In 2015, Girl Scouts launched the Girl Scout Volunteer Toolkit (VTK), a comprehensive digital tool accessible on your computer, smartphone, and tablet that is the primary support resource for troop leaders!

So how can new volunteers get in on the VTK goodness? Luckily, it’s really easy to access and there are plenty of people and resources to help. You’ll get the hang of it rather quickly!

What will I find in the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)?

You will find the five tabs below to help make managing your troop more simple.

My Troop: The My Troop tab allows you to manage your troop contacts, renew membership, and communicate with parents.

Year Plan: This tab allows you to broadly manage your troop year based on what girls want to do. When you log into VTK for the first time, you will see several year plan options for your girls to choose from. The first two meetings of each of these year plans will help you decide, in partnership with the girls, which of the year plans they would like to use based on their interests!

Meeting Plan: The Meeting Plan tab will also allow you to set your meeting calendar, including meeting locations, dates, and times. In this tab, you will view meeting details, including activity descriptions, meeting aids, materials lists, and more.

Resources: Here you can find additional resources to support the activities that your girls choose to do. The Safety Activity Checkpoints, all meeting aids, and other helpful resources are all housed in the Resources tab. You can easily add the meeting aids to a specific meeting in your year plan.

Finances: The Finances tab allows you to submit your troop financial report to GSWO and share it with parents. You will still have to submit your troop bank statement to the council if you do not bank at one of the preferred banks, PNC or Fifth Third.

How do I access the Volunteer Toolkit?

When you visit our website, you will see a My GS tab. You will enter your login credentials there to gain access to the Volunteer Toolkit. The VTK integrates right into the council website to allow the leader to seamlessly go back and forth between the website and the VTK!

Is there training on how to use the Volunteer Toolkit?

The toolkit is designed to be intuitive and require no formal training! However, we know volunteers learn in different ways, so we have video tutorials available as well.

Plus, because the VTK is constantly being upgraded with new features, we have webinars each year on the ins and outs of the program! You can register for upcoming webinars and watch replays at gswo.org/learning.

More of a hands-on learner? Council staff members and service unit volunteers are also very knowledgeable on the VTK, so feel free to reach out if you want one-on-one assistance!

Who has access to the Volunteer Toolkit?

Right now, troop leaders and co-leaders for all troops have editable access to the Volunteer Toolkit! They can add year plans, update meeting plans, and edit information for members of the troop.

In addition, other adults (including parents!) can to view the troop’s information and edit the information for their household members.

What badges and journeys are available on the VTK?

Right now, Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops have Year Plan options available on the Volunteer Toolkit. In addition, CSA troops can create their own year plan inside the VTK! Multi-level troops have access to multi-level-specific year plans for the new STEM journeys, plus access to all of the materials for K-5 troops.

New year plan options are being added each year, so log in to see the complete list!

What if I don’t have internet access at my meeting place? How will I access program materials?

You can easily download the materials to your device or print them to take to your meeting. Also, the VTK can be accessed on a tablet or smart phone, which may expand where it can be used!

What about volunteers who don’t have internet access at home?

The toolkit is not an app, so it can be accessed from any computer or device. Libraries are a great resource for volunteers who don’t have access to the internet at home. Simply print meeting plans or download them to your personal computer or drive!

Why has Girl Scouts decided to go digital?

We have heard about all of the hours that Girl Scout volunteers spend supporting troops. VTK is designed to help cut down the amount of time it takes for a volunteer to manage their troop, including planning meetings (in partnership with the girls), communicating with parents, and finding support resources. The VTK puts all of this at their fingertips by having a central location for all of their Girl Scout “stuff.” Now volunteers can easily find resources, access the website, and communicate with parents, all in one spot!

Let’s make the this year your most productive yet with the VTK! Still have questions? Contact the Customer Care Team at 888.350.5090 or customerservice@gswo.org!