Girl Scout Opportunities for Latino Girls

The organization offers training in several areas and may be useful to those who want to be teachers.

This article originally appeared in Spanish in Hoy-Chicago (May 28, 2004), the Spanish daily newspaper published by Tribune Co., and was translated by Girl Scouts of the USA. Reprinted with permission.

By Blanca E. Avila

CHICAGO—Girl Scouts of Chicago, a non-profit organization, wants to make a difference in Hispanic neighborhoods, and to do so, needs to train leaders who will take its programs to Chicago schools.

According to Tahia DeLeón, program manager for Girl Scouts of Chicago, the resources exist, but there is a shortage of available volunteers. "Our organization wants to offer its resources to Hispanic girls, and we have a huge need for volunteers to do this work. The opportunities are open for all, but we feel that the girls identify with young women, who just went through the same stage, or who are studying at the university, since that inspires and motivates them," she said.

Proper Training

The urgent need for female volunteers for community programs has prompted Girl Scouts to prepare a training program ranging from safety programs—such as Safety Wise, which explains safety strategies at camp and health topics such as the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (or CPR) program, which awards a Red Cross certificate to psychological programs such as the "Soy única" program, which develops girls' self-esttem and encourages them to avoid drugs and premature sex.

Concerning the details of the training hours and volunteering, DeLeón explains, "the training we offer can benefit female volunteers if they are thinking of pursuing education, child care, or psychology studies. And we keep flexible hours—the training lasts for up to two hours per week—because we want the hours to be convenient; moreover, the person can choose the volunteering hours and, if they have children…they can bring them…[so] they can participate in the workshops."

Bringing Resources to the Neighborhood

Volunteer work is not limited to camps or other extracurricular activities.

"We want the people to get involved with the girls, sharing with them their passion in monthly or bimonthly workshops. For example, if a person knows how to cook, weave, or do a handicraft, they can go to the troops and share their skills. We speak a lot about the importance of the power of education, and we must take this power to the neighborhood, not run away from it. Unfortunately, our Hispanic children are at high risk, and what counts is to make them feel that there are people who love them. We must support our children, we must inspire them. If there is no inspiration, there are no goals, there are no values, and they end up on the street; that's why we must bring resources to our community, and volunteering is a great starting point," stressed DeLeón.

This article originally appeared in Spanish in Hoy-Chicago (May 28, 2004), the Spanish daily newspaper published by Tribune Co., and was translated by Girl Scouts of the USA. Reprinted with permission.