Learn to lead

PLEASE NOTE: You must be logged in to your MyGS account to follow links on this page.

Volunteers like you let their generosity, courage, and heart shine through in everything they do—and your Girl Scouts take notice. Thank you for everything you bring to Girl Scouting.

Below, browse essential training courses required and or/recommended to help you create experiences Girl Scouts will never forget.

Required for Troop Leaders

GSUSA Successful Leader Learning Series toggle arrow

Receive an introduction to Girl Scouts and gain insight into how successful troop leaders incorporate the 'Girl Scout Way' into thoughts and actions and create a safe, inclusive, girl-led space for their troop.

This learning series is available through our gsLearn platform. Follow the link below to get started now!

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Learn to manage troop member information from your MyGS account and complete registration activities for troop members.

This course can be completed online via the gsLearn platform.

Overnight Trips & Camp Kaufmann

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Formerly known as Overnight Adventures and Beyond

Sleep Out! prepares Girl Scout volunteers to safely lead overnight trips in any setting, from hotels and museums to schools, churches, Airbnbs, or Camp Kaufmann. Volunteers will learn their responsibilities, planning best practices, Leave No Trace principles, behavior management strategies, packing tips, safety and medical guidelines, and emergency action planning to ensure a positive and well-prepared experience.

What is this training required for?

Troop leaders are required to complete this training before taking Girl Scouts on ANY OVERNIGHT TRIP. This includes to Camp Kaufmann, a hotel or Airbnb, museum, church, school, or anywhere else Girl Scouts will be staying overnight.

If visiting Camp Kaufmann, this training clears troop leaders to bring Girl Scouts on a Troop Camping Trip (Friday night to Sunday morning) to stay in one of our three Lake Houses, as these lodgings to not require outdoor cooking skills or the use of a firepit/fireplace.

This training does NOT certify troop leaders to use a firepit or fireplace. To visit Camp Kaufmann and lodge in an Outdoor Unit, Rustic Unit, or the Hillcrest House Unit—all of which require outdoor cooking/fire building skills—troop leaders must ALSO complete the Overnight Adventures: Camp Out training.

How can I complete this training?

Take this training virtually:

Complete the course through the gsLearn platform. (Make sure you are logged into your MyGS account).

Overnight Adventures: Camp Out toggle arrow

Formerly known as The Great Outdoors Camp Training

What does this training involve?

Camp Out! Training is a hands-on weekend experience that prepares Girl Scout volunteers to confidently lead troop camping at Camp Kaufmann.

Through practical outdoor skill-building, volunteers learn fire-building progression, stove safety, and multiple outdoor cooking methods—including foil packets, pie irons, and Dutch ovens—qualifying them to safely lead fire-building and outdoor cooking activities.

The course also covers emergency preparedness, Leave No Trace principles, menu planning and food safety, behavior management, supervision skills, and camp traditions, ensuring leaders are fully prepared to create safe, meaningful outdoor experiences for Girl Scouts.

What is this training required for?

Troop leaders are required to complete this training before taking Girl Scouts on a Troop Camping experience in one of Camp Kaufmann's Outdoors Units, or the Hillcrest House Unit.

How can I complete this training?

Pre-requisite required: Overnight Adventures: Sleep Out — Complete online via the gsLearn platform, accessible through your MyGS account.

Overnight Adventures: Camp Out is offered as an in-person, weekend experience at Camp Kaufmann. Find and register for an upcoming training session through the link below!

You will be redirected to CampBrain, the registration site for all Camp Kaufmann events. From there, begin a registration process for Camp Out: Outdoor Training.

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What is this training required for?

Troop leaders are required to complete this training before taking Girl Scouts on any overnight trip, including to Camp Kaufmann.

At least one adult with First Aid and CPR certification must accompany the troop. Through these trainings, you will learn how to identify and care for a variety of medical emergencies and administer appropriate CPR measures for adults, children, and infants.

