Belonging and Impact

Girl Scouts has a legacy of fostering belonging.

Belonging has been a core value of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low. This value is fundamental to the Girl Scout mission, promise and law. Throughout our history, Girl Scouts:

actively supported the suffrage movement
was one of the first organizations to take a stand against segregation
has advocated for religious acceptance
stood in solidarity with transgender girls

To learn more about Girl Scouts’ continuous journey, click HERE.

The commitment to expanding and redefining how we serve girls, while remaining true to the essence of our founder’s vision, is how we remain relevant and able to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts has more than a century of experience as change makers, and we have a tremendous amount of work yet to do. We recognize the evolutionary nature of this work as we move at the speed of the girl. We celebrate past accomplishments while also acknowledging and learning from our shortcomings. We remain confident that Girl Scouts can be an instrument of change, promoting positive outcomes for all.

Calling all Girl Scouts!

GSWCF leads our council to new areas of introspection and seeks to create open environments where girls and others feel welcome. We are undaunted by the breadth and complexity of this work. The collective courage, confidence and character of our membership is exactly what is needed to overcome barriers to fostering belonging.

Here are some of the ways in which we are actively working to create welcoming spaces and meaningful dialogue, as well as some ways you can support our efforts:

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Here are some ways for girls, families, volunteers and staff to learn more and become an active ally:

Participate in a patch program dedicated to expanding your understanding and nurturing belonging. Examples include: Multicultural, Black History Month, World Thinking Day, Hispanic Heritage Month. Click here to see our patch programs.

Take our adult trainings, which are designed to incorporate successful strategies.

Participate in council-wide events. This allows girls to meet their sister Girl Scouts who participate in different troops and service units across our council from different backgrounds and with different interests.

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GSWCF is committed to our leadership and membership representing the communities in which our Girl Scouts learn and serve. Join our efforts by:

Becoming a Girl Scout. All girls and adults are welcome. By registering, you become a member of an organization where belonging is defined as committing to the Girl Scout promise and law and you are respected for the multi-faceted individual that you are. Click here to register today!

Volunteering. Having a supportive adult provides girls with life-changing mentorship. Click here to see the many ways you can volunteer.

Making a lasting impact. Your financial contribution supports the council in offering access to Girl Scouts membership, program opportunities, camp experiences and so much more for thousands of girls, no matter their background. Click here to give today!

Applying for a GSWCF staff position. A career at GSWCF is employment with purpose. Girl Scout staff members apply their skills to the movement while also having the opportunity for professional development and career growth. Click here for current openings.

For more information or to partner with Girls Scouts of West Central Florida, please contact our corporate and community partnerships team at funddevelopment@gswcf.org.

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GSWCF is assessing and addressing systems, practices, traditions and unspoken norms that could create barriers for inclusion. Share your perspectives on how we can best live the commitment to belonging in everything we do. We would love to hear from you. Email us at info@gswcf.org.

As Juliette Gordon Low aptly stated, "The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers." Let's make history that is deserving of our movement and the girls we serve.

We welcome your feedback and questions. Please contact us at info@gswcf.org.