Commissioner Orientation Training Purpose of Venturing The purpose

Commissioner Orientation Training

Purpose of Venturing The purpose of Venturing is the same as that of the Boy Scouts of America: character development, citizenship training and fitness. We prepare young people to make ethical choices by instilling the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

The Venturing Oath As a Venturer, I promise to do my duty to God and help strengthen America, to help others, and to seek truth, fairness, and adventure in our world.

Venturing Code As a Venturer, I believe that America’s strength lies in our trust in God and in the courage, strength, and traditions of our people. I will, therefore, be faithful in my religious duties and will maintain a personal sense of honor in my own life. I will treasure my American heritage and will do all I can to preserve and enrich it. I will recognize the dignity and worth of all humanity and will use fair play and goodwill in my daily life. I will acquire the Venturing attitude that seeks the truth in all things and adventure on the frontiers of our changing world.

What is Venturing? Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are at least 14 years old (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age. Local community organizations establish a Venturing Crew by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, to grow, to develop leadership skills, and to become good citizens.

Venturing Crew • Youth led organization • Based on program inventory – Recruits – Elects officer – Plans programs • Adult Advisors provide training and guidance for crew’s elected officers

BSA Council The Boy Scouts of America recruits adult volunteers and assigns staff members to provide the following services for Venturing chartered organization’s crews.

Commitment • Leadership training for Advisors and elected officers • Guidance on how to organize a crew or ship and keep the program going successfully • Methods for recruiting Venturers, including an interest survey of local high school students. • Regular communication with each crew to provide program support

Commitment • Use of council facilities, such as camps and equipment • Planning Venturing activities that enrich the crew’s program • Securing liability insurance coverage

Venturing Methods • Adult association • Leadership • Recognition • Ideals • Group activities • High adventure • Teaching others

The Advisor’s responsibilities include: • Fostering a sense of community within the crew • Helping youth lead, plan, make decisions, and carry out a long term program of activities • Encourage participation and support for your crew • Uphold standards and policies of sponsoring organization and the Boy Scouts of America

The Advisor • Protect young people in your Venturing crew from abuse or neglect and uphold the standards of the BSA Youth Protection emphasis • Ensure the activities are conducted within safety guidelines and requirements • Cultivate the Venturing spirit within your crew

Youth Protection “Youth Protection Guidelines” in the Advisor’s section of the Venturing Leader Manual lists several considerations that the Venturing leader must remember

Youth Protection Guidelines • Two deep leadership on all trips and outings (2 adults) • No one-on-one contact with Venturers (other Venturers or Advisors must be present) • Respect privacy of the Venturers • Separate accommodations for Advisors and Venturers and for males and females on overnight trips • Proper preparation for high-adventure activities (anything with an element of risk)

Youth Protection Guidelines • No secret organizations • Appropriate attire • Constructive discipline • Hazing and initiation activities prohibited • Junior leader training and supervision

You might think that Venturing is specialty information, learning leadership skills, a community service, or a good social experience. Venturing is all of these things and more, but the primary purpose is “forming responsible and caring adults”.

Adolescent Development Issues Important development issues facing Venturers • Experimentation • Movement from dependence to interdependence • Social relationships • Physiological changes and sexual maturity • Reevaluation of values

What Venturers Need • Participation and experimentation • Make choices • Care about others • Enjoyment of life • New skills • Opportunities for reflection • • Respect Acceptance Role models Problem-solving skills • To be listened to

How Venturing Supports These Needs • Opportunities to try leadership roles, responsibilities, and experiences • Real and meaningful experiences • Fun and enjoyable experiences • New personal skills • An emphasis on caring about others

“As teachers, neighbors, youth leaders, bosses or Venturing Advisors we can recognize the moments we have in common with the young, and can be a negative or positive influence. The moments will come. How we choose to use them is up to us. ”

Crew Organization and Leadership When an organization agrees to be a sponsor in Venturing, it agrees to recruit adult leaders; an Advisor, one or more associate Advisors, and a crew committee. These leaders must be adult men and women at least 21 years of age, who will guide the crew.

Venturing Crew Organization President Advisor Vice President Administration Associate Advisor Administration Vice President Program Associate Advisor Program Treasurer Secretary Activity Chairs Committee Chair Crew Committee Treasurer Consultants Sponsoring Organization

ADULT LEADERS • Advisor • Associate Advisors • Crew Committee • Consultants

Elected Post Officers • President • Vice Presidents • Secretary • Treasurer • Activity Chairs (appointed)

Adult - Venturer Teams The elected Venturer officers work hand-in-hand with the adult Advisors and committee members. Activity chairs work with adult consultants (from crew committee, parents or other qualified adults) Cooperation and teamwork between adults and young adults are essential to the success of Venturing

Program Capability Inventory (PCI) • Conducted by the crew committee and adult Advisors. • Every adult (or Venturer) who can help the crew is surveyed: • Profession • Hobbies • Contacts • Equipment access • Skills • Inventory is the basic resource pool for crew activities

Activity Interest Survey • This questionnaire is taken by the Venturers. • Provides information on what activities the Venturers are interested in doing. • Should contain possible activities over all of the program emphasis areas. • Provides the officers information on the Venturers’ interests.

Select Venturer Activity Chairs and Adult Consultants • An interested and capable Venturer is appointed to serve as chair for each activity • Assisted by an adult consultant from the PCI who has knowledge about the particular activity. • Team manages the planning, development and execution of the activity.

Program Planning Process Follow-up is vital! Assume nothing. At your monthly officer and crew committee meetings check on the status of the program development.

