|
There is a lot of information about what exactly the Venturing Program is. We have broken this page up into sections so that you can find and read the material faster and easier. Click a topic to go directly to the information you are looking for. We hope you find what you are looking for!
|
|
|
Venturing Program
Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for
young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20
years of age.
Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people
mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.
Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth, adult
leaders, and organizations in their communities. 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, grow,
develop leadership skills, and become good citizens.
Venturing crews can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby interests.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
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 truth in all things and adventure on the frontiers
of our changing world.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Goals
Young adults involved in Venturing will
- Learn to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values
in the Venturing Oath and Code
- Experience a program that is fun and full of challenge and adventure
- Become a skilled training and program resource for Cub Scouts and Boy
Scouts and other groups
- Acquire skills in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies,
religious life, or Sea Scouting
- Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given
opportunities to take on leadership roles
- Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and fun
environment
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Methods
The methods of Venturing have been carefully chosen to meet the needs of young
adults.
Leadership. All Venturers are given opportunities to learn and apply
proven leadership skills. A Venturing crew is led by elected crew officers. The
Venturing Leadership Skills Course is designed for all Venturers and helps teach
in an active way to effectively lead.
Group Activities. Venturing activities are interdependent group
experiences in which success is dependent on the cooperation of all. Learning by
doing in a group setting provides opportunities for developing new skills.
Adult Association. The youth officers lead the crew. The officers and
activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a
spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a "shadow" leader capacity.
Recognition. Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program
and through the acknowledgement of a youth's competence and ability by peers and
adults.
The Ideals. Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturing
Oath and Code. They promise to be faithful in religious duties, treasure their
American heritage, to help others, and to seek truth and fairness.
High Adventure. Venturing's emphasis on high adventure helps provide
team-building opportunities, new meaningful experiences, practical leadership
application, and lifelong memories to young adults.
Teaching Others. All of the Venturing awards require Venturers to
teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often, Venturers
are better able to retain the skill or knowledge they taught, they gain
confidence in their ability to speak and relate to others, and they acquire skills
that can benefit them for the rest of their lives as a hobby or occupation.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Ethics in Action
An important goal of Venturing is to help young adults be responsible and
caring people, both now and in the future. Venturing uses "ethical controversies"
to help young adults develop the ability to make responsible choices that
reflect their concern for what is a risk and how it will affect others involved.
Because an ethical controversy is a problem-solving situation, leaders expect
young adults to employ empathy, invention, and selection when they think through
their position and work toward a solution of an ethical controversy.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Crew Activities
What a Venturing crew does is limited only by the imagination and involvement
of the adult and youth leaders and members of the crew — sail the Caribbean,
produce a play, climb a mountain, teach disabled people to swim, or attend the
Olympics. All these adventures and more are being done today by Venturing crews
and ships across the country. All that is needed are concerned adults who are
willing to share a little bit of themselves with today's youth — tomorrow's
leaders.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Starting a New Venturing Crew
Organizing a Venturing crew is easy to do. Just follow these steps:
- A survey is conducted annually in community high schools to determine
students' recreational, hobby, and avocation interests.
- A meeting is called of key people within an organization, with a Scouting
representative in attendance. The representative explains the Venturing
program, describes the key volunteer leader positions, and plans the
recruiting of adult leaders.
- The crew committee and Advisors are recruited and meet with the Scouting
representative. Responsibilities of adult leaders are explained. The
Scouting representative also discusses program ideas and helps develop a
one-year program. The crew's one-year program is reviewed and adopted.
- The organization's top executive writes a personal letter to each young
adult selected from the survey, or identified through other recruitment
efforts, and invites the youth and their parents to attend an
organizational meeting. This letter is followed by a personal phone
invitation from a member of the organization to each prospective youth.
- The first meeting is held, involving young adults, the adult committee,
and selected consultants. Adult Advisors share the program plans with
the new Venturers (youth) and discuss member involvement and leadership
roles through the election of youth officers.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
What Youth Want
Research has revealed these major points:
- High school students have many vocational and avocational interests.
- Teenagers want a broader experience that provides practical "hands-on"
experience and is tailored to their cultural backgrounds.
- Teenagers want to belong to a group that provides a secure, supportive
place from which to address the youth development issues that affect them.
These issues include experimentation, moving from dependence to
interdependence, social relationships, psychological changes and sexual
maturity, and a re-evaluation of values.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
Program Support
The Venturing Division has designed literature, audiovisuals, training,
activities, and awards to support Venturing crews and ships.
Literature and Audiovisuals. A variety of books, pamphlets, and
videos have been developed to assist with organization, program, leadership,
and activities. In particular, the Venturing Leader Manual will support
leadership and planning.
Training. Venturing Leader Specific Training (for Adults), Venturing
Leadership Skills Course (for youth), and monthly roundtables will be available
to improve and enrich Venturing crew programs. A weeklong high-adventure skills
course for Venturing Advisors called Powder Horn is available annually. The
weeklong or two-weekend Kodiak Leadership course is available from host councils
across the country to teach experience-based leadership skills.
Advancement Awards. A variety of awards are available to Venturers who
accomplish specific advancement achievements. These awards include:
Recognition Awards. Those awards that are designed to provide
recognition for youth and adults include:
Uniforms. The BSA Supply Division offers the traditional spruce-green
uniform shirt for Venturers. It is recommended that crews adopt a charcoal gray
casual pant and/or backpacking-style short for their uniform. However, each crew
may determine what, if any, specific uniform pants or shorts they will wear based
on crew activities.
BSA Councils. Venturing crews and ships are supported by local BSA
councils, which provide staff and volunteer support, operate service centers and
camps, and conduct training and activities.
Liability Insurance. The Boy Scouts of America has liability insurance
that covers leaders and organizations to which Venturing crews and shops are
chartered. Accident and medical coverage are not included but are available
through local BSA councils at a modest cost.
For additional information and support on organizing a new Venturing crew or
Sea Scout ship, contact the Orange County Council service center or the
Venturing Division at the national office, Boy Scouts of America.
|
|
Back to Top
|
|
What is Venturing?
