Girl Scouts of River Bluffs Council
#4 Ginger Creek Parkway -
Glen Carbon, IL 62034(618) 692-0692 - (800) 345-6858 - Fax: (618) 692-0685
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Girl Leadership Program Program Aide (P.A.) |
The Program Aide (PA) is the most basic of the leadership opportunities for Girl Scouts 11-17. There are two levels of P.A.
P.A. I – Formally known as Cadette P.A.
P.A. II – Formally known as Senior P.A.
P.A. I is for girls who have completed 6th grade or above and who are interested in working with younger girls by sharing their expertise and knowledge of Girl Scouting. This is often done through a troop/group or Day Camp setting.
P.A. II is for girls who have completed 9th grade or above and are interested in working with younger girls by sharing their expertise and knowledge of Girl Scouting. This is often done through a troop/group or Day Camp setting.
The P.A. workshop is broken in to two parts – The P.A. Core and Specializations. These are offered through different delivery methods of either separate workshops, or together during “PA Weekend”. Girls attending the workshop will learn how to work with younger girls and take charge of planning a group trip or special event. In the P.A. Core Workshop, they will learn basic leadership skills, how to work with adults, how to work with different age levels, how to handle certain behavior situations, and conflict resolution. In the Specialization workshop, girls will receive specializations in crafts, songs, games/sports, and outdoors. At the end of the Specialization workshop, girls will then earn their P.A. Pin.
After a girl has taken either the PA Core and Specializations workshop or the PA Weekend workshop, she must seek out a group/troop or Day Camp to work with. An agreement is then made between the girl and adult who will serve as her Mentor. The Adult Agreement Form must be signed by both the girl and the adult. This form is to be turned in to the Program Manager before the girl actually begins hours with the troop/group.
Once the girl begins her hours, she is responsible for tracking these hours. To receive the P.A. patch, a girl must complete 25 hours of leadership service. The leadership experience must be in at least 2 settings for at least 3 hours at each setting. She then must fill out an evaluation and send it, along with her hour log, to the Program Manager. The Program Manager will then give approval to buy the P.A. patch.
P.A. II is for girls who have completed 9th grade or above and who are interested in working with younger children in a troop/group or Day Camp setting. The girl does not have to complete the P.A. I to complete the P.A. II. Girls that have earned their P.A. I pin and P.A. I patch, and would like to earn their P.A. II pin, must complete another specialization training.
Where do you get your specialization?
Easy – You get to choose your specialization. You must pick a specialization in which you can receive at least 10 hours of training in an area that will help you teach younger children. Example: you are interested in cake decorating so you take a class through a bakery and learn how to decorate cakes. Before you take your training, you must first receive approval from council. In order to receive your P.A. II pin, you must then fill out the P.A. II form describing the training you received and send it to council. The Program Manager will then send you your P.A. II pin. Once you receive your P.A. II pin, you may start working on your 25 hours of leadership service to earn the P.A. II patch. The same paperwork process is to be followed as the P.A. I.
The P.A. Core, Specialization, and P.A. Weekend are offered twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Information on the workshops and registration forms can be found in the Edge.
All paperwork can be mailed to:
Tracy Barnes, Program Manger, #4 Ginger Creek Pkwy., Glen Carbon, IL 62034
This page last edited on Wednesday August 09, 2006.
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