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
300000
250000
200000
Venturing Membership
150000
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2012
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
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 SCOUTS
BOY SCOUTS
VENTURING
Do Your Best
Be Prepared
Lead 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:
• Cub Scouts seek to do their best to live up to the ideals of
the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
• Boy Scouts commit to being prepared to live up to the values
of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
• Venturers aspire to lead the adventure of a life guided by the
Scout Oath and Scout Law.
Program Model Handouts
• The requirements
• The FAQ about
implementing
the new
program
model
Keeping up with changes
Official site
http://Scouting.org/programupdates
Area 4 resource for councils
https://sites.google.com/a/crventuring.org/
c4voa/resources-for-councils
(can find from area4.CRVenturing.org)
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 selfdevelop 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
Adventure
Leadership
Two Adventures
ILSC
First Aid and CPR
Goal Setting
Personal Growth
Service
Set and achieve one 24 hours
goal
Crew Officer
Orientation
Advisor Conference
Board of Review
PATHFINDER AWARD
Adventure
Two more
adventures
Leadership
Personal Growth
Service
Project
Management
Set and achieve two 36 hours
goals
Lead an adventure
Ethical Controversy
Do one:
• Crew officer
• BSA training
Advisor Conference
Board of Review
Crew service
SUMMIT AWARD
Adventure
Three more
adventures,
including one Tier
III
Leadership
Personal Growth
Service
Mentoring
Set and achieve two Community Service
goals
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. 33494, 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. 33494, 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. 33494,
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
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
Email: area4president@CRVenturing.org
Duane Zobrist
Email: area4chair@CRVenturing.org

QUESTIONS?