What is a Girl Scout Juliette?

A Girl Scout Juliette is a non-traditional way for a girl to be involved with scouting.  Here are ways for your Juliette to get the most from her experience.

On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Based on the Girl Guides in England, where she had volunteered her time, she wanted to give girls back home in the States the opportunity to get out of their homes and into the great outdoors. Girls needed to be strong, independent women with a skill set that would take them outside the environment in which they were raised.

Her first troop consisted of 18 girls who would benefit from Juliette’s vision of giving them an opportunity to grow in all capacities-physically, spiritually and emotionally. Service to others in the community was also a focal point.

From those humble beginnings to today, Girl Scout has been all about sisterhood. But for many girls, they are not able to become part of a troop. Can they still be a Girl Scout?

Yes, they can!

Reasons for Being a Girl Scout Juliette

It may sound easy to join a Girl Scout troop, but in reality, it is not. Many Councils have long waiting lists for children wanting to be a part of the movement, and some wait for years. I had a girl join my troop in fifth grade…she had been waiting for years and no one told me! I happily took her in and she stayed until 11th grade.

One of the biggest reasons there is such a long waiting list is because there are simply not enough leaders. Depending on your Council, training and support is minimal, so even those who step up to lead eventually quit due to lack of guidance and being overwhelmed.

Another reason for the wait is because troops are full. Leaders are in charge of how many children they are willing to take (and while some Service Unit Managers push to give minimum amounts or to add more, in reality, they are out of bounds and cannot do this). There is nothing wrong with having the size troop that you want.

Volunteering to be a leader takes a lot of time and hard work, and in order to maintain your enthusiasm, you need to do what is best for you. If you can handle ten scouts, then that should be your troop size.

Girls also wait because even though there are troops with openings, it does not match the family’s schedule. Leaders need to meet at times that work for them so they can lead!

There are also towns that have no active troops.

Many older tweens and teens who wish to remain in Girl Scouting find themselves becoming Juliettes because the band of children who were once their sister scouts have since dropped out. In many councils, they do make exceptions for older girl troops with 2 or 3 remaining scouts, there needs to be a minimum of five girls to form a troop-a single girl cannot be considered a troop.

Last, middle school and high school students who love scouts may not be able to keep up with the pace of a busy troop, even one they have been with their whole lives. Meeting times and outings conflict with dance classes, sports games and practices and other after school activities. The demands of homework increase. One of the biggest pros to being an older Juliette is the flexibility it provides. Teens can do what they want to do on their schedule.

In order to keep interested girls involved, Juliettes were created. Named after the Girl Scout  founder, they can do most of the things that children who are in troops can do.

Activities a Girl Scout Juliette Can Do

The first thing a girl needs to do is register as an individual scout. She will also want to have an adult guide (usually a parent, but it can be another adult) who will be her advisor and help her with awards and badges.

Council Events

While a Juliette does not meet regularly with a troop, she can attend all Council events and activities. Information about events are offered on each Council’s website, and some even have an active Facebook page that lists what is happening in the upcoming weeks and months. There should also be a member of your Service Unit team who is responsible for keeping contact with all of the individually registered scouts. Emails from her should be a part of her responsibilities to keep girls in the loop.

Camp

Camp is another opportunity for a solo scout to meet up with others. Many areas have Girl Scout camps that young women attend when school is out. This is a great opportunity for girls to experience the great outdoors and the sisterhood of scouting that cannot be experienced being on your own.

Awards and Badges

Earning awards and badges can also be done by individual Girl Scouts. The Silver Award earned while being a Cadette and the Gold Award, earned during the Senior and Ambassador years, are all within reach of an individual’s goals. The badges that are won on vests and sashes can also be earned on one’s own as well.

Community Service

Girls can also participate in community service projects of their choosing. This was one of the founding principles of scouting, so anything the child wants to do to help the community in which she lives is an option. The project can be a one-shot opportunity, like volunteering her time at a local event, or it can be more time consuming, like having a canned food drive or knitting caps for newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Fundraising

Fundraising is a part of Girl Scouts, and if a Juliette wants to participate in the fall QSP Nut Sale and the Girl Scout cookie sale, she can. Each Council has its own rules for this, so check yours to find out how to go about raising funds. Juliettes do not get to keep money. per se, but program credits that can be used in Council shops and for registration fees for activities such as camp and Council events.

Many Councils have their own Girl Scout Juliette Guide available online. Search your Council’s site and ask questions to your local office on how to go about making your child’s Juliette experience a good one.