1. we must deliver the excitement.

2. Crew 449 Venturing
Scouting’s
Next Step

3. BSA has steadily expanded the reach of its value-based programs
1910 Boy Scouting
1912 Sea Scouting
1935 Cub Scouting
1950 Exploring for young men who wanted senior Scouting
1971 Coed Exploring- Young women ages joined now more career oriented posts
1991 Learning For Life - BSA Subsidiary
1998 Venturing - Coed ages Outdoor oriented senior scouting

4. What is Venturing? “It’s not a box or a package we present.”
“It is focused resources designed to help a community organization provide wholesome, flexible, well-rounded, challenging activities, tailor-made for teenage youth.”

5. Venturing is… Thinking outside the box
Joe Q. Public’s view
Uniforms
Boys only
Compass and campfires
Old Fashioned
Paradigm shift
Uniforms
Coed (fastest growing program)
Global Positioning System and Leave No Trace
Cutting Edge in Youth Protection

6. Why is Venturing Growing?
Aggressive promotion Nation-wide
Lots of unplowed ground (potential)
Targeted Resources for New Unit Growth
Tailor-made for teenagers
Coed program
Uniform
Extreme sports and outdoor activities

7. 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”
Venturing units are “Crews”
Venturing adults are “advisors”
Youth leader is the “president”
$35 membership fee - same chartering process

8. Character, Citizenship, Fitness The aims of the BSA’s 3 Programs
Boy Scout Methods
Patrol Method
Adult Association
Leadership
Scouting Ideals
Outdoors
Advancement
Personal Growth
Uniform
Venturing Methods
Group Activities
Adult Association
Leadership
Scouting Ideals
High Adventure
Recognition
Teaching Others
Uniform

9. Venturing/Venture What’s the Difference?
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 14-17
Boy Scout advancement only
Venture Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader
Good transition to Venturing

10. Does Venturing Have a Required Uniform?
The uniform is the spruce green Venturing shirt with green epaulette tabs and gray backpacking-style shorts or gray casual pants.
However, the uniform class B, is the choice of the crew.

11. Venturing Oath

12. Venturing Support Items (no cost)
New Crew Sales Kit
Recruitment Posters
Sales Brochures
Fast Start (available on BSA website)
Venturing Highlights
Awards and Recognition brochure
Religious Resource Kit
Marketing Guide

13. The following new literature is available at your Scout Shop
Venturing Leader Manual
Ranger Guidebook
Venturer Handbook
Venturing Leadership Skills Course
Venturing Roundtable Guide
Here’s Venturing - Operations Guide
Recognition Certificates and Awards
Venturing Advancement Chart
Venturing Leader Specific Training

14. Youth Protection Videos
Youth Protection - Personal Safety Awareness (for Youth)
Youth Protection Training for Adult Venturing Leaders

15. Venturing Training Faststart New Leader Essentials
Venturing Adult Leader Basic Training
Powder Horn (High adventure resourse management training now in councils.)

16. Venturing Recognition
National Venturing Leadership Award for youth and adults- 3 levels
Venturing Advisor Award of Merit

17. Venturing Advancement
Eagle Scout
Summit
Award
Life
Discovery Award
Ranger
Award
Pathfinder Award
Star
Venturing Award
Previous
lst Boy Scout or
Class Varsity Scout
JOIN
Venturing

18. The Ranger Program Rangers are elite outdoorsmen
Ranger are required to teach what they’ve learned to others-KEY!!!!
Rangers work with their advisor and consultants

19. Ranger Core Requirements
1. Standard First Aid plus When Help is Delayed
2. Communications
3. Cooking
4. Emergency Preparedness
5. Land Navigation
6. Leave No Trace
7. Wilderness Survival
8. Conservation

