POLICY P1
Troops/groups must have written permission from a council
employee to participate in
activities that involve a) a day or overnight trip that
includes non- registered participants; b) a day or overnight
trip outside council boundaries; c) trips or overnights of 2
nights/3 days or more; d) travel outside the continental US
e) camping activities, including backyard camping, campfires,
outdoor cooking and cabin camping; f) programs that include
human sexuality and related health issues; g) activities that
present a greater risk than usual to participants.
Procedures
>> Non-registered participants refer
to anyone not registered as a Girl Scout member, including
chaperones, tag-alongs, members of other scouting groups and
collaborators.
>> Refer to the Volunteer
Essentials Travel Information Appendix for more
information.
>> Refer to Safety
Activity Checkpoints for information on activities with
greater risk than usual, and identify when council permission,
approved vendors, and/or the purchase of additional GS Activity
insurance is required.
POLICY P2
During activities involving girl
participation, no alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs shall be used,
consumed or possessed by anyone present. Anyone arriving under the
suspicion of influence, noticeable by their behavior, will be
prohibited from participating in the activity.
Procedures
>> Prescription drugs
authorized by a physician are allowed if indicated on health
form.
>> The Incident
Report Form must be used in confidence to report an instance
of prohibiting someone from participating due to
substance-influenced behavior.
POLICY P3
Auxiliary heaters (fueled by electricity,
wood, coal, gas, oil, solar, propane, kerosene, etc.) are never to be
used in areas used for sleeping during regular sleeping hours.
POLICY P4
No open flame sources (such as candles,
lanterns, stoves, etc.) are to be used in tents.
POLICY P5
Non-Girl Scout groups and families of
registered Girl Scouts must submit the designated application and pay
appropriate fees for use of any GSVSC facility and will be given time
and date consideration if not in conflict with ongoing Girl Scout use.
The designated application must verify that the
group/organization/family has or can obtain appropriate insurance for
the nature of their use; be financially responsible for any and all
damages beyond the requested damage deposit amount caused by their use
and/or personal injury; and must sign the hold harmless provision
contained within the application. Any non-Girl Scout group may be
denied use of the facility if their beliefs and practices are in
conflict with those of the Girl Scouts and/or with previous use have
shown lack of care and responsibility for GSVSC facilities/properties.
POLICY P6
GSVSC will ensure fair and equal treatment to
all girls who seek to participate in any of the council’s programs or
activities. A girl who meets or can meet membership requirements shall
not be denied admission or access to Girl Scout program because of
race, color, ethnicity, national origin, background, disability,
family structure, religious beliefs, socioeconomic, sexual
orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status.
Reasonable accommodations shall be made for girls with disabilities to
ensure that girls have access to activities. It is the policy of GSVSC
to assure that girl membership reflects the diversity of population
groups within its jurisdiction.
POLICY P7
Each troop or group must have a minimum of two
troop co-leaders. When a troop has only two co-leaders, they cannot be
related. All troop co-leaders are required to have an approved GSVSC
background check. They also must be a registered adult Girl Scout
member, and must receive the appropriate Girl Scout training.
Procedures
>> All GSVSC background checks must
be renewed every three years.
>> Men may serve
as troop leaders when a non-related adult female leader is
present.
>> A man cannot be a troop leader with
his wife unless there is an unrelated female troop leader present
and registered.
>> Written/email permission must
be given by an authorized council employee to register or continue a
troop/group with fewer than two GSVSC appointed leaders.
POLICY P8
A troop/group consists of at least five girls
from more than one family.
Procedures
>> Written/e-mail permission must be
given by an authorized council employee to register or continue a
troop/group with fewer than five girl members.
POLICY P9
Male volunteers may not sleep in the same
space with girl members who are not their daughters.
Procedures
>> Males may participate only if separate sleeping
quarters and bathrooms are available for their use.
>> Sleeping accommodations for such events should be
announced in advance, and girls must be instructed NOT to enter the
sleeping accommodations of males.
