In the Preamble to the Constitution of Girl Scouts of the USA, it states that “We declare that the democratic way of life and the democratic process shall guide all of our activities.” It is one of the core beliefs of our movement.

Throughout the levels of Girl Scouts, from Daisies to Seniors, we can see the democratic process in action. The Daisy Circle, Brownie Ring, patrols, Cadette Congress, and the Senior Senate are good examples. Girl planning boards also make a significant contribution to the process. Girls learn from an early age about voting and making decisions that will influence their activities and programs.

On an adult level we are governed by the by-laws of GSSJC. These by-laws have been voted on by delegates, delegates at large, and the board of directors at annual Council meetings. The delegates represent the membership in their service units. Delegates at large represent particular areas of interest, for example, training, archives, or equestrian activities. The board of directors represents the entire Council and has its best interests in mind. Are all decisions made at the Council meeting? No, but the delegates do vote for the board of directors and for the nominating committee. The board of directors will make the decisions regarding policy and budgets. Remember that board members and officers are also volunteers.
The same pattern holds true for delegates to the national convention, which is held every three years. National delegates vote on proposals and amendments to the National By-Laws and they vote for national board officers and members.

Decisions on all levels are never made without seeking input from the membership. At the Council level there are board committees on such issues as Properties, Human Resources, Fund Development, Brand Management, and Finance. The members of the committees are board members, community volunteers, and adult Girl Scout volunteers. Each is selected for the expertise she/he is able to bring to the committee. Surveys, open forums, focus groups, task forces, and regional meetings are conducted to collect information and opinions and also to dispense information to the membership.

The final governance decisions that are made by the board are disseminated in several ways. You may read about them in The Golden Link, and even see a synopsis of the minutes of the board meeting. When you take trainings you will learn about decisions made by the board, especially those regarding policy. Delegates should be reporting back to their areas with all of the information that they receive at the Council meetings. The newest way to receive information is on the CIN on the GSSJC Web site at www.gssjc.org.

If you are interested in becoming more involved in the Council’s decision-making process your first step should be to attend Council meetings. Start as a visitor and then volunteer to be a delegate or delegate at large. Attend regional meetings or volunteer to be a member of a task force. One way to make your wishes known is to sign the bottom of the evaluation form at the Council meeting. (I read them all.) Be assured that GSSJC believes in the democratic process and that your Council is continuously seeking input, working on making the best decisions, and making every effort to communicate with the membership.