Girl Scouts use technology to making joining, volunteering easier

NEW ORLEANS — As families prepare for the new school year and the array of activities from which to choose, they’ll find that joining and volunteering for the local Girl Scout organization a much easier and faster process, thanks to new technology and operating model.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East, which serves girls, grades K – 12, and adults in 23 parishes of southeast Louisiana (including St. Mary), launched its Customer Engagement Initiative in July, with a refreshed website, an all-new membership registration system and online Girl Scout Member Community, and a digital planning Toolkit for Girl Scout troop leaders.

“While before it could take weeks to place girls into Girl Scout troops, it can now be done online by viewing an opportunity catalog which will display troop vacancies, the date, time and general meeting locations, and whether volunteers are still needed,” said Alisha Moore, chief customer experience officer.

According to Moore, there is also an opportunity catalog for adults interested in volunteering, which will assist in the on-boarding process of volunteers.

The digital Volunteer Toolkit simplifies troop management, meeting planning and program experiences, with a link to program resources, and a parent portal that allows families to communicate with troop leaders, manage their daughter’s schedule, and stay involved in her Girl Scout experience.

The local council began preparing for this large shift in its way of doing business last November, as part of a nationwide Girl Scout initiative, designed to ensure that customers are experiencing a nationally consistent Girl Scout experience. Almost one-half of the 112 councils have implemented the customer-centric initiative in their own council, with the rest scheduled for implementation by 2018.

Girl Scout membership is $15 per year for girls and adults, making it a positive and affordable option for today’s busy families. Some favorite areas of interest for girls and adults include camping, health and fitness, the arts, science and technology, travel, cookie-selling, and much more. More information about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience is available at www.gsle.org.

Joining and volunteering for Girl Scouts has been made easier and faster through new technology and operating model. View the technology online at www.gsle.org.