Trips, Travel, and High Risk Activities

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A Girl Scout trip is an opportunity for girls to have fun, toexperience adventure, and to enrich their ongoing Girl Scoutprogram. Sometimes a trip is the culmination of aprogression of activities that the girls are already engaged in.

A trip is defined as any time a group has an activity at alocation other than the regularly scheduled meeting place. Ifthe group will start and end at the regular meeting location,but will walk to a local park or other destination, this activity isnot defined as a trip.

Safety Activity Checkpoints and the Council Resource Guide: Volunteer Essentials should be consulted when planning any trip. The Safety Activity Checkpoints will help determine if troops are ready to participate in troop/group travel andf trips. Safety and money earning procedures are also available in this resource.

Step 1: Planning

Step 2: Parent Permission Forms

Step 3: Trip or High-Risk Activity Form

Which Activities are Considered "High-Risk?"

Approved Vendor List

Step 4: Go on Your Trip and Have Fun!

Step 1: Planning

Budgeting

Girl Scout trips should be affordable to all the girls in the troop/group. The girls should be involved in all financial decisions. Parental support is essential. Discuss travel plans, budgeting and money-earning projects with families before finalizing plans

When creating the budget, be sure to calculate all costs, which may include event registration, admission, postage, duplication of materials, transportation, parking, gas, insurance, lodging, food, and souvenirs. Indicate the amount paid by the troop and the amount paid by each girl.

All money belongs to the troop/group, and not to the individuals. However, when girls in Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador level troops/groups are planning a very expensive trip, it is permissible to track amounts for individual girl members in “paper accounts”, as long as:

Everyone understands that if they leave the troop that the money is not their personal property (the money is there for girls to use for their Girl Scouting activities)
All decisions on how money will be split are made by the girls before the trip, and communicated to the families at the beginning of the process.

Girls should attempt to decide how different possible situations will be handled ahead of time, including:

Shall amounts be accounted for by individuals or for the group as a whole? (These “paper accounts” are NOT the personal property of those girls, but would represent funds set aside for that girl to pay for specified expenses.)
How will money be split for money earning projects (split evenly among all girls, split only among girls who participated in that particular project, or some other way of splitting the money for the “paper accounts”.)
Shall the group pay all or any part of the costs for adult advisors to attend the trip?
Should everyone have to participate equally in all of the money earning projects? What if someone doesn't?
What should happen if a girl leaves the troop before the trip or a girl/girls/troop is/are unable to go on the trip? (Should her paper funds revert to the troop/group’s general fund, be divided among the remaining girls, or another idea?)
What percentage of money should be held to cover regular troop/group expenses?
Not all families can afford to spend the same amount for activities. Will there be some money set aside for scholarships? How could a confidential system be set in place to allow girls to apply for the funds?
How should it be handled if a new girl joins the troop sometime before the trip?

Follow Staying Safe guidelines (Council Resource Guide: Volunteer Essentials and the Safety Activity Checkpoints)

Follow minimum adult to girl ratios for events, outing and trips on page 63 of the Council Resource Guide.
Check the activity checkpoints for ALL activities the girls will be participating in and establish adult supervision plans.
Brainstorm safety rules and precautions with girls such as establishing boundaries, use of buddy system, etc.
Make sure all girls and adults understand rules and expectations for the trip.

Money Earning , if applicable

Not all trips involve money-earning projects, but if yours does:

GSUSA and GSNorCal policies and guidelines must be followed. Everyone must understand that the money earned by the troop does not belong to the individual girls. If a girl cannot go on the trip, she forfeits any portion of the trip funds she helped to earn, and all money is kept in troop funds. The girls in the troop/group should decide (preferably very early in the planning process) how that money should be spent.
The troop/group must submit a Money Earning Application before the project and Evaluation Form afterwards.

Logistics

Contracts or Signed Agreements:

All contracts or signed agreements must be signed by a council staff member. Please allow at least two weeks prior to the date you need the signed agreement. See page 36 of the Council Resource Guide for further information.

