GSSJC Silver Award Project Guide

Transcription

1 GSSJC Silver Award Project Guide For questions about the Silver Award contact: GSSJC Silver Award 3110 Southwest Fwy., Houston, TX , Revised Dec

2 Table of Contents ATTENTION: The Silver Award is going paperless in support of becoming more environmentally friendly. Please note that beginning January 1, 2016, this is the ONLY format in which submissions will be accepted by Council. For questions, please or call Going for the Silver Award...pg. 3 Girl Scout Silver Award Guidelines and Planning...pg. 3 Step 1: Identify issues...pg. 3 Step 2: Build a team...pg. 4 Step 3: Explore your community...pg. 4 Step 4: Pick the project...pg. 5 Step 5: Develop the project...pg. 6 Step 6: Make a plan and submit the Intent Form...pg. 7 Step 7: Implement the project...pg. 8 Step 8: Finish the project and submit the Final Report...pg. 8 Step 9: Reflect, share your story and celebrate...pg. 8 Staying Organized...pg. 9 How to ensure your Silver Award is a Take Action project...pg. 10 Money and Donations...pg. 10 Silver Award Project Examples...pg. 12 Issues Chart...pg. 13 Community Contact List...pg. 13 Make a Plan...pg. 14 Track Your Hours...pg. 15 Silver Award Intent Form...pg. 16 Silver Award Final Report...pg. 18 Contribution Solicitation Request Form (F-30)...pg. 20 Request for Permission to Undertake Money-Earning Activity (F-32)...pg. 21 2

3 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award Have you ever looked around your neighborhood or school and wondered how you could make a change for the better? Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn gives you the chance to show that you are a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving your community. Earning the award puts you among an exceptional group of girls who have used their knowledge and leadership skills to make a difference in the world. It is important to keep accurate records of your work. This includes submitting an Intent Form for your project and a Final Report upon completion of your project. Here are the 1. steps Go on you ll a Girl take Scout to Cadette earn your Journey Girl Scout Silver Award: 2. Identify issues 3. Build your Girl Scout Junior team OR decide to go solo 4. Explore your community 5. Pick a project 6. Develop the project 7. Make a plan and submit the Intent Form 8. After receiving approval, implement the project 9. Finish the project and submit the Final Report 10. Reflect, share the story and celebrate Girl Scout Silver Award Guidelines and Planning Each step of the Silver Award will take girls closer to making a difference in the world around them, giving girls a chance to learn and grow making their project an amazing and fulfilling experience! This guide has full-size charts girls can use to track Silver Award information along the way. Each girl should plan to commit a minimum of 50 hours to the project (about eight of which will go into planning). Prospective recipients may choose to plan out their hours to ensure they will be met and easily achieved by dividing up the steps. Silver Award Prerequisites: Go on a Cadette Journey The requirement for earning the Girl Scout Silver Award is completing any Cadette Journey. This helps you build skills as you learn to show leadership through the Discover, Connect, and Take Action keys. Once the Journey is finished, you can celebrate your accomplishment and get ready to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award! The Journey s Take Action Project cannot be combined with the Silver Award project. Note: Girl Scout Highest Awards are not cumulative. This means you do not need to earn one higher award to pursue another. Additionally, girls do not need to participate in product sales to earn the Silver Award. However, if girls are completing a moneyearning activity, participation in product sales is required see the Money and Donations section for details. Step 1: Identify issues To solve a problem, an issue must first be identified. Look at what matters most to the individual(s) earning the Silver Award. Do you find yourself reading articles about endangered species? Do you worry about where homeless children sleep at night? Do you wish that younger students had a cheerful place to stay after school while waiting for their parents to pick them up? Explore what connections can be made between the issues identified and those you see in your own community. You can start by jotting down some issues in the chart on the next page. 3

