Venturing Tailored resources for 16-18 year old young men to strengthen Priest Quorum mutual activities

What’s New? New General Young Men’s Presidency called at 2004 April Conference Church announces $50 per active young man be added to unit budget allowance. President Monson tells LDS Scouters at BSA annual meeting that our youth need more activities All Area Authorities in the US and Canada released.

What is Venturing? When leaders of 16-18 year old young men think of “Venturing” some may mistakenly correlate it with “Scouts” (merit badges, knots, uniforms,etc). Then unfortunately, they dismiss this exciting program as not being in tune with their older boys needs and interests. Many leaders try to implement the Scouting model on their Priests Quorum and then wonder why it is not working. Venturing is a totally different activity program, tailored exactly to the needs and interests of your high school age young men. It is designed to meet the needs of Priest-age young men while achieving the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood. Venturing is not a box or package we present, it is focused resources that can be tailored to your individual Priests Quorum.

Defining Venturing In the LDS Church it is for 16-18 year old young men in the Priests Quorum Venturing units are “Crews” Venturing adults are “Advisors” Youth leader is the “President” Venturing Methods (see page 3)

Venturing Resources (pg. 4) Venturing resources were created with the 16-18 year old young man in mind. When Venturing resources are utilized they can help strengthen Priest Quorum mutual night activities. Venturing resources blended with Duty to God requirements can provide the structure and focus to help 16-18 year-old young men prepare for missions.

Venturing Uniform The recommended uniform is the spruce green Venturing shirt with green epaulette tabs and gray backpacking- style shorts or gray casual pants. However, the uniform, if any, is the choice of the crew.

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.

How does a ward utilize Venturing resources to meet the needs of Priest-age young men? See pgs. 5-7 Flexibility Division of Responsibilities, pg. 13 Flexibility in award requirements, pgs.16-17 (compare with generic requirements in Venturer Handbook). “Activities or projects that are more available in your area may be substituted with the advisor’s approval for requirements listed in the books.” Venturer Handbook Recognition Don’t assume boys are interested Dual credit Past credit Certificates Program Planning Tools (pgs. 11-12)

Priest Duty to God & Venturing The Priest Duty to God requirements will satisfy many advancement requirements for the Venturing program See pages 14-15

Venturing Advancement Eagle Ranger Silver Quest Quartermaster Gold Outdoor Arts & Hobbies Religious Life Sports Sea Scout Bronze Awards Life Star see page 22

How to Get Started – page 9 Experience tells us Don’t announce… Do meet… Don’t assume awards… Do assume fun… Don’t say… Do ask… Getting started Obtain resources Select leadership Conduct surveys Conduct brainstorming sessions Hold retreat (page 18) Create draft document (pages 19-20)

Program Planning Arrange for a retreat setting Prep youth leadership in advance Include Leadership Training in retreat Do your homework - don’t start with a blank page when brainstorming Consider needs and interests of all youth Use all available resources Produce a draft document Meet with each boy and his parents in their home - give draft document and share expectations

Call the Right Leaders The call to serve should not be equated with the thought of limited service Training At the time of the call should be given: - Venturing literature - Fast Start available online Within 90 days: -Attend Leader Specific Training Experience - (Ideal) Returned Missionary Parent of a Venturer Outdoorsman Attributes Personal interest in boys Enthusiastic Positive Example

Venturer-age young men are on the threshold to adulthood Venturer-age young men are on the threshold to adulthood. It is an exciting, but often confusing and sometimes frightening time. It is crucial that we help young men prepare to receive the Melchizedek priesthood and temple ordinances, and to serve honorable missions. It is important to keep these young men close to parents, the Bishop, and other priesthood leaders, and to provide good, meaningful activities and role models during this important time.

