1. 2010 Program & Training Conference Scott Eliason

2. What are your concerns about Venturing and your Troop? You will steal all my older Scouts/senior leaders.

3. Concerns

4. Scoutmaster Challenges Keeping 14 to 18 year old Boy Scouts “engaged” in the troop. Challenging older Boy Scouts, while at the same time, trying to attract and retain younger Boy Scouts. Competing with older Boy Scouts’ interests; cars, girls, high school. Providing leadership/role model opportunities to all older Boy Scouts. Giving younger Boy Scouts something to anticipate beyond the troop Consistently offering exciting program.

5. What is Venturing? What is this program and what do youth get out of it?

6. Venturing is… For older teens-goes thru 20! Includes girls More challenging What you do after Boy Scouts Really youth run New advancement opportunities Youth actually teach and mentor others

7. Venturing is… thinking outside the box Joe Q. Public’s (mom’s) view Uniforms Boys only Compass and campfires Rigid Old Fashioned Paradigm shift No Required uniform Coed (fastest growing program) Global Positioning System and Leave No Trace Cutting Edge in Youth Protection Flexible

8. What Venturers Need Participation and experimentation Make choices Care about others Enjoyment of life New skills Opportunities for reflection Respect Acceptance Role models Problem-solving skills To be listened to

9. How Venturing Supports These Needs Opportunities to try leadership roles, responsibilities, and experiences Real and meaningful experiences Fun and enjoyable experiences New personal skills An emphasis on caring about others

10. The Methods Adult association Leadership Recognition Ideals Group activities High adventure Teaching others

11. 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.

12. 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. Venturing Code

13. 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.

14. Does Venturing Have a Required 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.

15. 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. These leaders must be adult men and women at least 21 years of age, who will guide the crew. Crew Organization and Leadership

16. Crew Committee Advisor Associate Advisor Administration Associate Advisor Program Sponsoring Organization Consultants President Vice President Administration Vice President Program Treasurer Committee Chair Secretary Activity Chairs Venturing Crew Organization

17. Advisor Associate Advisors Crew Committee Consultants ADULT LEADERS

18. President Vice Presidents Secretary Treasurer Activity Chairs (appointed) Elected Crew Officers

19. The elected Venturing 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 Adult - Venturer Teams

20. Venturing Awards Map Quarter- master Outdoor Bronze Ranger Arts and Hobbies Silver Sports ReligiousLife SeaScout OrdinaryAble First Class earned in Troop Quest Gold Trust

21. Male Venturers May Continue To Work Toward Eagle Must be at least a First Class earned as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout. Requirements remain the same. Board of review can be conducted by the troop or crew. If registered in both the troop and crew, can receive multiple credit for many Bronze, Gold, Silver and Ranger requirements. May use crew leadership positions and participation.

22. 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 activities Program Capability Inventory (PCI)

23. This questionnaire is taken 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. Activity Interest Survey

24. An interested and capable Venturer is appointed to serve as chair for each activity Assisted by an adult consultant from the PCI who has knowledge about the particular activity. Team manages the planning, development and execution of the activity. Select Venturer Activity Chairs and Adult Consultants

25. Ethics forums and controversies Venturing activities Other Venturing crews Venturing literature Venturing Leader Manual Venturer Handbook Ranger Handbook Venturing Reference Guide to Safe Scouting Venturing Advisor Fast Start SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES and HELPS

26. Ethical Controversies Dilemmas without easy answers Dilemmas in which each side might have valid arguments Examples: –When is censorship OK? –Is it right to refuse jury duty? –What do you do when your boss does something illegal?

27. Why Develop personal skills –Promoting productive conflict resolution –Polite disagreement –Listening to new ideas –Understanding other people’s perspectives

28. Why Should a Troop Consider a Venturing Crew? The Venturing program complements the Boy Scout troop. It adds exciting new advancement and leadership opportunities for your older boys. It allows flexibility, so boys can participate in both programs. Venturing can help solve many of the Scoutmaster’s challenges. It meets the wants and needs of 14 to 21 year old young men. It provides a scouting program for daughters of scouting families.

29. National BSA Statistics Average Boy Scout is 14 years and 1 month old Average Eagle Scout is 16 years and 2 months old Average Boy Scout attendance at summer camp is 2.8 years

30. What Does Venturing Offer Older Boy Scouts In Your Troop? New advancement opportunities for boys interested in progressing beyond Eagle. New, exciting awards and recognition for boys out of the advancement loop. Activities with boys and girls their own age. New leadership skills training for all members. Venturers give leadership to the troop through the Ranger program, etc.

31. Venturing’s Teaching Philosophy Four Levels of Learning Level I - You read it. Level II -Someone teaches it to you. Level III - You experience it. Level IV - You teach it to someone else. We retain 85% of what we learn when we teach it to someone else. Venturing recognition requires Level IV.

32. How Does a Troop and a Crew Work Together? Scouts ages 14 to 18 and adult leaders can be members of both units; primary registration in the troop and multiple in the crew. The crew meets separately from the troop perhaps twice each month and has occasional activities with the troop and many on their own. Venturers in the troop, (especially troop leaders) are expected to participate in both units. Venturers teach and provide program.

33. Continued... Recruit a former Assistant Scoutmaster or committee member to serve as Crew Advisor. Utilize existing qualified merit badge counselors as consultants for the Ranger Award. Venturers can wear distinctive uniforming and maintain the same unit #. Younger Boy Scouts think of the crew as an extension of the troop.

34. 14 to 18 Year Old Boys Want: Challenging physical activities with boys their own age. Recognition of their “older” status. Activities with girls. Control of their environment. Independence. To explore and experience their world. A sense of belonging and acceptance from their peer group, inclusion in a “gang.”

35. Girls want all the same things! Female Venturers successfully participate in all high adventure activities (60 mile bike rides, backpacking, Mile Swim in the Pacific Ocean, and winter snowboarding. Venturers, male and female, assist the troop’s Leadership Corps in preparing and teaching the younger boys. The crew provides older scouts (who otherwise become disinterested in scouting at the age of driving and dating) with a program that retains their interest by allowing them to pursue higher adventure with female peers and friends. Co-education fosters mature, responsible and respectful relationships. C.T. Zacharczuk, Advisor- Crew 3712, Van Nuys, CA

36. Michael Brown - Crew 1838 “Adults need to understand what we are here for. We are here for the boys, not the other way around. The Troops exist FOR the boys, not the other way around. If the troop does not have a program that interests the older boys, why deny them the chance to go to a program that will interest them?” “As a Scoutmaster I understood the reasons for having both the programs and that the troop could not do the same job for older boys as either Venturing or Sea Scouting.” e-mail received on 9-27-00

37. What can I do? Talk with the Scouts

38. Questions?

39. Let’s Get Started!