VA1907 Troop Operations Guide
This document was created to provide organizational structure, which was demonstrated to be lacking
in the Strategic Planning Session held June 4, 2011. It includes our agreed upon goals and vision for our
troop, procedures for all aspects of troop operation and action items desired, but still to be
implemented. It is intended to be a living document, continually being revised to document current
troop operations.
Contents
Financial Operations ..................................................................................................................................... 3
AHG Outreach ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Membership and responsibilities.................................................................................................................. 4
Registration ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Volunteers ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Volunteer Positions ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Mentoring program ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Troop calendar .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Troop communications ................................................................................................................................. 8
AHG Inter-troop interactions ........................................................................................................................ 8
Unit operations ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Meeting operations ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Troop events ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Leader meetings.......................................................................................................................................... 10
Camping Trips ............................................................................................................................................. 11
1
Mission statement
Our troop fully supports the AHG Mission Statement:
“Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country”
Vision
We desire to emphasize that we are about:
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Mentoring: growing girls (not programs) through mentoring
Service: Instilling a love of service as an outpouring of God’s love in us
Troop Goals agreed upon:
1. Strengthen troop structure (with an eye on future growth/growing troops)
a. Proactive not reactive; intentional use of time
2. Create welcoming haven for girls to grow
a. Welcoming, safe, calm, accepting, unconditional love, mentoring
b. Intentional use of meeting time, events
3. Focus on core troop activities
a. Be intentional with use of time and with events selected; 6 mo. Planning window
b. Weigh costs of adding events on girls, families, volunteers, other events/duties
c. Identify area impacted by activity – God, Family, Community, Country
d. What creed values are taught/practiced?
e. Which of the 6 program areas are fulfilled?
2
Financial Operations
Budgeting & fundraising goals
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Tithe 10% of fundraised money
Pay all leader expenses: registration, CPR/first aid training, camping, leader manuals,
background checks
Pay for equivalent of 6 badges and one service star – use insignia account of $3.50 * 6 + .75 =
21.75 per girl, this can be used to pay for any insignia/award – ex. OCC patches, PVSA awards
National doesn’t allow AHG bucks; instead offer prizes and awards to reward above and beyond
effort on fundraisers (ex. Free registration to top sellers/time spent)
OUTSTANDING ACTION: Ensure camp fees designed to cover leaders, design incentive programs
to replace AHG bucks
GOAL: Honor God with our finances, reward committed families and leaders
Scholarships
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Available to any
Only “payback” is participating in fundraisers; if they desire they may donate back to the
scholarship fund at a future time
Confidentiality limited to coordinator and treasurer, requested via tally form
OUTSTANDING ACTION: ***make sure this is in policy manual/troop FAQ*****
GOAL: Families with need use the scholarship fund without any negative feelings
AHG Outreach
AHG Outreach goals
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Educate interested families/community regarding AHG values: statement of faith, creed, oath,
mission statement
Encourage member families to educate others about AHG including statement of faith, creed,
oath, mission statement
Promote AHG in community via flyers, parade, service events, word of mouth
Promote VA1907 through articles/announcements in local newspapers; Provide articles to
national for the Heritage Headlines
Outreach opportunity (not main goal) to un-churched with goal of bringing girls and families to
Christ
OUTSTANDING ACTION: Provide articles to National as projects appear
GOAL: Share AHG as opportunities arise, focus on AHG values – KEEP focus on what AHG DOES
vs what other groups do/do not do; People in our area will know about AHG
3
Information session/pre-registration process
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Prospective member meets/talks with Coordinator or Registrar
Discuss AHG values: statement of faith, creed, oath, mission statement
Families MUST understand these values underlie all parts of our program
Discuss AHG costs; mention payment plans and scholarship availability
Discuss parents responsibility: see listing in Parents responsibility section
GOAL: Parents understand AHG values, operations and parents responsibility
Membership and responsibilities
Parents responsibility
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MUST help and be involved – we work with all to find appropriate way to help based on their
skills and family situation (see volunteer recruitment
MUST read emails and other communication (ex. flyers)
MUST be responsible for paperwork, payments and deadlines OR their daughter(s) may not be
able to participate in troop or activity (ex. Sign up sheets, camp payments) – NO More chasing
down families to see if they really wanted to participate in an activity
TO DO : Make sure this is clear in FAQ, policy manual, pr materials
GOAL: Parents get involved, have access to all needed information, and are responsible and
responsive to troop deadlines; girls do not miss events due to missed emails/deadlines
New family checklist
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Once registration is submitted, girls may attend meetings
Place order to needed handbooks, uniforms, etc.
