Venturing

1. Venturing The Next Step….

2. BSA has steadily expanded the reach of its value-based programs • 1910 Boy Scouting for boys 12 to 17 • 1912 Sea Scouting for boys over 14 • 1946 Exploring for young men 14-20 who wanted advanced Scouting • 1959 Yankelovich Study of high-school age boys • 1969 Coed Exploring- Young women ages 14-20 joined Posts • 1991 Learning For Life - BSA Subsidiary • 1998 Venturing - Coed ages 14-20 - Outdoor, Religious and Hobby related

3. Here’s Venturing • The young adult program of the BSA for men and women 14 (who have completed the 8th grade) through 20 years of age. • Youth member is a “Venturer” • A unit is called a “Venturing Crew” • Venturing adults are “advisors” • Youth leader is the “president” • $7 membership fee - same chartering process

4. Venturing Crew Stand Alone Unit Coed, all male, or all female Ages 14-20 5 Bronze awards, Gold, Silver, Ranger,Quartermaster & Boy Scout advancement above 1st class for male Venturers President, two VP positions,Secretary, Treasurer, Activity chairs Venture Patrol Optional patrol of a troop Male only Ages 13-17 Boy Scout Advancement only Venture Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader Venturing/Venture What’s the difference?

5. Venturing Applications Members Leadership Standards by BSA Oath and Code Advancement Exploring Rosters Participants Leadership Standards by Participating Organization Motto Awards and Recognition Venturing/Exploring

6. Does Venturing have a required uniform? • The recommended uniform 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.

7. 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.

8. The National Venturing Division has created the following bin resources. • New Crew Sales Kit • Recruitment Posters • Sales Brochures • Fast Start • Literature and Resources brochure • Awards and Recognition brochure • Religious Resource Kit • Marketing Guide

9. The following new literature is available at your Scout Shop or Service Center • Venturing Leader Manual • Ranger Guidebook • Venturer Handbook • Venturing Leadership Skills Course • Venturing Roundtable Guide • Here’s Venturing - Operations Guide • Recognition Certificates and Awards • Sea Scout Manual

10. New Videos Now Available • Selling Venturing to the Head of an Organization • Briefing the Organizing Committee • New Crew Fast Start

11. New Youth Protection Videos Now Available • Youth Protection - Personal Safety Awareness (for Youth) • Youth Protection Training for Adult Venturing Leaders

12. New Venturing Training • Venturing Adult Leader Basic Training • Powder Horn (outdoor skills training, first course held at Philmont in September 1999)

13. Venturing Recognition • Venturing Leadership Award for Youth and Adults • Venturing Advisor Award of Merit

14. Venturing Advancement Silver Award Quartermaster Eagle Ranger Gold Award Award Life Outdoor Youth Sports Arts and Sea Bronze Ministries Bronze Hobbies Scout Bronze Bronze Bronze Star Previous lst Boy Scout or Class Varsity Scout JOIN Venturing

15. The New and Exciting Venturing Ranger Program • Rangers are elite outdoorsmen • Ranger are required to teach what they’ve learned to others • Rangers work with their advisor and consultants

16. One typical example of how a crew in Virginia uses consultants to help conduct the Ranger program • Two weeks ago, our crew returned from a two day white water canoeing course that was put together by an American Canoe Association training, based on the requirements laid out in the Ranger Guidebook. We did the same thing, earlier this year, with a consultant in a two day caving program. Next month, we do Wilderness Survival with a consultant and later we will join with several crews to conduct a mock disaster. • None of these consultants knew anything about Venturing. However, all have adapted their training to support it.

17. Ranger Core Requirements • Standard First Aid plus When Help is Delayed • Communications • Cooking • Emergency Preparedness • Land Navigation • Leave No Trace • Wilderness Survival • Conservation

18. Backpacking Cave Exploring Project COPE Mountain Biking First Aid Fishing Ecology Equestrian Hunting Lifesaver Mountaineering Outdoor Living History Physical Fitness Plants & Wildlife Scuba Shooting Sports Watercraft Winter Sports Ranger Electives(Must earn 4 of 18)

