How Do I Plan to Manage a Mullti-Level Troop?

One topic that I almost never see covered in any leader training is how to run a multi-level troop.  

I am sure that there could be some councils that specifically offer this as a training but I’ve never run across it and I have looked a lot. 

In case you don’t know what I’m referring to when I say multi-level troop, I mean one in which multiple levels of girls are under one troop number.  For example, my troop will have Brownies and Daisies in it next year.  We meet at the same time and have a leader per level.  I’m going to be the Brownie leader and assist with the Daisy meetings next year.  

A leader friend of mine has a multi-level troop and hers all meet at the same time and she has over 60 girls.  I have no idea how she does it, but it works for her!

I don’t know about your area, but almost every troop in my service unit is a multi-level troop.  It's pretty common because leaders want to move up with their daughters but of course, little sisters and friends are eager to be in the troop so it just continues to build. 

Being a leader can be stressful. Being a multi-level troop leader can be even more stressful because there are more things to juggle. For me, I love organizing and managing things so the challenge is one I loved to take on. 

I’m the primary leader and it was tricky trying to figure out how to run multiple levels in one meeting in our space. Let me tell you many new leaders learn the hard way when the majority of their troop bridges up and you’ve got two or three girls left behind in the previous level that it's a bummer because no one wants to be left behind. I wanted to move up with my daughter but I am torn because I don't want to leave those girls behind. Nobody tells you these things when you’re forming a troop and it was a stressor for me. Plus I started with Daisies and they've become attached to me! I am not sure if after this coming year we will have Daisies but only time will tell!

I get that this is just a control thing for me personally. I have great moms in my troop but we've got such a great flow down, I did not want to mess that up. Right now I plan everything, they help get supplies and support the girls at the meetings. Plus the meetings are in my home and I don't want the mom in charge of the Daisies bringing something that I am going to worry the whole meeting about (let's say paint) when I've not planned or worse yet something does happen and then she feels horrible. 

So I went with a meeting flow that sort of blended together. When my Brownies work on their Brownie Snack Patch, the Daisies will be talking about Friendly and Helpful thus able to help us wash dishes and set up the table for snack time. So luckily for me, I've been able to blend everything so we get to do things at our levels and then together as a troop. I know it sounds hard but if you start with the oldest group, you can let see how the different patches fit together. 

Yes, I know this is on top of all of the typical planning that you do for the girls. Some people think it is a pain and I get that it can lead to some major leader burnout. I do wish that there was more training to help leaders figure out the tricks to blending things but then again that's what resources like Pinterest and Blogs like this are for. 

I've not managed Girl Scout Troops at multiple levels before but I have managed daycare and summer camp programs where you have kids Kindergarten to 6th Grade and need to have things that keep them engaged at their levels all while having them in the same room. It seems it would be a similar thing so that's what I am going with. You'll see posts on how I am blending things as I start to finish planning Girl Scout Meetings for the coming year. 

Got a tip on this topic you want to share? Share it in the comments!