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Girl Scout Service Unit 3
(Lake Ronkonkoma, New York)
 
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Trip approval processes have been updated.

Troops must complete a Trip Approval Request for ALL trips. (Anything outside of the troop’s regularly scheduled meeting day,place and time) 

Troops participating in trips of 2 nights or more must complete an “Extended Trip” form 12-18 months in advance of the planned event. This form can be found online at gssc.us.

Trip approval MUST be submitted to SU Co-ordinator at least 3 weeks in advance on the Trip Approval Request form found at GSSC.us for the trips listed below.  The GSSC Trip Approval form is in PDF format and that is the form that MUST be used for the types of trips listed below.  For local trips, the Word Format version prepared by SU 3 (for the convenience of leaders who do not know how to use PDF) is fine. For Service Unit events, the Service Unit prepares the trip approval and the Word Version of the trip roster is preferred.
The PDF version must be used for trips that require council approval:  http://gssc.us/assets/1887/tripapprovalrequest-2016-2.pdf

Overnight stay anywhere
Trips outside of Suffolk County
Public transportation (either chartered or scheduled)
Camping anywhere
Activities designated as High or Medium Risk (as listed on the GSSC Safety Guidelines)
Parades

A Certificate of Insurance must be on file with GSSC for your destination. Verify online at gssc.us. If not, or if it has expired,the Troop Leader must contact the business and ask that they fax a certificate naming Girl Scouts of Suffolk County as “additionalinsured” to (631) 543-9005. 

Trip guidelines by level: 
Daisy - Discovery trips within their neighborhood; troops may participate in SU or Council event.- Participation in “Getaway Weekend” with parent. 
Brownie - Day trips anywhere within the greater New York area (Suffolk, Nassau, New York City), Connecticut(Mystic), Eastern Pennsylvania (Sesame Place, Crayola Factory), New Jersey.- Overnight camping is permitted. 
Junior - Day trips, overnight trips as listed above and also Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Boston 
Cadette - Day trips, overnight trips as listed above, as well as trips that involve extensive travel within the US 
Senior & Ambassador - Day trips overnight trips as listed above, as well as trips that involve travel to other countries 

Troops MUST be in compliance with the following guidelines, which can be found on online at gssc.us.
GSSC Safety Guidelines
GSUSA Safety Activity Checkpoints
Volunteer Essentials for Safety Wise Requirements

For troop camping on NON-COUNCIL Properties, please download and complete the Camping on Non-Council Property form.
FOR TRADITIONAL TROOP CAMPING on Council property or non-Council property,follow the guidelines above for ‘overnight’ trips. In addition, at least one registered adult must have completed TCC Training.(TCC Training is NOT required for Getaway Weekends, but Trip Approval procedures must be followed.)

For troop trips (including council trips): 
A completed trip approval along with a roster that includes ALL people that will be going on the trip, including any adults and siblings that may be going.
These should be e-mailed to Michelle Seppe, Service Unit Trip Approval Chairperson, at michelleseppe@gmail.com

For Service Unit trips:
You will need a completed roster, with the name and phone number of your troop's emergency contact person written on the top of the roster.  This should go to the event co-ordinator.  When the rosters are received, the event co-ordinator will give copy to the Service Unit Co-ordinator with one trip approval to return to council.

*Important tips:
  • Make sure the emergency contact person for the troop is not on the trip.  That person should be given a copy of the roster and all trip information.  A copy of the roster should also be with the leader or adult in charge on the trip.
  • You must have an emergency contact person for each individual going on the trip and that person must not be on the trip.
  • The first aider must be on the trip (for SU events, a first aider will be available)
  • Always have a first aid kit on the trip with you.
  • Please send documents as early as possible prior to trip.

Documents attached below are:
The latest trip approval saved as a Word document
A roster template saved as a Word document.
Samples of two different types of permission slips, both designed to save paper.
~ one is the traditional permission slip made to fit 2 on one sheet of paper.
~ the other is a roster style permission slip that can be used if parents 
are signing at a meeting and you don't have to hand out slips to be returned.
Sample of a trip cover sheet that can be adjusted and used to quickly track the data you need for each trip. 
If you have tips or templates you want to share, please click the Contact Our Service Unit button above.

Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
New Trip approval template to share.doc  
permission - template to share.doc  
permission slip template to share.doc  
Trip Roster template to share.doc  
Trip Sheet template alt.doc  

Frequently Asked Questions: Trips and Trip Approva


 

1. What trips are considered Girl Scout trips?
A Girls Scout trip can be sponsored by the troop, service unit or council.  The purpose of the trip can be a service project, to earn an award, (Try-It, Badge, etc.), or for fun.  Any trip that uses troop funds and has the majority of the troop in attendance is a Girl Scout trip.

2. Do all of the leaders have to go on each trip?
At least one of the leaders and one registered adult must be on every trip unless it is a family trip or service unit event.  Make sure to check Safety Wise for the number of adults required for the number of girls attending.  