19. Recent correspondence • July 15, 1999 • “I just returned from Philmont with a co-ed Venturing crew. Before leaving, I presented each member of the crew with a Ranger Guidebook. We reviewed the requirements briefly. Quite frankly, I expected to see them stuff the book in their carry-on bags, never to be seen again. I couldn’t have been more wrong. • All the way across the country (Chicago to Raton by train) there was a constant barrage of questions being fired at me. Once we reached Philmont it intensified. I had the same reaction from the Philmont Ranger Staff. The Ranger Guidebooks are worn and dog eared. • In my 40 years of Scouting, I can’t remember ever seeing Scouts pick up and devour a program the way they seem to go after the Ranger award.” • Richard Hewitt, Crew Advisor, Portage, Michigan

20. Venturing’s Growth is happening in these areas: • Church youth groups that adopt the structure of Venturing to help strengthen their youth • Successful troops that adopt Venturing to meet the wants and needs of older boys • High School and college outdoor clubs that adopt Venturing to complement their program • Independent groups that are organized from High School hobby surveys

21. Venturing Crew Growth • 19981999 % growth • Community Churches 18 43 139% • Church of Christ 29 49 69% • Disciples of Christ 54 80 48% • Lutheran Churches 181 267 47% • Chambers of Commerce 52 73 40% • Presbyterian Churches 213 293 38% • Catholic Churches 420 550 37% • Boys and Girls Clubs 64 86 34% • Elks Lodge (BPOE) 52 69 33% • Methodist Churches 614 810 32% • Baptist Churches 232 301 30% • Professional Societies 55 71 29% • Business/Industry 706 911 29% • Governmental Bodies 112 143 28% • Public Schools 639 809 27% • -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

22. Venturing Crews Chartered to Non-LDS Religious Organizations

23. Venturing provides structure and substance to a Church Youth Group • Venturing is flexible and can work with any existing youth program structure • Venturing can help keep youth closer to your organization’s beliefs • Venturing provides a package that can retain existing youth and recruit new ones • The religious awards will help create an arena in which young adults can work closely with religious leaders

24. Frequently Asked Questions ??? • How much ownership will my religious organization have if we start a Venturing crew with my High School age youth group? • What are the advantages of combining my religious organization’s youth group with Venturing? • How much does it cost to create a Venturing crew with my religious youth group? • Is a uniform required? • Where will we find leadership? • Will Venturing compete with my youth group? • How do we get started?

25. Boy Scout Troops Venturing Crews

26. “I have always considered Venturing, and especially the Ranger award, to be, in a very real sense, the ‘college’ of Scouting…Let us think of Boy Scouts to Venturing as, high school to college. Venturing is the advanced course. It in NOT, a simple upgrade with a few new features” • Jason Cruse- Department of Political Science University of Missouri-Columbia

27. Why your Troop should consider organizing a Venturing Crew • The Venturing Program complements the Boy Scout Troop. It adds exciting new advancement and leadership opportunities for your older boys • It allows flexibility, so boys can participate in both programs • Venturing can help solve many of the Scoutmasters challenges • It meets the wants and needs of 14 to 18 year old boys

28. Scoutmaster Challenges • Keeping 14 to 18 year old Scouts “engaged” in the troop • Challenging older Scouts, while at the same time, trying to attract and retain younger Scouts • Competing with older Scouts interests; cars, girls, High School • Giving leadership/role model opportunities to all older Scouts • Giving younger Scouts something to anticipate beyond the Troop

29. National BSA Statistics • Average Boy Scout is 13 years and 3 months old • Average Eagle Scout is 14 years and 9 months old • Average Boy Scout attendance at summer camp is 2.8 years

30. Male Venturers may continueto work toward Eagle • Must be at least a First Class earned as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout • Requirements remain the same • Board of review can be conducted by the troop or crew • If registered in both the troop and crew can receive multiple credit for many Bronze, Gold, Silver and Ranger requirements • Can receive past credit for certificates earned

31. New Advancement opportunities for boys interested in progressing beyond Eagle New Awards and recognition for boys out of the Advancement loop Activities with boys and girls their own age New leadership skills training for all members Older Scouts give leadership to the Troop through the Ranger program What does Venturing offer to older Scouts in your troop?

