Work with girls with incarcerated parents: Girl Scouts Beyond Bars Community Troops

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Girl Scouts Beyond Bars is a program within the Western Washington Girl Scout Council which works directly with the Department of Corrections to provide the girl scout experience to girls and parents who have been affected by incarceration.

We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about working with at-risk youth through becoming a troop leader for our Community Troop program. Community Troops are comprised of girls aged 5-17 who have been impacted by incarceration. Beyond Bars provides a safe and accepting environment for girls to connect with their parents and with other girls who are facing similar life experiences, all while having fun and learning about the outdoors, being a productive member of the community, arts and crafts, and the values that girls will need throughout their lives. We have specialized curriculum for girls to work on building self esteem and courage. Girls will earn badges for troop activities, go on outings (rock climbing and Wild Waves are two we have held recently), participate in the annual Cookie Program, and attend summer camps. Our mission is to hold troop in a girl-led environment, where the leader is encouraged to share her passions and skills, but also seeks to understand and engage with the interests of the particular girls in that troop.


Community Troops meet twice monthly in Thurston, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, for two hours at each meeting. We are also looking to expand to other counties soon. Volunteers should expect to dedicate about ten hours each month to this commitment, which will include planning and holding troop meetings, registering new girls, and managing troop finances. We are looking for individuals who are aware of ACE, are willing to attend certain trainings, and preferably who have experience or interest in Criminal Justice, Social Work, or a Health field. Volunteers are required to pass a background check and become a registered Girl Scout Member. Location and timings are somewhat flexible, depending on the schedule of the volunteer.

If you are excited about the opportunity to provide positive mentorship in the lives of at-risk youth, please contact our team!