Venture Planning Guide

Venturing Leader Start-Up

(Orientation for New Venturing Advisors/Church-Chartered Crews)

The Venturing Program

Venturing is for young adults, who, along with adult leaders, are registered with the Boy Scouts of America.

The program matches the interests of youth with the adult expertise and resources of the chartered organization and other adults in your community.

Venturing can complement your youth group as a resource program in a highly significant way. Its purpose is to provide experiences to impact on the positive development of youth at a critical state in their lives and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Program Goals

Venturing has four specific goals for Venturers:

1. Gain practical experience in a special interest, a skill, or leadership.
2. Engage in a program of activities centered on Venturing’s six experience areas: social interaction, leadership development, personal fitness, service to the community, outdoor activities, and citizenship.
3. Experience positive leadership from adults and youth; be given an opportunity to take on leadership roles.
4. Have a chance to learn and grow in a caring environment.
   

Program Methods

The Venturing methods listed below have been carefully designed to meet the needs of young adults.

• Voluntary association between youth and adults. Youth are receptive to new ideas, experiences, and relationships that provide care, a connection to new ways of thinking and acting, and a new identity.
• Ethical decision making. By taking responsibility for their programs, activities, and experiences, Venturers learn how to make decisions and ethical choices.
• Group activity. Venturing activities are interdependent group experiences in which success is dependent on the cooperation of all. This learning by doing provides opportunities for new skills development and meaningful participation in action-oriented activities.
• Recognition of achievement. Recognition comes through a formal advancement awards program and through the acknowledgment of a youth’s competence and ability by his or her peers and by adults.
• Democratic process. The election of crew officers is important to the success of the crew.

The Venturing Crew

A Venturing crew is the vehicle through which the program is carried out. The crew is a youth-led organization. The youth officers are elected and activities are planned and implemented based on the resources of the organization, adult committee members, parents, and consultants.

Each crew determines how many regular meetings it will hold in a month. For success a minimum of two meetings and a weekend activity is recommended.

Young adults join Venturing crews to gain insight into a variety of programs and hands-on activities that are challenging, fun-filled, and action-oriented. These activities help youth in developing their life’s goals.

Key Factors For Successful Crew Operations

1. Use of Resources.
2. Parental Involvement.
3. Youth Input.
4. Youth Leadership.
5. Hold Regular Crew Meetings.
6. Training and Developing Youth Officers--the Crew Officers’ Seminar.
7. Venturing Leadership Skills Course.
8. Well-Rounded Program.
9. Suggested Program Activities

The following are specific elements that your Venturing crew leaders might use when planning a well-balanced program around Venturing’s six-experience areas.

Citizenship: Develop a better understanding of America’s governmental systems. Learn the rights and expectations of citizenship. Encourage a pride in our American heritage.

Leadership: Prepare to give leadership and to fulfill our responsibility to American society and to the peoples of the world. Create opportunities for decision making and goal setting, and for developing confidence and independence of judgment

Service: Gain a respect for the basic rights of others. Develop the skills and desire to help others and set goals for a life of service.

Outdoor: Develop a degree of self-reliance based on courage, initiative, and resourcefulness. Understand and appreciate the wise use of resources and the protection of our environment.

Fitness: Improve mental and emotional fitness. Enhance physical fitness and an appreciation for recreation, and prepare for a lifetime of fitness.

Social: Instill stable personal values firmly based on religious concepts. Develop skills in dealing with all people and encourage a sense of family and community responsibility.
Bronze Award

The five different Venturing Bronze Awards are Arts and Hobbies, Outdoor, Sea Scouting (Ordinary Award), Sports, and Youth Ministries. All five Bronze Awards contain the common elements of experience, learning a skill, and sharing your experiences and skills with others. Earning at least one Bronze Award is required for the Venturing G.O.L.D. Award. The Bronze Award is designed as the entry-level award for a Venturer so that they can acquire usable skills that will carry them along the trail to the Venturing Silver Award.

Silver Award Program

The new Venturing Silver Award is available to all Venturing youth members of the Boys Scouts of America. Its purpose is to provide a pathway for personal development; encourage Venturers to learn, grow, and serve; and recognize the high level of achievement of Venturers who acquire Venturing skills.

Gold Award

The Venturing Gold Award program was developed to recognize the significant accomplishment in a Venturer’s life as he or she has proven outstanding performance in a broad spectrum of activities. These activities relate to Venturing’s six experience areas of leadership, citizenship, social, outdoor, service, and fitness. It will challenge and motivate Venturers over an extended period.

Ranger Award Program

The Ranger Award exemplifies a challenging high-level outdoor/high adventure skills advancement program. Once earned, it will identify a Ranger as an elite outdoorsman who is skilled at a variety of outdoor sports and interest, trained in outdoor safety, and ready to lead or assist others in activities. Rangers can be great program asset to Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops.

Leadership Award

The Venturing Leadership Award is presented by councils, areas/regions, and the BSA National Council to Venturers and adults who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Venturing Code.

Venturing Advisor Award Of Merit

One of the unique attributes of the Venturing program is the relationship between Venturers and the crew Advisor. The ability to work effectively with young adults as they themselves plan and run the program is a true test of leadership skills.

With the new Venturing program introduction on August 1, 1998, inclusion of the Venturing Advisor Award of Merit was a key program enhancement to recognize crew Advisors for tenure, training, and quality crew program.