2016 gshpa positive improvements

January 2016-November 11, 2016

Customer Care In order to answer calls faster and more efficiently, we launched our Customer Care Team.

These folks are here for you and available Monday - Friday between 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and can be contacted by calling 800-692-7816 or emailing customercare@gshpa.org. Since our launch, responses have been faster than ever!

Improved Member Renewal and Placement Process In April and May of 2016, our Membership Associates personally called every troop leader to review our streamlined process for the end of year renewal process. Through this process, we eliminated many forms and replaced them with a simple online troop renewal form. As a result, we had 94.6% of our troops complete the process which positioned us for a more efficient girl/adult membership renewal and placement into their preferred troop for the 2016-2017 membership year. Additionally, the placement process has been refined. The adjustments to our process improved our wait time for troop leaders and parents, as well as led us to have troop rosters in a more timely, organized manner at the start of the membership year.

Certificates of Insurance (COI) Collecting certificates of insurance for activities and outings can be frustrating, not to mention, often difficult for volunteers to obtain. We realize that many businesses, such as roller skating rinks, bowling alleys, ice skating rinks, etc. are reluctant to provide volunteers with a COI. After a thoughtful dialogue with our legal counsel, we are no longer asking you to collect COIs for all vendors! If you are interested in using a vendor or a third party, simply check with your Membership Associate or Coordinator to discuss if a COI is necessary.

Free Shipping We heard from many volunteers that the shipping cost of buying Girl Scout merchandise online is too high. We also have been told that troop leaders are paying for the shipping to avoid passing the cost on to the girls. Therefore, in August- October 2016 any registered troop leader for the 2017 year received a coupon via email for one time free shipping with no minimum purchase. GSHPA will underwrite the cost of shipping for these coupons. We will offer this same opportunity in the early Spring as well. If you have questions, please email our Customer Care team at CustomerCare@gshapa.org

Financial Aid We recognize that we needed to do better in processing financial assistance requests as many times the wait time for a member to receive financial aid was entirely too long and the process very complex. Therefore, we have streamlined the financial aid process: For the 2016-2017 year, applicants who qualify for free or reduced lunch based on federal standards will be approved for financial assistance and receive their $15 annual membership paid in full. Each girl will also receive $25 in troop funds that can be used for troop dues or troop activities. We have now begun to process the funds (via ACH) to the troop’s bank account and the troop leader will be notified at the time of transfer. The troop leader will also receive a $19 coupon code to use in the online store to purchase uniform components and other items for the girl.

Also new this year, we are expanding the possibilities for girls to apply their GO Dough (earned from the Fall Product or Cookie Sale) to troop and community events! Every girl has the opportunity to earn up to $225 in GO Dough during the Fall Product Program. More information will be shared regarding how to use the GO Dough when it is distributed at the end of the Fall Product Sale.

We do not want financial reasons to ever limit a girl’s participation in Girl Scouting, however we must be good stewards of the resources that we are given and operate within our means.

Financial Assistance is driven by the generosity of many donors, grants, and outside organizations and is dependent on the availability of funds.

Should you have any questions, please contact CustomerCare@gshpa.org

Volunteer Get-away Weekends We recognize how valuable it is for volunteers to spend time learning, growing and recharging with other volunteers. Therefore, Volunteer Get-away Weekends and were held this fall at three of our GSHPA camps: Camp Archbald, Camp Golden Pond and Camp Furnace Hills. Volunteer Get-away Weekends provide an enrichment retreat weekend designed to encourage, enhance, and enthuse our adult volunteers with a transfusion of Girl Scouting spirit. We are excited to once again be offering our volunteers a chance to have fun with other leaders, get motivated for the new year, and head home with inspirational ideas to share with their troop.

Volunteer KickOFF Over 300 Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania volunteers gathered at Susquehanna University of Saturday, Sept. 17th to celebrate the kickoff of a new Girl Scout year. The crowd of volunteers and staff got energized about this year’s theme The Power of One, exciting new programs, new resources and technology, and updates on volunteer support.

Important Changes to Volunteers Support Over the last year, we've been listening very intently to volunteers about the type of support and communication that is most helpful and encouraging. From feedback gained at Volunteer Cafes, surveys, focus groups, and ongoing inquiry we have heard loud and clear that we could do better in the way our membership team is organized in order to provide relevant, timely support to volunteers.

Therefore, after careful consideration of all feedback, analysis of our membership data and many other significant factors we are shifting from a model where Membership Associates are specialized in one of the six grade-levels to a structure where Membership Associates either specialize in supporting K-5 Troops (Daisy/Brownie/Junior) or Cadette/Senior/Ambassador troops. We believe there are many benefits to this refinement of our volunteer support model; to name a few; 

Rather than having one Membership Coordinator, plus five Membership Associates supporting troops in a defined territory (i.e. Girl Scout Community), there is now one Membership Coordinator who supports the purpose of the Community, as well as one Membership Associate who supports K-5 troops in the Community and one Membership Associate who supports Cadette/Senior/Ambassador troops in the Community.

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In moving to this model, each Membership Associate's territory has been condensed which will allow them the opportunity to devote more time to supporting volunteers in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, programming, communications, and troop administrative support.

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Additionally, Membership Team Members supporting the Community/troops will be able to attend more local events and Community Meetings, where volunteers and staff can meet face-to-face, network and collaborate.

With this adjustment, we promise greater support and customer service as the membership team has been working diligently to improve our processes and service expectations in preparation for an outstanding volunteer experience this year!

Refined Money Earning Guidelines We’ve gathered volunteer input by conducting 15 focus groups, discussions, feedback, and researching IRS guidelines to help us create refined guidelines for money earning at the troop and Girl Scout Community levels. We continue to offer our Fall Product Program and Cookie Program as safe ways for girls to raise funds for their activities and gain practical life and financial literacy skills.

In addition to these opportunities, we recognize the need to have additional earning opportunities in order to support year-round activities We are thrilled to share that money earning guidelines have been clarified in the updated edition of Volunteer Essentials.

Streamlined Troop, Group and Volunteer Forms Forms! Forms! Forms! We know we had too many forms! Therefore, we are happy to announce that many forms have been retired or combined to make volunteering easier than ever! Below is a list of forms which have been updated, as well as those which have been retired: 

Troop/Group ACH Authorization and Banking Information Form: Now an online form; no need to send in a paper form with voided check for a new troop opening an account, changing accounts and/or changing signers. Simply fill out our online form and submit your troop/group information electronically!

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Troop Travel Application and Travel Roster: These two forms have been combined into one online form. For trips one-night or longer, enter your trip details on the online form and once submitted, your application will be reviewed. Our goal is that you will hear from us within 2-business days as to if your trip is approved or, in the case we would need more details to complete the process, we will reach out to assist you.

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Girl Health History and General Troop/Group Permission Forms: Another pair of forms which have been combined into one! In this way, troop leaders can have parents/guardians provide this important information for girl participation in their troop/group all at once--all on one form! No more having to carry two forms for each girl at troop meetings and outings! This revised form is now entitled the Girl Health History and Parent Permission.

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Activities Permission Form: For activities beyond the standard troop/group meeting time, volunteers can use this updated form to list the activity details. And, instead of copying a form for each parent/guardian to sign, simply complete one form and then have the parents/guardians grant their permission (i.e. sign the permission slip) on page two of the form.

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Retired Forms: Volunteer Application, Volunteer Agreement, and the Request for Troop/Group Money Earning (instead, contact your Membership Associate/Membership Coordinator to discuss proposed activities and gain approval).