Silver Award Process and Projects

Sample of how to get your girls going on the Silver Award Projects.  By no means is this the only route to go OR the only answers. And all this might not have gotten done all in one sitting. Perhaps identifying the issue was one talk.  Then the girls were tasked to do some community mapping, and find out what organizations in their community also served the need.  When they came back together, the girls could pool information and lead a discussion about how they want to proceed.

You see how it goes! Give them some structure and a push!  Offer resources to aid, but don't do it for them.  Support and cheerlead their efforts. And finally, hold them to the high standards of the Silver Award Project, even if it's killing you!!!!  This should be a tough project for the girls to put together and accomplish, within their reach, but not a piece of cake!

Have fun!  And take a look at how the process worked in training this morning.

Ask them:
--to identify the interest:  Environment - clean up the beaches
--what community organizations are there with whom you can partner:

1. Surfrider foundation   **chosen non-profit to work with
2. Parks and Recreation Departments
3. Water Department
4. Arbor Day Foundation
5. Forest Service

--who can help?

1. Advisor
2. Family
3. Peers - school clubs/groups
4. Troop

--what can they do?

1. Create a website where other groups/organizations can sign up/find info about monthly beach clean-up days/times.
2. Work with foundation to implement/continue program and decide on who/how it can become sustainable.  How will that be managed and supported?
3. Advertise to recruit groups to help.  Have a special day for the organization
4. Ask for sponsorship for supplies

Here's another way of looking at it:
Ask them:
-- identify the interest: Sports
-- what community organizations are out there with whom you may partner:

1. YMCA
2. Local sports leagues
3. Community Centers
4. boys and Girls Club
5. Local professional teams
6. Sporting Goods Stores
7. Restaurants - Sports themed
8. Susan B. Komen Foundation - Race for the Cure  **chosen non-profit to work with

-- who can help?

1. Schools
2. Troops
3. Children of Survivors

-- what can they do?

1. raise awareness to young kids about the cause (breast cancer)
2. promote healthy, active lifestyle
3. staff a booth at a fair about the Komen program and kids programs to help

And a final example of the process:
Ask them:
-- identify the interest:  Fashion
-- what community organizations are out there with whom you may partner?

1. Fullerton College
2. Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
3. Art Institute
4. OC Interior Designers group

-- who can help?
-- what can they do?
-- what is the issue to be addressed?  Why is it important?  Who is it important to?  Who benefits from fashion? Is fashion important around the world?

In this case, there was no clear connection of how the interest in fashion could become a Silver Award Project.  What a great process for the girls to go through!  They had a shared interest, they thought they had organizations who might help them, but couldn't find a project to make the world a better place in their issue!

Where to go from there?  Re-think the issue.  Maybe it's about clothing the needy and less about trend?  Or maybe it's just a good idea that can become a "Make Your Own Badge" in the new Cadette Girl Guide?