Each Journey comes with a girl book and leader guide. It is recommended that each girl have her own book. It was created to be a memory book and journal for the girls while completing their Journey.

The leader guide provides valuable resources and ideas for implementing the Journey during troop meetings. The first 30-40 pages of each leader guide provides information on the Girl Scout Leadership Model, ways to get parents and families involved, descriptions of the awards earned and links to National Outcomes. The last section has sample sessions that can guide you though the entire Journey. Each sample session lists goals, activities and a list of simple materials needed. There are also example of scripts and instructions for the activities. Many of the boxes throughout it provide tips and suggestions for incorporating Girl Scout traditions and potential field trips.

To best prepare to lead the Journey, it is recommended that leaders read the girl book and leader guide before beginning. It might be easiest to begin with the first 30-40 pages of the leader guide. This will give an overview of the goals. Before reading the sample sessions, it might be easiest to read the girl book. A few of the sample sessions do not follow the girl book in order. Reading the girl book before will help you know where the Journey is going before beginning.

Journey Helpful Hints

Below are a few additional suggestions for implementing Journeys in your troop meetings.

• Customize – Journeys provide “sample sessions” to give girls and volunteers ideas about sequencing experiences, discussions and earning awards so that it feels like one big adventure. Each troop can work together to make the Journey theirs. Add field trips and additional activities. Focus on Girl Scout traditions. Make the Journey the experience you want.
• Change the Timeline – Sample sessions in the Journey have been created to show how it is possible to have a Girl Scout leadership experience in a set number of gatherings. Many girls and volunteers will quickly find there is more they want to do in one section of the Journey. They might also realize they want to spend less time in another. You can make the Journeys fill an entire year or complete it over a couple weekend campouts. You choose how long to spend on each section.
• Supplement with Petals/Try-Its/Badges/Interest Projects/Patch Programs – Many existing program materials supplement the Journeys nicely. During your Journey experience, you can complete part or all of other materials. Some might relate to the Journey directly or it might be a fun diversion.
• Link – Are Ambassadors interested in partnering? What would happen if Seniors worked together? What do Cadettes in your area have to offer to Juniors? What if Brownies link up on steps of their journey? How could Daisies benefit from meeting other Daisies? Connecting helps make a powerful Girl Scout journey!
• Explore Stories – Stories capture the imagination and motivate, and inspire us to put values into action. The journeys engage girls in stories—real and fictional—of girls and women taking action in the world. You and the girls decide how much time to spend on them before going on to create their own adventures.
• Leadership and You – As a Girl Scout volunteer, your experiences—and your view of leadership—will influence and inspire girls. Use the reflection exercises in your leader guide to think about the three leadership keys (Discover, Connect, and Take Action) and how you can best apply them as you team up with Girl Scouts on their journey.