Can you explain why Journeys must be completed before earning the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?
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, Silver or Gold Award.
How do you define a "completed" Journey?
When a Girl Scout develops and carries out her Take Action project, she earns her Journey awards and her Journey is considered complete.
How are the guidelines for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards 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 highest awards have no predesigned theme; girls choose their own.
How many hours of involvement are needed to earn each of the awards?
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 effect 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:
- Bronze Award: 20 hours
- Silver Award: 50 hours
- Gold Award: 80 hours
Are troops allowed to work together toward an award?
Each award level has different group guidelines as well as a progression of leadership development. For the Bronze Award, girls must work together in a team setting. Girls have the option to work individually or in small groups when earning the Silver Award. Because the Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouts, girls must earn the Gold Award as individuals.
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, Silver, or Gold 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, while older girls (Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors) are encouraged to share their skills and talents with the world at large for Silver and Gold Award projects.
Can a girl earn her 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 awards 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 Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards is to be done to the best of a girl’s ability, there is no need to have special requirements for girls with disabilities. Simply encourage flexibility and engage advisors that will work with the girl individually.
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 and Girl Scout Cadettes planning their Silver Award projects. Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors must make sure their projects are sustainable in order to meet the Gold Award’s high standards of excellence.
Do you have any recommendations to help ensure girls initiate high-quality award projects?
You can help ensure a girl is doing her best to create a high-quality Take Action project by helping her and her project advisor understand the difference between a one-time community service opportunity and a sustainable Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award Take Action project. The troop/group volunteer or council staff member should work with the girl to make sure that her 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.
Can a girl complete her project while in college (if she is graduating from high school and is already 18 years of age)?
A girl has until she turns 18 or until the end of the Girl Scout membership year (September 30) when she is a senior in high school to complete her project.
What happens if a girl has not completed her project, but is 18 years of age and graduating?
In this case the girl would have until September 30 of the year she graduates to complete her project.
