Focus on Accessibility for All
A key part of creating an inclusive Girl Scout environment is making sure everyone is able to participate. As you think about where, when, and how often to meet with your group, consider the needs, resources, safety, and beliefs of all members and potential members. Seek to learn about the special needs of any members who have disabilities or whose parents/caregivers have disabilities—though don’t rely on visual cues to inform you. Disabilities include physical, sensory, and cognitive conditions, and not all of these are visible.
Approximately 20% of the U.S. population has a disability—that’s one in five people across every socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and religion. If you want to find out what an individual with a disability needs to make their Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask them or their parent/caregiver. If you’re open and receptive, they’ll likely respond in kind.
Remember, it’s important that all Girl Scouts be rewarded for their best efforts, not the completion of a task. Give everyone the opportunity to do their best, and they likely will! Sometimes that means changing a few rules or approaching an activity in a more creative way. Here are some examples of how to modify activities so that everyone can participate:
- Invite a member to complete an activity after they’ve observed others doing it.
- If an activity calls for using a sense that a Girl Scout doesn’t have (like sight for a Girl Scout who’s blind), find ways for them to participate using other senses. Can they touch objects and/or participate by hearing?
- If an activity calls for running, an individual who’s unable to run might walk if possible and desired by them, or perhaps move in another way.
To learn more, take our Delivering Inclusive Program course on gsLearn.
Language Related to Disability
First and foremost, seek personal preferences. How would the Girl Scout or family member you're interacting with like you to refer to their disability (if at all)? When this information can't be determined or you’re speaking more generally, consider taking a person-first approach—acknowledging the person first, then the condition or disability, or what a person has, not what that person is. So not "schizophrenic person," but "person with schizophrenia."
Still, know that there’s considerable disagreement here, with many in the disability community preferring an identity-first approach (e.g., "disabled person," not "person with a disability"), which reinforces the importance of establishing and honoring personal preferences whenever possible.
When interacting with a person with a disability that you’re aware of, keep the following guidance in mind.
When greeting an individual with a visual disability, always identify yourself and others. You might say, “Hi, it’s Sheryl. Tara is on my right, and Chris is on my left.”
To learn more, take our Delivering Inclusive Program course on gsLearn.
Registering Members with Cognitive Disabilities
Girl Scouts with cognitive disabilities can be registered as closely as possible to their chronological ages. They should wear the uniform of the associated grade level. As a volunteer, you’re encouraged to make any adaptations to activities for Girl Scouts with cognitive disabilities.
These Girl Scouts may choose to retain their youth membership through their 21st year and then move into an adult membership category.