SU Meeting Tools

Our service unit volunteers are amazing superheroes! But even superheroes need a little help sometimes. Check out these useful tools and ideas to make your service unit meetings every better!

Request a Staff Member

Interested in having a staff member or specialist attend a service unit meeting? Use the request form to browse through options. From VTK to highest awards, camp to conflict management, we’ve got you covered! Please make requests at least 30 days in advance to allow for scheduling.

Meetings and Agendas

Service unit meetings are held monthly and offer team members, troop leadership, and other adult volunteers that attend the meetings an opportunity to learn, network, receive council updates, and hear about upcoming events. SU meetings also provide an opportunity to receive feedback from the community as well as to recognize adults for their accomplishments and contributions.

It is recommended that each troop send a representative to each service unit meeting. The same person does not have to attend all meetings. Troop representatives can be troop leaders, troop helpers, or parents. The troop representative(s) will learn about service unit and council news, events, and trainings, and gain ideas. They should then communicate that information back to the troop.

A typical service unit meeting will include:

Welcome/introductions (sign in, pick up agenda/fliers)
Opening (e.g. flag ceremony, Girl Scout Promise and Law, welcome and introduce new leaders)
Girl guest speakers
Council news (e.g. upcoming workshops, support staff updates, etc.)
Training (Use the staff request portal above if you’d like someone from council to lead a training.)
Upcoming SU Events (e.g. encampment, Daisy Day; Include date, location, facilitating troop.)
Closing and thank you (Take a moment to recognize leaders and community partners.)
Information about next service unit meeting

Scroll down for downloadable templates.

Qualities of an effective meeting:

Set a regularly scheduled place and time.
Set a start and end time (end the meeting on time!).
Assign a time keeper to keep topics on track and on time.
One speaker, one mic.
Remind troop leaders through preferred service unit communication method about the meeting a couple of days in advance.
Have a greeter welcome meeting attendees as they arrive (a great task for the recognitions chair).
Have a sign-in sheet to track attendance and verify troop details. (Consider utilizing an opportunity drawing for on-time/regular attendees.)
Invite girls to talk about their service projects or highest awards, practice flag ceremonies, etc.
The service unit team sets the mood! Keep meetings positive and upbeat. Don’t forget to share a recap.

Meeting Guide Template

Publisher document
PDF

Microsoft Word - SU_Meeting_Sample_Agenda.docx

Sample Service Unit Meeting Agenda

Word document
PDF

Short and Snappy Activities

Short and Snappy trainings are quick activities (usually 10-15 minutes) to do at service unit meetings, troop meetings, or other gatherings. Anyone who’s interested in the topic can lead a Short and Snappy. Give one a try!

Afterward, please take our survey and let us know how it went. We love your feedback—responses help us learn where Short and Snappys are being delivered, what trainings our community needs, and how to improve our material.

5 Skills for Girls: The cookie program is about more than just raising funds for troop activities. Girls earn and learn through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, developing professional skills they can use now and later in life.

10 Common Girl Scout Forms: Explain how to complete ten common Girl Scout forms.

10 Tips to Boost Cookie Sales: Volunteers can encourage girls to take ownership of their cookie entrepreneurship by teaching them these tips.

Being Inclusive: Experience the effects of inclusion and exclusion.

Community Partners: Girl Scouts San Diego’s community partners are organizations approved by Girl Scouts to offer events and activities based on the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Co-op Troop Leader: Some volunteers prefer to share troop leadership and determine together how to split or rotate responsibilities to fit everyone’s schedule.

Creative Sit-Upons: The sit-upon is a longstanding Girl Scout tradition. There are many ways girls and adults can make these insulated (usually waterproof) cushions to use when sitting on the ground.

Four-Player Model Leadership Style: Before volunteers begin empowering girls to lead, they might benefit from exploring their own leadership styles.

Engaging Girls in STEAM: There are fun ways to introduce girls of every age to science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

Girl Scout Birthday Quiz: Test your knowledge of Girl Scout history!

Guided Outdoor Exploration: Create an engaging environment for exploring nature.

Holidays for All: Are your troop’s holiday activities welcoming to girls of different faiths?

Introduction to Journeys: Journeys include fun activities and are fully customizable. Teach easy ways to make Journeys fit girls’ interests and needs.

Money Earning Projects: Clear up some common misconceptions about rules and regulations associated with money-earning.

My Promise, My Faith Pin: This award complements other religious recognitions and allows any girl to strengthen the connection between her faith and Girl Scouts.

Recognizing Volunteers: Share the basics of recognizing volunteers, the adult recognitions program, and make sure everyone feels appreciated.

SWAPS: SWAPS (special whatchamacallits affectionately pinned somewhere) are meaningful to Girl Scouts around the world.

Tips and Advice for the Multi-Level Troop: Having a multi-level troop offers lots of benefits to Girl Scouts, and might come with a few challenges.

Troop/Group Finances: Learn about important financial information and resources for you to refer to as you navigate your Girl Scout experience.

Volunteer Toolkit: This app offers yearlong troop meeting plans based on badges and Journeys, including meeting activities, supply lists, and extra meeting resources. It’s easy to add, delete, and customize meetings.

Ways to Participate in Girl Scouts: Illuminate the different ways girls and adults can participate in Girl Scouts.

World Thinking Day: On Feb. 22 each year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 146 countries celebrate World Thinking Day and global sisterhood.

SU Service Unit Planning Resources

The Service Unit Guidebook provides insights and tips for all service unit team members in their efforts to create a healthy and sustainable service unit.

The Service Unit Playbook offers strategies to promote an inclusive environment, run effective meetings, and prompts to evaluate the health and direction of the service unit.

Service Unit Tasks and Goals accompanies the yearly Service Unit Planning Guide and includes a list of one-person, short-term projects that can be set as small, accomplishable goals for different service unit team focus areas.

Questions? Email your Service Unit Support Team or Service Unit Support Specialist.