Research and Resources

Girl Scout Research Institute

The Girl Scout Research Institute, formed in 2000, is a vital extension of Girl Scouts of the USA.

The GSRI conducts original research, evaluation, and outcomes measurement studies, releases critical facts and findings, and provides resources essential for the advancement of the well-being and safety of girls living in today's world.

The GSRI also informs public policy and advocacy for Girl Scouting.

Volume 2 of the Girl Scout Research Institute e-newsletter

The after school hours can be challenging for many schoolchildren. So what role do youth development and community-building organizations play with respect to children and teens in out-of-school time (OST) hours? And how do participating youth and families benefit from these organizations? Furthermore, how do OST programs assess and improve the quality and impact of their work?

For youth, OST programs offer significant benefits. Among the important outcomes are avoidance of risk behaviors, improved social and emotional skills, and better academic performance. And OST programs are fun.

Parents and guardians benefit from OST programs as well. These programs can help increase parents’ involvement in their children’s lives, increase awareness of community agencies, and help balance family and work life.

As Girl Scouts is part of the OST community, with program activities for girls both during and after school, the OST resources in this newsletter have been useful in shaping our thinking about program design and assessment. We hope you will be able to draw from them, too.

If you would rather download this in pdf format, click here.

Prior Newsletter:

The inaugural issue of the Girl Scout Research Institute's e-newsletter

Our first issue focused on girls’ healthy living, a topic on the minds of many today.

If you would rather download this in pdf format, click here.