Girl Scouts love to give back—it’s part of our mission to “make the world a better place!” There are many ways troops can help their communities, whether through a service project or Take Action project. Both are equally important, and continue the long-standing tradition of Girl Scouts giving back to others. But what’s the difference between these two? Let’s dive in and take a closer look.
Community service projects are a Girl Scout favorite—whether girls are making tie blankets for the local animal shelter or participating in a park clean-up. Girls love to get together and help others in need. Service projects are usually done for the community, address an immediate need, and have a short-term impact. They often take less time to plan—especially if you tag-along to an already established volunteering event (Great River Greening, anyone?). Community service projects can be done at any time throughout the year and can often be connected to a variety of badges or awards—like the Brownie Philanthropist badge or the Community Service bar for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. Check out this recent post for more service project ideas.
Take Action projects pick up where that short-term fix of the service project leaves off. There are three key components to Take Action projects—girls show active leadership by working with the community, they address the root cause of an issue (think of the “why” behind the issue), and the projects have a lasting impact. Girls gain lots of skills and leadership experience when they work on a Take Action project. It’s not just about how they will “make the world a better place,” it’s also about what they learn along the way. Every Girl Scout Journey Award ends with a small-scale Take Action project related to that award’s theme. The Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards are large-scale Take Action projects that take months (and sometimes years!) of planning and execution!
Still with me? Here’s a handy chart to break it down for you:
Community Service Project |
Take Action Project |
Addresses an immediate need in the community |
Addresses the root cause of an issue in the community |
A project done FOR the community |
A project done WITH the community |
A one-time project that helps something or someone now |
A long-term project that is sustainable and makes a lasting impact |
That helps a little, but how about a few examples? Sure! Check these out…
(And remember, the scale and scope of a project will vary depending on if you have a troop of Brownies working on their Journey Award or a Girl Scout Ambassador working on her Gold Award.)
Issue |
Community Service Project |
Take Action Project |
Soda cans and plastic water bottles are being littered at the park. |
Participate in a park clean-up. | Work with the city to implement a new recycling program at the park. Then, work to organize an annual park clean-up with others in the community. |
A local animal rescue group has a lot of dogs and cats in their care. | Making blankets and toys to donate to a local animal rescue group. |
Help prevent pet over-population by creating a PSA or poster campaign for local spay and neuter programs. |
Whether your troop is working on a community service project or a Take Action project, be sure to include the girls in the planning! They will be more engaged and excited if they get to take part in all the fun and learning that goes along with giving back to the communities they love. We can’t wait to see how you help others this year!
Emily Schmall – Emily is the Senior Manager of Volunteer Services at Girl Scouts River Valleys. She was a Girl Scout growing up and now leads her daughter’s troop of spirited teenagers, where they share many adventures. Her background is in programming, education, and curriculum development. She has a BA in visual art and attended the M.Ed. initial licensure program in art education, both through the University of Minnesota. She lives in the Twin Cities with her family, where they are busy training their rescue puppy and teaching their old cat new tricks. In her (non-Girl Scout related) free time, Emily enjoys photography, playing the ukulele, and attending the Minnesota State Fair.