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Boy Scouts of America |
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Venturing
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What is Venturing? |
Venturing is the program established by the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are at least 14 years old and have completed the eighth grade, to 20 years old. Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Specific goals for the Venturers are:
- Learn to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values in the Venturing Oath and Code
- Experience a program that is fun and full of challenge and adventure
- Become a skilled training and program resource for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and other groups
- Acquire skills in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies, religious life, or Sea Scouting
- Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given opportunities to take on leadership
roles
- Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and fun environment
In order to do this, Venturing employs these methods:
- Leadership. All Venturers are given opportunities to learn and apply proven leadership skills. A Venturing
crew is led by elected crew officers. The Venturing Leadership Skills Course is designed for all Venturers and
helps teach in an active way to effectively lead.
- Group Activities. Venturing activities are interdependent group experiences in which success is dependent
on the cooperation of all. Learning by doing in a group setting provides opportunities for developing new skills.
- Adult Association. The youth officers lead the crew. The officers and activity chairs work closely with
adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a "shadow" leader
capacity.
- Recognition. Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program and through the acknowledgement
of a youth's competence and ability by peers and adults.
- The Ideals. Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturing Oath and Code. They promise to
be faithful in religious duties, treasure their American heritage, to help others, and to seek truth and fairness.
- High Adventure. Venturing's emphasis on high adventure helps provide team-building opportunities, new
meaningful experiences, practical leadership application, and lifelong memories to young adults.
- Teaching Others. All of the Venturing awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often, Venturers are better able to retain the skill or knowledge they taught, they gain confidence in their ability to speak and relate to others, and they acquire skills that can benefit them for the rest of their lives as a hobby or occupation.
More information on Venturing is available at the Boy Scouts of America's Web site.
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How is Venturing organized? |
The Crew . . .
All youth members are part of the "Crew." Crews are sponsored by a "chartering organization," usually a church, and generally meet in a fellowship hall or other facility which is part of that church. The adult leader of the troop is called the "Advisor." Crews are led by the youth members, though. Youth members elect a President and other officers, who then plan the Crew year and schedule meetings and activities. Adults are in advisory positions and do much less direct leading of the Crew.
The District and the Council . . .
Venturing Crews in Durham County are part of Mawat District. Mawat District and other districts in central North Carolina are part of Occoneechee Council. The Council occasionally sponsors special, larger events for Venturers to attend.
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What activities do Venturers do? |
The Venturing program includes activities that involve outdoor adventure, leadership opportunities, and service to others.
- Outdoor Adventure: Crews often go on overnight or weekend camping trips where Venturers engage in a
variety of activities: camping, cooking, building fires, enjoying water activities like swimming and canoeing,
backpacking, rock climbing, and more.
- Leadership: Venturing Crews are led by youth leaders, elected by the youth members. Crew members can
be elected by their fellow youth to be President, Vice-President - Program, and other positions as well. Leadership
training is provided by adult advisors.
- Service: Service is an integral part of the program. Venturers engage in conservation projects, clear
and improve trails, help out at their schools or religious institutions, and can even serve Cub Scouts and Boy
Scouts.
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Frequently Asked Questions |
How do I find a Venturing Crew to join?
You can look at this list of Venturing Crews, which has meeting places and contact information, or at this map of Crews, which shows the meeting places on a map of Durham County. You can also request information online.
When and where does the Crew meet?
Crew officers decide how often meetings are held, and for how long. Some Crews meet weekly, some monthly, some irregularly. Meetings are normally held at a facility provided by the chartering organization.
Annual dues for Venturers are $11.00. Individual Crews also often charge dues in addition to those paid to BSA.
Yes, it is. Both males and females can be in a Venturing Crew. Crews can also choose to be all-male or all-female.
The youth members of the Crew decide what uniform, if any, the Crew will choose to wear. Crews can wear the standard Venturing uniform available from BSA, or a Crew-designed T-shirt or other uniform, or have no uniform at all.
What do we need to do to join?
- Complete an application for each boy, and submit it to a Crew volunteer with appropriate payment.
- If the Crew wears the standard Venturing uniform, purchase it from the Occoneechee Council Scout Shop at 3231 Atlantic Ave in Raleigh (map) or online at www.scoutstuff.org.
- If the Crew supports standard Venturing awards, purchase the Venturing guidebook from the Council Scout Shop or online.
We're glad you asked! There are a number of ways adults can help Scouting be successful:
- First and foremost, support your teen in his or her Venturing activities. Help him or her keep up with
the calendar of Venturing activities
- Volunteer some of your time and talents. Let the current Crew volunteers know that you're willing to help, and what your talents, skills and interests are. Your teen may not be overly enthusiastic about your participation in Crew activities, but don't let that stand in your way! You can help with driving to campouts, and stay and help on those campouts or just drop Crew members off. You can serve on the Crew Committee and help plan the overall Crew program and administer the unit.
How are youth members kept safe?
The safety and protection of boys and girls in Venturing is of utmost importance. Learn more about how Venturing keeps youth members safe.