Outdoor Training | Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Let's Go Camping

Troop leaders or another approved troop volunteer must attend the appropriate Let’s Go Camping training(s) if the troop will participate in overnight and camping activities.

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.

Let’s Go Camping Recertification

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 Let’s Go Camping trainings that were completed since March 2021. There are options to renew your certification when it is nearing its expiration. Depending on your current certification (Let’s Go Camping 1 only or both Let’s Go Camping 1 and 2), you may have the option to renew your certification without retaking training.

How do I get recertified?
When your certification is within three months of expiration, you can do one of the following to recertify for another five years:

Volunteers who have only completed Let’s Go Camping 1 will need to retake Let’s Go Camping 1. 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 girls' safety while camping in a lodge.
Volunteers who have previously completed Let’s Go Camping 2 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 for five years once their current certification expires by completing a form that documents their camping trips and completing a short assessment in gsLearn. This is set up as the Let’s Go Camping Recertification course in gsLearn and can be found by searching the Content Library.
  
  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, or serving as a day camp volunteer. Only camping trips that followed council’s procedures for approval will be considered for meeting the consistent camping requirement.
- Volunteers can retake Let’s Go Camping 2.

Please note that Outdoor Skills certifications expired on June 1, 2025. If you did not recertify before this date, you will need to start the Let’s Go Camping training path.

If you’d like to check the expiration dates of any of your certifications, sign in to your MyGS account. 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.