Service Learning Proposal

SL Proposal
Service Learning Proposal for Girl Scouts of America
By: Erica H, Ashleigh A, Nichole R, Abi R, Candace T, Jacqui C, Valerie T, Anna S. and Esteffani C.
September 29, 2011
Meredith Tweed
WST4021-0001

Community Partner Profile:

Community Partner: Girl Scouts of the United States of America, Florida Citrus Council, Troop #331

Contact Information: Judy Williamson, Troop Leader: troop331deltona@gmail.com

Our Community partner for service learning is the Girl Scouts of the USA, particularly Troop #331 of the Florida Citrus Council. They are part of the Florida Citrus council branch of Girl Scouts of the USA. The Girl Scouts program was formed almost a century ago in 1912 by Juliette Low, whose goal was to give girls the opportunity to explore their communities and to get out of the confinements of their homes. Today there are over two million girls participating in the Girl Scouts, with almost one million adults participating as volunteers. The mission of Girl Scouts is to “…build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place” (Girl Scouts). Through the numerous activities that the girls are able to participate in, ranging from field trips to community service, this organization aims to provide girls with the tools to develop themselves both socially and individually. The organization gets their funding from an array of partners. These partners include individuals, corporations and government entities. GSUSA acknowledges that girls have constantly changing needs.

Second-Level Community Partner: SafeHouse of Seminole County

SafeHouse of Seminole is a shelter that provides a secure environment for women and children who have fallen victim to domestic violence. SafeHouse currently provides a variety of counseling and outreach programs for women coping with the trauma that domestic violence causes. SafeHouse also gives access to an emergency shelter, crisis hotline, and court advocacy for those who need it. As the percentage of women who experience domestic violence continues to climb over 20%, establishments like SafeHouse have become a vital part of our society.

The Proposal:

Memorandum
TO: Meredith L. Tweed
FROM: Valerie Tindall
DATE: September 29, 2011
RE: Proposal to Write a Feasibility Report for a Service Learning Project

Girl Scouts of the USA Troop #331 needs assistance in planning and carrying out activities and events for community service. This includes not only smaller-scale service day activities for the girls in Troop #331, but also a larger-scale day of service for the entire Rainbow Lakes unit of Girl Scouts which Troop #331 belongs to. These service days must be appropriate for the girls, address a specific community need and stay true to the fun spirit of the Girl Scouts.
Many women who are seeking refuge at SafeHouse do so without any material possessions, as well as a lack of resources to provide themselves with items such as hygiene projects. Similarly, the organization needs volunteers in assisting with gardening and other maintenance services.

Plan of Action Proposal:

We have several plans to help the girls understand the influence they can have on their community. One of the events we are planning will be with the SafeHouse of Seminole. We will be doing direct service by performing any service needed by the organization. We are also going to be doing indirect service by making bags which will contain personal hygiene products. This will help the girls to understand that both indirect and direct service with organizations can be beneficial to themselves as well as the community on the whole.

The second, larger event is still in the planning stages. The tentative plan is to have a “Fun Day” that will join the girls from YWLP and the Rainbow Lakes Girl Scouts unit together to help the girls develop leadership. During this event, the Girl Scouts will collect cans and non-perishable items to donate to a non-profit organization, and also participate in Fun Day activities at a local skating rink (or similar location). Each troop will be responsible for creating or bringing something to the event, such as a holiday basket for donation.

Rationale:

Our Service Learning project relates to our Girls and Leadership course because we are working with a local Girl Scout Troop, which provides young girls with the tools to develop their leadership skills through various activities and community involvement, according to Van Linden and Fertman “not only is leadership reflective of the larger society or environment but it is also shaped and molded within specific organizations, groups, and situations” (10). Working with the Girl Scouts will allow us to witness firsthand the leadership skills these girls have already acquired as well as exposing them to various ways of being a leader through community involvement and group activities.


Action Steps Taken Thus Far:

Jacqui has already contacted the troop leaders regarding our interest in volunteering with them this semester. We have presented them with all of our possible volunteer opportunities, which they have confirmed their interest in. We are currently working out definite dates. We are making plans to contact several companies to solicit donations of sample products. Erica has already acquired one case of face wash for these bags.

Each group member is responsible for an equal share of their time and work in order to accomplish both of these goals. We hope that each member of our team will be able to attend all of the events, but each member is required to help plan and coordinate at least one event.

Timeline for Action:

October 1: Contact Judy Williamson with proposed dates
October 9: Possible meet and greet with Troop 331
October 29: Fun Day event
TBD: Volunteer Day at SafeHouse
TBD: Troop 331 event - Making care packages to be donated



Works Cited
Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Who We Are. 2011. 28 September 2011 .GSUSA. 2010 Annual Report. Annual Report. New York: Girl Scouts of the USA, 2010. Web.

Van Linden, Josephine. Youth Leadership: A Guide to Understanding Leadership Devel opment in Adolescents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998. Print.

Word Count: 998

Introductory Letter

Hi everybody! My name is Valerie Tindall and I am a senior here at UCF, my major is Women’s Studies with a minor in Communications (still very undecided as to what I am going to do with the Communications minor though). I am originally from Cooper City Florida, which is a small suburb outside of Fort Lauderdale, but I’ve been living in Orlando for about seven years now. Growing up I was raised in a very feminist, liberal household so going into Women’s Studies just seemed like a very natural thing for me to do and I was very interested in the history of Women’s Studies and how everything began and where it is going today.

Defining leadership, I feel is a difficult thing to do because everyone has a different definition for it, but to me it’s about taking on the responsibility of guiding or directing people. My father always told me that I had the personality to be a military strong-arm of a small country (I’m assuming that means I’m bossy and stubborn but in a good way), and there are some days I feel like a leader and then I’m put into certain situations and I can become very shy and quiet. I am hoping this class will help bring out the leader in me all the time.

As far as being a leader right now, I am a shift supervisor at Starbucks so I am responsible for directing the baristas that I work with on what to do and how to do it and if I didn’t have strong leadership skills, it would make the job very difficult, luckily I am very good at my job. I am excited we are going to be working with a Girl Scout troop this semester. I think it’s very important for girls to have positive role models in their lives that instill a good sense of self and show them that they can be anything if they put their mind to it.

Like I said before, I was raised with a very strong feminist mother and I was always told I could do anything and be anything in life and I know I’m very fortunate in that because some girls aren’t so lucky. That’s why I think girl’s studies is so important, because it teaches us about the ways different cultures and society affect girls as a whole.
I have read, understand and agree to the terms of the course and the blogging protocols.