Governance

The democratic process is one of the foundations of the Girl Scout movement. It’s defined as "the various means through which the Girl Scout membership can influence decisions and have access to those making decisions." The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ Board of Directors sets the policies for the entire council, but before any policies are approved, the Board of Directors often seeks the opinions of the Girl Scout members. When Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas was formed, a new governance model was put into place, and in that new model, the entire membership body has open, ongoing access to the decision-making body. This means a more efficient and effective democratic process. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas’ new governance model is based on having a strong group that informally influences decisions (the Girl Scout membership), as well as an equally strong group that formally makes decisions (the Board of Directors).