What Makes a Take Action Project Sustainable?
For me, one of the toughest parts of the Girl Scout Gold Award…second to coming up with a project idea…is sustainability. The word “sustainability” is something you often hear in connection to Girl Scout Take Action Projects. What exactly does this mean? In terms of a Girl Scout Take Action Project, SUSTAINABILITY means that the project MEETS THE NEEDS of the people and/or the environment NOW, while having a plan AND the potential to CONTINUE indefinitely IN THE FUTURE. Sustainability allows for a greater, longer impact on the community. There is a difference between a sustainable project and one that is community service. Collections, drives, donations, visitations (no matter how many times done) are a onetime fix and considered community service. Beautification and renovation projects without an educational component are considered community service. What adds sustainability to a project is addressing the root cause of an issue and making a plan that addresses...