Dear Volunteers,
It was great to see so many of you at the Area Manager & Facilitator Summit and the recent Volunteer Kick-offs! Thank you for being there. At these events, we shared that Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan has embarked on an amazing journey. And it’s a journey we'll make with you, our extraordinary volunteers, on behalf of our girls.
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is taking a bold new direction. For more than 100 years, we have been developing girls and having a lot of fun on the way. But our strong girls enter a society where they often do not have an equal place at the table. Although women make up 50% of the population, only 4% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 10% of State Governors, 19% of House Representatives and 20% of US Senators are women. Women are paid only $.79 for each dollar a man makes.
Equality for Girls is the name of our campaign and we will use the strength of Girl Scouts to better understand, analyze and counter these biases. We will build on Girl Scouts’ longstanding ability to shape strong and capable girls and women. 80% of GS alumnae attribute their success to Girl Scouting. This is not a surprise to many of us and it's time the world realize this as well. Did you know that 5 of the 6 current state governors and 57% of the women in the House of Representatives were Girl Scouts!
Here's where we're headed....Our strategy for change will include increasing Girl Scouts visibility and involving girls in shaping and marketing this bold new emphasis. Programs will be featuring high adventure, STEM activities (some will involve power tools), and many more leadership opportunities for girls. For example, we are looking for girls to get involved in a media/ marketing group. In fact, check out the Fox 47 Lansing TV spot! You'll see Amelia H. (one of our talented Girl Scouts from the Jackson Region) and me talking about Equality for Girls.
Girl-led will manifest itself at Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan with gusto. Girls will be learning about, developing and delivering council-wide programs and be actively involved in shaping leader education. Additionally, Program Aide, Counselor-in-Training and Volunteer-in-Training programs will be incorporated into a broader leadership development progression. All this will take time, and girl and volunteer involvement, as we construct the roadmap toward our new direction. It is our goal to involve thousands of girls and volunteers in this new journey. Let us know how you and/or your girls want to get involved.
The Source, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan's unique program & events guide, will be available in September and will contain many of the council-wide programs you told us are your favorites but be scaled back so your Program and Adult Education staff can coordinate this exciting effort. In addition, you will also be receiving a monthly program newsletter.
Beautiful new recruitment materials showing girls making friends, having fun, and participating in bold, gender-neutral activities are available at a regional office near you. You can view samples on the Recruitment Materials Order Form, also found on our website, AND pick up posters and bookmarks at your regional office to distribute in your community. Involve your girls in planning a marketing blitz to distribute these materials to let the world know....In Girl Scouts, girls can do can do anything!
Imagine a future where girls and women have an equal place at the table. Envision that future being brought about sooner by the work being done in Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan.
It's already shaping up to be an exciting year at Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan! Please join us in moving girls into a bolder, brighter more equitable future!
Jan Barker
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan
