Venturing Leader
Specific Training
1
Session #1
Here’s
Venturing
4
Introductions
• Staff members
• Participants
5
Buzz Groups
As an adult Venturing leader,
• What are you looking forward to?
• What are you concerned about?
6
BSA Mission Statement
The mission of the Boy Scouts of
America is to prepare young people to
make ethical choices over their
lifetimes by instilling in them the values
of the Scout Oath and Law.
7
The Venturing Oath
As a Venturer,
I promise to do my duty to God
and help strengthen America,
to help others, and
to seek truth, fairness, and adventure
in our world.
8
Venturing Code
As a Venturer, I believe that America’s strength lies in our trust in
God and in the courage, strength, and traditions of our people.
I will, therefore, be faithful in my religious duties and will maintain a
personal sense of honor in my own life.
I will treasure my American heritage and will do all I can to preserve
and enrich it.
I will recognize the dignity and worth of all humanity and will use fair
play and goodwill in my daily life.
I will acquire the Venturing attitude that seeks the truth in all things
and adventure on the frontiers of our changing world.
9
What is Venturing?
Venturing is a youth development program of the
Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who
are at least 13 years old AND have completed the eighth
grade OR 14 through 21 years of age.
Local community organizations establish a Venturing
Crew by matching their people and program resources
to the interests of young people in the community. The
result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities
that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow,
develop leadership skills, and become good citizens.
10
Venturing Terms
• Venturing, NOT “Venture”.
• Venturer, NOT “Venture Scout”, “Venturer Scout”,
“Venturing Scout” or the like.
• Venturing Crew, NOT “Venture Crew” or the like.
11
Venturing Uniform
• Uniform, if any, is crew choice
• No universal official uniform
• BSA Recommended uniform
• Spruce green shirt
• Bright Green tabs
• Gray shorts or casual pants (any)
12
Venturing’s Unique Place
Venturing
Crew
Stand-alone
13-21 (coed)
Venturing
Oath & Code
President, VP
Secy, Treas,
Activity Chairs
Bronze, Gold,
Silver, Ranger
Scout
Venture
Varsity
Troop
Patrol
Team
Stand-alone
Optional (Troop) Stand-alone
11-17
13-17
14-17
Boy Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan
SPL, ASPL,
Venture PL
PL, APL, Scr, Venture APL
Instr., QM.
Eagle, Life, Star,
1st, 2nd, Tenderfoot, Scout
Captain,
Squad leader,
Prog manager
+Letter
13
Chartered Organization
• Program inventory (adults/resources)
• Hobbies, skills, facilities, careers, ideas
• Adult leaders
• Organize program inventory
• Serve as Advisors
• Meeting facilities
14
Venturing Crew
• Youth led organization
• Recruits members
• Elects officers
• Plans programs
• Adult leaders provide training and guidance for
the crew’s officers
15
BSA Local Council
What is the role of the local BSA council?
The Boy Scouts of America recruits adult
volunteers and assigns staff members to
provide the following services for Venturing
chartered organization’s crews:
16
BSA Commitment
o Training for adult and youth leadership
o Guidance on how to organize a crew or ship
and keep the program going successfully
o Methods for recruiting Venturers, including an
interest survey of local high school students.
o Regular communication with each crew to
provide program support
17
BSA Commitment
• Use of council facilities, such as camps and
equipment
• Planning of council-wide activities that enrich the
crew’s program
• Liability insurance coverage
18
Venturing Methods - ALRIGHT
• Adult
association
• Leadership
• Recognition
• Ideals
• Group activities
• High adventure
• Teaching others
19
Nationwide Interests
• 78% outdoor oriented
• 15% sports and hobbies focus
• 7% Sea Scout ships
20
The Advisor
The Advisor’s responsibilities include:
• Fostering a sense of community within the crew
• Helping youth lead, plan, make decisions, and
carry out a long term program of activities
• Encourage participation and support for your
crew
• Uphold standards and policies of sponsoring
organization and the Boy Scouts of America
21
The Advisor
• Protect young people in your Venturing crew from
abuse or neglect and uphold the standards of the
BSA Youth Protection emphasis
• Ensure the activities are conducted within safety
guidelines and requirements
• Cultivate the Venturing spirit within your crew —
have fun!
