New Leader Resources
Welcome to Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania!
Ready to get started as a leader or thinking about becoming one? You have come to the right place! This page will guide you through everything you will need for your first year of adventures in Girl Scouting.
We are here to support you! Have questions? Contact us at customercare@gswpa.org or 800-248-3355.
Begin Your Adventure
New Leader Checklist
Walking you through your first year as a troop leader from how to be a leader to what occurs throughout your first-year journey
Volunteer Position Description - Troop Leader
What you do as a troop leader
Leaders Guide to Success
A printable guide for leading a Girl Scout troop
Tips for Troop Leaders
Girl Scouts of the USA's tips for troop leaders
Year Plans for Troops
Map out your year
Starting August 15, 2023, all new troop leaders will complete the online part of their training process using a short series of newly developed courses and then attend a shorter, more focused live session to kickstart their troop activities. Responsive to the feedback we have received from new leaders and experienced volunteers, the new training path focuses on the essentials: the information all new leaders need to know, helpful resources to support new leaders during their first year, and simple checklists of the action items new leaders need to complete to get their new troop up and running.
The new courses take less time to complete than before and include both required and optional content so that each leader can customize their training to get the information they need for their specific situation. Once a new leader completes their online learning, they will attend an online session called Explore Your Year, where council staff guide leaders on how to plan a well-rounded Girl Scout year and how to implement the activities they have planned for their troop. Knowing that a volunteer’s time is a valuable resource, we are excited to launch this streamlined approach to training new leaders. The courses remain self-paced and online so that leaders can manage their training process in a way that fits their schedule, without having to travel.
What this means for you:
New Leaders: If you are a new leader starting on or after August 15, we are ready to support you while you complete the new training process.
In Progress: If you are a new leader and you are currently working on your training courses, the new leader training courses assigned to you in gsLearn when you started will remain active and available to you until you finish your training process. We will be sunsetting that training path on September 30, 2023.
Trained Troop Leaders: If you have already completed your new leader training (either in gsLearn or at an in-person session): you will NOT be required to complete the new courses, but they will be available to you in gsLearn if you want to check them out. View the Achievements tab to view your past training record of gsLearn courses you have completed. Viewing the My Training tab will show you the newly released courses. You also do not have to attend an Explore Your Year training.
Your First Year
Before You Take Off 
Launching Your Troop: The First 30 Days
In Flight: The First Three Months
Reaching For the Stars: The First Year
Important Resources for Your First Year
Managing Finances
Health & Safety
Helpful New Leader Resources
Looking for Additional Support?
- Reach out to our Troop Mentor Network
- Attend one of our Volunteer Open Houses to get your questions answered and learn about relevant Girl Scout topics.
- Receive important messages and date reminders via text message. Opt-in by texting troopleader to 800-248-3355.
- Stay up to date on council news with Volcomms, our volunteer communication portal.
- Contact customer care: customercare@gswpa.org
- Contact the new troop leader coordinator, Janelle Upole: jupole@gswpa.org
Troop Year Plans
Get the tools you need to help your troop thrive. Download our simplemonth-by-month guides to make this your best year yet.
GET STARTED