Place on troop email list; provide family with website access
After enter data on troopmaster; update birthday list and troop roster – post roster to website
Give new family beginning of year info – ex. Level award paperwork, uniform instructions, troop
roster, leader contact information, unit operations ?, parental expecations ?, troop calendar
GOAL: New Parents have all information necessary, even if join outside of initial registration
times
Registration
Registration process
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Prospective member attends information session or visits meeting to complete pre-registration
process
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Meet with volunteer coordinator to select position/area to help (see Volunteer recruitment);
MUST complete Parent resource survey before registering and turn in w/registration paperwork.
TO DO: Make sure these requirements are noted in the req. checklist
Receive and complete girl paperwork , including parent resource survey and parent service
pledge
Receive and complete adult paperwork, as needed based on selected service area
Review paperwork with registrar and submit payment w/girl and adult tally sheets
GOAL: Clear process, all paperwork completed first time – no tracking down papers or
payments; partial payments and monies collected fully documented
Troop Early Re-registration Process
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Provide leader meeting for early registration
Provide two meeting for early registration
First meeting setup assembly line operation: registrar briefing & paperwork completion,
volunteer position, submit paperwork, pay treasurer
Second meeting have designated area to meet with registrar – have someone come early to
meet with leaders
Document families not returning – perhaps keep checklist from start w/ea. Families name and
check off as they register, or denote why they are not re-registering so this info is not lost being
passed verbally from person to person
Avoid chasing people down. Ex. Post early registration email to non-registered families
detailing THEY must make arrangements for submitting – give them our acceptable options
GOAL: Timely, accurate registration, limited time catching up with families
Post-Registration process
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Copy tally form and provide with payment to treasurer
Copy tally form and provide to coordinator for ordering and ensuring items delivered to new
members/leaders (ex. Leader handbook)
Copy registration forms for troop binder.
Copy medical forms and files in troop binders/packets.
Pass background check and ministry agreements to coordinator. These must be processed and
approved by the charter rep before being copied for the leader binder and originals submitted
to National.
Pass parent service pledge/volunteer sign up information and parent resource survey to
coordinator.
As needed, coordinate with treasurer and coordinator to submit girl, adult and leader
registration papers to national w/payment and submission form
GOAL: Clear process, correct copies made, correct forms/payment submitted to national;
correct record keeping of payments, ordered/needed items ordered and delivered to new family
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Volunteers
Volunteer recruitment
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Troop Coordinator or volunteer coordinator is responsible for volunteer recruitment, as follows
Provide job descriptions w/lists of tasks, spiritual gifts, time demands and resources available
(ex.binders), skills useful to job, training required, along with ministry agreements when
applicable; note which require AHG membership (volunteer position sheets kept with meeting
supplies)
Promote paid expenses, esp. camping and events when recruiting leaders
Use parent resource survey and discussions to find best way for them to serve
Ask them to pray about position; give them contact information for others involved in area
under consideration;
Have someone in the area of interest contact them and invite them to join the team or be a
committee member; keep track of parents interested in each position for follow up – WHO will
do this??
Ensure parent service pledge makes parent involvement clear requirement and results in
specific assignment of each parent before registration - document on volunteer listing
GOAL: Enough volunteers for smooth, balanced troop operations, right people in right positions
Volunteer Leader training
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Document what training is needed for each position
Setup and hold training sessions; encourage all to see themselves as on the job trainers
Connect volunteers to co-workers (ex. Leadership team, counter parts such as co-service
manager) and mentors (those who had that position previously)
Connect volunteers to resources: AHG website, videos, binders, AHG books, files
Make parent skills survey results available so those in search of skills can find correct people
Document completed training; remind volunteers when training needs to be updated (ex. CPR)
GOAL: Clear training plan and process; volunteers feel prepared and ready to serve
Volunteer retainment
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Ensure new volunteers are in good communication with those they need to work with
Ensure training is moving along, and new volunteer feels connected to position
GOAL: Ensure volunteers know what to do, how to do it, and who to work with/get help from
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Volunteer Positions
Coordinator responsibilities
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Be the “heavy” on enforcing deadlines – ex. Registration, sign-ups; clearly communicate starting
and ending deadlines and consequences to not complying (ex. No seats at RWB dinner)
Enforce paperwork/payment requirements so that we are not chasing people down. Ex. Post
early registration email to non-registered families detailing THEY must make arrangements for
submitting – give them our acceptable options
Collect parent resource survey and parent service pledge; schedule and provide training &
connect them with those they will work with; document training once complete
Collect background check and ministry agreements and have signed by charter rep. Copy these
and place in leader notebook (file cabinet). Mail to national or give to registrar to send with
registration packet.
