Recruiting

Looking for some fun new activities to spice up your recruiting events or festival booths? Try using some of our inquiry science activities at your next event and see the difference. With the input of people who do recruiting in real, on-the-ground situations, we've selected three activities to package as "recruiting activities." Here's why councils have added our activities to their recruiting mix:

• They're cheap and easily branded. They use supplies that you can purchase at stores or order online, and they use supplies that you can easily put your logo and contact information on, like paper and rubber band bracelets.
• They showcase the three processes; these, particularly "girl led," are what distinguish Girl Scouts from other organizations. Our activities put those processes front and center, and in ways that parents and prospective volunteers can see them. Plus, they're a "no-brainer" for whoever is leading the activity; if they follow the instructions, the processes will happen.
• They immediately communicate that Girl Scouts is more than cookies, crafts, and camping. Want to quickly dispel this myth of the "three C's"? Use science activities at events and festivals where the public can see them.
• They're fun and attract attention. Girls love them. So do adults. It's a win-win.

The Activities

These activity instructions are short (they fit on one page), are tailored specifically for recruiting, and give exact directions (like questions to ask and things to do). Plus, there are two versions of each recruiting activity: one for events where you're working with a group of girls all at once, and one for booths at festivals or tables at school fairs.

The activities are:

• Bunny Copters - Simple paper helicopters that grab attention
• Ring Gliders - A flying "plane" that surprises and delights
• Good Vibrations - A craft-stick harmonica that attracts kids and adults

Share Them with Recruiters

You can simply hand the activity instructions to someone and let them run with it. For more fun, gather your recruiting staff/volunteers together. First, have them experience the activities as participants; then, have them split up and practice leading the activities with each other. You'll find that your staff and volunteers use them in lots of unexpected ways: at school events, donor events, and having teen girls lead them with other girls or adults.

Make Kits

Want to make it even easier on your recruiting staff/volunteers? Make grab-and-go kits that they can toss in their bag and take to a recruiting event! One council created resealable bags that contained the activity instructions and enough supplies for 30 girls to do the activity. Need a service project for that sorority or employee group who wants to help, but can't give much time? Feed them pizza and have a kit-making party. Check out the Kit-making instructions; give your helpers this Excel document so they can adjust the quantities to meet your needs.