2015 Program Changes - Venturing Rick Cordray Chief Seattle Council October 2015

Challenges to our programs? Membership Retention Evolving social values Technology …… 2011-2015 BSA Strategic Plan called for a review and revision to all programs – Cubs, Boy Scouts, Venturing

Program … 0.7% Earned 1:12,000 Youth

Major Changes Began Last Year What’s NOT Changing: Ages of membership Ranger/Trust/Quest Officer/Advisor relationship Youth leadership of crew and program

Changes Last Year Common Oath & Law Venturing program & recognition changed at beginning of 2015 New resources: Youth handbook (core) Ranger/Trust/Quest combined Adult leader handbook Enhanced youth training Split advisor vs. committee training Governance December 3, 2018December 3, 2018

Common Oath and Law Adopted in 2012 by National Executive Committee as part of Strategic Plan Goal 411 Ties BSA programs together – different age groups, different programs, but a common core Aligns the words we use to reinforce values in all programs with the BSA mission statement Being rolled out into all programs with 2014-2015 program changes

Venturing’s Challenge Deliver the fun and peer engagement! Create the opportunity for leadership! Harness the optimism! Set the table for their future! The NEW Venturing Program Model Adventure – Leadership - Personal Growth – Service So there is the challenge for the new Venturing program – READ BULLET POINTS The task force took the challenge and the new Venturing program is designed around four content areas – Adventure, Leadership, Service and Personal Growth. In the following slides, we will dig in further on the rational and outcomes from each of these and then talk about the recognition/award levels built into the program. PRESENTERS: EVALUATE YOUR AUDIENCE. SLIDES 8-16 TAKE A PILIAR (THE FOUR ABOVE) BY PILLAR AND THEN A AWARD LEVEL BY AWARD LEVEL APPROACH TO EXPLAINING THE PROGRAM. THIS WILL BE APPROPRIATE FOR MANY AUDIENCES. SLIDE 17 CAN BE USED AS A SUMMARY SLIDE FOR THOSE AUDIENCES LESS INTERESTED IN HOW THE PROGRAM REALLY WORKS.

NEW Venturing Program – The ALPS Model 4 Program Areas or Pillars Alignment with BSA mission Sensitivity to youth wants Maintains peer involvement Based on foundation of adventure Respect for their future needs Progressive increase in challenge and effort 4 Levels – Progressive Effort PRESENTERS: THIS IS A BUILD SLIDE THAT REQUIRES PRACTICE TO IMPLEMENT SMOOTHLY! Overall, there are four primary principles inherent in the new program design: Maintain and build alignment with the mission and aims of the Boy Scouts of America. This is what we pledge to every youth in our program and what our charter calls us to accomplish. Be sensitive to you wants – peer involvement, fun and adventure – doing new things Be respectful of their futures – understand that they will have lives after Venturing, they are worried about them and our program can help them prepare for their futures. Offer a progressive, thought out increase in challenge and effort as a Venturer moves thru the program. To accomplish this the new Venturing program is built around four program areas just outlined – Adventure, Leadership, Service and Personal Growth and four levels of progressive effort leading to the capstone award.