16 - 18 year old young men need: Positive Melchizedek Priesthood Role Models Consistent leaders that “walk their talk” Tenured leaders- (average tenure is 7 months! Very bad) Leadership opportunities and training Well planned, but flexible activities with other young men and young women Life skills training and spiritual experiences outside the classroom Opportunities to become proficient at something, it builds self-esteem

16 - 18 year old young men want: Challenging physical activities with young men their own age Recognition of their “older” status Activities with young women Independence To explore and experience their world A sense of belonging and acceptance from their peer group

Not only on the Sabbath “Can Sunday meetings be enough? Do we dangerously assume that, having performed on Sunday with Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Priesthood Meeting, that we have fulfilled our callings and are through until next Sunday?” Thayne Packer Sitting in Church for three hours each Sunday will not save our young men.They need to practice what they have learned in the laboratory of the outdoors.

“Boys Need Heroes Close By” “Boys need heroes close by. They need to know some man of towering strength and basic integrity, personally. They need to meet them on the street, to hike and camp with them, to see them in close-to-home, everyday, down-to- earth situations; to feel close enough to them to ask questions and to talk things over man-to- man with them.” Spencer W. Kimball

We can’t compete with the entertainment industry, here’s what we can do... Provide opportunities to serve Teach , teach, teach…we are teachers Demonstrate that you love them Praise them in front of their peers Leader’s enthusiasm- it doesn’t matter what the program is… it’s enthusiasm

“Don’t let the technical outweigh the moral.” “Field efficiency, backwoodsmanship, camping, hiking, good works, Jamboree comradeship are all means, not the end. The end is character – character with a purpose.” Baden-Powell “I never take youth into the back country to go camping. I take them to be with their maker. Do we go to less active boys and say, “put on your tie and come to Church for three hours?” Say instead, come with us on this 50 miler.” Bill Bouska, El Paso, 1-31-04

LET THE YOUTH LEAD ! Adult shadow leadership Hold periodic planning sessions to fine tune the annual plan Always have a three month calendar Hold regular presidency meetings Train the youth about leadership Meet in advance with the Crew President Ranger and Silver Awards require Venturer to share what he’s learned with others

Defining Success in a Priests Quorum/Venturing Crew – page 21 Young men have completed the activity interest survey. Adults in ward have completed Program Capability Inventory. Quorum/Crew has a “draft” annual calendar and a working three- month calendar which includes activities chosen by the young men and utilizes consultants from the ward. Mutual night activities are lead by youth activity chairs. Young men have opportunities to teach others. The Venturing Leadership Skills Course has been conducted. Quorum/Crew presidency has defined duties and meets as needed to plan and administer the group. Boys lead with adult shadow leaders.

As a result of implementing these processes we have noticed the following: Mutual night attendance has increased since Venturing resources were introduced. Attendance at Quorum meeting on Sunday has increased since Venturing resources were introduced.. Quorum unity has improved since Venturing resources were introduced. Young men feel empowered and take more ownership in the quorum/crew.

Most Frequent Excuses “My boys aren’t interested in Scouting” When they experience Venturing, they will quickly see that this is not “Scouting” as they view it.. “Not enough boys in the Priests Quorum” Recruit non-members, if it is fun, they will come Combine occasional activities with the Varsity Team and other Crews “The budget guidelines prohibit us from doing all these fun things” Plan ahead- get $$ budgeted for Venturing in advance Use community resources for little or no cost activities The Church has given us an additional $50 per boy for activities.

Can the wants and needs of the young men in your Priests Quorum be met with no planned mutual night activities? Is the current program in your Priests Quorum, meeting the needs and wants of the young men better than Venturing resources can? From what you have heard and seen tonight, do you believe that your Priest Quorum would be strengthened using Venturing resources?

“A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started “A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started. He is going to sit where you are sitting, and, when you are gone, attend to those things which you think are most important. You can create all the policies you please, but how they are carried out depends on him. He will assume control of your cities, states, and nations. He is going to move in and take over your churches, schools, universities and corporations... the fate of humanity is in his hands.” Abraham Lincoln