Venturing

For other uses, see Venture.

Venturing is part of the program of the Boy Scouts of America for young adults, men and women, between the ages of 14 (having completed the eighth grade) and 21.

Its purpose is to provide positive experiences to help youth mature and to prepare them to become responsible adults. Sea Scouting is the nautical oriented organizational option within Venturing. As of the end of 2004, 280,584 Venturers with 65,504 crew level leaders in 21,135 crews were enrolled in the programs.

Methods and Ideals

The Methods of Venturing are:

• 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 them in an active way to lead effectively.
• 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, help others, and 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 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.

The Ideals of Venturing are expressed in the Venturing Oath and Code:

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.

The 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.

The Venturing Sign

A raised right hand with the palm open, upper arm held horizontally and the forearm vertically. The right thumb is held slightly open, creating a "V."

The Venturing Hand Salute

A full-hand salute, with the pointer touching the forehead or hat brim.

Organization

The Venturing crew is sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, school, labor group or religious institution. The chartered organization is responsible for selecting leadership, providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. The chartered organization representative is the liaison between the crew, the chartered organization, and the BSA. The crew may elect to be all-male, all-female or co-ed.

The crew committee is a group of adults, led by the crew committee chair, who guide the crew program and activities and manage record keeping, finance, leadership recruitment and registration. The crew is led by youths who are elected to the positions of president, one or more vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster, guide and historian. Other positions in the Venturing crew may exist, such as activity chair. The adult advisor and associate advisors provide guidance while allowing the youth to lead the crew.

Uniform

File:Venturing Emblem.png

"The recommended uniform [for Venturers] is the spruce green Venturing shirt with green epaulette tabs and gray backpacking style shorts or gray casual pants. However, the uniform, if any, is the choice of the crew." Some sources also indicate that while the uniform is their choice, Venturing youth "should not wear the Boy Scout tan shirt with green shoulder loops."

Official Venturing uniform pieces available from the National Supply Division include a spruce green short-sleeve button-up shirt or blouse with a pointed collar, two front button-flap pockets, and shoulder epaulets with shoulder loops. The other components are charcoal gray trousers or shorts, gray socks and a gray web belt with brass buckle. The gray cap and the gray brimmed hat with Venturing logo are also available for use by Venturing crews. The shirt comes with a US flag attached to the right shoulder and a Venturing — BSA strip above the right pocket. Venturers who wear the official Venturing shirt or blouse should wear the proper insignia as outlined in the Insignia Guide. Either the official Venturing emblem or an approved crew specialty patch may be worn on the right sleeve. Green shoulder loops identify Venturers at the crew level. Adults or youth with a district or council position wear silver loops while those with area, regional or national positions wear gold loops. The shirttail is tucked in.

Advancement and recognition

Youth advancement

Venturing Awards
File:Bronze Award BSA.png File:Gold Award.png File:Silver Award BSA.png Bronze Awards Gold Award Silver Award
File:Ranger Award BSA.png File:TRUST Award BSA.png File:Quest Award BSA.png Ranger Award TRUST Award Quest Award Quartermaster Award
File:Shooting Sports Outstanding Achievement Award BSA.png File:Venturing Leadership Award BSA.png Shooting Sports Outstanding Achievement Venturing Leadership Awards Young American Award

Note: There are also Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards in the Girl Scouts of the USA.

A Bronze Award may be earned for each category of arts and hobbies, outdoor, religious life, sea scouting and sports. After earning at least one Bronze Award and meeting tenure, leadership, personal growth and other requirements the Venturer may earn the Gold Award. To earn the Silver Award, the Venturer must earn the Gold Award, earn first aid and CPR certifications, show leadership and participate in ethics training.

Venturers may also earn expert awards that build on some areas of the Bronze Awards. These include the Venturing Ranger Award (Outdoors); the TRUST Award (Religious Life); the Quest Award (Sports); and the Sea Scouting Quartermaster Award (Sea Scout).

In addition to these awards, there are others, such as the Venturing Shooting Sports Outstanding Achievement Award and the Venturing World Conservation Award. Venturers may also earn other awards common to the Scouting program such as the William T. Hornaday Award. Venturers may also be recognized for their "excellent achievements and service to their community, state and nation" with the Young American Award.

Male members under the age of 18 may also earn the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks from the Boy Scouting program if they have earned at least First Class rank in a Boy Scout troop or Varsity Scout team.

Leader recognition

Venturing adult leaders who complete training, tenure, and performance requirements are recognized by a system of awards. The Venturing Leader's Training Award is available to any leader, while the Venturing Advisor's Key and Venturing Advisor Award of Merit are only available to the Advisor.

Venturing Leadership Award

Both youth and adults are eligible for the Venturing Leadership Award. There are three levels of these awards: council (for those at the crew, district, and/or council levels), region (for those at the area or region levels) and National. A limited number of these awards are presented on an annual basis to those involved in Venturing who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing at their particular level and who exemplify the Venturing Code.

Program and activities

Generally, each crew will select a specialty that determines the program and activities. An outdoor focused crew will do a lot of camping, while a religious life crew will probably be involved in church activities and community service projects. Crews are encouraged to have an annual Super Activity, which is typically a week-long event, usually during the summer. Crews within a district, council or area may jointly perform activities that promote advancement through fun and competition.

The Venturing Safe Rides program provides a free and confidential safe ride home to any young adult who is not in a condition to drive safely, or who wants to avoid being a passenger in such a situation.

Training

New leaders are encouraged to attend training for their position. This training provides the essential information they need to provide a safe and successful quality program.

Youth training

Youth training in Venturing consists of a Crew Officer Briefing, conducted by the Crew Advisor. There is a weekend training event called Venturing Leadership Skills Course, which is conducted by the Crew or Council for all Venturers. This can be followed by Kodiak and Kodiak-X.

Adult training

Venturing Fast Start is the introduction for adult leaders new to the Venturing program. Fast Start is self paced and provided as a video or online. Venturing Youth Protection Training is required for all adult leaders and must be recertified per local council policy.

Basic Leader Training consists of New Leader Essentials and Venturing Leader Specific Training. New Leader Essentials is a common core program for all adult leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. Venturing Leader Specific Training gives the Advisor or Associate Advisor the needed knowledge and skills. Once Basic Leader Training is completed, the leader is awarded a Trained emblem for uniform wear.

Powder Horn is designed to introduce Venturing and Boy Scout leaders to the activities and resources necessary to operate a successful outdoor and high adventure program and is based on the Venturing Ranger program. A followup course called Flintlock is in development.

Supplemental training modules are designed to provide orientation beyond Basic Leader Training. These training sessions are often provided at the Roundtable (a monthly meeting of leaders), at University of Scouting programs offered by the local council and at National Scouting Conferences held at the Philmont Scout Ranch and the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base.

Wood Badge is the advanced training program for leadership skills for all adults in all BSA programs. Wood Badge consists of six days of training (usually presented as two three-day weekends) and an application phase of several months. When training is complete, leaders are recognized with the Wood Badge beads, neckerchief and woggle.

See also

• Boy Scouts of America membership controversies

External links

• BSA: Venturing Division
• National Venturing Youth Cabinet site
• Sea Scouts BSA
• Kodiak and Kodiak-X - Venturing Leadership Training
• Venturing Notebook
• Venturing Info site
• Un-official Venturing Discussion List