Junior GS Journeys

[Anonymous]

What drives me nuts is this idea that girls have to do, for their Journey project, not just a decent Service Project, but a "Take-Action Project" that is a "long-term solutions" rather than short-term ones.

"Take Action Projects are also:
* measurable (can be evaluated in a concrete way, such as number of people involved or number of recycling bins placed in the park)
* sustainable (continues on, even after the girls’ specific role in it is complete)
* identify the root cause of anissue(addresses the underlying problem(s) that are causing an issue to occur).
* Created to address the root cause of a community issue"

I mean, come on! I have a group of Juniors who might want to something like, I don't know, organize a town wide food bank collection. But really, just gathering up food and giving it to someone doesn't "address the root cause of the issue" of why people are hungry. Why are people in need of food? Maybe because they lost their jobs. Maybe because the jobs they qualify for pay minimum wage. Maybe because they are drug addicts. Maybe because they are undocumented immigrants and can only work under the table?

Tell me how a group of 4th and 5th graders are going to identify the root cause of these issues? And address them? Is it really appropriate for elementary school kids to be addressing issues like this? Can't they just collect some cans of food as a Take Action Project?

[Anonymous]

PP: I think you are taking "identify" too far. All the things you just listed are causes and learning about them is part of understanding why we help others. And long term solutions to me means supporting and partnering with others. This could mean developing a project that your troop repeats every year because it has meaning to the group or is in a area the girls feel passionate about.

In general, I think folks approach journeys too rigidly. How about starting by asking the girls if there is something they have wondered about and concerns them. Then I would choose the journey closest to that, using the questions and process, not just the journey program. Tell the girls that it's prep for helping others. One does not even have to use the word "journey" Adaptation is necessary or you will bore yourselves to death....

I have lived through 6 versions of the Girl Scout program - the fundamentals are just that. They just show-up in a new disguise every so often. Journeys look very much like things I did in the 1970s, but they are more elaborate because people seem to need to have stuff spoon-fed to them. Don't let it diminish creativity.

Focus on the core goals of a journey - which is developing empathy, understanding issues and making a difference and you'll all have fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP: I think you are taking "identify" too far. All the things you just listed are causes and learning about them is part of understanding why we help others.

Well I can have the girls identify root causes of families experiencing hunger, but I still have to help them actually address the root causes in the Take Action Project. It is pretty clear that officially, a Take Action Project is meant to "teach a man to fish" not to just give him the fish to eat. Which I think is a tall order for 4th graders!

And yes, everyone's advice for the Journeys is just to ignore most everything about them, figuring out what the intent was, and just doing that. Which is what I'll do. It's just annoying.

Mostly we just follow Boy Scout stuff.