program aides

About Program Aides

Girl Scouts is all about leadership. You started on the leadership path as Daisies or Brownies or Juniors, as you began to understand and develop your values, use your knowledge and skills to explore the world, and care about and team up with others to make the world a better place.

There are many programs in Girl Scouts available to help progress along your leadership path. Being a Program Aide is a great way to get started!

Program Aides are trained Girl Scouts, able to offer help with most aspects of Brownie/Junior day camp and program. They are a key part of camp and troop leadership.

Earning your Program Aide Award

As of Oct. 1, 2011

Use the Cadette Program Aide Tracking Sheet to track your progress.
Important: You will not be entered into our system as an eligible PA until this form is completed and turned into Kim Petau, even if you have purchased your pin from the shop.

STEP 1:

Earn one Leader in Action (LiA) award. The LiA award can be earned by assisting a Brownie group on any of their National Leadership Journeys. There is a different LiA for each Journey. GSCO is currently working on offering LiA opportunities in conjunction with our activities and events. During the interim, if you need help finding a Brownie group, please contact Customer Support to be directed to the appropriate staff member for your area.

Requirements:

It's Your Story- Tell It! A World of Girls: 1. Work with a Brownie group on a Journey activity to encourage team building/teamwork skills. 2. Help girls participate in a new healthy physical activity. 3. Encourage girls to learn differenct types of media as they learn about story telling. More information on page 18 of the A World of Girls leader guide.

It's Your Planet- Love it! Wonders of Water: 1.Work with Brownies to try a new health habit. 2. Help the girls particpate in team building and teamwork skills. 3. Tell Brownies which part of the Girl Scout law you try to live by and why. More information on page 36 of the WOW! leader guide.

It's Your World- Change It! Brownie Quest: 1. Demonstrate your organizing skills by creating an outline for three activity sessions. 2. Lead the girls in a "just for fun" activity. 3. Help the girls particpate in a healthy living activity. More information on page 17 of the Brownie Quest leader guide.

More information on LiA awards can be found under Mentoring Awards in the Cadette handbook pg 30.

STEP 2:

Attend a Basic Program Aide Training (BPAT). Most BPATs are coupled with a specialty, the most common of which is the Camp Specialty. Many programs require a specialty before you are eligible to PA. For example, all camp programs require PAs to have attended a Camp Specialty training before they are eligible to PA at camp.

You can sign up for just the BPAT, just the specialty, or both.

Program Aide training process:

Candidate must complete 6^th grade and a LiA first.
Check the Activity Finder for available trainings. If you are interested in being a PA at camp, be sure to sign up for a training that also offers the Camp Specialty training. Fall trainings are for girls that have just completed 6^th grade (current 7^thgraders). There will be a make-up training in the spring if you are unable to participate in the fall.
Attend a Basic Program Aide training (and the Camp Specialty training for girls interested in being a camp PA) in the Fall to become eligible to PA at events and for troops.

STEP 3:

Internship: Work directly with younger girls over six activity sessions (your Cadette Program Aide Tracking Sheet will really come in handy here). This might include working with a younger troop on their Journey activities (in addition to your LiA work), at a day camp, or at a special council event.

The six PA award activities must:

Address one of the 15 GSUSA leadership outcomes
Be planned in advance
Total 10 hours (planning time should be included in hour totals)

Your internship can be performed at camp, events, and more.

Use the Cadette Program Aide Tracking Sheet to track your progress. When you complete the worksheet, email or mail it to Kim Petau at P.O. Box 9407 Denver, CO 80209-0407. Important: You will not be entered into our system as an eligible PA until this form is completed and turned in, even if you have your pin.

Congratulations! Once you complete your worksheet, Your pin will be mailed to you within 1-2 months (usually sooner) so be sure to add your mailing address to the form when you turn it in..

Trainings:

More trainings coming this spring!

Due to the high level of interest in this program, you may be placed on a wait-list. Please register quickly.

You will not receive a final confirmation until after the registration deadline. This confirmation will be accompanied with a packing list and any additional information and will only be sent if we have received your registration.

For Seniors and Ambassadors

We are building a Volunteer In Training (VIT) to replace what has historically been the Leader In Training (LIT) program. We would love input from YOU about what you want out of it. The sky is the limit so please contact Kim Petau with any thoughts, suggestions or wants for this brand new program!

Questions?

If you have any questions please contact Kim Petau at 303-838-5311.

For registration questions including payment issues and problems with online registration, please contact the Event Registrar, Stepanie Hard at303-607-4882.