USAGSO Communities

Community Information

You may have just moved to a new country or have been living as an expatriate outside of your home country for many years and are wondering, “How can I be involved with Girl Scouts?”

USA Girl Scouts Overseas brings the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to both American girls living outside of the United States and expatriate girls who attend either American or international schools. Typically, each Girl Scout is associated with an overseas community of other Girl Scout members. Within many of our overseas community, there is a committee of volunteers who provide the overall management of the community and are an important link to USAGSO and troop leaders. This volunteer committee is called the Overseas Committee Management Team (OCMT).

No matter the makup of the overseas community, girls are always at the heart of our organization. Through the support from volunteers in their local communities, family members, and USAGSO staff members, they are able to participate fully in Girl Scout programs and other exciting, global opportunities with Girl Scouts.

How are overseas communities organized?

All USA Girl Scout Overseas communities around the world support the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, but they can look very different based on the needs of each location. One of the main differences has to do with the size of a community. We generally see similarities in the following community types:

Small Communities (5-49 girls)
Medium Communities (50-99 girls)
Large Communities (100+ girls).

Some communities consist of a single troop, while other communities have a large volunteer committee supporting hundreds of members. Some overseas communities on military installations can sell Girl Scout cookies, while other expatriate communities have to find more entrepreneurial ways of fundraising due to regulations that restrict the sale of cookies.

But no matter what, we are all Girl Scouts! Our differences make USAGSO strong and diverse, with members in many countries, who speak many languages, live across various borders, wake up in different time zones, and experience a wide variety of cultures in cities, small towns, military bases, and rural locations. No matter where you are, you can be a Girl Scout, unleash your inner G.I.R.L., and accomplish anything!

What if there is not an overseas community in my location?

While USAGSO have communities in many major cities throughout the world, the expatriate community is also expansive, so we do not always have a troop in every area. We appreciate all of our volunteer who are the ultimate G.I.R.L.s (Go getters, Innovators, Risktakers, and Leaders) and help us build new troops in small communities each year. If you are located in an area without Girl Scouts and would like to volunteer to help us establish a Girl Scout community, please complete this form .

If you are located in an area with few expats or are not ready to start a new Girl Scout troop, but you still want to make sure your daughter has access to the benefits of Girl Scouts— you are in luck! A girl can participate in Girl Scouts independently as a Juliette, named in honor of our founder, Juliette Gordon Low. Juliette’s are also called IRMs (Individually Registered Members) and can participate in the entire Girl Scout Leadership Experience by earning badges and awards, challenging themselves with USAGSO challenges, and/or experiencing the great outdoors at a USAGSO Camp. Join today!

What about Girl Guides?

If you are living overseas, you may receive information from our international sister scouting organizations. These organizations are separate from USAGSO and have their own programs. Many countries have their own Girl Guide or Girl Scout organization that is part of the international sisterhood called the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Many binational girls participate in USAGSO along with their local WAGGGS organization. USAGSO girls are encouraged to have activities with other WAGGGS girls as they celebrate World Thinking Day and earn the Lady Baden-Powell Award and the International Friendship Pin.