Drivers:

All drivers must:

Complete the adult screening requirements
Turn in completed Troop Driver Information Form to Troop Leader. This form should be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis to verify that each driver has a current driver’s license and sufficient insurance.

Insurance:

If any unregistered adults or children will participate (attend), or if your trip is longer than 2 nights, additional insurance must be purchased. This insurance is very reasonably priced, but it would be a lot easier to register those adults who will drive or volunteer more than once or twice. Visit the council website for more information or contact the Insurance Specialist in the Oakland office at insurance@GirlScoutsNorCal.org

Contracts:
Does your contract require a council signature? Girl Scouts of Northern California is the legal entity that may sign a contract on behalf of “Girl Scouts.” Troops and service units are NOT legal entities. Therefore, all contracts that benefit or impose responsibility or potential liability on “Girl Scouts” must be approved and signed by authorized staff representatives of Girl Scouts of Northern California. For more information see page 108 of the Council Resource Guide (CRG).

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Step 2: Parent Permission Forms

Permission Forms:

Permission forms are intended as communication tools between the troop and parents, and must be used whenever the girls will participate in activities beyond regular troop meetings as outlined on the Trip Checklist.

Registered girl members of the current year, even if over the age of 18, are required to have parental/guardian permission slips when participating in any of the above activities.

There are four types of permission forms:

1. Annual Permission Forms:

Girl Scouts of Northern California allows the use of the Annual Permission form to be used if the activity meets all of the following criteria:

Destination is located within one hour’s driving time (or 60 miles) of the regular meeting place
Does not exceed 6 hours
Is not considered high-risk

Note that the use of this form does not release the adult volunteers in the troop/group from the responsibility to effectively communicate with every family regarding the nature and logistics of the trip. If there is any possibility of a miscommunication with a family, which could result in a girl being mistakenly left unsupervised or a parent not knowing the whereabouts of their child, it is recommended that a regular written permission form be used for the activity.

2. Permission Forms (regular):

The regular Permission forms are used for any activities on a different day/time or different location than regular troop/group meetings when the Annual Permission form is not or cannot be used.

3. Sensitive/Controversial Issues Permission Form:

This form should be used whenever the girls will be doing activities of a sensitive or controversial nature. If the activity is held at a different day/time/location, then the Annual or Regular Permission forms would also be used.

4. Product Sales Permission Form:

Permission for product sales is included on the Annual Permission form. If that form is not used, then the Product Sales Permission form must be used when girls participate in product sales activities. The form is distributed with product sales materials. If the activity, such as a booth sale, is held at a different day/time/location, then the Annual or regular Permission forms would also be used.

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Step 3: Trip or High-Risk Activity Form

Communicate your plans:

While permission forms are used to communicate with parents, it is also necessary to communicate with your troop emergency contact person for each trip, and with your service unit for some trips. For certain trips, your service unit will also contact the council on your behalf.

Troop/Group Emergency Contact Person

A troop/group emergency contact person must be established for every trip. Your service unit leadership must be given contact information for your troop/group’s emergency contact person in case there are any problems or emergencies that arise on any trip (particularly day trips where the Trip or High Risk Activity Form does not need to be turned in).

The troop/group emergency contact person must be a person who will NOT attend the trip, and should know:

Which girls and adults are present on the trip
Where the troop is going
Dates and times of the trip
Where and when the group will return
Contact information for the adults present on the trip
Contact information for service unit leadership
Contact information for all families
How to activate the council’s emergency plans

Trip or High Risk Activity Form

The Trip or High Risk Activity Form should be used for every trip or outing as a planning tool, and must be turned in to your service unit for some trips. The form is designed to help busy volunteers make sure that GSUSA and council guidelines are followed to ensure a safe and fun activity.

