Cadette-Junior Blended Troops

Great training this week!  A small group of 3 leaders came for a GSLE non-level specific training in Irvine.  I'd met all 3 at various trainings, but it was Laura's comments from the last Cadette Essentials that really framed the session.

Laura is a brand new leader of a Cadette-Junior troop.  WOW!  She dove in with both feet at her daughter's K-12 school to create the first Girl Scout Troop ever.  Her recruitment was at the end of the school year, a bit unusual, but certainly workable!  Laura said that her challenge is how to make sure that these girls all have a great level-appropriate experience.

She emailed me this question ahead of time, so I had time to garner some great information from staff, leaders and other trainers.  Yep, I was prepared!  Turns out, so were the other participants!  All 4 of us shared ideas and strategies on how to make this work!  

Shellie Massick, Volunteer Development Manager, started the conversation off:  "In one word:  delegate!  In two words:  get help!"  

Susan Monk, SUM and Senior Troop Advisor added to be specific in what you ask the parents to do!  At the parent meeting, be very clear that you need:  a Silver Award Advisor, a Bronze Advisor, a Troop Camping parent, Cookie Mom, Junior Journey leader, Cadette Journey leader, etc.  

Barb Christenson, former SUM and Senior Troop Advisor said to be sure to have the Juniors meet in one room, and the Cadettes in another.  The younger girls may be all about the fun and noise, while the older girls have planning to do for the troop activities.  "Be sure that the Cadettes have opportunities to work with other Cadettes in the SU, or better yet, with Seniors and Ambassadors." You don't want the older girls to always feel that they are "stuck in the role as the ones training the younger girls. Conversely, the younger girls will also be stuck in the role as the ones being led/trained by the older girls in the troop, they will never be the experienced ones." "The leader needs to find opportunities for them to lead other girls." Maybe a Daisy troop?  Maybe other Juniors?

Barb also suggested that the leader "look into customizing the Journeys for the girls. The Juniors could have a lock-in weekend and the Cadettes could do a "spa" weekend to earn parts of their respective Journeys.  By not relying on the Journey to be the sole topic of the troop's meetings for the year, it is easier for the girls to do things together, regardless of the levels."

Teresa Beach, troop advisor, said she has great success with her multi-level troop by having the openings and closings with ALL the girls, then breaking them out to different rooms to do the business of their levels.  We talked about this at our training as well:  make each level feel special and maintain the girl-led leadership at each level.

One of the women in our Cadette Essentials training said she broke it up even further.  Two meetings a month as a troop, then one meeting a month for the Journeys, and another meeting a month for the girls working on awards.  She got a round of applause from the group!

Thank you to all for their input, and I hope that Laura and her girls will create a fabulous troop where everyone has fun, everyone has a chance to learn how to lead and work cooperatively with each other as they have a GREAT time in Girl Scouts.  I'm looking forward to seeing Laura and her girls at the OC Fair, Junior Jam, Cadette-o-Rama and everything else a girl can do in this council. And beyond.