VENTURING PROGRAM UPDATES

INTRODUCTIONS Steven Myers Central Region Area 4 Associate Advisor – Communications/Training This presentation created for the Central Region Venturing Planning Meeting, Naperville, IL, June 2014 By Ken King, CR Associate Advisor – Administration Keith Gehlhausen, CR Advisor Emeritus

AGENDA Impetus for Changes Program Model and Details Program Support Venturing Committees & VOAs Getting the Word Out

WHY MAKE CHANGES?

VENTURING MEMBERSHIP DECLINE Venturing Membership

RECOMMENDATIONS National Venturing Task Force (2012 – 2013) – Program – Training – Program Support and Governance – Membership – Marketing and Communications

WHAT YOUTH SEEK From the 2009 National Youth Survey

Wheeling, Aug. 2,2014 From the Area 4 Training Conference in Wheeling WV, 8/2/2014

PROGRAM MODEL

Content neutral: Adventure is what your crew wants to explore Provides a template for program design and execution Most important: built upon demonstrated successes of Venturing Crews (15 years) Explorer Posts (60+ years)

PROGRAM MODEL: WHY A MOTTO? CUB SCOUTSBOY SCOUTSVENTURING Do Your BestBe PreparedLead the Adventure All three Scouting programs share the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Each has its own motto to interpret the Scout Oath and Scout Law: do their best Cub Scouts seek to do their best to live up to the ideals of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. being prepared Boy Scouts commit to being prepared to live up to the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. lead the adventure Venturers aspire to lead the adventure of a life guided by the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

The requirements The FAQ about implementing the new program model Program Model Handouts

Official site Area 4 resource for councils c4voa/resources-for-councils (can find from area4.CRVenturing.org)area4.CRVenturing.org Keeping up with changes

PROGRAM MODEL: A-L-P-S

PROGRAM MODEL Recognition system built upon the ALPS program model – Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit – offer benchmarks of progress for the crew’s program

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: TIERS OF ADVENTURE Tier I adventure – Little preparation or planning; little or no prior skill development; less than one day duration (not overnight); not far outside comfort zone. Typically, these adventures are good crew fun or recruiting activities and easily accommodate guests. Tier II adventure – Some planning or preparation is required; some prior skill development may be desirable or even required; less than four days; outside the standard range of activities. Tier III adventure – Extensive planning, preparation, and skill development required prior to participation; at least four days duration; mentally and physically challenging. Tier III adventures are highlights of the program year, and may take place once or twice annually. Your crew will invest considerable time and energy in preparing and carrying out a Tier III adventure.

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: THE TIER CONCEPT The notion of tiers of adventure is designed to challenge you and the members of your crew to take on new challenges and provide you with experiences that you would not have otherwise encountered. The use of Tier II and Tier III adventures is important because of the degree of planning and preparation required to organize and carry them out. These adventures are real tests of your growth as a leader.

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: DIFFERENTIATING TIER II FROM TIER III The fundamental difference is in the level of preparation, planning and gathering resources to carry out the adventure. Generally, a Tier II adventure lasts from two to four days duration and a Tier III adventure lasts for four days or more. When an event of less than four days is considered a Tier III adventure, is should reflect these criteria: – Planning needed to carry out a shorter event comparable to a longer event – Preparation needed to implement the activity similar to the preparation needed to implement a longer event – The opportunity to challenge the activity chair and the members of the crew is similar as to what would take place during an activity of longer duration

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: PERSONAL GROWTH AND EXPLORATION Exploration of Self … includes analysis of your strengths and limitations, wants and needs, and development of a plan to address as self- develop improvement goal. An Exploration of Self can be a commitment to become physically fit, complete an online computer science course, learn to horseback ride, or accomplish any goal that promotes the development of personal skills and self-improvement. KPK

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: PERSONAL GROWTH AND EXPLORATION Exploration of Others … includes an assessment of relationships and how one serves others. An Exploration of Others can be a commitment to organize a clothing drive for a homeless shelter, teach Sunday school for preschoolers, build a storage shed for the crew’s equipment, or accomplish any goal that promotes skill development while serving others.

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS: PERSONAL GROWTH AND EXPLORATION Exploration of Faith … allows for an opportunity to explore one’s values and morals and to delve deeper into one’s faith or to expand one’s world-view by exploring spirituality, faith-based practices, and organized religions. An Exploration of Faith can be completion of the TRUST Award, commitment to read a sacred text, organization of or participation in a mission trip, or any goal that promotes personal growth through an exploration of one’s faith.

