My daughter was asked to help run a program for Daisies. Without a long explanation, the paid council membership person never showed up at the meeting, just left a note on the table, "please turn off lights and close door, thank you". So my daughter (age 14) was left with 4 girls and their parents. I'm sure this was against safetywise. Any thoughts on how to handle the situation?: Note: she is schedlued to run the program again next week.
For those of you who are familar with GS rules.
1- these were brand new Daisies
2. their parents stayed, to the best of my knowledge none of these parents are even registered
3. no one was there who had any GS training (by daughter has some basic leadership training)
4. I'm sure someone needs to be trained in first aid and CPR
Thank you Margie. No there was no leader present. I am registered and an approved volunteer, I can be a 2nd adult at a meeting where a leader is present. The paid council member was supose to be the leader present at the meeting. My daughter's troop leader was not involved in this and is out of town. No, she is not doing this for her leadership pin, although she could include these hours towards that. Yes, she did an awesome job. She helped out with another program last spring, and that paid council membership person stayed the entire meeting.
Thanks for your responses. I called the council member in charge of the event to discuss my concerns. I felt like I was talking to a 10 year old. She outright lied to me, then when I confronted her with the documentation (e-mails) she made up excuses and tried to blame others. As for the next meeting, I told her she was irresponsible and a horrible role-model and I didn't want my daughter working with her. She kept saying I'm sorry. I asked what are you sorry for, , she couldn't tell me. I told her she was appologizing to the wrong person, she was too ignorant to realize she owed my daughter an applogy and a thank you for saving her but. When I called to speak to her supervisor, she wasn't available, so better yet I got a manager. An hour later a call from the supervisor with an applogy and assurance that something like this would never happen again.
Call the council office and report this. Yes, it's a safety hazard and they should know about it. I might call the paid council membership person first to find out what happened from her view point. She might not have known that there wasn't going to be a leader present and might want to file her own complaint.
There needs to be atleast one registered and CLEARED adult volunteer there for that number of girls. This means someone who has had references checked and a background check through the councel. Also, someone is supposed to have all the emergency information at the event pertaining to the girls that are present. Our council has a person who keeps track of where every meeting is so if a person calls a child can be located quickly (non custodial parent or emergency, that sort of thing)
I would talk to the council member. You can aproach it as this is a learning experience for your daughter. You want to make sure everything is in order so she (daughter) learns that part of organizing a Girl Scout event pertaining to Safety and Safetywise.
I was a daisy leader. we always had to have one of the leaders there. it doesnt matter if there are other parents there or not. I would contact the council about it.
It has been a while since I worked at GS camp or was a scout but is seems like there should have been at least 1 trained volunteer or paid staff person there. A 14 year old could not legally supervise younger children without another adult present. Good thing the parents stayed (they were supervising their own children, so not illegal but may be against policy). Yes, you and your daughter need to get some clarification before the next meeting. I'm not sure about the first aid/CPR. When I was a scout we only needed that for an outing or camping trip not a regular meeting. But we needed someone with leader training for a meeting (without parents).
Well, as a LONG time (too long LOL!) GS leader I can tell you there should always be one GS trained parent or leader at any meeting or event (and more depending on the number of girls, per safetywise.) So as long as one of the parents in attendance was qualified, it's fine. I'm assuming one of the parents was the troop leader?
If not, well I don't think the GS police will come after you, but there is always that nasty issue of liability if something happens. Without a leader or other trained adult, I would contact that council person by phone and make sure she is there next time, especially if it's a council sponsored activity!
As for the safety issue, not in this instance since there were other parents there at that particular meeting. But what if none of the parents stayed at the meeting that night...yes, there would have been a safety issue.
But I do think it was irresponsible on the paid council leader's part. I don't think she should have left it up to a 14 year old to take charge especially without any advance notice.
From my viewpoint I say the council member doesnt go to the meetings, but should have made sure a leader was there. Maybe the leader forgot, got stuck in traffic or became too ill to go and never let anyone know. A scout troup is a group of like aged kids and a leader, plus a helper. A 14 yr old girl cant be registered as the leader or helper. Im pleased she did a good job but it wasnt a "real" Girl Scout meeting without a leader. It was just a group of girls, parents, and your daughter all showing up at the same time in the same place. Someone official needs to be the leader. They arrive with supplies and plans and ideas to teach "lessons" from the GS hand book. You cant just all show up and call it a GS meeting unless the leader is there too. Id be calling to find out who that person is and why they didnt show for this meeting. I hope it works out because GS is a great organization with a lot of great things to learn. My M. was a leader for years, I was in GS until I was 16, my sister was a scout until she "aged out" and then became a leader for many years. She actually was given an award from National Girl Scouts of America for being involved in scouting in some official capacity for more years than any other in Northern Ca.
Was the Daisy leader present?
Was there at least one GS certified leader in the room?
Was your daughter in charge of the whole program?
Paid council members don't usually come to meetings, so it would be just the troop leader who is a mom volunteer.
Has she said something to her troop leader?
Is she doing this for her leadership pin?
If you are a troop leader and trained for Daisies then you can be the adult in charge.
Did she do OK?
If she had issues with the girls I would definitely say something but since all the moms were there and if she did a good job, go with her next week and have her implement her plan.
I would make a phone call to whomever asked her to do this and say Where were you? and let them know she can't be legally in charge of these 5 year olds without the leader there.
And once that number gets to 5 there has to be 2 adults in the room, leader and co-leader, come to think of it I couldn't even have a meeting if I didn't have a parent in the room with me.
I'm rambling, and this seems strange
Wait, so there were other parents and girls there too? I guess I don't see why it's a huge problem safety wise, maybe I'm missing something, I was never in Girl Scouts so I'm not sure of the protocol. Where was this meeting held? I suppose next time, stay there until you confirm that the leader is present. If what she did was against the rules, then you need to discuss it with her superior.