Ensure service role binders are complete and continually completed w/an extra copy of each
kept in cabinet
Ordering Manager
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Preferable to place larger orders vs smaller orders; ex. Order at end of early registration, then
periodically – keep track of items needing to be ordered (ex. Requests from badge manager,
new tally forms); ensure items being ordered are paid for (work w/treasurer)
Place order on website
Contact treasurer for payment of order
Receive and inventory order when delivered
Place ordered items out, with copy of tally sheet (or notify and deliver to proper person/location
– ex. Badge manager or file cabinet)
GOAL: Orders are processed accurately, in a timely manner
Mentoring program
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Define operation of mentoring program; organizations with mentoring programs may provide
assistance developing program
Provide information to troop in Sep. or as new members join
OUTSTANDING: Develop mentoring program
GOAL: Provide “friend” for new girls as they get used to AHG
Troop calendar
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Payment/registration deadlines must be clearly marked! Denote where signups are required or
optional (ex. F/D dance or camping) Be sure to notify members who is collecting money/signups
or if it is in public space
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Denote events requiring parental attendance – what is the level of participation we want – ex
few parents at pi/pa camp; lots of parents at tenderheart camp
GOAL: Inclusive calendar, with differentiated events – ex. By level or type of activity, clear
deadlines, minimal & well communicated changes
Troop communications
Troop communications
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Setup central website with news, reminders, document storage; problem s – cost, families don’t
want to create accounts online
Provide families with welcome packet in fall? Where to and how to on forms?
Setup troop email list – be sure to add new families as they join
Weekly Newsflash – email and post to website
Info emails – ex. Service logs – email and post to website
Sign up emails – email, flyer at meeting, post to website – make deadlines and consequences
clear; watch email flooding from signup service
Follow announcements at meetings w/email and website posting to ensure leaders/missing
families are in the know
Timelines clear to families – especially deadlines
GOAL: Families will know what is going on and be able to find needed information
AHG Inter-troop interactions
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Hold inter-troop leadership roundtables
Consider inter-troop newsletter?
Invite other troops to join events, as appropriate – for ex. Parade, lockin
Partner with other troops on events, ex. Arcola troop for camping
GOAL: Maintain good relationships with area troops; allow troop families to see the bigger
impact of AHG; establish girl friendships with other troop girls
Unit operations
Unit planning
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Define long and short term goals for unit, and whether/how they fit in with troop vision, mission
and goals, allowing for special needs
Units create a basic yearly plan by end of September
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Girls should assist with planning meetings – Tenderhearts up to 25%, Explorers 50% and PiPa’s
75-100% of planning
Allow for planning time during year and summer, as needed
GOAL: Defined goals and plans so all know what is going on, yet have flexibility to adjust to the
unexpected or changes in desired programs/operations; girls practice leadership, cooperation,
flexibility and resourcefulness
Unit activities
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Adults will train older girls to mentor younger girls through personal interaction, demonstration
and modeling
Each Sep. units will develop unit constitution outlining unit vision, expectations, girl ownership
of meeting – these will be emailed to families, provided to girls for their books/binders and may
be posted during meeting time
Provide prayer time in succinct, age appropriate way
GOAL: Provide safe environment for girls, with known expectation and age/level appropriate
activities
Unit communication
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Units provide info packet to girls in Sep. (ex. calendar, unit goals, joining award info, badge
forms, service logs, level award tracking sheet) for use at home or for use in the girl’s binder
Unit sends weekly post meeting email with what was done at meeting (allowing missing girls to
catch-up), outstanding work needed, upcoming information
Define how units operate – girl expectations, leader expectations; use of squads; girl leadership
Meeting operations
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Sign in girls in fellowship hall, gather here for pre-meeting time – have some setup activity for
girls – ex. Coloring; have sign up sheets and troop info board available- including where girls are
meeting, troop calendar
Late comers sign in girls in fellowship hall and parents escort girls to sanctuary or meeting
rooms? Teach girls to wait in Narthex during flag ceremony and come in once prayer concludes?