4 Issues Chart Issues that concern you Why is it important to you? How does this issue affect your community? Step 2: Build a team The Silver Award can be earned individually or with a small team. Either way, you will work with others in the community to complete the project. Individual model: Complete your project solo. This might be of interest to individually registered girls, girls in multi-level troops or girls who have different interests than others in their troop. Small team model: Small teams will consist of 2-4 individuals (Girl Scouts within the same or different troops, non-girl Scouts or a combination of both). Keeping the team small ensures that everyone can participate fully through playing an active role in choosing, planning and developing the team s project. If a troop is having difficulty breaking down into smaller groups, a leader/advisor may guide them to form groups based on interests pertaining to issues explored in Step 1. If working with a team, use the following tips to create a great experience: Respect different points of view and ways of work Contribute to the project everyone needs to help out! Accept constructive suggestions Worktogether to create and develop a plan Resolve conflicts Be considerate and respectful of your fellow teammates Be a sister to every Girl Scout on your team After the team has been built, hold the first meeting. Spend time getting acquainted, discussing what each member thinks makes a great team, how the team will work together and how often and where the team will meet. Try writing everyone s suggestions on a large piece of paper and post that paper on the wall every time the team meets. Step 3: Explore the Community Now that you have begun to think about issues that concern you, it s time to do some exploring to find out what are your community s needs. Communities are groups of people who have something in common. You belong to many communities, like your school, debate team, neighborhood or church. Think about what communities you belong to. After communities have been listed, they should be mapped. A community map is a drawing that shows the community s needs and resources, including contacts who might help you when the project is started. The key to making a community map is observation. Because a community is made up of people, you will be looking for what people need that is, what will improve their lives, help them out or make them happier. To get started, you might try walking through your school, biking around your neighborhood or taking a bus ride through your town. During the course of your travels, you ll naturally see different aspects of your community as you shop at stores, gather at your Girl Scout meeting place, go to school and so on. You can also visit places (such as the library, town hall, or community center; or your church, synagogue, or mosque) where there are people and resources that can help identify community needs. You might even attend one or more town meetings to find out what concerns people in your area. 4

5 Continue to draw a map by writing down things seen that could be improved or places where special talents and skills could be used. Journeys may help girls with more ideas about spotting community needs. When meeting people who might be able to help with the project, jot down their names and contact information in the Community Contact List. Community Contact List Community Contact Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Organization Contact Information How they can help The next step is to gain in-depth information about community issues by talking to people. As interviews are conducted, you will improve your communication skills, begin to see how time and talents can make an impact and build a network of contacts that you may need at a later time. Start by talking to known people such as neighbors or teachers and ask them to introduce you to other people in the community such as business owners, neighbors, teachers, school officials, religious leaders, council members, police officers or staff members at community centers. Note: Always be safe when talking to new people! Discuss safety tips with troop/group volunteers or family, and always go with a friend or team member. Check out GSSJC s Safety Activity Checkpoints for more information about how to stay safe. Prepare questions ahead of time so you can use your interview time wisely. Here are some question suggestions to get started: I m interested in doing a project that will help the community. What are some of the issues affecting our community? Do you know about how people have tried to work on these issues in the past? What worked? What didn t work? Can you suggest a project I could do to address one of these issues? Step 4: Pick the Project Now that issues have been identified and communities have been explored, it s time for girls to choose a project based on what they ve learned. Before the project is chosen: Review the Issues Chart, community map and interview notes. If you are working with a team, this should be done as a group, of course! If you are working individually, you may choose to pull a few people together (such as your troop/group volunteer, friends, sisters or brothers, a teacher, etc.) to help you sort through all you have gathered. Choose a project based on what matters most to you or your group or where you think you can create positive change. If the decision is difficult, try writing a pro/con list for each choice. Many issues are big and complicated and hard to fix! It might be a good idea to narrow the project s focus. Pick just one aspect of the issue, and then develop a solution to that specific problem. (Imagine focusing a camera lens in order to get a clear picture. The process of focusing an idea so that it s simple and clear is just like that.) Remember that the project should be completed outside the Girl Scout community. This means that the project cannot be completed on Girl Scout property, nor can it serve an issue/need within Girl Scouts. Reaching outside of the Girl Scout community allows girls the opportunity to connect to the world around them, learn to advocate for a cause, and build leadership skills within a variety of situations. Girls do have the option to utilize Girl Scout property during the planning/preparation stages of their project. After the project is chosen, make sure everyone is clear about what you want to do and why. Good leaders always communicate with their team. 5

