Outdoor Training

Fire building If the girls in the troop/group plan to participate in outdoor activities, then the troop will need to have an adult who is outdoor trained and who will be responsible for planning and preparing for the outdoor event with the girls; attending the event and help to supervise the girls; listening to the girls and helping them evaluate the experience.

All outdoor training courses are open to registered adult Girl Scouts. You do not need to be the Troop/Group leader to be the outdoor trained volunteer.

Girl Scouts of Connecticut offers Regional Training Days, Safety Days, Connecting to the Outdoor World, and other Learning Events throughout the year. Courses vary from year to year and event to event. If you have a topic you would be interested in exploring, please send an email to adultdev@gsofct.org. We will do our best to accommodate these topics at our events.

Recommended training for grade levels

Adults should practice outdoor skills and learning experiences with girls prior to taking the next training course. Courses should be taken when the girls are “ready” for the next step (i.e. There is no need to take Camping Adventures when the girls are Girl Scout Daisies and have not experienced a simple hike or Brownies who have not slept overnight in a building).

Recommended courses for different age levels:

Girl Scout Daisies: Out and About
Girl Scout Brownies: Out and About; Fire, Food and Fun
Girl Scout Juniors: Out and About; Fire, Food and Fun; Camping Adventures
Girl Scout Cadettes: Out and About; Fire, Food and Fun; Camping Adventures; Winter Camping
Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors: Out and About; Fire, Food and Fun; Camping Adventures; Winter Camping; Backpacking

Outdoor Learning Courses

Course	Who Must Take Course	How Course is Taken
Out and About This course prepares volunteers to take girls beyond their meeting place. Topics include health and safety, progression in the outdoors, simple hiking guidelines, and indoor food preparation. It also prepares volunteers to take the girls on overnights inside a building that has an automated heat source, electricity, and running water. Course Length: 3 hours	At least one adult volunteer for each Troop/Group. • Required to participate in field trips of four hours or more.	• Classroom setting provided by Council Learning Facilitators or • Self-paced written or computer driven *Fee-None
Food, Fire, and Fun Prerequisite: Out and About This course teaches adult volunteers how to instruct their girls fire safety, fire building, simple one pot meals, and s’mores. Course Length: 3 hours	At least one adult volunteer for each Troop/Group.	• Offered at program centers around Connecticut provided by Council Learning Facilitators. *Fee- $10
Camping Adventures Prerequisites: Out and About and Food, Fire and Fun This course teaches adult volunteers the skills they need to take their girls camping in tents and to participate fully in their camporees. Course Length: Includes a 3-hour planning session and a 24-hour overnight experience.	At least one adult volunteer for each Troop/Group. • Volunteers must attend the planning session assigned to a specific overnight experience. • Recertification needed every 5 years.	• Offered at program centers around Connecticut - Provided by Council Learning Facilitators. *Fee-$10 plus cost of food and program supplies (To be determined at course Planning Session).
Camping Adventures Challenge Prerequisites: Out and About and Food, Fire and Fun This course will recertify adult volunteers in Camping Adventures. There are several paths to complete the recertification process: Camping Adventures Update: A comprehensive written worksheet. Camping Adventures Challenge course: A five-hour course that reviews safety, outdoor cooking skills, and other pertinent information to ensure safe camping experiences. Advanced Outdoor courses: Winter Camping or Backpacking, along with some of the advanced outdoor cooking classes, will provide a solid review of the skills necessary to renew the Camping Adventures certification. Course Length: Varies	At least one adult volunteer for each Troop/Group.	Depends on the path chosen: • Written worksheet, • Computer driven, or • Offered at program centers around Connecticut, provided by Council Learning Facilitators. Fees- Camping Adventures Update: None Camping Adventures Challenge: $20 Advanced Outdoor Courses*: Varies depending on course chosen.