22
Break
23
Session 2
Understanding
And
Protecting
Youth
24
What is the purpose of Venturing?
You might think that Venturing is specialty
information, learning leadership skills, a
community service, or a good social
experience. Venturing is all of these things
and more, but the primary purpose is:
“forming responsible and caring adults”.
25
Adolescent Development Issues
Important development issues facing Venturers
• Experimentation
• Movement from dependence to interdependence
• Social relationships
• Physiological changes and sexual maturity
• Reevaluation of values
26
Understanding Young Adults
• What do we notice first about youth?
• Size
• Behavior
• Many times we misjudge based on above
• Harder to know what is going on in heads
• Teenagers deal with opposing emotions:
• They fear and crave independence
• Constant struggle for power / independence
• Want to be unique, but peer pressure
27
Leadership Styles
for Advisors
•
•
•
•
Be a mentor
Be a coach
Walk your talk
Be understanding of the teenage years and their search
for autonomy
• Be able to relate
• Show mutual respect as a team member
• Develop and demonstrate conflict management skills
28
Protecting Our Youth
Guide
to Safe
Scouting
29
Youth Protection
Guidelines
for Adult Leaders
Video
30
Youth Protection:
Personal
Safety Awareness
Video
31
Break
32
Session #3
Leadership
and
Organization
33
Crew Code and Bylaws
• The crew’s operating instructions, code of conduct, etc.
• For the youth, BY the youth [new members agree to them]
• Crew purpose, membership, uniforms, meetings, dues, etc.
• Enforcement – as necessary; firm, but fair
• Flexibility – not difficult to change
34
Venturing Crew Organization
President
Advisor
Vice
President
Administration
Associate
Advisor
Administration
Vice
President
Program
Associate
Advisor
Program
Committee
Chair
Crew
Committee
Treasurer
Secretary
Activity
Chairs
Consultants
35
Crew Organization
and Leadership
When an organization agrees to be a
sponsor in Venturing, it agrees to recruit
adult leaders:
an Advisor,
one or more associate Advisors,
and a crew committee (3+).
These leaders must be adult men and
women at least 21 years of age, who will
guide the crew.
36
Adult - Venturer Team
The elected Venturer officers work hand-in-hand with
the adult Advisors and committee members.
Activity chairs work with adult consultants (from
crew committee, parents or other qualified adults)
Cooperation and teamwork between adults and young
adults are essential to the success of Venturing
37
Adult Leaders
• Advisor
• Associate Advisors
• Crew Committee
• Consultants
38
Venturers
•
•
•
•
•
Age 14 (or age 13 and completed 8th grade)
Not yet 21
Registered
Subscribes to the Oath and Code
Attends regular meetings
39
Elected Post Officers
• President
• Vice Presidents
• Secretary
• Treasurer
40
Elected Post Officers
• Quartermaster
• Crew Guide
• Historian
• Activity Chairs (appointed)
CURRENT Youth Training
Youth Leadership Development for all Venturers
• Intro to Leadership Skills for Crews (ILSC)
• NYLT/NAYLE/WB
• Kodiak
• Mentoring Others, Trainers EDGE
Crew Officer Training Progression:
• Crew Officer’s Briefing
• Crew Officer’s Seminar
42
Crew Officer’s Briefing
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Outlined In The Venturing Leader Manual
Done soon after elections, gets officers started
Explains Crew Officer Roles
Prepares Officers for the Crew Officer Seminar
Gets Officers started on Pre-Seminar tasks
Schedule PCI, AIS, and Seminar
Provide Advisor’s expectations
43
Crew Officer’s Seminar
•
•
•
•
•
Outlined In The Venturing Leader Manual
Plan and Schedule the Crew’s Program
Make Leadership assignments
Discuss meeting format
Discuss, begin developing crew bylaws and code
of conduct
44
Intro to Leadership Skills for
Crews
• Replacement for Crew Officer Orientation & VLSC.
