Advocacy

What does Advocacy Mean to Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York?

Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York (GSNENY) engages in Advocacy seeking out social change to benefit the healthy development of girls as leaders of our communities.  GSNENY driven by research engages community leaders and organizations in collaboration to support community awareness, education and actions of social change for the benefit of all girls.  GSNENY will continue to support the preparation of the community to receive the voices of girls on issues that impact them in addition to raising the voices of adults in support of social change efforts that will directly benefit youth in our communities.

As Girl Scouts we participate in Advocacy by raising voices of and for girls through community education and discussion, leadership programming, community involvement, and policy influencing to direct social change actions guided by the Girl Scout Mission and the values set forth by the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Advocacy means to Discover an issue impacting girls, Connect with community resources and policy makers, and Take Action to make the world a better place.

The Girl Scouts Movement through GSUSA and its local councils across the country have been advocating for girls throughout the decades.

Did You Know?

  • The first Girl Scout handbook was published in 1913 and was entitled: How Girls Can Help Their Country.
  • Congress chartered the Girl Scouts in March 1950.
  • In Savannah, Georgia, in 1983, the second federal building named after a woman was declared the Juliette Gordon Low Federal Complex.
  • Two-thirds of female members of Congress have been Girl Scouts.
  • In 2001, the first Honorary Congressional Girl Scout Troop – Troop Capitol Hill – was convened and is currently comprised of all women members of Congress.

  • What does Advocacy mean to GSUSA?

    Girl Scouts of the USA first established a Public Policy and Advocacy office in 1952. Since that time, the organization has worked to build strong relationships with Members of Congress, as well as with officials at the White House and federal departments and agencies. Through our advocacy efforts, we inform and educate key representatives of the government’s legislative and executive branches about issues important to girls and Girl Scouting and lobby for increased program resources.

    We have established an important partnership in Congress with the Honorary Congressional Girl Scout Troop, Troop Capitol Hill, comprised of women Members of Congress. Members of Troop Capitol Hill have made a commitment to help Girl Scouts substantively address issues important to girls and Girl Scouting on a national level.

    Girl Scouts of the USA’s advocacy efforts help demonstrate to lawmakers that Girl Scouts is a resource and an authority on issues affecting girls. Based on almost 100 years of experience and developed from extensive research, the Girl Scout Public Policy and
    Advocacy Office:

    • Encourages girls’ healthy living through combating Relational Aggression and promoting girl-positive media images;
    • Ensures girls feel emotionally and physically safe;
    • Promotes girls’ involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM);
    • Develops financial literacy skills; and
    • Gives a voice to girls in under-served communities.