Jump Start Your OCMT

Through our wonderful network of volunteers, USA Girl Scouts Overseas supports Girl Scouts in over 100 communities in more than 80 countries all around the globe. USAGSO works with volunteer teams in our overseas locations to bring the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to girls across the globe.

Most of our overseas communities are managed by a team of administrative volunteers called the Overseas Committee Management Team or OCMT. Just like a Service Unit in the United States, an OCMT manages the Girl Scout program for a designated geographical region, such as a city or military installation.

Select an OCMT position below to view the full position description.

Chair & Co-Chair

Manages the Girl Scout program within an assigned geographical area.

Cookie Manager

Plans and runs the Cookie Program within an overseas community.

Registrar

Helps volunteers and families with the Girl Scout registration and renewal process.

Recruiter

Drives membership growth through recruitment and marketing.

Treasurer

Maintains all financial processes and records for the Overseas Committee.

Highest Awards Coord.

Promotes awareness and participation in the highest awards program.

Secretary

Maintains records and facilitates communication within the Overseas Committee.

OCMT Member

Supports a specific subject area or duty to support the local needs of an Overseas Community.

Get Ready

The first step for every OCMT is to become a registered member of USA Girl Scouts Overseas. To register, visit myGS and register or renew your Girl Scout membership. OCMT roles are not available in the storefront, so feel free to register or renew as a general member or in another volunteer role in your community.

Need help registering? Reach out to overseascustomercare@girlscouts.org or submit this form along with your membership dues and our staff team will process your registration.

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Once you are a registered Girl Scout member, it's time to commit to your role on the Overseas Committee Management Team. Volunteers cannot sign up for OCMT positions directly in the registration system. Instead, you will need to review your OCMT Volunteer Position description (above) and submit the Overseas Committee Commitment Form to be assigned to your role. Once an Overseas Committee Commitment form is received, USAGSO staff will review and assign you to your OCMT role, training, and resources. For returning members, the Overseas Committee Commitment form must be resubmitted each year to remain in your position and maintain access to your OCMT resources.

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Parents, guardians and girls trust that Girl Scouts is a safe place for them, and USAGSO does not take that trust lightly. We are committed to maintaining policies and procedures that create a safe environment for girls to discover, connect and take action.

Criminal background checks are one of the strategies used to ensure that girls are safe with us. USAGSO's policy is to conduct a criminal background checks on new volunteers, and to repeat them every three years. Volunteers with the role of troop leader, OCMT member, cookie coordinator, or episodic volunteer are required to have a background check.

Please visit our Background Check policy webpage for more information or to request a background check.

Trainings

USA Girl Scouts Overseas provides trainings for volunteers through our online learning platform called gsLearn. Once you have submitted your Overseas Committee Commitment form and are assigned to your role on the OCMT, you can access your required trainings by logging into your myGS account and selecting the gsLearn tab on your homepage.

Visit our Volunteer Training webpage for a current list of required OCMT trainings as well as step-by-step instructions to access gsLearn.

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OCMT PLANNING PACKET

The OCMT Planning Packet is your starting point to plan the Girl Scout year and manage your community. We encourage you to read the packet carefully and use it as a main source of information as you begin your new role.

LOOKER

Looker is our Girl Scout reporting system available to OCMT members in key positions (OCC, Secretary, Registrar, Treasurer, Recruiter, Cookie Manager, and Highest Awards Coordinator). Here you will find your community's rosters and more! OCMT members can login by visiting https://girlscouts.looker.com and using the email affiliated with their myGS login. Be sure to complete your OCMT required trainings to learn more about Looker!

USAGSO E-MAIL

To support volunteers, USAGSO provides volunteers in key OCMT positions (OCC, Secretary, Registrar, Treasurer, Recruiter, Cookie Manager, and Highest Awards Coordinator) access to a usagso.org email. To request access to your volunteer e-mail, or for help accessing your e-mail throughout the year, contact overseascustomercare@girlscouts.org.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Girl Scouts has additional resources, listed below, that are important to managing an OCMT. While we don't expect you to know these documents inside and out, we do want you to reference them throughout the year. Here's a quick look at those documents.