• Presented by Crew Advisor and crew leaders
ideally.
• Made available early 2011 as download
http://scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511013WB.pdf.
• Required to attend NYLT, NAYLE, and Kodiak
going forward.
45
NYLT, NAYLE, Wood Badge
•
•
•
•
These courses are NOW open to Venturers.
NYLT & NAYLE for any Venturer.
Wood Badge for those 18 and older.
Intro to Leadership Skill for Crews will be required
for NYLT soon.
46
NYLT
•
•
•
•
National Youth Leadership Training.
Week-long or 2 weekends
Now open to ALL Venturers (those under 18).
Program-neutral version out.
47
NAYLE
•
•
•
•
•
National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience
Week-long course.
NOW open to all Venturers (under 18).
Take NYLT *or* go thru a “bridge” course.
Offered only at Philmont, but soon to be available
at regional or cluster-council levels.
48
Kodiak
• Challenging 2 weekend or weeklong outdoor trek
• Teaches 5 useable, relevant leadership
commisions/skills
• Uses nature as a classroom (not indoors)
• May be offered by a council, district or crew
(requires council executive approval)
• Uses hands-on learning approach with short
presentations, constant reinforcement
• See www.scouting.org/venturing for more info
49
Trainer’s EDGE
• Day long course
• National course for Wood Badge, NYLT, NAYLE
staffers.
• Also intended for Venturers who want to teach
others, either as staff for VLSC, Kodiak, Kodiak X,
or just teach others their skills.
• Course available on-line (#26-242)
50
Mentoring
•
•
•
•
•
NOT YET RELEASED
Six hour training
Receive shirt strip
Put training into action by mentoring someone
Receive Mentor medal.
51
National Youth Leadership
Society
• Honor society to recognize those scouts (Boy
Scouts, Venturers) who complete training and
hold positions.
• Must complete VLSC or ILSC.
• Must complete 3 of folowing: Kodiak, Kodiak X,
Mentoring, NYLT, NAYLE.
• Must hold certain youth positions.
• Nominated/paid by councils.
52
• Receive framed certificate & recognition item.
How to
Conduct a
Reflection
53
Break
54
Session #4
Awards
and
Recognitions
55
B. A. R. S.
Status
Recognition
Achievement
Belonging
Venturing and its awards program provide opportunities for all of this,
but Venturing has no ranks, and therefore no “advancement”.
56
Venturing Recognition Map
Silver
Award
Ranger
Award
Trust
Award
Quarter-master
Award
Quest
Award
Gold
Award
Outdoor
Bronze
Previous
Boy Scout or
Varsity Scout
Religious
Life
Bronze
Arts and
Hobbies
Bronze
JOIN
Venturing
Sports
Bronze
Sea
Scout
Bronze
Venturing Awards
Bronze
Ranger – outdoor skills
Gold
Quest – sports skills
Trust – religious life
Silver
Sea Scout
Quartermaster
58
Bronze Awards
All Venturers can earn any or all of these,
irrespective of the crew’s interest area
• Sports
• Religious Life (Youth Ministries)
• Arts and Hobbies
• Outdoor (half of Ranger Award)
• Sea Scouting (Ordinary rank)
59
Religious Life Requirements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do nine of the eleven projects:
Earn religious award
Learn about cultural diversity
Plan and lead a service project
Volunteer in church for three months
Go on a religious retreat
Be in a religious play
Serve as an officer of your Sunday School
Complete a Standard First Aid class
Do five Ethical Controversies activities
Sunday School teacher
Meet with church leader
Gold Award
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Any Bronze Award, plus:
12 months tenure
Leadership role
Participate in a district (or higher) event
Personal growth
Lead 2 or more crew activities
Recite Venturing Oath
Three letters of recommendation
Written presentation and crew review
Silver Award
• Gold Award, plus:
• Emergency Preparedness (First Aid,
CPR, Safe Swim Defense)
• Demonstrate leadership
• Complete Venturing Leadership Skills Course
