Here’s Venturing

District/Council Venturing Guide Here’s Venturing: A Guide to Implementing Venturing in a District and Council, No 33466

Venturing Delivery System It is recommended that councils serve Venturing through the district structure   Venturing should be integrated into the district structure of Membership, Commissioners, Training, Program, Finance and Roundtables

Membership Each district should have a membership committee that works closely with the unit serving executive to establish a growth plan for new-unit and membership growth. Typically this committee would be responsible for all divisions of scouting in the district (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venturing) Each district should recruit a Venturing crew organizer to assist the district membership committee in all membership and new-unit tasks related to Venturing.

Crew Organizer Recruit volunteers to assist in membership and new-unit functions Serve as a member of district membership committee Help district membership committee determine youth market (Career/Hobby Interest Survey) Help each Venturing Crew or Sea Scout Ship schedule and conduct a successful “open house”

Crew Organizer (con’t) Help district membership committee identify and open doors in organizations with potential to charter crews (churches, Scout troops, high school and college clubs, outdoor organizations, service clubs, etc.) Using the Impact Plan or selling individually, help the district sell organizations on Venturing and organize crews and ships. Educate and support other members of the district membership committee on Venturing

Sources of New Venturing Crews Crews organized from high school career interest surveys Crew associated with Boy Scout troops Crews associated with religious groups Crews associated with high school clubs Crews associated with community recreation activities

What to look for in potential chartered organizations Goals of organization are compatible with those of the BSA Organization is civic-minded and interested in youth Organization has enough members to provide adult leadership Organization has sufficient program resources to support a crew You have sufficient youth names to recruit crew members (about 10% of those invited stay with unit) Top official of the organization is sold on Venturing

Student Career Interest Survey Survey of students career and hobby interest and contact information Provides school system with career interest information on their students Provides BSA with potential Venturer names and information Work survey with Learning For Life in council

Open House Designed to interest prospective Venture aged youth in joining the program of the chartered organization. Should include information on what Venturing is and how to join Should include hands-on activity Should tell the prospect what the crew does Remember youth like to do things and must be convinced that they will be able to do things in Venturing.

Selling the Scoutmaster Venturing was designed to complement the Boy Scout Troop Venturing crew is organized in a way that allows flexibility, so boys can participate in both programs Venturing offers new advancement opportunities Venturing is the path to keep boys who have graduated beyond Boy Scouting in the scouting program

Venturing and Religious Youth Groups Venturing has been tailored to help religious groups achieve their aims and purposes by providing leadership training, outdoor and high-adventure activity, program activities, recognition for youth, a national recognized program and insurance. Owned by the religious organization, under their leadership, meeting their needs Access to BSA property for religious retreats and training Professional guidance on making the program succeed

Impact Plan Venturing Impact Plan is designed to identify and sell community organizations on the Venturing program. Experience tells us that Impact Plans are most successful when a specific group is targeted (e.g. religious organizations, Boy Scout Troops, etc. when lunch or dinner is served when the host is a member of the targeted group when youth members give testimonials when the host endorses the program and suggests that participants fill out a commitment card.

Commissioner Service Venturing ongoing service comes from the unit-serving executive and the commissioner staff. It is recommend that Venturing crews be served by unit commissioners serving on the district commissioner staff under the direction of the district commissioner. A dedicated unit commissioner should contact Venturing crews at least monthly. It is recommended that each district recruit an assistant district commissioner-Venturing in an ad hoc capacity to educate and train unit commissioners. After this task is complete this individual could be reassigned to other commissioner responsibilities.

Assistant District Commissioner-Venturing Assist the district commissioner by education unit commissioners about Venturing. Help Venture crews with the annual rechartering process. Ensure that each crew is visited monthly and unit health problems are identified. Facilitate unit problem solving by utilizing available resources.