Program Areas - Adventure Purpose: New experiences which push Venturers to new personal heights Insight: Adventures and activities provide the social benefits youth crave at this point of development Level of difficulty: Variable; may be tailored to crew skills and experience Individual and crew-defined Historic appeal of Venturing Adventure PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Areas- Leadership Adventure Leadership Purpose: Develop broad interpersonal leadership skills applicable to life situations Insight: Societal expectations of leadership qualities as desirable are growing—especially among youth’s life influencers Level of Difficulty: Escalating: Participate/follow, lead, mentor Leverages formal training and practical experience (elected or appointed) PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Areas – Personal Growth Purpose: Growth in the skills and ethical/moral foundations which support economic independence, life-long learning, and timeless values. Insight: Social/educational influences provide little positive guidance on key life, social and moral/ethical skills. And youth know it. Focus is on goal development and personal planning. Small formal “trainings” facilitate practical application. Adult mentorship is critical. Adventure Leadership Personal Growth PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Areas -- Service Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Purpose: Develop behavior leading to ongoing sense of responsibility Insight: Youth have limited control of their lives. They enjoy the opportunity to assert their values through the choice to serve. Crew or individual Scouting and/or community focus PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Levels (Awards) Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Summit Pathfinder Discovery Venturing Joining level Initial participation Commit to crew and ideals Induction into crew PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Levels (Awards) Full participant, developing core skills Active in crew adventures and activities Introduction to leadership (training and practice) Goal setting and personal management training Participation in crew or individual service Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Summit Pathfinder Discovery Venturing PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Levels (Awards) Emerging leadership, challenging skills and activity level Elected or appointed leadership role including advanced training Goal development, planning, and pursuit Participating in activity and service planning Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Summit Pathfinder Discovery Venturing PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Program Levels (Awards) Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Summit Pathfinder Discovery Venturing Fully realized skills and leadership Focus is: Mentorship of other crew members Capstone service project Goal approach: Longer horizon, larger life impact PRESENTERS: WORK FROM BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN

Venturing Program Status Adventure Leadership Personal Growth Service Venturing Detailed requirements written and in print Handbook/Leader Guides in print A few requirements can be satisfied by previous work Summit Pathfinder PRESENTERS: THIS MAY BE USED EITHER AS A WRAP-UP FOR A DETAILED PRESENTATION OR AS THE SUMMARY SLIDE FOR THE NON-DETAILED VERSION OUTLINED ON THE NOTES TO THE TITLE SLIDE. Discovery Venturing

Awards Previous awards (Bronze, Gold, Silver) discontinued at end of 2014 New awards (Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, Summit) now in place There is some overlap, so some requirements completed for old awards can be applied to new

Awards – Required Training Specific training modules are required for some awards Mentoring – instructor guide available Goal Setting & Time Management - instructor guide available Project Management training available

Project Management Training

Youth Training Crew Officer’s Orientation new in 2015 Leadership Skills for Crews – newly revised in 2015, formerly ILSC ILSC is being updated to remove the program neutral content and is being tailored to the specific needs and program of the Venturing Crew. Once completed, the youth member may wear the trained strip.

Age and Membership Changed 3/1/15 At recharter time, Venturers who are 18 reregister as adults YPT Background check Considered “adult participant” New Venturers over 18 will register as adults and are “adult participants” Venturers who were 18 before 3/1/15 take YPT, don’t have to have a background check Venturers who were 18 or older on 3/1/15 have to meet adult membership requirements now (including YPT) but don’t require a background check.  Venturers who turn 18 after 3/1/15 must fill out an adult application at the next recharter or at the time they register if they are over 18, including YPT and background check.  All Venturers up to age 21 are coded as Venturers or Sea Scouts, but depending on age will be considered a youth participant or an adult participant. 

Sea Scouts Remain connected to the Venturing program, but less directly Sea Scouts can earn Venturing awards

Resources VOA Program Features for Troops and Crews Scoutbook.com Council – Rob Allison, Advisor Area – Ben DeRemer, Advisor Western Region – Pratik Vaidya, WR VOA President Program Features for Troops and Crews Scoutbook.com http://www.scouting.org/Home/Venturing.aspx FAQ pages Contact information Program Features: Jim Virgin

NYLT, NYLT Academy Council NYLT open to Venturers NYLT Academy is coming to Western Region (Long Beach, CA) summer 2016

Wood Badge Venturers over 18 can attend as participants Crews can serve as staff, which can meet some award requirements

Philmont Training Center Growing Venturing in your Crew and Council – The Venturing A-L-P-S program model … a flexible program of continuous, youth-led adventure with the new recognition system providing Venturers with benchmarks of progress. Designed for crew advisors, crew committee members, crew officers, VOA officers, VOA advisors, council Venturing committee members, and Venturing Commissioners. Week 1: June 5-11, 2016 Week 8: July 24-30, 2016 Week 10: August 7-13, 2016

Class 427, Evaluation Code HNZ Scan this code or go to seaptc.org and click “Attendance & Evaluation”, then use code HNZ