The Trip or High-Risk Activity Form is used as a planning tool and may also be used to communicate with the emergency contact person before the trip, but does not need to be turned in to the service unit for the following activities:

Service Unit activities
Council sponsored activities in the Choices catalog
Activities where girls walk or ride their own bicycles as part of their regularly scheduled meetings
Trips that are located within one hour driving time or 60 miles from the regular meeting place, and are less than 6 hours in duration, and are not high-risk

For all trips that do not meet one of the above criteria, the Trip or High Risk Activity Form must be turned in to your service unit (which will sometimes forward the form to the council). When the form does need to be filed with your service unit, be sure to turn it in as early as possible, and at least 2 weeks, four weeks, or 1 year in advance as indicated on page 62 of the Council Resource Guide: Volunteer Essentials and on the form.

Which activities are considered “high risk”?

The activities specified here as high risk activities, which is not intended as an exhaustive list, are included because they fit into one or both of the following categories:

1. The activity involves a reasonable expectation of physical risk to the girls

2. The activity involves legal risk to the adult volunteers and/or the council. These include situations where rider or other additional insurance may be required, vendor or facility contracts may need to be signed, adults must be certified in a specific skill, or other specific critical guidelines must be followed to ensure the safety of the girls.

Activities: Written Pre-Approval From the Council Needed

Caution: You must get written pre-approval from the GSNorCal Program Dept. travel@GirlScoutsNorCal.org for the following activities:

•Any trip that is three nights or more

•Land Sports: archery, backpacking, bicycling with vendorsupplied bicycles, “bounce houses”, caving, challenge/ropes courses, climbing walls, firearms. gymnastics, horseback riding, rock climbing, skateboarding at a skateboard park, skiing, snowboarding, trapeze, vaulting (on horseback) or when girls ages 12 and older (not allowed for younger girls) will operate motorized vehicles, such as go-carts (driving or riding all-terrain vehicles and motor bikes is never allowed), or simulated skydiving and zerogravity rooms.

If girls would like to trampoline at an indoor facility where the trampolines are completely enclosed and go all the way to the edge of the room with no exposed springs (i.e. there is no possibility that girls could fall off of the trampoline), this activity can be approved if the vendor is on the approved vendor list. Marksmanship activities require council permission, and volunteers need to transport weapons separately from girls. The minimum age for girls using firearms in highly supervised activities is 12 years old.

•Water Activities: boating, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, sailing, scuba, snorkeling, swimming, tubing, water skiing, windsurfing, any type of trips on waterways that are highly changeable or uncontrollable (Class V and higher watercraft trips are never allowed), or when girls ages 12 and older (not allowed for younger girls) will operate motorized personal watercraft like jet skis.• Any other activity which might be considered high risk, which are activities that would fall into either or both ofthese categories:

1. The activity involves a reasonable expectation of physical risk to the girls.

Activities that are not allowed are not covered by Girl Scout insurance. Restrictions on activities are set to ensure the girls' safety, protect the council's and adult volunteers' legal interests, or both.

Activities That Are Never Allowed

Warning: The following activities are never allowed for any girl:

Flying in noncommercial aircraft, such as small private planes, helicopters, sailplanes, un-tethered hot-air balloons, or blimps requires council permission.|
Potentially uncontrolled free-falling (bungee jumping, hang gliding, parachuting, or parasailing)
Creating extreme variations of approved activities (such as high-altitude climbing and aerial tricks on bicycles, skis, snowboards, skateboards, water skis, and wakeboards, or stunt skiing)
Jeep tours where participants will not be wearing seatbelts.
Hunting
Shooting a projectile at another person, such as paintball
Riding all-terrain vehicles or motor bikes
Taking watercraft trips in Class V or higher whitewater
Riding motorized personal watercraft like jet-skis

In addition, there are some activities in which girls and volunteers may not engage when representing Girl Scouts. These include:

Endorsement of commercial products or services,
Solicitation of financial contributions for purposes other than Girl Scouting (any other organization), and
Participation in political campaigns or legislative activities, unless the legislative activity has been council approved.

Approval Process: Approved Vendor List

For trips longer than two nights, involving air travel, high risk activities, or international trips, your service unit will forward your Trip or High Risk Activity Form to the Program Assistant in the Oakland office for approval.