Unit Commissioner Duties Make monthly contact with each assigned crew Represent the council to the crew Help with annual rechartering Encourage training for the Advisor and youth officers Assist in the planning process Help each Venturing crew attain the National Quality Unit Award

Unit Commissioners – Keys to Success With Venturing Crews Be informed Support the Advisor Seek Resources Involve Others Encourage Participation Represent the Council Give Recognition Proper Planning

Roundtables It is recommended that Venturing crew Advisors, other adult leaders and youth officers be invited to monthly district roundtable meetings. The monthly district roundtable meeting is designed to train, inform and motivate. They will benefit from associating with Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders and finding out about district and council events The district roundtable should begin with a joint session of all leaders to learn about upcoming events. Following the joint session program specific breakouts should be held.

Venturing Roundtable Guide Venturing Roundtable Guide, No. 34342 details how to run Venturing roundtables

Venturing Roundtable Commissioner Put together each month an exciting, motivational, informative roundtable. Recruit consultants from within Scouting and the community to help conduct successful roundtables. Serve as a member of the district commissioner staff. spend as much time planning a roundtable as conducting one. Be flexible and responsive to the needs of Venturing crew Advisors and officers.

Training Venturing leadership training is designed to provide all youth and adult leaders with a series of training opportunities that will meet the varying needs of Venturing leaders. All sessions are flexible so the training team can construct the best plan to meet local conditions. The plan requires the minimum of equipment and materials and is scripted to support instructors with limited Venturing experience. Each district should recruit a Venturing leader training coordinator. This volunteer should serve as a member of the district training committee. For small number of Venturing crews in the council this could be a council coordinated function.

District Venturing Leader Training Coordinator Recruit volunteers needed to perform Venturing training functions in the district Serve as a member of the district training committee Plan promote and conduct Adult Venturing Leader Basic Training, No 33491A Work with unit commissioners to ensure that all new leaders receive basic training Promote and conduct the Venturing Leadership Skills Course, No. 34340 Plan, promote and conduct Powder Horn training

Venturing Training Courses Crew Officers Seminar (run by crew Advisor from outline in Venture Leader Manual) – Youth officers Adult Venturing Leader Basic Training (run by district training committee) – All adult scouters associated with Venturing (Required to be considered trained) Venturing Leadership Skills Course (run by crew Advisor) – All Venturers Powder Horn (run by council or region) – All Outdoor Venturing Adult Leaders Sea Badge (run by council or region) – All Sea Scout Adult Leaders

Advancement The greatest roadblock to implementing the Venturing Awards Program in your council is ignorance. To help promote Venturing advancement, it is recommended that a district Venturing advancement coordinator be recruited. This individual should serve on the district advancement committee [note the top Venturing advancement awards (Silver, Ranger and Quartermaster) do not require district participation in their boards of review. These reviews are run by the crew or ship and must have adult leaders and Venturers on the boards.]

District Venturing Advancement Coordinator provide assistance to units in implementing the Venturing advancement program Help units establish an active advancement program Promote the Bronze, Gold, Silver , Ranger and Quartermaster awards Create and maintain a list of consultants for Venturers and Advisors to access in pursuit of the Ranger and Silver awards Ensure that award recipients are recognized by the Scout community and the public.

Venturing Awards

Program The program and leadership of even the most outstanding Venturing crew may be enriched, by interchange with other crews through council wide Venturing events Council camping committee must provide for Venturing outdoor needs District camp promotion and outdoor committee should help Venturing crews carry out a year-round camping program Councils and districts should recruit volunteers to chair Venturing events as needed.

Finance The foundation of fund-raising in Venturing must remain the Friends of Scouting campaign conducted by local councils and districts. It is not recommended that a separate Venturing campaign be run. Venturing can be marketed within existing campaign. You can off course run a Venturing campaign (family campaign, telethon, mailing, etc.) within your existing campaign.

Sea Scouting Councils with a number of sea Scout ships may organize them into a cluster, with a council Sea Scouting committee to provide training, service, and program help to the ships. Its chair, often called the “commodore,” is recruited and approved by the Scout Executive and council president.

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