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

21. Do Venturers Use the Ranger Guidebook
“ 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

22. Venturing’s Growth Where Is It Coming From?
Church youth groups that adopt the structure of Venturing to help strengthen their youth program.
Successful troops that adopt Venturing to meet the wants and needs of older boys-longer retention.
High School and college outdoor clubs that adopt Venturing to complement their program.
Independent groups that are organized from high school hobby interest surveys

23. A Resource to Religious Organizations serving High School age Youth
VENTURING!!
A Resource to Religious Organizations serving High School age Youth

24. The BSA Smorgasbord to better serve high school-age youth
Use of retreat facilities for team building and program
Literature to help with program planning
Awards and recognitions for youth and adults
Professional assistance with program planning, volunteer recruitment and finding resources
Five-hour extensive training for all adult leaders
Two-day Leadership Skills Course for all youth
Award-winning Youth Protection Video for youth
Youth Protection training for adults
Low-cost liability and accident insurance

25. Boy Scout Troops
Venturing Crews

26. Why Should a Troop Consider 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 Scoutmaster’s challenges.
It meets the wants and needs of 14 to 21 year old young men.
It provides a scouting program for daughters of scouting families.

27. Scoutmaster Challenges
Keeping 14 to 18 year old Boy Scouts “engaged” in the troop.
Challenging older Boy Scouts, while at the same time, trying to attract and retain younger Boy Scouts.
Competing with older Boy Scouts’ interests; cars, girls, high school.
Providing leadership/role model opportunities to all older Boy Scouts.
Giving younger Boy Scouts something to anticipate beyond the troop
Consistently offering exciting program.

28. National BSA Statistics
Average Boy Scout is 14 years and 1 month old
Average Eagle Scout is 16 years and 2 months old
Average Boy Scout attendance at summer camp is 2.8 years

29. Ages of Venturers Year 2013

30. Male Venturers May Continue To 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.
May use crew leadership positions and participation.

31. What Does Venturing Offer Older Boy Scouts In Your Troop?
New advancement opportunities for boys interested in progressing beyond Eagle.
New, exciting 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.
Venturers give leadership to the troop through the Ranger program, etc.

32. Venturing’s Teaching Philosophy Four Levels of Learning
Level I - You read it.
Level II - Someone teaches it to you.
Level III - You experience it.
Level IV - You teach it to someone else.
We retain 85% of what we learn when we teach it to someone else.
Venturing advancement requires Level IV.

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 with the troop and many on their own.
Venturers in the troop, (especially troop leaders) are expected to participate in both units.
Venturers teach and provide program.

34. Continued...
Recruit an Assistant Scoutmaster or committee member 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 #.
Younger Boy Scouts think of the crew as extension of the troop.

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. Girls just want to have fun…
Female Venturers successfully participate in all high adventure activities (60 mile bike rides, backpacking, Mile Swim in the Pacific Ocean, and winter snowboarding.
Venturers, male and female, assist the troop’s Leadership Corps in preparing and teaching the younger boys.
The crew provides older scouts (who otherwise become disinterested in scouting at the age of driving and dating) with a program that retains their interest by allowing them to pursue higher adventure with female peers and friends. Co-education fosters mature, responsible and respectful relationships.
(Sheryl) Venturing is marketed as a coed program. And it works.. All over the country, Boy Scout leaders are surprised to discover that teenage girls and boys work very well together.
One advisor in California puts it this way:
(read testimonial)

38. What Are Venturers Saying?
Sean Luther - 17 year old in Crew 28 and Troop 28, Pittsburgh, PA. 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 she 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 now applied to the Air Force Academy.

39. Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Venturer earn Eagle?
Does a Venturer who is working on Eagle have to be multiply registered?
What is Venturing’s official uniform?
Where can I get a shirt like that?
Where do I find advancement requirements?
What is the difference between Venture and Venturing?
How do we get Venturing started in my area?
Can a Venturer get past credit and multiple credit?

40. Contact Us Gary Blaylock Lodsmurf@yahoo.com 425-502-0427
Simple, just us and ask for this presentation.

41. Questions?