What is the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)?!

When I became a troop leader in 2009 the VTK was not available. I spent countless hours planning, researching, reading, training and asking many questions before my first troop meeting.

The VTK has truly been an incredible resource from Girl Scouts USA, and they keep adding more functions to it.

Setting up your My Year Plan

I use the toolkit regularly to add council events to “My Year Plan”. As the name implies, it is a resource on the VTK that guides you as the troop Co-Leader to plan your Girl Scout year with your troop. You can customize a troop plan, include the troop meeting location (time/day/meeting frequency), and even upload a troop picture of you and your girls. This is also very transparent for parents, who can see what is being planned every step of the way.

Now, I’ll be honest, I didn’t use the VTK when I planned my outdoor activities this past year. I’ve just always used another resource to enter these type of troop activities. But the more comfortable I become with the VTK, the more likely I’ll rely on it for all of my troop functions.

Keeping track of your troop

Through the VTK, you can review all contact information (email address/home address/phone numbers) for each girl and parent. This is vital to have in good order before fall product training & sales begin. I have also been able to manage specific troop position assignments and verify background check status for troop volunteers.

When it’s time for early bird I use the VTK to re-register my troop. The VTK allows me to communicate with my troop and troop parents through email.

I really like the convenience of logging into my MYGS to view all the adult and girl event registrations.

My Meeting Plan

You can also use the VTK to help plan your troop meetings. View upcoming Citrus Council events and discuss with your troop. You can access your meeting overview, set up an activity plan, and make materials list.

I also like the ability to manage troop communications through email reminders and attendance records. This helps me organize myself while keeping the girls and their parent updated on upcoming activities.

Resources

Here are just some additional resources you can find on the VTK to help guide you as a troop Co-Leader:

• Safety and Travel forms
• Troop Leadership
• Volunteer Aids
• New content to be added July 2018 include the Explore tab, Badge tracks, STEM Journeys and more for all grade levels!

How Do I Access the VTK?

Login to the VTK through your MYGS Member Profile at https://gsmembers.force.com/members/login.

Be sure to watch the Volunteer Toolkit Tutorial at www.girlscouts.org/en/adults/volunteer/volunteer-resources.html.

Some Key Things to Remember….

Citrus Email Preferences

Don’t miss emails from Citrus Council, Subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter today!

www.citrus-gs.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-council/email-preferences.html

Be sure to share the link with your adult volunteers, parents and girls.

Update My Troop

Maintain accurate records for your troop for easy renewal and registration.

The updates will be implemented into the MYGS community so that everyone has access to the troop information.

www.citrus-gs.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-council/forms/UpdateMyTroop.html

Troops accepting new girls or troop volunteers can be displayed in the Citrus Council online catalog for parents or new girls to go online and register for your troop.

All Things Girl Scouts

Additional Troop Tips are available at https://allthingsgirlscouts.com.

Follow me at @floridagirlscout for more insights and tips on Girl Scouts.