Upon completing your chosen course, email a copy of your validation card to customercare@girlscoutsnyc.org with the subject line "First Aid and CPR Certification".

How can I complete this training?

In-person course with GSGNY Council Certified Trainers:

Council Certified Trainers are volunteers certified by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association to deliver First Aid and CPR curriculum. This 5-hour course concludes with a skills demonstration that must be passed in order to receive a validation card.

Click here to find and register for an upcoming session. If there are no upcoming trainings available, check back soon as they are scheduled intermittently, or sign up for a course through one of the organizations below.

In-person or hybrid course with the American Red Cross or American Heart Association

While both online and classroom courses are available through the American Red Cross and American Heart Association websites, please note the online courses alone DO NOT meet certification requirements. You must also enroll in a follow-up, instructor-led session within 90 days of completing your online course to demonstrate your skills and receive your validation card.

Visit redcrosslearningcenter.org or cpr.heart.org to sign up.

In-person course with the Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation

The Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation is a non-profit working to educate and effectuate change in the screening, diagnosis, and immediate treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.

To find or schedule a class with their certified instructors, visit domheart21.org.

Or, to organize a class for a group of volunteers (minimum of 10, $45 per person) contact customercare@girlscoutsnyc.org.

Please note this course ONLY awards CPR/AED certification. You will still be required to complete First Aid certification as well, which can be done through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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Learn what mental health is and how to recognize the signs of mental health challenges. Explore different scenarios that young people may experience, and learn how you can promote an environment within Girl Scouts for you and others to thrive and grow.

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This training—which focuses on common mental health challenges faced by children and teens, emergency action plans regarding youth safety and mental health, and resources for support—is designed to help volunteers create mentally and emotionally supportive spaces for Girl Scouts.

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Practice using inclusive and equitable language to support the identities of all Girl Scouts and foster a cohesive troop environment.

GSGNY Recommends

GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: What Daisy Girl Scouts Do toggle arrow

Welcome to Daisy Girl Scouts! Whether you are new to Daisies or want to know how to better run a Daisy troop, this grade level essentials course covers key topics related to running a successful and engaging Daisy Troop.

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Whether you are new to Brownies or want to know how to better run a Brownie troop, this grade level training will cover key topics related to running a successful and engaging Brownie Troop.

GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: What Junior Girl Scouts Do toggle arrow

Whether you are new to Juniors or want to know how to better run a Junior troop, this grade level training will cover key topics related to running a successful and engaging Junior Troop.

GSUSA Volunteer Toolkit Troop Leader View toggle arrow

The Volunteer Toolkit is your official source for delivering easy, fun troop meetings year-round! With this step-by-step guide, you can start your troop year strong and spend more time adventuring with your Girl Scouts.

GSUSA Volunteer Toolkit Troop Finance View toggle arrow

The Volunteer Toolkit is your Troop Leader’s official source for delivering easy, fun troop meetings year-round! With this step-by-step guide, you'll learn more about how you can submit the troop finance report through the Volunteer Toolkit.

GSUSA Girl Scouts in the Outdoors toggle arrow

This module will introduce troop leaders to what they can do to begin sharing the outdoors with their troop.

For questions or more information, review our Safety Activity Checkpoints (also available in Spanish) or contact Customer Care.

Looking for Cookie Resources?

Access all volunteer resources for Cookie Season, including training documents and videos!

Council Finder

Trainings & Certifications

Learn to lead

PLEASE NOTE: You must be logged in to your MyGS account to follow links on this page.

Required for Troop Leaders

Overnight Trips & Camp Kaufmann

What is this training required for?

How can I complete this training?

Take this training virtually:

What does this training involve?

What is this training required for?

How can I complete this training?

Pre-requisite required: Overnight Adventures: Sleep Out — Complete online via the gsLearn platform, accessible through your MyGS account.

What is this training required for?

How can I complete this training?

In-person course with GSGNY Council Certified Trainers:

In-person or hybrid course with the American Red Cross or American Heart Association

In-person course with the Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

GSGNY Recommends