6 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Consider answering these questions: What is the project? Why does it matter? Who will benefit? Which leadership skills from yourself or your team might be used during the project? How will these skills help each girl understand who they are and what they can do? How will the Girl Scout Promise and Law be lived while earning your Girl Scout Silver Award? GSSJC encourages girls to work with the community in which they live, worship, attend school, etc. However, if a girl has strong, ongoing ties in another community, she may wish to incorporate her project in that location (ie: if she lived in a country that is in need of service). If an entire troop is working toward completing multiple Silver Award projects at one time, it is advised the troop leader walks girls through this Silver Award Project Guide to help them develop what topic they are interested in. Often girls have varying passions, allowing members from a troop to divide up based on interests will typically naturally form groups of 1-4 within the troop. If multiple teams within the troop would like to work with the same organization, submitted Intent Forms should indicate how each team (of 1-4 girls) will have separate quality leadership opportunities. For example, an entire troop may be passionate about improving a community center. One team may work with a landscaping company to improve the exterior of the building, another may lead a team of volunteers that spruce up the interior design and a third team may help the staff develop a new filing system. Step 5: Develop the Project Before you start, the following questions will help you think through your project: What steps need to be taken to reach the goal? What special talents can each girl use to help make the project a success? What was learned during the Cadette Journey that will help ensure the Silver Award project runs smoothly? Is enough data available or is background information needed? Which groups or organizations can be worked with? Who can be asked for help? How can other people be involved? What supplies will be needed? Will money need to be earned or utilized? (If so, reference the Money, Donations and the Girl Scout Silver Award section of this guide.) How much time is needed to finish the project? Is that timeline realistic? Will a contract need to be signed? (If so, brainstorm another site, as only the GSSJC CEO, or designee, can sign/approve a contract.) Find a Project Advisor A project advisor is an expert who can answer specific questions about the issue that is being addressed through the project. An advisor might be found through the network created while the project was being researched. If there is not a clear prospect for an advisor, a troop leader or volunteer may be able to help identify experts in the community. If appropriate, a leader can be a project advisor. Make It Last You will invest time and hard work into your Silver Award project, so you will want to make sure it is sustainable, meaning it should keep going even after your involvement ends. After all, this is a chance to make a mark in the community! Remember to keep it simple - a clear, focused plan can often be more sustainable than taking on a huge project. Sustainability can be tangible, like a community garden, or theoretical, like educating individuals. For example, if you think the kids at your local elementary school need more interesting activities to do at recess, you might plan a week of special activities. But what happens when that week is over? How about planning team games that the fourth graders can do with the second graders. Your Take Action project keeps going and going because the fourth graders can work with second graders every year with the resources and knowledge your project provided. A sustainable project is one that lasts after the girl s involvement ends. [One way] to create a sustainable project is by collaborating with community groups, civic associations, non-profit agencies, local government, and/or religious organizations to ensure the project lasts beyond the girl s involvement. - GSUSA 6

7 Make a Global Connection Think about others who may have worked on the same problem in the past, or check the Internet to see how others around the globe deal with the issue. What can be learned from their approach? Consider how the project s reach may be extended into other communities. Are there ways to share the plan with other communities who are facing the same issue? Can you create a plan that other people could use to replicate the project in their own communities? Take One Last Look A lot of work has already been done but before beginning, take a step back and look at the project one more time. The focus may need to be narrowed or the approach may need to be shifted slightly in order to make the project work. That s okay! Taking some time to fine-tune the project now will make it easier to complete later. Ask other people for feedback, especially your troop leader or a volunteer. She or he will make sure the project idea is complete and meets all the requirements for a Girl Scout Silver Award project. Be open to new ideas and suggestions. Parts of the project idea may need to be refined to make it even better. Step 6: Make a Plan and Submit the Intent Form It s time to get started! Your project needs to involve action by you and/or your team, from the planning stages all the way to earning the Girl Scout Silver Award. Build a list of what needs to be done and how it can be completed, and then figure out who will be doing what. Remember each girl must complete the required 50 hours of work (about eight hours of which will go toward planning). Also decide when each task needs to be finished. Use the Make a Plan chart below to write down all the information. Make a Plan What is the task? Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, How will the task be done? When should this task be finished? Which team member(s) will complete the task? Once the steps are identified and the plan is set, complete the Silver Award Intent Form and submit it to GSSJC. This step allows Council the opportunity to confirm that your project meets the guidelines set by GSUSA and GSSJC. For information about where to find the form, how to submit it or the timeline of submission/approval, reference the Paperwork and Staying Organized section of this guide. 7

8 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Step 7: Implement the Project Once you have received your approval letter, you can begin your project. You may choose to plan out your hours to ensure they will be met and easily achieved by dividing up the steps. It might be useful to track hours via a time log, like the one below. Date Activity Amount of time Total hours Step 8: Finish the project and submit the Final Report As the project winds down, remember to thank everyone who helped you along the way from people you interviewed and those who volunteered to help to your advisor. Not only is this good manners, but also an inspiration to people when they hear what you have done and they ll be proud to know they helped make it happen. Once the project has been completed, it is time to submit the Final Report. You will then receive a congratulatory letter from the Council. For information about where to find the report, how to submit it, or deadlines, see the Paperwork and Staying Organized section of this guide. Step 9: Reflect, share your story and celebrate Now celebrate the accomplishment! You took on the challenge and made a difference in your world - the completed project makes a difference. Take some time to reflect. These questions may get you started: What did you discover about yourself? How did you connect with your local and global communities? Who do you know now that you didn t know before? What did you learn from others who worked to solve the same problem? How did that help you make your project better? What skills did you gain (such as public speaking, team building, advocacy, blogging, and so on) that help you as a person and a leader? What impact did your Take Action project have on your community? How will it go on past your involvement? How did you live the Girl Scout Promise and Law? Demonstrating to an audience what has been learned sets the stage for even broader impact, and is sometimes the best way for you to recognize what has been accomplished and to see how much you have grown. It will also help others get inspired to act! 8

