there is no need to have special requirements for
girls with disabilities. Simply encourage flexibility and engage
advisors that will work with the girls.
Can you explain what you mean by “sustainable project”?
A sustainable project is one that lasts after the girl’s
participation ends. By concentrating on education and raising
awareness, girls can make sure a project takes on a life of its own.
Projects that involve hands-on learning sessions and workshops, as
well as those that include collaboration with community groups, civic
associations, nonprofit agencies, local government, and/or religious
organizations are the most likely to continue being relevant beyond a
girl’s involvement.
Is there a unique definition of “sustainability” for each grade
level?
The award guidelines provide girls with tools to
explore the root cause of issues, develop supportable project plans,
and measure the impact of their projects on their communities, target
audiences, and themselves. There is progression. Sustainability is
encouraged but not mandatory for Girl Scout Juniors working toward
their Bronze Awards.
Do you have any recommendations to help ensure girls initiate
high-quality Bronze Award projects?
You can help ensure
girls are doing their best to create a high-quality Take Action
project by helping them and their project advisor understand the
difference between a one-time community service opportunity and a
sustainable Girl Scout Bronze Award Take Action project. The
troop/group volunteer or council staff member should work with the
girls to make sure their project meets the quality requirements of the award.
How is project impact measured?
Referring to the matrix
provided in the award guidelines, girls can use “success indicators”
to help identify project goals in relation to their communities,
target audiences, and themselves.