>> Men should
not be among the adults supervising girls in the sleeping area for
an event. The adult-to-girl ratio for the trip will need to be
adjusted accordingly.
>> With written permission
from the parent, males may sleep in the same space with “tag-along”
brothers while on trips. At no time should the adult male and child
be left alone together.
>> Each girl participant
should have her own bed. Parent/guardian permission must be obtained
if girls are to share a bed.
>> Girls and adults
do not share a bed with the exceptions of mothers and
daughters.
>> It is not mandatory that an adult
sleep in the sleeping area (tent, cabin, or designated area) with
the girls, but if an adult female does share the sleeping area,
there should always be two unrelated adult females present.
POLICY P10
Every Girl Scout group shall respect the
varying religious opinions and practices of its membership in planning
and conducting activities.
Procedures
>> GSVSC reserves the right to refuse appointment and
to dismiss or suspend from affiliation with GSVSC any volunteer who
is found to be forcing a belief system on girl members.
POLICY P11
Personal firearms for which an individual is licensed must not
be carried on the body (adult or girl) when participating in a Girl
Scout activity.
Procedures
>> These firearms must be unloaded and placed
in the locked trunk of the car or, if located on a rack in the cab
of a truck, the truck must be locked.
>> Law
enforcement officers, if required to carry their sidearm, must be
sure it remains holstered with the safety catch on.
POLICY P12
Horse stables, high-adventure vendors and
charter bus companies must go through an approval process to ensure
that they meet safety and insurance guidelines before use by Girl Scouts.
Procedures
>> A stable or high-adventure
vendor approved by another Girl Scout council may be used by
receiving written verification of the approval from the other
council as well as a copy of the vendor’s certificate of
insurance.
>> An up-to-date list of approved
stables (#2149),
high-adventure vendors (#2147)
and charter bus companies (#2148)
may be found on the council website (www.gsvsc.org, Forms
& Documents). To have a new stable, high-adventure vendor
or charter bus company added to the list, please allow a minimum of
eight weeks for processing.
POLICY P13
Program Refund Policy: requested refunds are
up to the discretion of the council (GSVSC staff) based on individual
circumstances. Refunds will not be issued less than 30 days prior to
the date of the program, event, camp or training, and will not include
any processing fees or unrecoverable program expenses incurred by the
organizer(s). Refunds will not be issued for fewer than $5; after
applicable refund processing fees. Trips will have their own
individual refund policies.
Procedures
>> GSVSC volunteers hosting
programs, events, camps, and trainings will utilize the Program
Refund Policy.
>> Non-Girl Scout program
collaborators running approved programs have the right to set and
enforce their own refund policies. These policies must be mutually
agreed-upon with collaborators and clearly stated on registration materials.
POLICY P14
All GSVSC sanctioned (council, troop, SU)
events are to be delivered as advertised or registrants are to receive
a full refund for cancellations. Decisions regarding cancellations of
programs, events, trips, camps or trainings due to uncontrollable
circumstances, as approved by the CEO, are to be made with the safety
of our members in mind and based on conditions at the program, event,
trip, camp or training location. Postponed programs, events, trips,
camps, or trainings are to be rescheduled within six months at no
additional cost to registrants.
Procedures
>> All GSVSC volunteers and Non-Girl Scout program
collaborators hosting programs, events, trips, camps or trainings
are to utilize the above GSVSC cancellation policy.
>> If there is an unforeseen circumstance that
prohibits rescheduling or refunding a cancelled program, event,
trip, camp, or training, these circumstances are to be discussed
with the CEO prior to deciding or communicating an alternative. It
will be at the CEO's discretion to dictate what the alternative will
be.
>> Inclement weather statements are to be
clearly stated in all registration materials as follows: “In the
event the program, event, trip, camp or training should be postponed
due to inclement weather, the program will be rescheduled. No
refunds will be provided should registrants choose not to
participate in activities on the alternate inclement weather date.”
The inclement weather statement should also indicate the alternate
inclement weather date, time, and location.