Girl Scouting is available to every girl, everywhere. This mantra can be put to the test as a troop prepares to include a Girl Scout with a disability. If you have a little lead-time before the Girl Scout comes to the first meeting it would be beneficial to speak to the parents and get as much information about the girl’s needs as possible. Then research, research, research. If appropriate, the girl and her mother can speak to the troop about the specific disability and answer any questions that the girls might have. Usually young people are accepting of all people, until a respected adult provides spoken or unspoken barriers to acceptance.

As the troop leader, you set the tone for the troop. The girls, whether you know them or not, will emulate your actions and attitudes, in everything from following Council procedures to wholeheartedly accepting every Girl Scout as a sister. Hopefully, your troop has never attended a multi-troop gathering where they tried to reach out to befriend other Girl Scouts and

were rebuffed. It is really hard to try to explain why other Girl Scouts would not say a simple “Hello” (even after being introduced or greeted several times) when you advocate, “You are a part of a worldwide sisterhood.”

As you talk to your girls about sisterhood, you should consider your attitudes about people with disabilities. Do you avoid eye contact when talking with people with disabilities? Do you hear yourself saying, “She can’t do that because she is disabled,” even before you have met the person? Do you find yourself speaking of people with disabilities as a group? Example: “Blind people are good in music.” Do you think of the disability before you think of the person?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is time to evaluate your attitudes and why you have developed those attitudes. Think about past experiences and outside influences which may have shaped certain opinions, and then purposefully set out to change your attitude. Whether

you currently have girls with disabilities in your troop or not, preparing yourself and your girls to interact with a person or person with disabilities is essential and ensures that your troop can successfully include any girl at any time.

Volunteers have several resources available to assist in supporting inclusion at the troop level. GSUSA’s publication, Focus on Abilities, is available for purchase at the shop or a copy may be available in your service unit. Check with your service unit team, and other volunteers about providing the Green Apple Workshop, Dealing with Challenging Behaviors, that focuses on addressing special needs. There are also trainings provided by the Adult Development Department throughout the year. Ability, Let’s Get Focused will be offered as a part of Crazy Quilt at Camp Misty Meadows on March 19. More information about this training can be found in this issue or at www.gssjc.org under training/course offerings.