3. If the service unit or council is sponsoring a trip and none of the leaders in our troop plan to attend, should we still offer the trip to the girls in our troop?
Yes!  When the service unit or council sponsors a trip, you must turn in a trip approval with completed roster and emergency contact information to whomever is running the trip.  It is appropriate to offer another adult in the troop to chaperone but it is not necessary to find another adult.  The Service Unit or Council member co-ordinating the event will then make sure that there is enough adult coverage for the activity. 

4. Can a girl who is not in my troop attend a trip?
Girls who are of Girl Scout age, (grades K - 12), and are not registered Girl Scouts can not attend Girl Scout trips.  Registration is available year round so you can contact a Registrar about registering non-Girl Scouts before you fill out your trip approval.  You may include registered girls from other troops on your Trip Approval, (put their troop# on the roster).  You may also include girls of non-Girl Scout age on trip approvals as Tag-Alongs.  You must make sure you have to appropriate permission slip including emergency contact information.

5. What is a Tag-Along?
Tag-Alongs are people who are not registered Girl Scouts.  This includes girls who are not of Girl Scout age, boys, and parents/guardians who are not registered. 

6. Can we ask mom's to help with car-pooling on field trips?
Depending on the size of your troop, car-pooling may be a necessity.  It is a very good idea to ask any mom who would like to participate in car-pooling for your troop to register.  This is in their best interest as well.
 

7. Do I have to have a permission slip for each person, for each trip?
Permission slips are not only a Safety Wise requirement but it is in your best interest to have a permission slip for every girl, for every trip.  If you are allowing family members, Tag-Alongs, or require car-pool moms then you should include a space on the permission slip to list every person attending the trip.  If you are not allowing anyone on the trip other than the leaders and the girls in the troop this of course is not necessary.

8. What is a Blanket Permission slip?
A Blanket Permission slip should be filled out for each girl at the beginning of the year.  A Blanket Permission slip’s only purpose is to allow you to switch rooms or conduct activities on the grounds of your regular meeting place during regular meeting hours.  A Blanket Permission slip does not allow you to leave the grounds of the building you meet in.  Whenever you leave the room you normally meet in, you must leave a note on the door so that parents/guardians know where to find you even if you plan to return to that room before the end of your meeting.

9. What must I bring on a Girl Scout trip?
A first aid kit must be brought on every Girl Scout trip, (and to every meeting).  The kit should include a couple of blank copies of the Girl Scout Accident/Injury Report form.  Each girl’s Medical History form should also be in the first aid kit.  You also need to bring the Trip Approval form complete with roster & emergency contact information.

10.
Do I have to hand in a Trip Approval for every place my troop goes?
Yes!  Any time you leave your meeting place, for whatever reason, a Trip Approval form must be filled out. 


11.
Who do I give my Trip Approval form to?
All copies of Trip Approval forms with a completed trip roster must be handed to your co-ordinator with advance time for review.


12.
 When do I have to send a second copy of the Trip Approval to Council 
Headquarters?

 Any time a troop is:
        ·       staying overnight, anywhere. (If the troop is spending 2 or more nights, an Extended Trip Approval form must be completed instead of the standard Trip Approval.)
        ·       participating in a Medium or High physical risk activity. (Refer to your Safety Wise manual and the chart included in this book.)
        ·       crossing the Suffolk County border.
        ·       using any type of public transportation, either charter or scheduled.
        ·       going camping, anywhere.

 
13. What would cause a Trip Approval to be denied?
Trip Approvals will automatically be denied if information is left off the form.  Please remember that important information such as the emergency contact person’s name and phone# for each girl, (this person may not be on the trip with them) and first aid person must be included.  Troops will also be denied if the trip is deemed dangerous for the girls’ age group.

14. What happens if I do not fill out the Trip Approval form?
If a leader does not fill out a Trip Approval form, they automatically become liable should anything happen to any adult/child on their trip.  Your troop, leaders, and tag-Alongs will not be covered under Girl Scouts insurance.  The form has been designed to protect our girls, volunteers, and their families.  It is truly in your best interest to fill out this form!


15.
 What happens if someone decides to attend the trip at the last minute?
It is a good idea to include everyone who says they might attend.  It is easier to include people who are unsure because it is time consuming to add them on later.  There are times when someone who said they were definitely not going changes their mind after you have turned in the form.  If this happens make sure that everyone who has a copy of the form gets the updated roster information, including emergency contact.


16.
Who else do I need to give a copy of the Trip Approval to?
The form includes a section for an emergency contact person under the leader's name.  This person needs to be someone who is not going on the trip and will be available to help contact the attendees’ emergency contact people in the event of an emergency.  The emergency contact person on the front of the form must be given a copy of the form as well as the complete trip roster with emergency information.