VENTURING AWARD Orientation to the program – Participation – Interview – Personal Safety Training – Investiture

DISCOVERY AWARD AdventureLeadershipPersonal GrowthService Two AdventuresILSCSet and achieve one goal 24 hours First Aid and CPRGoal Setting Crew Officer Orientation Advisor Conference Board of Review

PATHFINDER AWARD AdventureLeadershipPersonal GrowthService Two more adventures Project Management Set and achieve two goals 36 hours Lead an adventureEthical ControversyCrew service Do one: Crew officer BSA training Advisor Conference Board of Review

SUMMIT AWARD AdventureLeadershipPersonal GrowthService Three more adventures, including one Tier III MentoringSet and achieve two goals Community Service Project Mentor a youth leading an adventure Ethical controversy Do two: Crew officer BSA Training ILSC Lead Life Code Advisor Conference Board of Review

PROGRAM ENRICHMENT: Ranger, Quest, TRUST remain in place as skill-based recognitions

RECOGNITION GUIDELINES From Handbook for Venturers (BSA No , 2014) page 29: – The requirements for the Venturing Award must be completed before starting on the requirements for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards. If you are a registered member of a Venturing crew as of June 1, 2014, you have already earned your Venturing Award by virtue of your ongoing membership an participation; you may work toward the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards without earning the Venturing Award as a prerequisite. – Unless otherwise stated, requirements for the Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards and other Venturing recognitions may be completed at any time after joining a crew.

RECOGNITION GUIDELINES From Handbook for Venturers (BSA No , 2014) page 29: – BSA training courses specified in the Venturing requirements (National Youth Leadership Training, etc.) may be earned either while a Venturer or while a registered member of another BSA program (Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, Sea Scouts). – Third-party training/certifications (such as Red Cross first aid training) earned while a registered member of another BSA program (Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, Sea Scouts) may be used to satisfy Venturing requirements so long as the training/certification is current at the time of applying it to the Venturing requirements. Activities completed to satisfy the requirements of the Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder or Summit award may also be used to satisfy the requirements of the Ranger, TRUST, and Quest awards.

RECOGNITION GUIDELINES From Handbook for Venturers (BSA No , 2014) page 29: – Experienced Venturers, your crew Advisor, consultants, and others approved by your crew’s Advisor may certify your completion of requirements. Use the checklist at the back of this Handbook to track your progress. – The capstone service project designed and led by Summit Award candidates must be a different service project than one carried out for the Eagle Scout Award, the Sea Scout Quartermaster Award, or the Girl Scout Gold Award.

PROGRAM SUPPORT

PROGRAM SUPPORT: 7 METHODS OF VENTURING Leadership and Mentoring Group Activities and Adventure Recognition Adult Association Ideals Group Identity Service

PROGRAM SUPPORT: HANDBOOKS Handbook for Venturers Part 1: Venturing Essentials Part 2: What Venturers do: areas of program emphasis (adventure, leadership, service, and personal development) Part 3: Planning and leading adventure and your crew

PROGRAM SUPPORT: HANDBOOKS Venturing Advisor Guidebook Part 1: Venturing Essentials, including Venturing pedagogy (i.e., experiential education and youth development) Part 2: Advising youth (i.e., how the program operates through Venturing's methods and areas of program emphasis; how to advise and support the youth who design and lead the program) Part 3: Program Resources and Administration

PROGRAM SUPPORT: HANDBOOKS Venturing Awards and Requirements Book Focus on support for TRUST, Quest, Ranger awards (requirements and resource materials) as well as a compendium of additional programs of interest to Venturers...

PROGRAM SUPPORT: TRAINING Advisors – Venturing Advisor Specific Training – Crew Committee Challenge Venturers – Time Management – Project Management – Mentoring

VENTURING COMMITTEES & VOAs

National Venturing Committee reestablished Jack Furst – National Venturing Chair Wendy Kurten – Venturing Experience Manager Parallel structures will be implemented at the regional and area level (2013 recommendation) Focus: provide support to local council VOAs and Venturing crews

WRAPPING UP

TAKEAWAYS What is the same: – Fun and adventure – Ranger, Quest, TRUST – VOAs and governance structure What has changed – Key recognition system models activities of successful crews – Updated training and support materials

GETTING THE WORD OUT What will you do… …to get the word out to the VOAs in each of the councils you serve? …to get the word out to the membership of local crews? …to model the value of the program by embracing it? …to invite someone to become a Venturer?

CONTACT FOR FOLLOW-UP Nate Steele Duane Zobrist 

QUESTIONS?