1. 2015 Program Changes - Venturing
Rick Cordray
Chief Seattle Council
October 2015

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

3. Program …
0.7% Earned
1:12,000 Youth

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

5. 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

6. 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 program changes

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Project Management Training

21. 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.

22. 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. 

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

24. 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
FAQ pages
Contact information
Program Features: Jim Virgin

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

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

27. 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

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