• 6 more months in leadership role
• Participate in two Ethics in Action, one Ethics Forum
• Crew review
Ranger Award
Complete all eight (8) core requirements …
• First Aid
• Communications
• Cooking
• Emergency Preparedness
• Land Navigation
• Leave No Trace
• Wilderness Survival
• Conservation
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Ranger Award
…plus any four (of 18) electives
Backpacking
Mountaineering
Cave Exploring
Cycling/Mountain Biking
Ecology
Equestrian
First Aid
Fishing
Outdoor Living History
Physical Fitness
Plants and Wildlife
Project COPE
Scuba
Hunting
Shooting Sports
Watercraft
64
Quest Award
•
•
•
•
•
•
Core requirements
1. Sports Bronze Award
2. Sport Safety Training
3. Fitness for Life
4. Fitness assessment
5. Sport disciplines
•
•
•
•
•
•
One elective
1. History / heritage sports
2. Sports nutrition
3. Drug-free sport
4. Communications
5. History / heritage of
disabled sports movement
TRUST Award
1. Tending your Faith
• Learn about your own religious journey, and earn the religious
emblem for your faith group.
2. Respecting the Beliefs of Others
• Learn about freedom of religion in the US and learn about religions
other than your own in your community.
3. Understanding other Cultures
• Learn about the historical significance of cultures in the US and
study one cultural group in detail.
4. Serving your Community
• Complete a community service project and learn about
organizations in your community that serve youth.
5. Transforming our Society
• Learn counseling skills, conflict resolution, peace and
reconciliation, and how to apply them in your own life.
Quartermaster Award
• For Sea Scouts only
• See the Sea Scout Manual
• Ranks: Apprentice, Ordinary, Able, Quartermaster
Religious Life Program
Jan
Religious Award Study (1)
Feb
Cooking*
Mar
Cultural Diversity (2)
Apr
First Aid* (8)
May
Service Project (3)
Jun
Religious Play (6)
Jul
Backpacking
Aug
Wilderness Survival*
Sep
Religious Retreat (5)
Oct
Religious Leader Meeting (11)
RELIGIOUS LIFE BRONZE
Nov
Emergency Preparedness*
Dec
Winter Sports
OUTDOOR BRONZE
Ethics in Action(9)
BDAC Rendezvous
Ethics in Action
Ethics in Action
Leadership Skills
Swimming & SSD
Ethics in Action
Ethics in Action
Leadership Skills
Ethics in Action
GOLD AWARD
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Outdoor/Ranger Program
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
First Aid*
Cooking*
Land Navigation*
Backpacking
Leave No Trace*
Wilderness Survival*
Mountaineering
OUTDOOR BRONZE
Emergency Preparedness*
Communications*
Project COPE
Conservation*
Winter Sports
RANGER AWARD
Ethics in Action
BDAC Rendezvous
Ethics in Action
Leaderships Skills
Swimming & SSD
Ethics in Action
Leadership Skills
Ethics in Action
GOLD AWARD
69
Venturing
Awards
Game
70
Awards Jeopardy
Silver Award
Ranger Award Quartermaster
General
10
10
10
10
20
20
20
20
30
30
30
30
40
40
40
40
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Four Levels of Learning
•
•
•
•
Level 1—You read it
Level 2—It is taught to you
Level 3—You experience it
Level 4—You teach it to someone else
92
Consultants
• Local experts play a key role in Venturing
• Serious expertise in an area of interest, with the
ability to instruct youth
• Advisors should seek them out
• No one-on-one involvement
93
Eagle Scout
• Eligibility
• First Class Scout
• Earned as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout
• Requirements remain the same, but
• Tenure, service, leadership position in the crew
• Board of Review by the crew committee
94
Boards of Review
• Scout ranks (only) must have boards of review
• May be done by the troop or crew, if dual registered
• 3-6 committee members
• No advisors, assistants, or relatives
• Purposes
• Work has been learned and completed
• What kind of experience youth having?
