Health, safety, and the economy matter when setting up Product Sales rules and expectations
The other night we held our virtual fall product training and became aware of how little has changed in order to protect our Leaders, Scouts and family members during this pandemic. We are still unable to meet in person and must hold all Troop meetings virtually, so many Troop Leaders expected our product sales to be entirely virtual as well. We were dismayed to learn that the only changes made were precautions to ensure the safety of our customers during payment for purchased products, but almost nothing has been done to ensure the safety of the volunteers, scouts and their families while product is distributed. The current model for distribution of goods is discriminatory against scouts who have conditions that make them more susceptible to Covid-19 complications, or who have family members with said conditions.
Additionally, the sales goals to be considered a, "participant" in sales and for sales awards are very similar to last year’s. This fact led us to conclude it is likely cookie season expectations will also remain similar to last year’s. In consideration of the state of the economy and unpredictability of having cash transactions, with unemployment at an all time high, and with social distancing concerns, sales will be much more difficult for our girls. No evident consideration of their emotional and mental safety is apparent in the expectations the Product Team set for girls. The sales goals are unrealistic for the times.
Upon our attempt to express these concerns, the product team only offered the following options:
A. Attempt to run an online only option by calling M20S and delete girl delivered orders when placed. Each parent would be responsible to do this for his or her own Girl Scout. Not only is this bad for business but also this is likely to lose a scout her lifetime customer since as our Product Team Trainer, put it “the fall product program is geared towards friends and family.” This plan also places an undo paperwork burden on families and troop leaders to manage mistakes, when for many families they are already managing the education of their children and their jobs in ways they have never before needed to.
B. Assign another adult without additional health concerns to distribution. This fails to take into consideration that there may still be some accidental girl delivery orders placed with families who may have conditions making them more susceptible to Covid complications when they obtain their product during the distribution process as well as are required to deliver said product. In the past, Cookie Chairs had to be trained and back-ground checked. These steps take extra time and we were not warned to consider the need for in-person distribution when choosing our Cookie Chairs. Without training, this choice leaves troops vulnerable to financial losses.
C. Not to participate in product sales at all, whatever the repercussions the Troop may have as a result. Given participation requirements in ordered to any other fundraising, this is a form of discrimination as we were reminded that troops that do not participate would no longer be eligible to participate in Special Events and Money Earning or Gold Award.
Leaders have been adjusting to our new normal and following the rules set by Girl Scouts in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines. We would hope that the GSGLA’s Staff would make a greater effort to do the same. Some leaders feel their concerns were dismissed and very little empathy was shown to those who have additional reasons to be concerned about the health impacts of this model of distribution. We feel GS Staff could benefit from training about how to include those with special circumstances - even those who may be in a minority group.
Given the circumstances of the pandemic we want council to:
1. Allow Scouts to pursue their Gold Awards fundraising regardless of participation in product sales. Forcing a child to choose between the safety of a loved one or themselves in order to participate in a philanthropic project is highly unethical.
2. Reassure leaders and families that sales expectations for participation status and award levels will be lower than usual for the cookie season and considerate of the state of the economy as well as special needs regarding exposure to Covid-19. This is already an incredibly stressful year for our girls, their families and volunteers and having expectations that are mostly congruent with prior sales years is unrealistic and unfair to our girls and their supporters. We understand GSGLA needs an income too, but perhaps we can do some council-wide and service unit level SEMEs and some creative fundraising that does not put that burden on the shoulders of our scouts.
3. Staff must better demonstrate empathy and inclusion. To help them do this we expect them to receive training on dealing with immunocompromised members and family during this pandemic. We have seen very little consideration and compassion in protecting the safety of Girls, Volunteers and all Girl Scout Family members. We think it would be best if council took some time to evaluate and train their staff so they are inclusive instead of simply dismissing those who have diseases or disorders that make them more susceptible to serious or fatal complications from Covid-19.
4. Offer a sales model that has truly online-only options for Troops who have members who desire to be, or must be extra careful about exposure to Covid-19. This does not mean girl delivery must be removed as an option, but troops and families must have a way to limit who has access to girl delivery options once links are shared.
5. If number four is no longer a possible change for fall product, then GSGLA must allow troops to participate in SEME events even if they are not able to participate in product sales.
