In my last article, I focused on the name changes that will be in place in the Fall of 2008. Alongside those changes, GSUSA has announced some other changes, albeit nothing as tangible as the name changes.

The information I have seen is "interesting" but lacks the specifics I need to understand what it all really means. For example, there is a new mission statement for the organization: "Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place."

Fine by me: that doesn't change a thing as far as I can see. They also released a new philosophy of leadership, which is as follows:

"The Girl Scout philosophy of leadership says that for girls to become leaders they need to:
* Understand their values, and use their knowledge and skills to explore their world (Discover)
* Care about, inspire and team with others locally and globally (Connect)
* Act to make the world a better place (Take Action)

Discover, Connect and Take Action are the three Girl Scout keys to leadership."

Again, fine by me... the words may be new, but the message has not changed and my troop currently operates in such a way that they meet the points of the "new" leadership philosophy even though National suggests that "the leadership model is the new design for what girls do in Girl Scouting and how adult support can strengthen their experiences. It is the roadmap for determining what a girl will learn and how she will be impacted."

The road map may be "new" but the destination and even the sights along the way have not changed just because a "new" written philosophy has been produced.

There is also an accompanying model of Activities, Processes, and Short-term and Intermediate Outcomes to go with the new philosophy. I am not going to provide the entire "model" here because it encompasses over 350 words that provide zero direction in my assessment. That assessment will make me unpopular with the paid Girl Scout types, I'm sure, but the reality is that we volunteers dwell in the real world. Trying to decipher over 350 words for intent and meaning wastes precious time that we could be spending planning real activities that will happen next week.

To make my point, under "Action," it is suggested that "Program activities are organized around the Girl Scout three keys to leadership and are based on the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law." Nothing new there to report.

Likewise under "Processes," there is just a short statement:

"The processes of girl-driven, learning by doing and cooperative learning are integrated into the activities (what girls do). The processes (how girls do it) create an environment of fun and friendship for girls, determine the quality of the experience and make Girl Scouting unique, thus further enabling the development of leadership skills."

Again, nothing new here and nothing concrete that requires any new action by those of us in the trenches.

The Outcomes section is long and suggests such useful notions as "Girls develop positive values" and "Girls are resourceful problem solvers." Although these statements provide wonderful sound bites for the national organization to use to promote themselves, they, again, do not suggest anything new to current leaders.

Perhaps anticipating skepticism such as mine, National also has an answer to why the new leadership model is important:

"The leadership model ensures that everyone speaks in one, powerful, national voice about the benefits of Girl Scouts to girls: leadership development. It provides the design for what girls do in Girl Scouting, illustrates how adult support strengthens girls' experiences, and defines and displays all of the elements that must be in place to positively impact girls' lives."

Ah, there it is, pardon me while I go put the model on a note card so that I can whip it out and speak with the one voice of Girl Scouts when necessary. Then I can go back to planning my troop's drawing workshop and the other real business of being a leader.