• Encourage advancement to next rank
• Not an examination, 15 minutes max
• Eagle board follows council procedures
95
Crew Review
• Required for Gold and Silver Awards
• Not necessary for Bronze or Ranger or Quest or Trust
• Completed paperwork to Advisor
• Crew president (with Advisor) appoints review
committee of 4-6 Venturers and adults
• Review determines if person grew as a result of
the experience
• Advancement report to council office
96
Adult Training Awards
• Venturing Leader Training Award
• Basic training
• Two years tenure
• Seven of 11 projects
• Advisor’s Key
•
•
•
•
Fast Start and Basic training
Three years tenure, seminars, VLSC
Quality Unit, parents night
Roundtable attendance
97
Venturing Honorary Awards
VENTURING LEADERSHIP AWARD
Presented at Council, Regional and
National levels to Venturers and
adults who have made exceptional
contributions to Venturing
Unit Leader’s AWARD of MERIT
Recognizes Advisor for outstanding ability to work
with youth. Nominated by crew president and
committee chairman
98
Questions
99
Break
100
Session #5
Program
Planning
And
Resources
101
If you fail to plan,
you plan to fail.
102
Crew’s Program
Planning Process
• Program Capability Inventory (PCI)
• Venturing Activity Interest Survey (VAI)
• Brainstorm
• Match Venturing activity interests with
resources
• Fill in the gaps
• Schedule the activities
• Select Venturing chairpersons and adult
consultants
• Follow-up is vital! Assume nothing!
103
Step 1—Program Capability
Inventory (PCI)
• Conducted by the crew committee and adult
Advisors.
• Every adult (or Venturer) who can help the
crew is surveyed:
• Profession
• Hobbies
• Contacts
• Equipment access
• Skills
• Inventory is the basic resource pool for crew
104
activities
Step 2 —
Activity Interest Survey
• This questionnaire is completed by the Venturers.
• Provides information on what activities the
Venturers are interested in doing.
• Should contain possible activities over all of the
program emphasis areas.
• Provides the officers information on the
Venturers’ interests.
105
Step 3 —
Brainstorm
• After surveying the Venturers, brainstorm
additional activity potentials.
• Include all crew members.
• (See “How to Brainstorm” in the Venturing Leader
Manual.)
106
Step 4 — Match Activity
Interests With Resources
• Match the activity interests with the
resources on your PCI.
• Where a match exist you have a potential
program.
• The crew will need to recruit or acquire
other resources for the remainder of the
activity interests.
107
Step 5 —
Fill in the Gaps
The crew officers might feel that other
activities should be included to better balance
the crew program (or because the resources
are already available).
These might include other Venturing activities,
other activities for your sponsoring
organization, standing crew activities, training
sessions, annual recruiting open house, etc.
108
Step 6 —
Schedule the Activities
• List each activity selected on your crew
calendar.
• Schedule two crew meetings, an officers’
meeting, and one other activity each month.
• “Backdate” task list for major activities, such as
your superactivity .
• Watch out for date conflicts.
• Program scheduling is done at the Crew
Officers’ Seminar.
109
Step 7 — Select Activity Chairs
and Consultants
• An interested and capable Venturer
is appointed to serve as chairperson
for each activity
• Assisted by an adult consultant
(from the PCI) who has expertise
relative to the particular activity.
• The youth-adult team manages the
planning, development and execution
110
of the activity.
Step 8
Follow-up is vital! Assume nothing.
At your monthly officer and crew committee
meetings check on the status of the program
development.
And, follow-up AFTER the activity!