Safety Activity Checkpoints- safety requirements for Girl Scout activities
Volunteer Essentials- essential Girl Scout rules and information
USAGSO Volunteer Policies- rules and processes for USAGSO volunteers

Get Set

E-mails

Be sure to opt into e-mails through your MyGS account. USAGSO sends a regular e-mail newsletter called The Globe. It goes out the first Wednesday of every month and provides both volunteers and parents with updates and events from overseas, other stateside councils and GSUSA.

If you are not getting The Globe check your spam/junk mailbox or message overseascustomercare@usagso.org.

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Want to connect with Girl Scout volunteers around the world? The USA Girl Scouts Overseas Volunteers is a great place to connect with your peers, get advice, and share your successes. You are not alone and accessing our large network of experienced guides and enthusiastic novices is key to smoothly navigating the unfamiliar. The USA Girl Scouts Overseas Volunteers group is a private group only open to USAGSO volunteers. Answering a few questions helps us keep the group private and gives you access to a world of knowledge.

USA Girl Scouts Overseas also has a public Facebook page, where we share Girl Scout stories and achievements, news, and information with the world. Feel free to follow and share the USA Girl Scouts Overseas public Facebook page with families. Want your community to be highlighted on our facebook page? Submit this form to share your story!

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Each OCMT is assigned a dedicated staff point of contact, who is available to help you and your team of volunteers get started. Throughout the year, your OCMT can reach out to your staff point of contact with questions or for additional resources and support. If you are unsure who is your staff point of contact, reach out to overseascustomercare@girlscouts.org and we will connect you.

Go

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Check out our recruitment webpage for resources to help you share the excitement and build your OCMT!

RECRUIT OCMT MEMBERS

It takes a team of volunteers to make a Girl Scout community run. Take a moment to identify volunteers roles that need to be filled and find the right people for those positions. Remember to be honest about time commitments and expectations for each position.

RECRUIT TROOP LEADERS

Every troop, regardless of size or program level, needs at least two, non-related adult members to lead the troop. If a troop is short a leader (or two), reach out to your community to find an adult who is excited to lead and mentor Girl Scouts. And remember, Girl Scout volunteers do not need to be parents!

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OCMT volunteers meet throughout the year to share ideas, receive training, and talk about important announcements. They also organize events like community-wide service projects, summer day camps, cookie rallies, celebrations, ceremonies, and more!

At the beginning of each membership year, OCMT's should hold a planning meeting (planning party!) to plan the year. During this meeting you will identify community needs, set goals, create a budget, and plan your calendar of meetings and community events. Be sure to use the OCMT Planning Packet to help you plan.

Meetings

Schedule and hold regular meetings to inform and connect with the volunteers in your community. Each community will organize its volunteer meetings to fit its members. Some OCMT's might choose virtual meetings, others in-person, and some will use a combination of both. There are three types of meetings the OCMTs is responsible for scheduling:

Leaders Meetings – Leader meetings will give you the opportunity to convey information, check in on troops, and solicit help or feedback from the entire volunteer team.
OCMT Meetings – OCMT members should also meet regularly to discuss topics, develop plans, and make decisions to help sustain your community.
USAGSO Staff Check-in – Each OCMT has a dedicated staff to support their community. Regular meetings with your membership manager offer an individualized opportunity to connect with your USAGSO support team, ask questions, and get updates from Overseas as well as GSUSA.

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PLAN FOR SUCCESS

Honor Community can be earned by communities that meet a set of criteria designed to support a positive Girl Scout experience. As your OCMT begins planning the year, be sure to meet those Honor Community requirements to ensure a successful year.

RECOGNIZE YOUR TEAM

Adult Awards recognize a volunteer's exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Is there a parent, troop volunteer, or OCMT member who has gone out of their way to help? Consider nominating them for an Adult Award to recognize and thank them!

JOIN A RETREAT

USAGSO holds volunteer retreats as an opportunity for volunteers to connect, learn, and get inspired. Check out our Annual Guide for a look at this year's volunteer retreats.