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The home of Scouting in Central
and Northern New York
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What is Venture Scouting?
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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 vocations
or hobby interests. Venturing programs are developed
around six experience areas of emphasis.
Citizenship
1. Develop a better understanding of America's social,
economic, and governmental systems.
2. Encourage pride in our American heritage.
Leadership
1. Develop leadership skills.
2. Prepare youth to give leadership and fulfill responsibilities
to American society and to the people of the world.
Fitness
1. Improve mental, emotional, and physical fitness
and an appreciation for sports.
2. Develop ethical decision-making skills.
Social
1. Instill stable personal values firmly based on
religious concepts.
2. Develop skill in dealing with all people and encourage
a sense of family and community responsibility.
Outdoor
1. Develop a degree of self-reliance based on courage,
initiative, and resourcefulness.
2. Understand and appreciate the wise use of resources
and the protection of our environment.
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| 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, youth ministries, 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. |
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| Methods |
The methods
of Venturing have been carefully chosen to meet the
needs of young adults.
Voluntary association between youth and adults.
Because Venturing is voluntary, youth are receptive
to new ideas, experiences, and relationships. For the
youth members, these relationships provide a connection
to new ways of thinking and acting, and a new identity
as a responsible young adult.
Ethical decision-making. By asking young people
to be responsible for themselves, for a program of positive
activities and experiences, and for other people, Venturing
provides numerous opportunities for youth to make decisions
and ethical choices. With the influence of positive
adult role models and structured activities, youth learn
to make effective and ethical decisions.
Group activities. Venturing activities are interdependent
group experiences in which success is dependent on the
cooperation of all youth and adults.
Recognition of achievement. Recognition might
come through the achievement of one of the many awards
available to youth members, but peers and adults also
achieve it through the acknowledgment of a young person's
competence and abilities.
Democratic process. Venturing crews provide exposure
to democratic ideas and skills that are needed throughout
life.
Curiosity, exploration, and adventure. New experiences
and Venturing activities provide an excellent opportunity
for youth to acquire new skills and participate in action-oriented
activities.
The program of the Venturing crew revolves around special
vocations or hobby interests of the youth members and
adult leaders. Youth members have the interest and the
adult leaders provide the resources and expertise. Venturing
crews may pursue hundreds of different interests.
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 a risk is
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. |
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| 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. Venturing
crews across the country are doing all these adventures
and many more All that is needed are concerned adults
who are willing to share a little bit of themselves
with today's youth-tomorrow's leaders. |
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| Starting a New
Venturing Crew |
Organizing a Venturing
crew is easy to do. Just follow these steps:
1. A survey is conducted annually in community high
schools to determine students' recreational, hobby,
and vocational interests.
2. 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.
3. 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 three-month
program. The crew's three-month program is reviewed
and adopted.
4. 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 his or her parents to attend an
organizational meeting. This letter is followed by a
personal telephone invitation from a member of the organization
to each prospective youth.
5. 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.
6. Once the crew is established and youth officers elected,
the adults work with the members and officers to develop
the first year's program. |
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| What Youth Want |
Research has revealed
these major points:
High school students are interested in many vocations
and hobbies.
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 place from which they can 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 reevaluation
of values. |
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| Program Support |
The Venturing Division
offers literature, audiovisuals, training, activities,
and awards to support Venturing crews and ships.
Literature and Audiovisuals:
A variety of books, pamphlets, and videos are
available to assist with organization, program, leadership,
and activities. In particular, the Venturing Leader
Manual supports leadership and planning and offers program
resources.
Training: Basic adult
leader training sessions, along with the Venturing Leadership
Skills courses, quarterly Advisor meetings, and program
conferences, will be available to improve and enrich
Venturing crew programs. A week-long high-adventure
skills course for Venturing Advisors is available on
a regional basis. Philmont Training Center courses are
also available biannually.
Activities: Programs
that enhance youth participation, such as the National
Venturing Trek, are available to all Venturing crews
and youth and adult members.
Advancement Awards:
A variety of awards are available to Venturers who accomplish
specific advancement achievements. These awards include:
~~Venturing Bronze Awards
~~Venturing Ranger Award
~~ Venturing Gold Award
~~Sea Scouting Quartermaster Award
~~ Venturing Silver Award
Recognition Awards:
Those awards that are designed to provide recognition
for youth and adults include:
~~ Venturing Leadership Award
~~ Venturing Advisor Award of Merit
Uniforms: The BSA
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 they will wear based on crew
activities.
BSA Councils: Venturing
crews are supported by local BSA councils that 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 ships 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. |
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