9 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Here are some ideas for how a story can be shared: Create a website or blog about what was learned and how the project will help the community. Visit forgirls.girlscouts.org/map-it-girls-changing-the-world/ - here you can add your project to the map showing all the awesome Bronze, Silver and Gold Award projects girls have completed across the country! At a workshop for community members, present what was learned and what the project will do for the community. Or do a presentation for a group of younger Girl Scouts this will definitely inspire them! Make a video about the project and post it online, if appropriate. Invite friends, community leaders, and people from organizations that are tackling a similar issue to watch and share the video with others. Write an essay or an article for a local or school newspaper. Submit one high quality photo that best showcases your project and a 1-2 sentence description of the project to menzor@sjgs.org to be included in an upcoming issue of The Golden Link. Submissions may not appear for 2-3 months, due to the lead time required to create and manufacture the publication. Staying Organized Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC) suggests that you purchase a three-ring binder to help you stay organized. You may choose to keep a copy of the Intent Form, Approval Letter, Final Report and Confirmation Letter. These copies will be useful when you apply for jobs, scholarships, etc. Deadlines The only deadline for the Girl Scout Silver Award is that the project be completed and Final Report turned in by September 30 following your eighth grade year (the final day of your last membership year as a Cadette). Outside of the above deadline, projects can be planned and Intent Forms can be submitted any time during the years that you are a Cadette. However, it is advised that Intent Forms be turned in by July 31 during the summer following your eighth grade year to allow time for the Intent Form to be approved and project to be completed by the deadline. Intent Forms and Final Reports may take a few weeks to be reviewed. Please plan accordingly. Obtaining Forms/Reports Intent Forms and Final Reports can be found in the back of this Silver Award Project Guide or on the Forms page of gssjc.org. Intent Forms and Final Reports should be downloaded, completed and saved as a PDF. Submissions should be ed to silveraward@sjgs.org. As of January 1, 2016, only digital submissions of these forms will be accepted for the Silver Award. Intent Form and Approval Letter The Girl Scout Silver Award Intent Form helps to keep you on track to complete a project that meets Silver Award guidelines. Once you have developed a plan for your project, you should complete and submit the Intent Form (one per girl) to Council. Intent Forms must be submitted to silveraward@sjgs.org. After submission of the Intent Form, please allow up to three weeks for approval. To help this process run smoothly, please make sure your form is completed in full. During this time period you, your troop leaders or your project advisors may be contacted for additional information. Due to the high volume of paperwork submitted, Council can NOT provide confirmation of submissions. After the Silver Award Committee has reviewed the Intent Form, an approval letter will be sent via the address listed on the Intent Form. Final Report and Confirmation Letter After you have completed your project, the Final Report must be submitted to Council. Final Reports must be submitted via to silveraward@sjgs.org. If desired, girls can choose to submit examples or photographs of their project by attaching them to the . Due to the high volume of paperwork submitted, Council can NOT provide confirmation of submissions. After the Final Report has been received and reviewed, a confirmation letter will be sent via the address listed on the Final Report. Upon receiving your confirmation letter, the Silver Award pin or patch can be purchased at the Girl Scout Center Shop at 3000 Southwest Fwy., Houston, TX The time frame in which the confirmation letter is sent may vary based on the volume of reports being received. During the deadline period, submission volume increases which may result in longer reviewing periods for Final Reports. Please allow up to three weeks for your letter before contacting the Council. 9