111
Program Planning Summary
• Program Capability Inventory
• Venturer Activity Interest Survey
• Brainstorm activities
• Match activity interests with resources
• Fill in the gaps
• Schedule the activities
• Select activity chairs and consultants
• Follow-up
112
Open House
• Before the meeting
• Greeting
• Hands-on activity / icebreaker
• Welcome
• What is Venturing & crew purpose
• About our crew
• Questions and answers
• Advisor’s comments
• Invitation to join
• Hands-on activity again + registration
• Refreshments
• Cleanup
113
Resources
• What, Where, How ??
• Venturing/BSA – literature, camps and equipment,
training (incl. roundtables/program forums), other
leaders
• Government – literature, parks, rangers, guides
• Local clubs, businesses, and individuals (ACA,
NAUI, bike shop, marinas, etc.)
114
QUESTIONS?
115
What’s Next?
• Set specific goals
• Such as:
•
•
•
•
•
Conduct Venturing Leadership Skills Course
Conduct exciting open house
Conduct PCI / AIS and make annual plan
Conduct Youth Protection Training
Committee assemble a consultant list
116
Adult Training
• What is next for Training?
• Basic Training
• Supplemental Training
• Advanced Training
117
Basic Training
Basic Training
• Venturing Fast Start
• This is Scouting
• Venturing Leader Specific Training
• Youth Protection Training
• Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills
118
Intro to Outdoor Leader Skills
• A weekend course
• Soon to be required for leaders of “outdoor
crews” to be considered “Basic trained”.
• Supplemental for others.
119
Mandatory Training
• Mandatory Training is coming. Currently being
piloted thru 2011.
• Key unit leaders (advisor, skipper) will need to be
“basic trained” by a certain date when rolled out.
• Other unit leaders (assoc. advisors, mates) will
need to be “basic trained” by a date further out.
120
Adult Training
Supplemental Training
• Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Climb On
Safely, Trek Safely, Weather, etc.
• Trainer’s EDGE
• Venturing Roundtable/Program Forum
• Florida Sea Base Conference Center
• Philmont Training Center
121
Safety Training
• Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Climb On
Safely, Trek Safely, Weather, etc.
• This training can be completed on-line at the BSA
website.
• Do so asap, and keep up to date.
• Will be required for Tour Permits.
122
Venturing Roundtable/Program
Forum
• On-going Supplemental Training.
• Old term- “Venturing Roundtable”; new term
“Monthly Program Forum”.
• Ideally, run once a month at district level.
• Instead, may be run quarterly, bi-monthly at
council level.
• Chance for adults AND youth to come together,
meet leaders of other units, share ideas, get
123
updated, etc.
Florida Sea Base Conference
Center
• Florida Sea Base provides volunteer training.
• Usually in the spring, a week-long training course
for Venturing adults is offered.
• Check with your council for information, and go if
you can.
124
Philmont Training Center
• Philmont Training Center offers volunteer training
all summer long.
• Several Venturing courses offered:
• Strictly for Venturing Advisors
• Speciality Programs for Crews
• Building Crews that Thrive.
• Etc
• Check with your council for more info and go.
125
Adult Training
Advanced Training
• Wood Badge
• Powder Horn
• Seabadge Conference
• Seabadge Underway
126
Wood Badge
• Weeklong or 2 3-day weekend course
• Advanced course for ALL Scouters (and
Venturers 18 and older)
• Leadership development course
• Put on by most councils annually
127
Powder Horn
• Week-long or 2 3-day weekend course
• High adventure resource course for Venturing &
Boy Scout leaders.
• Covers topics needed to deliver a program for
Venturers to earn the Ranger Award.
• Bulk of training by outside consultants/experts.
• Put on by councils or council-clusters.
• Being revised. New version may allow for
128
Venturers to attend.
Seabadge Conference
• Weekend course for Sea Scout leaders
• Advanced leadership course for Sea Scout
leaders
• Run by Regions 2-3 times a year
129
Seabadge Underway
• New weekend course.
• Aim to teach Sea Scout leaders how to manage a
ship for safe operation.
• Run by Regions 2-3 times a year.
130
Graduation
131
Venturing
. . . to seek truth, fairness, and
adventure in our world.
132