For the safety of our members, the council must approve sites and vendors for these activities before a troop uses the site or vendor for a troop or service unit event. This procedure is designed to ensure a safe experience for our girls, as well as to protect the legal interests of the adult volunteers and the council.

A list of currently approved vendors and facilities can be found on the council website, or contact the Program Assistant in the Oakland office: travel@girlscoutsnorcal.org. This list is updated once a month.

These approved facilities/vendors have met the safety and insurance guidelines for Girl Scouts of Northern California.

Adding Vendors to the Approved Vendor List

Troops are NOT limited to the facilities and vendors on the approved vendor list. If you find a site or vendor that you would like to use, we will work with them to place them on the approved vendor list. For a facility or vendor to be listed as an “approved vendor”, they must meet the safety and insurance guidelines for GSNorCal, which include the following:

Comply with Staying Safe guidelines by completing the Safety Checklist for the related activity
Facilities and vendors must supply GSNorCal with a Certificate of Liability for one million dollars or more, naming Girl Scouts of Northern California as additionally insured
Girl Scouts of Northern California will list the site or vendor as additionally insured on the council Certificate of Liability

If you would like to have a vendor or facility approved for your troop or group’s use, please forward the following information to the Program Assistant: Travel@GirlScoutsNorCal.org

Your contact information
Contact information for the vendor or facility , including phone number
Possible dates for the trip/activity
Explanation of proposed activities

Once we receive this information, we will work with the facility/vendor to become an approved vendor for your activity. If you wish to be involved in the process (vendors can sometimes be a little quicker to supply the needed information when they are working directly with their customer), please let us know and we’ll supply you with the information you need. Please allow as much time as possible (at least three weeks) for approving a new facility or vendor.

If a facility/vendor refuses to follow the safety and insurance guidelines for Girl Scouts of Northern California then we will not be able to endorse this facility/vendor on our approved vendor list or approve trips/activities using this facility/vendor.
Please note: The Approved High-Risk vendor list is updated on a monthly basis.

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Step 4: Go on Your Trip and Have Fun!

Bring forms and first aid kit

Permission forms (Annual or regular)
Girl Health History Forms (if trip is over three nights or for organized competitive sports, use the Health History that includes a physical)
Adult Health History Form

Trip Folders for All Drivers/Adult Chaperones

All drivers or adult chaperones should carry a folder containing permission forms and Health History forms (in a sealed envelope) for all girls they are responsible for, driving directions/maps, itinerary information, and pertinent emergency contact information.

Emergency Plans

Make sure all drivers and adults in attendance understandthe GSNorCal emergency management plan and specific procedures for this activity
Ensure that all girls understand expectations and rules—for example:
- Should they stay with a certain adult?
- Where is it OK to go? With whom?
- What should they do if they become separated from the group?
- What are the bathroom procedures?
All adults should have a copy of the council Emergency Cards and troop emergency contact information.
Design a plan for managing emergency situations, defining how each possible emergency would be handled (by whom, who would be notified—when and how) including consideration of:
- Natural hazards (lake, cliffs, etc.)
- Natural disasters (earthquake, storms, floods, fire, etc.)
- Each program activity
- Injuries or medical emergencies
- Lost children
- Strangers or Intruders
Establish and communicate emergency evacuation plan with all participants let them know who is in charge in these situations prior to event. Should cars back into parking spots? Where should participants go?
Specific emergency plans for this trip should include evacuation plans in situations where girls have been dropped off. This is especially important if there are not enough vehicles on site during the event/activity to evacuate all participants.
Establish a security plan, adult supervision, placement of adults
Establish an emergency communication system. Who should be notified in case of an emergency?
Establish an at-home emergency contact person as outlined in STEP 3
Determine how parents be communicated with in the event of an emergency

Girls can and should help develop the emergency plans.Younger girls could brainstorm safety rules, and older girls could develop the entire emergency plan with adult guidance.