Let’s Go Camping 1 is found in gsLearn—it’s completely online! Sign in to myGS to access gsLearn. You’ll find Let’s Go Camping 1 in the Content Library. This three-hour training includes key information on outdoor progression, what volunteers are needed for a camping trip, all the planning steps for volunteers and girls, and an overview of first aid in the outdoors. Once this training is completed, volunteers can take girls on a camping trip at a lodge for two nights or less but aren’t yet allowed to build or cook over a fire or teach girls how to handle kitchen or pocket knives. It’s a great option for volunteers that are just starting their girls out on their camping adventures.
When girls are ready for tent camping and learning how to build and cook over a fire, volunteers should attend Let’s Go Camping 2 after completing Let’s Go Camping 1.
Let’s Go Camping 2 is a half-day hands-on outdoor training experience that focuses on fire-building skills, outdoor cooking, elementary knots, and knife safety.
Check the events calendar for upcoming Let’s Go Camping 2 sessions!
By successfully completing both Let’s Go Camping 1 and 2, participants will have full use of all council properties and equipment. Use of amenities such as archery, canoes, ropes courses, rifles, etc. may require additional training or a certified adult present.
Updates to the Let’s Go Camping Training Path
With the refreshed Let’s Go Camping 1 training launching in gsLearn on Aug. 1, 2024, all Let’s Go Camping certifications (both 1 and 2) will expire five years from the date the volunteer completed the training. This change applies to trainings that were completed prior to Aug. 1, 2024, and going forward. Outdoor Skills certifications will expire on June 1, 2025. There are options to renew your certification after your current certification expires. Depending on your current certification (Let’s Go Camping 1, Let’s Go Camping 2, or Outdoor Skills) you may have the option to renew your certification without retaking training. Continue reading for the full details.
Why are camping certifications going to have an expiration date? It’s to ensure that volunteers who have completed training but have not been consistently camping with girls can refresh their knowledge on current camp guidelines and procedures and to ensure girls' safety while camping.
Consistently camping with girls means at least three camping experiences with girls in the last five years. This can be an overnight camping trip to one of our camps, an overnight camping trip to another location, serving as a day camp volunteer, or being a trainer for Let’s Go Camping 2. Only camping trips that followed council’s procedures for approval will be considered for meeting the consistent camping requirement.
When will my training expire?
The original Let’s Go Camping training path was rolled out in the spring of 2021, so the first wave of volunteers who completed Let’s Go Camping (1 or 1 and 2) training will not have their certification expire until the spring of 2026.
Before the Let’s Go Camping Training Path was rolled out in the spring of 2021, volunteers took Outdoor Skills Training. For active volunteers who still have an Outdoor Skills Training certification, the expiration date for their training will be marked as June 1, 2025.
Many of the volunteers who currently have an Outdoor Skills certification are veteran volunteers who have consistently camped with girls. If you are one of these volunteers, you will be notified via email, and you will have your certification automatically updated to a Let’s Go Camping 2 certification and renewed for another five years without any further action. Volunteers who hold an Outdoor Skills certification, but do not meet the criteria for consistent camping experience will also be notified by email. They will have a pathway to renew their certification and will need to take additional steps, outlined below.
How do I get recertified?
When your certification does expire, here is how the recertification process will work:
- Volunteers who have only completed Let’s Go Camping 1 will need to re-take Let’s Go Camping 1 once their Let’s Go Camping 1 expires. This is so they are completing the updated version of the training, are currently prepared to take Let’s Go Camping 2, and have the skills and knowledge to ensure girl safety while camping in a lodge.
- Volunteers that have previously completed Let’s Go Camping 2 or have an Outdoor Skills certification have two options to recertify for another five years:
- If volunteers have consistently been camping with girls, they can renew their Let’s Go Camping 2 certification, or update their Outdoor Skills certification to Let’s Go Camping 2 certification, for five years once their current certification expires by completing a form that documents their camping trips and completing a short assessment in gsLearn.
- Volunteers can take or retake Let’s Go Camping 1 and 2.
When is this happening?
The refreshed Let’s Go Camping 1 training is now available in gsLearn! It has a built-in expiration of five years. Once you complete the training, the expiration date will be noted in the Achievements section of your gsLearn account. It will then be added to your MyGS account with that same expiration date.
All expiration dates for active volunteers will be updated by Oct. 1, 2024, and the recertification form will be launched in gsLearn. After Oct. 1, you can check your certification expiration date in your MyGS account as a role. Look under the My Troops tab on the left and click on 263 GSWPA Certifications for all your certifications and their expiration dates.
Outdoor Courses and Certifications
Volunteer Instructors must successfully complete Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania outdoor training courses and certifications before facilitating council programming. Click on the courses below to view upcoming sessions. Please note: most courses are only available seasonally depending on weather and facilitator availability. Please check back periodically for new training sessions.
Archery Certification
Small Craft Safety: Canoeing
Small Craft Safety: Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
CPR, First Aid, & AED Training
Outdoor Skill-Building Videos
GSUSA created eight outdoor skill-building videos, especially for volunteers newer to Girl Scouts and older Girl Scouts as they take younger girls outside thanks to a grant from the Elliott Wildlife Values Project.
