Four Girl Scout councils implemented Inquiry in the Community (IC) curriculum and best practices with our support. While they shared some things in common, each organization added its own flair.
Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast (GSCCC)
Like most of our councils, GSCCC used a "train-the-trainer" approach. They integrated IC curriculum into their existing workshops for troop leaders, and then taught their corps of workshop facilitators how to lead these workshops. Since their council has a big focus on one-day events for girls, the staff made sure that their events showcased IC practices (youth leadership, experiential learning, and including science activities), and then taught other event volunteers to do the same.
What GSCCC did
- Integrated IC curriculum into existing troop leader workshops
- Provided professional development (using IC curriculum) to membership, volunteer services, program, and camp staff
- Integrated an IC workshop into a staff meeting to give all staff a basic background with the three processes and other core program concepts
- Examined ways they could model IC processes in their staff ways of work
- Involved workshop facilitators, service unit teams, and staff in a kickoff weekend where they received professional development using IC curriculum and identified ways they could use IC concepts and tools in their roles
- Used IC-inspired activities at major events and in activity guides
Girl Scouts of Maine (GSME)
What other Girl Scout councils did in a few months, GSME did in a few weeks. Integrating IC curriculum into existing workshops? Check. Train-the-trainer approach? Check. And then, they had all of their staff participate in an IC workshop at a staff meeting, because they felt it was important for everyone on staff - from facilities to accounting - to understand the basics of high-quality program.
What GSME did:
- Integrated IC curriculum into existing troop leader workshops
- Oriented workshop facilitators to the revised workshops
- Provided professional development (using IC curriculum) to membership, volunteer services, program, and camp staff
- Integrated an IC workshop into a staff meeting to give all staff a basic background with the three processes and other core program concepts
- Incorporated IC curriculum into service unit meetings to bring all volunteers (not just new ones) up to speed on IC concepts
- Used IC-inspired activities at major events
Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington (GSOSW)
GSOSW is proof that it's possible to use IC in your program even when staff turnover disrupts your work. After adding IC curriculum to their workshops, and conducting professional development for staff and support-level volunteers, GSOSW underwent a staff reorganization. Not to be dissuaded, they kept finding ways to move forward…and to use IC in planning their future.
What GSOSW did:
- Integrated Inquiry in the Community curriculum into existing troop leader workshops
- Oriented trainers to the revised workshops at the annual Trainers' Conference
- Provided professional development (using IC curriculum) to membership, volunteer services, program, and executive staff
- Included a short IC workshop in summer service team trainings (for those volunteers supporting service units)
Girl Scouts of Western Washington (GSWW)
GSWW was the original testing ground for IC and has used many of IC's tools and approaches. As a council with many support-level staff and volunteers, GSWW found both large and small ways to implement IC - with volunteer workshop facilitators, volunteer-led camps, and staff professional development) - and simply changing the activities they shared at community festivals.
What GSWW did:
- Integrated IC curriculum into existing troop leader workshops, both in-person and online
- Oriented workshop facilitators to the revised workshops at the annual Facilitators' Conference
- Provided professional development (using IC curriculum) to membership, volunteer services, program, and camp staff
- Integrated IC curriculum into conferences for volunteer-led day camp directors (approx. 40 camps) and volunteer-led resident camp directors (7 camps)
- Created activity guides for use at volunteer-led day camps
- Used IC curriculum as part of resident camp staff training
- Designed a popular booth at a large-scale event (Seattle Science Festival's EXPO Day) using IC practices
- Adapted IC activities into grab-and-go kits for recruiting events