Program Planning Summary • Program Capability Inventory • Venturer Activity Interest Survey • Brainstorm activities • Match activity interests with resources • Fill in the gaps • Schedule the activities • Select activity chairs and consultants • Follow-up

Forms - Forms Your program activities will require the use of several forms. • Adult and youth registration forms • Parents permission slip (overnight activities) • BSA Money Earning Application • BSA Local and National Tour Permits • Flying Permit Application (Other permits as activity situation dictates)

Open House • Annual recruiting open-house • Shows your crew to prospective members and gets them to join • Prospects are invited by letter or personal invitation • Council does interest surveys of high schools • Open house should be held early in the fall • The Venturing Leader Manual has a detailed agenda for the open house.

Activity Interest Survey • Determine the interests of crew members • Primary job of Vice President Program

Superactivity • Program year highlight • Major project or trip requiring extensive planning and preparation • Will generate publicity and interest in your crew • Venturing Leader Manual has a how -to guide for planning a Superactivity

Venturing Awards

Venturing Recognitions • Bronze • Gold Ranger – outdoor skills Quest – sports skills • Silver Sea Scout Quartermaster

Recognition Map Silver Award Ranger Award Outdoor Bronze Previous Boy Scout or Varsity Scout Quartermaster Award Gold Award Religious Life Bronze Arts and Hobbies Bronze JOIN Venturing Quest Award Sports Bronze Sea Scout Bronze

Eagle Scout u Eligibility remains the same u. First Class Scout u. Earned as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout u Requirements remain the same u. Leadership position in the crew

Bronze Awards u. Sports u. Religious Life u. Arts and Hobbies u. Outdoor u. Sea Scout

Religious Life Requirements Do nine of the eleven projects: u Earn religious award u Learn about cultural diversity u Plan and lead a service project u Volunteer in church for three months u Go on a religious retreat u Be in a religious play u Serve as an officer of your Sunday School u Complete a Standard First Aid class u Do five Ethical Controversies activities u Sunday School teacher u Meet with church leader

Gold Award u One Bronze Award u 12 months tenure u Leadership role u Participate in a district (or higher) event u Personal growth in six experience areas u Lead two crew activity projects u Recite Venturing Oath u Three letters of recommendation u Crew review

Silver Award u One Bronze Award u Gold Award u Emergency Preparedness (First Aid, CPR, Safe Swim Defense) u Demonstrate leadership u. Including Venturing Leadership Skills Course u Participate in Ethics in Action u Crew review

Quartermaster Award u For Sea Scouts u See the Sea Scout Manual, Ch. 3

Ranger Award u Eight core requirements u Four of 18 elective requirements u Demonstrate high degree of outdoor proficiency u Resource for Venturers and Scouts u Venturers can work up to the requirements

Quest Award • • One elective Core requirements • 1. History / heritage 1. Sports Bronze sports Award • 2. Sports nutrition 2. Sport Safety • 3. Drug-free sport Training 3. Fitness for Life • 4. Communications 4. Fitness assessment • 5. History / heritage of disabled sports 5. Sport disciplines movement

Religious Life Program Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Religious Award Study (1) Cooking* Cultural Diversity (2) First Aid* (8) Service Project (3) Religious Play (6) Backpacking Wilderness Survival* Religious Retreat (5) Religious Leader Meeting (11) RELIGIOUS LIFE BRONZE Emergency Preparedness* Winter Sports OUTDOOR BRONZE Ethics in Action(9) BDAC Rendezvous Ethics in Action Leadership Skills Swimming & SSD Ethics in Action Leadership Skills Ethics in Action GOLD AWARD

Outdoor/ Outdoor Ranger Program Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec First Aid* Cooking* Land Navigation* Backpacking Leave No Trace* Wilderness Survival* Mountaineering OUTDOOR BRONZE Emergency Preparedness* Communications* Project COPE Conservation* Winter Sports RANGER AWARD Ethics in Action BDAC Rendezvous Ethics in Action Leaderships Skills Swimming & SSD Ethics in Action Leadership Skills Ethics in Action GOLD AWARD

Recognition Map Silver Award Ranger Award Outdoor Bronze Previous Boy Scout or Varsity Scout Quartermaster Award Gold Award Religious Life Bronze Arts and Hobbies Bronze JOIN Venturing Quest Award Sports Bronze Sea Scout Bronze

VENTURING TRAINING • Venturing Leader Specific Training • Officers’ Seminar • Venturer Leadership Skills Course • Venturing Leader Outdoor Skills Training • Yearly Venturing Program Planning Conference • Venturing Leader Roundtable / Quarterly Advisors’ Meetings

Venturing Awards LEADERSHIP AWARD Presented by Councils/Regions and National Council to Venturers and adults who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing ADVISOR AWARD of MERIT Recognizes Advisor / Skipper for outstanding ability to work with youth. Nominated by crew president and committee chairman

Adult Training Awards • Scouter’s Key (Advisor) – – Fast Start and Basic training Three years tenure, seminars, VLSC Quality Unit, parents night Roundtable attendance • Training Award (Venturing) – – Basic training Two years tenure Seven of 11 projects Sea Scout leaders meet Skipper’s needs

SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES & HELPS • Ethics forums and controversies • Venturing activities • Other Venturing crews • Venturing literature Venturing Leader Manual Venturer / Ranger Handbook Quest Handbook Venturing Reference Guide to Safe Scouting Venturing Advisor Fast Start

QUESTIONS June 2002 GHC