Volunteer Applications and Criminal Background Checks

Any volunteer who works directly with children, including driving, camping, a troop/group day, overnight, extended or international trip, or is handling money should be a registered member of Girl Scouts and complete a volunteer application. The volunteer application allows for a criminal background screening to check if there are any issues that would prevent someone from working with children. It is designed to protect the girls

For More Information

To have someone contact you about Girl Scouts in your area, or to volunteer, click on your county below.

• Select County
  • Adams
  • Carbon
  • Centre
  • Clinton
  • Columbia
  • Cumberland
  • Dauphin
  • Franklin
  • Fulton
  • Huntingdon
  • Juniata
  • Lackawanna
  • Lancaster
  • Lebanon
  • Luzerne
  • Lycoming
  • Mifflin
  • Monroe
  • Montour
  • Northumberland
  • Perry
  • Pike
  • Schuylkill
  • Snyder
  • Sullivan
  • Susquehanna
  • Union
  • Wayne
  • Wyoming
  • York

Online Criminal Background Application Coming Soon!

Who needs to complete a volunteer application?Any volunteer who is working directly with children, including driving, camping, a troop/group day, overnight, extended or international trip, or is handling money should be a registered member and complete a volunteer application. The volunteer application allows for a criminal background screening to check if there are any issues that would prevent someone from working with children. It is designed to protect the girls.

Which volunteer positions need to complete an application? Again, all volunteers who work directly with girls need to complete a volunteer application and criminal background check. This includes, but is not limited to, leaders/co-leaders (01’s), assistant leaders/advisors (02’s), parents/helpers who help on a frequent basis (03’s), drivers (no matter what type of trip or how long), troop/group chaperones for meetings, trips and camping trips, anyone who handles money for a Girl Scout Service Team position (such as a registrar, treasurer, fall product/cookie sale manager), anyone who handles money for a troop/group (includes all three signers who are on the troop/group checking account, and troop/group fall product and cookie sale managers/coordinators), special event/program volunteers who work directly with girls.

Why must volunteers listed above also be registered members? The membership dues provide insurance that covers parents and adults who work with Girl Scouts. Not all activities have insurance that covers non-members. This gives them the extra protection of the Girl Scout insurance blanket if they are injured or something happens while they are volunteering.

Once someone completes the volunteer application, what comes next? Once the application is completed, it is sent to the Volunteer Screening Administrator, Deb Streavig, who is a staff member of the Adult Development Department. An applicant may mail/fax the application directly to Deb at the York Service Center, 1600 Mt. Zion Road, PO Box 20159, York, PA 17402, fax: 717-755-1550. The application may also be given to the applicant’s membership specialist who will ensure it reaches Deb. Once Deb receives the application, she processes the application and runs a background check. The results are shared with the applicant’s membership specialist/or staff support person and the service unit manager. Please note, results are confidential, the only information shared is whether or not an applicant has ‘cleared’ the screening process; is ‘pending,’ meaning the check is still in progress; is ‘restricted,’ meaning that the applicant has restrictions on volunteer services (e.g. may volunteer with a group, but may not drive); is ‘denied,’ meaning the for an undisclosed reason(s), the applicant may not volunteer. Again, the specific reason remains confidential and will only be shared with the CEO and the applicant.

What if someone has had a criminal background check done through another Girl Scout council or organization? If the criminal background check has been conducted within the last year, it will be accepted. Those with this documentation must show the original (no copies) to their membership specialist who will verify the documentation and make a copy of the criminal background check to forward to the volunteer screening administrator.

Where may I obtain an application? Volunteer applications are available at local service centers or by downloading one from this site.

Volunteer Training Opportunities – An Update
The adult development team would like to thank volunteers for all the support and feedback we have received regarding training opportunities for the fall of 2007. The team is working hard to identify areas that are in need of additional training. The team is also working with trainers in all 30 counties of the council to strengthen the fall calendar. If you are in need of certain training in your area, contact the adult volunteer manager assigned to your area (listed below). We welcome your calls and emails.

Heather Evan, Adult Development Manager, 570-501-2604 or
hevan@gshpa.org. Serving the following counties: Carbon, Clinton, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wayne, Wyoming.

Shirley Prosser, Adult Development Manager, 800-673-2561 or
sprosser@gshpa.org. Serving the following counties: Adams, Centre, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, York.