32. Venturing’s Teaching PhilosophyFour levels of learning • Level I - You Read it • Level II - Someone Taught It to you • Level III - You Experienced It • Level IV - You Teach it to someone else • Venturing advancement requires Level IV. We retain 85% of what we learn when we teach it to someone else.

33. How does a Troop and a Crew work together? • Scouts ages 14 to 18, and adult leaders can be members of both units; primary registration in the troop and multiple in the crew • The Crew meets separately from the Troop twice each month and has occasional activities apart from the Troop • Older Scouts in the Troop, (especially troop leaders) are expected to participate in both units

34. Recruit an Assistant Scoutmaster to serve as Crew Advisor • Utilize existing merit badge counselors as consultants for the Ranger Award • Utilize Troop advancement chair to help conduct Crew reviews for the Gold and Silver Awards • Venturers can wear distinctive uniforming and maintain the same unit #

35. 14 to 18 year old boys want: • Challenging Physical Activities with boys their own age • Recognition of their “older” status • Activities with Girls • Control of their environment • Independence • To explore and experience their world • A sense of Belonging and Acceptance from their peer group, inclusion in a “gang”

36. 14 to 18 year old boys need: • Consistent Adults that “Walk their Talk” • Character and ethical education outside the classroom • Positive adult role models, male and female • Opportunities to become proficient at something • Leadership opportunities

37. Seattle, WashingtonJoe Garrett- Scoutmaster-Troop 582 Committee Chair-Crew 582 • “Venturing keeps older boys interested and me too!!” • 7 boys and 6 girls in the crew, 3 boys came from Troop 582, 2 boys had no Scouting background, 2 had quit another troop and rejoined BSA in Venturing • Entire crew is pursuing the Ranger Award • Green shirts have become status symbol- similar response that the Webelos wearing khaki shirts in the pack • 4 of the boys in the crew would not be in Scouting if not for Venturing, they joined Venturing initially to go snowboarding, but have now become interested in the entire Ranger program • Venturers have taught Land Navigation and Winter Sports skills to the troop • Crew 582 is going to Philmont this summer. The Philmont age requirements fit nicely in the separate group apart from the troop

38. Ankeny, IowaJeff VerHelst - Advisor of Crew 869 • Crew started with five Venturers in 1998 and now has 30. • Most members are college students • Crew 869 was asked to operate and staff the district camporee. • They created a blue activity shirt with a small Venturing logo in front and a large design on the back. They wear the recommended spruce-green shirt for formal occasions. • They are attending the Boundary Waters High Adventure Base in summer 2000.

39. Greensboro, N.C.Wes Reid- Assistant Scoutmaster-Troop214Member of Church that charters Crew • We noticed that older boys were losing interest • Most our campouts catered to the new scouts, ages 11-12 • Older Scouts were looking for more exciting adventure • In our Church chartered units, boys that are 1st class scouts are eligible to join the crew • They continue to work toward Eagle and pursue high adventure • We look at Scouting as part of our Church ministry. Having girls in our crew allows us to provide a total ministry

40. Alexandria, VirginiaCooper Wright- Advisor • Letter received on December 3, 1999 • “Our crew continues to grow. We recently awarded our fourth Eagle this year, and have already presented two Bronze awards and one Gold award. I expect that we will award two more Bronzes, three more Golds, one Silver and one Ranger in January. During November, the crew participated in Scouting for Food and sorted 9,000 lbs. of food.” • “This weekend, we will hold our Venturing Leadership Skills Course at a nearby youth hostel. We have augmented the course material with items from “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.” I can’t wait to go back to Philmont with a co-ed crew. Right now it looks like the crew leader will be a young woman who is well on her way to earning the Venturing Silver and Girl Scout Gold awards.”

41. Alexandria, VirginiaCooper Wright- Advisor • e-mail received on 6-15-00 • “Venturing is not some sort of grown up Venture program. It is much more than that. Not only does it involve outdoor skills, it also focuses ethical discussions, leadership training, and emergency preparedness. It requires a commitment on the part of each Venturer in the form of a Personal Growth Agreement. It uses youth developed bylaws to outline how the crew will function and interact. I have learned that to be a good advisor really means to be a mentor, someone who listens a lot more than I did as a Assistant Scoutmaster for a Venture Patrol. Venturing is the establishment of a trust relationship between adults and young men and women on the edge of adulthood. It is not standing around looking cool in a green shirt. I really love the Venturing program.”