10 How to ensure your Silver Award is a Take Action project You and your advisors should make sure your Silver Award project fulfills the expectations of GSSJC/GSUSA by confirming it is a true Take Action project in lieu of a service project. Here are some tips to ensure your project will reach its highest potential: If you are doing something for the community, you are most likely working on a short-term service project. If you are doing something with the community, you are most likely working on a Take Action project. Service projects address an immediate need in the community: girls organize a book or clothing drive, paint walls to cover up graffiti, or hold a one-time march or fair to highlight a community problem. Although these projects address a need in the community, they do so for only a short period of time. A Take Action project picks up from where a short-term project leaves off. For example, the girls organizing the book or clothing drive service project could make it into a Take Action project by also creating a clothes closet for the community and even getting community leaders involved. Consider what words are being used when the project is being discussed/described. Service projects might use words: help, supports, collect, give, staff, feed, care/give, follow, contribute, maintain, aid, for; Take Action Projects might use these words like: envision, design, develop, organize, create, manage, evaluate, team-build, invent, produce, appoint or with. To identify community needs and problem-solve, learn how to identify the root cause of the issue you choose to address. A root cause is the origin of the problem. Take Action projects always attempt to identify the root of a problem instead of simply addressing the symptoms. As you learn about the issues in your community and work to solve them, you will learn to stand up for issues you believe in and identify ways that your project can continue to impact people in the future. Ensure your project is sustainable and that the impact is measurable. Because these two words are difficult to define in concrete terms, be prepared to define them. Measurable: The success of the project can be determined based on the number of people the project helped, the number of people who were involved, any reduction in the community s need and other concrete numbers. Sustainable: You must make arrangements (such as collaborating with community leaders) to ensure that the project creates lasting change and is not a one-time event. This will look different for different projects. The important piece is that you plan for sustainability! The chart below show examples of service projects vs. Take Action projects: Issue and Short Term Solution (onetime effort, has short term impact) Issue: An uninsured family s home is destroyed by a fire. Solution: Collect clothes, household goods and food for the family. Issue: Racial tensions exist in the community. Solution: Organize a weekend diversity celebration. Issue: Families are going hungry. Solution: Hold a food drive for families in need. Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Take Action (Identifies the root cause; has long-term benefits and sustainable support) Organize community groups and/or community members to establish an ongoing clothes closet for families facing a crisis. Organize schools and places of worship to commit to a series of monthly seminars/meetings/workshops about racial tolerance and understanding other cultures over a two-year period. Create a booklet of easy-to-make recipes that includes ingredients the items families regularly receive from food pantries. Then partner with pantries to distribute the booklet free of charge. Money and Donations Money-earning and solicitation is not common with the Silver Award. However, if a troop/group has a need to pursue this avenue, they should carefully review the guidelines below: General Money-Earning and Donations Guidelines Remember that time and talents are often more important than money. For example, one girl was worried about food waste at her school. She could have raised money to buy comport bins. Instead, she used her advocacy skills to persuade school and town officials to set up a composting system. Be creative! You may realize you don t need that much money after all. 10

11 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, The best reference for donations and money-earning activities is Volunteer Essentials, Chapter 5. The most important thing to remember when utilizing donations during the Silver Award project is that a form must be completed and turned in to Council to track any and all donations, whether monetary, solicitation or in-kind. Reference the information in each section below about how to handle these cases. All applicable forms can be found on the GSSJC website, under the forms section and must be submitted as a PDF to silveraward@sjgs.org. No paper documents are accepted. Money-Earning Activities Money-earning activities are approved, girl-adult planned activities to earn money for the group (a Silver Award team is noted as a group in this sense). These are coordinated efforts to provide a product or service in exchange for money. To be eligible to undertake a money-earning activity for Silver Award, each team member must have actively participated in the two most recent Council product sales. When girls need to raise money to help facilitate their project, they must receive approval from Council before conducting the money-earning activity. Girls should also be aware of the Safety Activity Checkpoints that are applicable to any moneyearning activity before beginning. Note: Girl Scouts, in their Girl Scout capacity, may not solicit money for other organizations. Girl members may supoort other organizations through their Silver Award project itself. After turning in the money-earning activity form, girls must wait until receiving notice of approval from Council. Approval may be withheld for money-earning activities during the Cookie Program. Girls participation in money-earning activities is based on the following: Voluntary participation Written permission from a parent or guardian Following Council guidelines An understaning of and ability to explain to others why the money is needed Correct business procedures Observance of local ordinances related to involvement of children in money-earning activities Adherence to guidelines for personal protection Planned arrangements for safeguarding the money Suggested money-earning activities: Petsitting, dog wash or walking service Car wash Bake sale (be sure to check on health codes!) Yard sale Auction Raking leaves, weeding gardens Babysitting at local meeting Delivery service Birthday party service Ironing or laundry service Collection of recyclable materials Catering meals for meetings or organizations Put on a play, fashion show, talent show, karaoke night, family dance, game night or costume party NOT money-earning activities: Games of chance, raffles, casino nights Receiving a percentage of sales from a business during a specific time frame Any activities conducted on the Internet Activities with income which exceeds the project s needs Raising money for another organization, including walka-thons, tele-a-thons, coupons or coupon booklets, home demonstration products, etc. Funds being retained by individuals as their property Any money-earning activities conducted by a girl with outstanding debt to Council or aided by other girls/ adults with outstanding debt In-Kind Donations/Solicitations and Drives Because GSSJC is a nonprofit organization, there are specific rules on how solicitations and in-kind donations can be acquired. The IRS s tax codes state that only adults may complete the ask for any type of donations. However, GSSJC encourages girls to be a part of the planning process through budgeting, composing ask scripts/inquiry letters, etc. Although adults must make the specific request for donations, girls can be present to answer questions, give a presentation, provide justification, etc. for why they need the funding or supplies, and by doing so they will build valuable knowledge of finances and leadership! In-Kind Donations and Solicitations In-kind donations are monetary or non-monetary support given to a group. The acceptance of donations or contributions, including in-kind donations, must be in accordance with the Council s Operating Procedures. Monetary in-kind donations cannot exceed $500 per calendar year. (Product in-kind donations cannot be price-estimated by GSSJC as a nonprofit and are therefore exempt from the limit.) 11