Leaders take their own attendance or take clip board with signin info to their rooms and sign in
latecomers?
Sign out in sanctuary by leader/level
Attendance entered by unit leaders/data entry helper in Troop Master
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Troop events
Event planning
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Establish goal(s) for each event, and whether/how it fits with troop vision and goals, allowing for
special needs; Evaluate event using event evaluation checklist
Major events/activities have 6 mo. Planning timeframe; Basic yearly plan of events completed
during spring next program year calendar planning
Create a basic organization plan for all events; all events outline basic plan with deadlines for
details; regular reports made to troop leaders
Committees may be formed; girls, leaders, adults may participate
Girl leadership is encouraged in planning events; adults may assume leadership if event is at risk
due to lack of planning – event is not sacrificed to permit girl planning; failure is learning; use of
EPAL and Girl planning process must be used for all girl-led events
Adults are in charge of girl led events to the extent that the event must be approved and follow
AHG standards; adults may also run events – such as spaghetti dinner
Use troop binders to assist in planning and running events
Provide clear information about events, noting deadlines and instructions for signing
up/payment; provide permission slips, if needed; ensure required leader ratios, as appropriate
GOAL: Balanced calendar, with meaningful events
Service Projects
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Planned as outlined above for event planning
Complete 3 per year as a troop; satisfies HUGS and Honor Troop requirements
Troop tracks service hours performed as a troop (ex. Adopt a Highway),girls track individual
service hours and submit to service manager periodically
Service manager will track hours for AHG service stars and the Presidential Service Award
Service manager may email troop with upcoming projects, requests for service logs
GOAL: Meaningful projects that will help girls appreciate value of project, have a good attitude,
and develop love of service as an outpouring of the love of the Lord given to us.
Leader meetings
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Coordinator sends out agenda w/time slots for each item 1 week prior to meeting; organize
agenda to minimize length visitors must stay – ex. Early registration at beginning
Leadership team responds via email to work out minor issues, add or remove items from agenda
Reminder email sent 2-3 days prior to meeting
During meeting, facilitate discussions to keep meeting on time schedule – OR agree to change
time schedule; be willing to table lengthy discussions or side topics, be willing to present prayer
requests succinctly or in written form (allow time for discussion before or after meeting)
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Use regular and intermittent conference calls to address short discussions needing input to ease
lengthy agendas at leader meetings; use short, audience targeted, specific emails for quick
decisions needed
GOAL: Respect time of leadership team, use time wisely, be sure meeting is effective – all feel
sense of accomplishment from completing agenda & discussions (vs. exhausted)
Camping Trips
Camping Trip planning
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Create and use basic organization plan for all campouts
Define goals for each trip, including badgework fun, participants; ensuring this fits into troop
goals; agree on accommodations needed for trip and approximate cost and travel time
Create basic yearly plan by Sep.
Reserve facilities 6 months ahead or more
Troop committee and/or units may plan trip and activities – be sure this is clearly defined in
initial stages of planning for trip
Involve girls in leadership of and planning of activities
GOAL: Plan trips in timely manner, staying within budget; have clearly defined planning
responsibilities, involving girls, meeting planning timelines
Trip registration
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Designate timeframe and specific individuals for registration
Provide information to invited girls’ families with clear information and deadlines; provide items
to girls for binders, as approp. – ex. Packing lists
Provide specifics about restrictions, for ex. Parent required with first graders, number of adults
needed for trip; stress team building and importance of group participation
Collect registrations and adult forms, as needed
GOAL: Accurate, timely registration; trip details and deadlines clearly communicated
Trip preparation
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Following basic organization plan, prepare needed paperwork including trip report for National,
Emergency plan
Provide training for girls and leaders before a trip, during meeting time or alternate date
Inventory supplies available, solicit troop for additional items neede, ex. tents, stoves, shelters
GOAL: Fun, safe trip where girls learn and practice skills, build self-confidence, practice
cooperation, resourcefulness and flexibility, and enjoy camaraderie of shared experience
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