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The Venture Program BSC-401 Cooper Wright Crew 1519 - Colonial District coopwright@aol.com What Is the Venture Program? Optional part of your troop program Geared for scouts 13 years and older No rank requirement, but probably should be First Class
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The Venture ProgramBSC-401 Cooper Wright Crew 1519 - Colonial District coopwright@aol.com
What Is the Venture Program? • Optional part of your troop program • Geared for scouts 13 years and older • No rank requirement, but probably should be First Class • Offers new adventure, challenges and excitement
Why Is the Venture Program Needed? • 39 Percent of scouts are 13 or older • Older scouts have different needs • Bored easily • Expanded social world • Looking for physical challenges • Present program provides leadership and training, but no organized activity for older scouts • Unlike Varsity and Venturing, the Venture patrol is a functioning part of your troop
Venture Scout Program • Based on high adventure or sports activities • Consists of a series of training sessions the lead to an “ultimate activity”
Venture Scout Program • Fourteen Venture program pamphlets currently available • Backpacking Frontiersman • Canoe Camping Mechanics • Caving Orienteering • Cycling Rock Climbing & Rappelling • Discover Adventure Snow Camping • Fishing Whitewater • Freestyle Biking Wilderness Survival
Additional Venture Scout Program Resources • Twelve Varsity pamphlets currently available • Basketball Softball • Bowling Swimming • Roller Hockey Tennis • Shooting Sports Triathlon • Cross Country Skiing Volleyball • Soccer Waterskiing
Additional Venture Scout Program Resources • Woods Wisdom contains 36 monthly activities that include Venture program ideas
Additional Venture Scout Program Resources • Seven Outdoor Skills Instruction manuals provide information in the following areas: • Aquatics Camping • Backpacking Cooking • Survival Team Building • Rappelling/Rock Climbing • Passport to High Adventure is an excellent resource for planing Venture patrol “ultimate adventures”
Venture Patrol • Selects program areas of interest • Run by the Venture patrol leader (member of the PLC) • Advised by an Assistant Scoutmaster-Venture • Determines resources needed and recruits outside consultants
Assistant Scoutmaster-Venture • Responsible to the scoutmaster for Venture patrol • Advises the Venture patrol leader • Assists the patrol in obtaining needed resources and outside consultants
Assistant Scoutmaster-Venture • Holds advancement conferences with Venture patrol members • Makes sure Venture patrol members fulfill their troop responsibilities • Meets with new Venture patrol members and their parents
Relationship to Regular Troop Program • Venture patrol can be a full-time, part-time or one-time activity • Venture patrol programs can blend with the existing troop program • Although the Venture program is designed to keep older scout in the troop, it can provide, it can provide the spark for younger scouts
Activity Recognition • Venture scouts can wear the Venture strip over their right pocket • Letter “V” can be worn on red jacket or the bottom of the merit badge sash • Special activity pins can be awarded at the completion of a Venture activity cycle
Problems and Solutions • Problem • No expertise in high adventure skills • Solution • Troop dads with special skills • Outside consultants • Two troop patrols • Problem • Competition with troop program • Solution • Joint programs
Problems and Solutions • Problem • Older scouts pulled from patrols • Solution • Run part-time activities, where older scouts remain in existing patrols • Problem • Shift from basic scout skills and advancement to high adventure • Solution • Strong Assistant Scoutmaster-Venture • Venture activities tied to merit badges
How Can I Get a Venture Scout Program Started in My Troop? • Sell the troop committee on the program • Appoint a strong assistant scoutmaster as the patrol advisor and a strong scout as the patrol leader • Begin Venture activities with basic high adventure skill and build from there • Get Venture activities on the troop calendar • Plan an “ultimate adventure” for each summer
How Can Our District Help the Venture Program? • Establishing a Venture scout coordinator at the district level • Conducting separate Venture roundtable programs • Providing experienced Venture leaders for the district’s training team • Running an annual Venture “Show and Do”
How Can Our District Help the Venture Program? • Including Venture activities in district camporees • Supporting new Venture initiatives like Venture Leader Training and the Venture Hike-o-ree • During special events like the Great Scout Show, demonstrate different Venture skills
How Can Our District Help the Venture Program? • Maintain a list of high adventure consultants willing to assist troops in their Venture programs • Develop a book of suggested local Venture program activities that have worked for district troops