12 Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Girls are able to incorporate in-kind donations and/or solicitations into Silver Award projects or budgets. When doing so, all materials or funds that are donated must be documented on the appropriate form (F-30 Contribution Solicitation Request Form) as completely as possible. Under who is to receive funds, check Interest Group and specify with Silver Award project. For in-kind donations from an organzation that does wish to receive a tax-deductible receipt (ie: to write off the donation), a F-30 must be turned in to the Development department for approval BEFORE receiving the donation. F-30 forms to: development@sjgs.org. For in-kind donations from an organization that does not wish to receive a tax-deductible receipt, a F-30 must be submitted to the Development department. F-30 forms to: development@sjgs.org. For solicitations, a F-30 must be turned in to the Development department for approval BEFORE soliciting the donation. If a letter is being used, include a copy of the letter. F-30 forms to: development@sjgs.org. Donation Drives Donation drives can be a part of a Silver Award project but should not be the central focus. (See section about Take Action projects.) Girls may consider the following to supplement their drives: educating the public and/or an organization about a needed improvement in the community as well as incorporating a sustainability component to help the project endure after the drive items are used/disseminated. Donations to other organizations do not require a form. Silver Award Project Examples Project Example A Problem: Children in the neighborhood are not safe while walking to and from school. Root cause: Lack of planning when the roads were built led to sidewalks not being created. Solution with long-term impact: Create a petition asking that a sidewalk be built, get local residents to sign it, and present it to the city council; work with children/adults to plan alternate routes to and from school that are safer local police precincts may even supply low-crime routes home to explore incorporating more safety options into the project! Making the solution sustainable: Girl impacts her community on a tangible scale that will make a difference and allow her to build advocacy skills. Once the sidewalk is built, it will be in place for years, offering a safe route for future generations. Project Example B Problem: Children in homeless shelters often struggle in school. Root cause: Lack of stability and family resources, both financial and emotional. Solution with long-term impact: Work with a local homeless shelter and school to establish an ongoing tutoring program that matches student volunteers with children in the shelter. Girls can also work with the people in the neighborhood to spread the word about the cause community members build a passion for the cause and will continue the efforts started by the project. Making the solution sustainable: Work with the school and shelter to find adult staff members who will continue to coordinate the program. Establish a transition tradition, such as an end-of-school-year party, where potential new student volunteers can meet current volunteers and people in the homeless shelter. Education provided to the children will have a lasting impact on their life. Project Example C Problem: The neighborhood is overrun with feral cats and the local shelters are at capacity from taking in these homeless cats (and other animals), which is taxing on their staff and material supplies. Root cause: Lack of education for the public about spaying/neutering pets as well as not feeding non-domesticated animals. Solution with long-term impact: Advocate for correct care of pets (spaying/neutering) as well as how the general public can help control feral populations; do this by educating the public at community/city Council meetings and creating pamphlets to hand out at information booths. Ask the community to support the over-populated shelters with blankets, food, and other supplies as well as organize a pass it on system for community members to continue this annually. Volunteer with the local shelter to help care for the abundance of animals. Making the solution sustainable: Girls impact their community on a tangible scale that will make a difference and allow them to build advocacy skills. Establish a transition tradition, where potential new community volunteers can meet current volunteers and people in the animal shelter. Over time, the feral populations will decrease, making the community safer for domesticated pets and small children and local shelters will become less populated with unplanned kittens. 12