42. Lincoln, NebraskaMarge Klein, Associate Advisor, Crew 316 • “Crew 316 started in October 1998, since then we have grown to 21 members. We have 15 boys and 6 girls. All the boys came from Scout troops around town. • We have a waiting list of 13 year old boys and girls wanting to join our crew. • Our crew rule for Boy Scouts wishing to join is, you must maintain registration and leadership in your troop. Twelve of our boys will be earning Eagle in January 2000. • In our 12 months as a crew we explored caves with the University of Missouri caving club, went rappelling with the Univeristy of Nebraska climbing club, did whitewater rafting, snow skiing, and scuba diving. • Our boys sit down with the girls when they join and teach them “Scouting” from the Boy Scout Handbook. • We have make presentations for the Ranger program to Cub Packs, Scout Troops, Girl Scout Troops and at roundtable.”

43. Palmer, AlaskaMike Patterson - Advisor of Crew 366 • Crew organized Sept. 99’ from Troop # 361 - 9 boys and 6 girls • Crew was created to save the boys ,six would not be in Scouting without the crew • Joining requirements for boys who are Scouts? Must be a Life Scout • Crew meets twice each month plus 1 crew activity • Crew officers meet monthly to plan • Crew president, Adam said that he wanted to do funner things and Venturing was a natural progression. In Cubs he was with his friends, but didn’t do much camping. In Boy Scouts he went camping with his friends but didn’t do much high adventure, Venturing was the next step.

44. Hartford, ConnecticutMichael Sobol, Advisor of Crew 57 • “I am the Scoutmaster of Troop 57. My 18 year old son approached me about organizing a Venturing crew. Apparently he had been down to the Council Service Center and picked up some information about Venturing. He handed me a new unit application and seven completed youth applications. • I agreed to be the Advisor of a new Crew 57. My son wants to earn everything Venturing has created. He had already earned everything Boy Scouts had created. • His girlfriend also joined the crew. My crew consists of 7 boys and one girl currently. • My Venturers have been teaching the Ranger skills to the troop. It has benefited both the troop and the crew.”

45. What are Venturers saying? • Sean Luther - 17 year old in Crew 28 and Troop 28, Pittsburgh, PA He serves as Senior Patrol Leader in Troop 28 and Crew President in Crew 28. Sean believes that the Leadership skills learned in Venturing have helped him be a better Senior Patrol Leader. Venturing has also provided new experiences that he would not have experienced if he was only in the troop. • Adrian Johnson - 16 year old in Crew 414, Philadelphia, PA Before joining Venturing was thinking about joining the Air Force after High School. She has served as a leader in Venturing for the past 12 months. She believes that the leadership skills learned in Venturing and the increased confidence gained has helped her set new goals. She has applied to the Air Force Academy.

46. North Olmsted, OhioErica Sheehan, Venturer, Secretary of Crew 630 • “My crew has been in existence for about a year and I can honestly tell you it has been one of the best experiences of my life. • I am the sister of a Star Scout and have been surrounded by Scouting’s morals and values for years. • Our first campout in March it went down to 10 degrees. We learned from experience how to pack for winter camping. • In June we went on our first ten mile canoe trip, we had a blast. • In all our outdoor activities I have learned how important it is to work together and that if there is one person not working to their ability the rest of the crew can’t function to it’s potential. • The COPE experience was THE bonding experience of my life and I was on a natural high for days. • We’re all now motivated to work as hard as possible in everything we do, in Venturing, at home or in school.”

47. Fullerton, CaliforniaAmanda Delaney and Christina Canino, Crew 214 • Crew 214 was organized in June of 1998, it has 15 boys and 15 girls, chartered to a Presbyterian Church in Fullerton, California • Activities include backpacking, rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing and COPE • The youth adopted the spruce green shirt as their formal uniform. They designated a navy blue t-shirt with their own logo as the activity uniform. • “We’re all like brothers and sisters, we trust each other.” • “We set our own rules; no boy/girl buddy system, go in threes in mixed company.” • “Venturing is more than we expected.” • “The guys have seen me on campouts without my makeup on and they still like me.”

48. Knowledge becomes power only through organization and use…Og Mandino