Counselor Training Course

Congratulations on becoming a GEMS Girls’ Clubs Counselor! Completing this short training course will help you be better prepared to begin serving in your new role as a mentor of girls. Answers to the questions asked in this course can be found in the Counselor Manual and/or on the GEMS website. We recommend that you meet with your Club Coordinator and/or with other new counselors to complete this course together. This is an open-book test!

Ministry Facts

1. Approximately how many GEMS Girls’ Clubs are there in North America?
2. What does the acronym GEMS stand for?
3. What is the mission of GEMS Girls' Clubs?
4. What is the vision of GEMS Girls’ Clubs?

The Counselor’s Job

1. List at least five responsibilities of a counselor.

Help for the Counselor/p>

1. Name at least three sources of help for counselors.
2. Name at least three responsibilities of a Club Coordinator.
3. What is the ACTS Program?
4. Is your club located in one of the ACTS Areas? If so, which one?
5. Who is your Leadership Trainer? How can you contact her?
6. Who is your Area Coordinator? How can you contact her?
7. Name three kinds of leadership training opportunities that are available to counselors.
8. How often and where is the Annual Counselors’ Leadership Conference held? Who should attend this conference?
9. What is Cable and who receives it?Who may order materials for club?
10. How are orders placed?

The Program

1. In the Program at a Glance, three program levels are displayed. What are they and what grades are included in each level?
2. What is the aim of GEMS Girls' Clubs?
3. What is the GEMS anthem or song?
4. What are the optional uniform choices for girls? For counselors?
5. How many activity books are available for the Awareness Level program?
6. What are the three membership ranks in the Discovery Level?
7. Bible lessons for Discovery Level girls are found in what publication?
8. Counselor helps for the Discovery Level Bible lessons are found in what publication?
9. What are the curriculum choices for use with Advanced Level girls?

Knowing Your Girls

1. List five characteristics of the age group of girls with whom you will be working.
2. As you think about working with this age group of girls, name two challenges that you might face.
3. If you would happen to face the challenges you have identified above, how will you handle them?

Rules for Club

1. Why is it important to establish rules for your club?
2. What two important rules will you want followed in your club?

Financing Your Club

1. How does your church or Christian organization finance your club?
2. What are dues and to whom must a club pay dues?
3. Every club and church or Christian organization has two financial obligations toward the ministry of GEMS Girls' Club. What are they?

Terms to Know

1. Counselor Manual
2. Cable
3. GEMS Sunday
4. GEMS Service Center
5. Annual Theme

We hope this short course has motivated you to find answers – to read through the Counselor Manual and to search the website for helpful information. Remember, the staff at the GEMS Service Center is as close as your telephone, mailbox, email, or fax machine. The Service Center functions to serve you. We encourage you to share your joys and challenges with us.

May you be richly blessed as you serve Him this year!