13 Issues Chart Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Issues that concern you Why is it important to you? How does this issue affect your community? Community Contact List Community Contact Organization Contact Information How they can help 13

14 Make a Plan What is the task? Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, How will the task be done? When should this task be finished? Which team member(s) will complete the task? 14

15 Tracking Your Hours Reminder: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Date Activity Amount of time Total hours 15

16 Girl Scout Silver Award Intent Form Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Send your completed form to: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Girl Contact Information Name: Date submitted: Address: City: State: ZIP code: Grade: School: Girl Phone: Parent/Guardian Troop/Group Number: Troop/Group Advisor s Phone: GSSJC Community: Project Advisor: Project Advisor s Organization: Project Advisor s Phone: Troop/Group Advisor: Prerequisites List the Girl Scout Journey that was completed, along with troop/group advisor signature: Journey: Advisor signature: Project Team List anyone (first and last name) who will be completing the Silver Award with you/on your team: 1. Me See the Silver Award Project Guide for team requirements. GSSJC F-485 Rev. 12/15 16

17 Take Action Project See the Silver Award Project Guide regarding Take Action Project components, sustainability, donation requirements, etc. Target completion date: Project Name: Organization to be partnered with: Location at which the project will be completed: Provide a description of your Take Action project, including how service hours will be achieved: Explain how you will collaborate with your selected organization (be specific): Describe the sustainability component: I plan on utilizing donations or a money-earning activity (MEA) for my project: Yes No See Silver Award Project Guide regarding solicitation, donations and money-earning REQUIRED FORMS and guidelines. Girl Signature: Troop/Group Advisor Signature: Project Advisor Signature: Date: Date: Date: GSSJC F-485 Rev. 12/15 17

18 Girl Scout Silver Award Final Report Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Send your completed form to: Only digital documents are accepted as of January 1, Girl Contact Information Name: Date submitted: Address: City: State: ZIP code: Grade: School: Girl Phone: Parent/Guardian Troop/Group Number: Troop/Group Advisor s Phone: GSSJC Community: Project Advisor: Project Advisor s Organization: Project Advisor s Phone: Troop/Group Advisor: Take Action Project Project Title: State Date: Completion Date: Total Hours: A. Describe the issue your project addressed, what impact you made and who benefited: B. Describe any obstacles you encountered and what you did to overcome them: GSSJC F-486 Rev. 12/15 18

19 C. Describe any steps you took to inspire others through sharing your project: D. Describe what you learned from this project and the leadership skills you developed. What did you learn about yourself as a result of this project? E. What was the most successful aspect of your project? What aspects of your project would you change? Girl Signature: Troop/Group Advisor Signature: Project Advisor Signature: Date: Date: Date: Once you have received your confirmation letter from the Silver Award Committee, you may present your letter at the Girl Scout Center Shop (3000 Southwest Fwy., Houston, TX 77098) to purchase your Silver Award pin or patch. GSSJC F-486 Rev. 12/15 19

20 CONTRIBUTION SOLICITATION REQUEST FORM GIRL SCOUTS OF SAN JACINTO COUNCIL You Must Obtain Approval Prior to Soliciting Donor or Accepting a Contribution Complete applicant and donor information and submit for approval. Girl Scouting is for all girls; therefore, there is a maximum amount that can be received in donations and volunteer involvement grants. Monies received by Council above that maximum will be used to provide financial assistance. Please allow 30 days for Council to process this request. Who is to receive funds? Troop # (troops must have a minimum of 5 girls) Interest Group (specify) Community/Region (specify) Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council $35 max per girl $500 max annual cap $1,000 max annual cap Gift Amount $ Council Check mailed to: Address Street City ZIP Daytime Phone Evening Phone Described the purposes the funds will be used for? Who or what is the contact you have with the donor? If this contribution is not received, how will the girls be impacted? I certify that all of this contribution will be applied to the program or activity described to benefit girls in accordance with donor expectations. Applicant Signature Date DONOR INFORMATION Name Title Organization/Company Mailing Address Daytime Phone Fax Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council may may not publish donor/organization's name in appropriate publications. GSSJC CEME Dept. Approval Signature Date CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION All checks must be made to Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and processed through the Council to be tax deductible. Gift Amount Gift-In-Kind TO: development@sjgs.org For more information call (required only if donor requests an acknowledgment for in-kind gift) GSSJC F-30 Rev. 12/15 20

