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 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.
Goals
Young adults involved in
Venturing will:
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Learn to make ethical choices
over their lifetimes by instilling the values in the Venturing Oath and Code
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Experience a program that is
fun and full of challenge and adventure
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Become a skilled training and
program resource for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and other groups
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Acquire skills in the areas
of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies, religious life, or Sea Scouting
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Experience positive
leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given opportunities to take on
leadership roles
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Have a chance to learn and
grow in a supportive, caring, and fun environment
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.
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.
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.
Starting a New Venturing Crew
Organizing a Venturing crew is
easy to do. Just follow these steps:
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A survey is conducted
annually in community high schools to determine students' recreational, hobby,
and avocation interests.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
What Youth Want
Research has revealed these
major points:
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High school students have
many vocational and avocational interests.
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Teenagers want a broader
experience that provides practical "hands-on" experience and is tailored to
their cultural backgrounds.
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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.
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:
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Venturing Bronze Awards
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Venturing Gold Award
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Venturing Silver Award
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Venturing Ranger Award
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Sea Scouting
Quartermaster Award
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Venturing Quest Award
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Recognition Awards.
Those awards that are designed to provide recognition for youth and adults
include:
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Venturing Leadership Award
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Venturing Advisor Award of
Merit
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 your local
Boy Scouts of America service center or the Venturing Division at the national
office, Boy Scouts of America.
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