21 Request for Permission to Undertake a Money-Earning Activity Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Troop/Group Interest Group Adult Group Individual Other Troop/Group Level: Junior Cadette Senior Ambassador Region Community Name of Adult in Charge Daytime Phone Number ( ) Address Evening Phone Number ( ) City, State Zip Address Describe planned activity Date(s) of planned activity Amount desired to be earned $ Location of activity Purpose for earned funds Did this group participate in the last Cookie Sale? Yes No Fall Product Sale? Yes No AGREEMENT: As the adult in charge of this money-earning activity, I have reviewed money-earning guidelines in the current issue of Volunteer Essentials, Chapter 5 and I assume the responsibility to make sure that this money-earning activity meets federal, state, and local laws and ordinances, including health department criteria; that it complies with GSUSA and GSSJC policies, standards, guidelines, and ways of work; that trademarks and copyrights are respected; that any items selected for sale are appropriate and safe; that I will wait until I have received permission from the Community or Council department as outlined in money-earning guidelines before beginning the planned activity; and that I will report the outcome of this activity, including funds earned on the annual financial report. Printed Name Signature Date FOR A-LIST ACTIVITIES (Community Approval* Only is Required) (Submit completed form to Community Leadership Team* for approval at least two (2) weeks before planned activity.) This activity application has been approved or disapproved. Reason activity not approved Community Leadership Team* Signature Date (CLT or department: Notify Community Engagement Department of any approved money-earning activity.) FOR B-LIST ACTIVITIES (Council Approval is Required) (Submit completed form to Council Community Engagement Department at least four (4) weeks before planned activity.) This activity application has been approved or disapproved. Reason activity not approved Community Engagement Department Signature Date (Community Engagement Department will notify Community/department of any approved money-earning activity.) REMEMBER TO REPORT OUTCOME: Keep a copy of this form for troop/group, Community or department records. Include earned funds on Annual Troop/Group or Community/Region Financial Report. Take the time to let the Community Engagement Department know the outcome of the project by . There is no additional form. Simply state name, troop/group number or service unit, dates of project and a brief description of the project and outcome or attach a copy of this approved application. Results may be published or shared with others, so include recommendations for others who may want to try a similar project. *Interest groups, Community, Regions or other groups seek approval and signature from appropriate department. Any questions concerning this form or troop/group money-earning activity should be directed to the Community Engagement Department at Completed forms should be submitted to silveraward@sjgs.org. GSSJC F-32 Page 1 of 2 Rev. 12/15 21

22 Examples of Money-Earning Activities That Can Be Approved A-List Money-Earning Activities (Require Community approval* only) If the money-earning activity is on the A-List below, submit the Request to Undertake a Money-Earning Activity (F-32) to the Community Leadership Team* at least two weeks prior to the activity: Recycling Flower or plant sale (Spirit mums, mistletoe) Gift-wrapping booth Household/community service Doll, pet, or talent show Troop/Group dramatic production Babysitting Try-It /Badge workshop Car wash Product proof-of-purchase redemption program Garage sale for nonprofits (e.g., saving labels, bottle tops, Craft sale (not involving food) etc. to redeem for cash, such as the Channel 11 Super Sports Club) *Interest groups, Communities, Regions, or other groups seek approval from appropriate department. B-List Money-Earning Activities (Require Council Community Engagement Department approval) If the activity is different from those on the list above, submit Request to Undertake a Money-Earning Activity (F- 32) to the Community Engagement Department for approval at least one month before the date of the activity and before any final plans are made. This includes any money-earning activity involving the sale of food or commercially produced items. Any activity not on the A-List. Sale of commercially produced items: Beyond the two Council sponsored product sales, the sale of commercially produced items is very limited. (Check the Volunteer Essentials, Finance Chapter, for more information.) Money-earning activities involving the handling of food: Activities that involve food preparation and food serving, such as bake sales, barbeques, dinners, etc., are not legal in many parts of the Council. (Check the Volunteer Essentials, Finance Chapter for more information.) Examples of Money-Earning Activities That Will NOT Be Approved Games of chance, such as Bingo, auctions, raffles, lottery, scratch-offs, catalog sales, etc. Any activity that could endorse a particular product or business or political affiliation. Product demonstrations, such as Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, candle parties, home interiors, etc. Sales designed to generate profits for a specific business/company, such as Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, M&M, etc., including sale of coupon books. Participation in any fundraiser that is not approved by the GSSJC Board of Directors and promoted by GSSJC. Any activity that uses unauthorized trademarked or copyrighted material, such as Disney characters, song lyrics, etc. Decisions regarding money-earning activities may be appealed through the Council Community Engagement Department. GSSJC F-32 Page 2 of 2 Rev. 12/15 22