Central Region Area 4Venturing Training Conference

Starting and SustainingVenturing Officer Associations

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What is a VOA?

The mission of a Council Venturing Officer’s Association is to promote and support the Venturing program,

utilizing a standard organizational structure that enables the council to grow membership by advancing leadership opportunities through communication, program, and administration.

Rewording of Area VOA Mission

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A Council VOA

preserves the Service Model

The National Cabinet serves the Region VOAs

who serves the Area VOAs

who serves the Council VOAs

who serve the Crews

and their Venturers

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Central RegionBrian ParroKris Zahrobsky

Area 4Michael GuntherDuane Zobrist

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Step 1Critical

Step 2All officers

Step 3 Full VOA

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VOA Structure

• Entirely youth driven• Advised by adults

• VOA consists of four main officers• President• VP of Administration• VP of Program• VP of Communications

•VOA consists of all Crew Presidents • Other may may be added or removed

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Council Venturing President

• Works with the Council VOA Advisor• Is one of the two top youth leaders in the council.• Is the primary Venturing Ambassador in the Council• Helps to achieve the Area 4 Venturing President’s goals• Sets the Council Goals and oversees their achievement• Delegates responsibilities to Council VPs• Sets the tone for the program for the Council’s crews• Any other jobs as assigned by Area or Council Advisors

Full description in SOP

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Council VP of Administration• Works with the Council Associate Advisor for Administration• Develops and implements strategies to increase Venturing

membership in the Council• Promotes and facilitates the selection and presentation of

the Venturing Leadership Award and other appropriate Venturing awards

• Promotes Venturing with Charter Organizations• Takes minutes of the Council meetings and publishes them• Any other duties as assigned by the President

Full description in SOP

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Council VP Program• Works with the Council Associate Advisor for Program• Supervises activity chairs and the planning of fun, training

and service activities (conferences, outings, summits, and other events).

• Facilitates internal training events of the VOA. • Promotes external training events and maintains a knowledge

base of all training opportunities available for youth and adult members in Venturing.

• Any other duties as assigned by the President

Full description in SOP

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Council VP Communications• Works with the Council Associate Advisor of

Communication• Ensures communication is happening throughout the

Council via Facebook, newsletters, websites, etc.• Works to maintain a contact list of crews in the Council

with the help of the other Council Officers• Any other duties as assigned by the President

Full description in SOP

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VOA Advisor• Works with the adult Area Venturing Committee to

support the youth driven program• Chairs the Council Venturing Committee or is a

principle member of the committee and part of the Key 3 (or 4)

• Serves as a mentor and advocate for the Council Venturing President

• Works with each youth officer, mentoring them in their roles

• Works with coordinating things between youth and adults

• Ensures fiscal, programmatic, and risk management issues are properly addressed. Full description in SOP

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Starting up, Stepping up

• Select Officers• Suggestion: First time? Invite all Crew Presidents to a pizza

evening. Ask the youth the best way to come up with a Council Venturing President. If they want to name someone on the spot – let them.

• Create SOP• Set goals• Set meeting dates• Start working on activities• Communicate – make your presence known

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Selection of Officers• Selection process is handled at the council’s discretion

(eventually written in to your Council Operation Procedures)

• Council Venturing Presidents are to be selected by April 30• Current and past crew officers are eligible to submit an

application• All tier terms start on June 1st and end on May 31st

See the section in the SOP

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Standard Operating Procedures

• States purpose and responsibilities• Provides guidance and clarification

• Example: Dates of newsletters, which weekend is your fun event, etc. and the backdating timetable to achieve.

• Outlines organization and responsibilities• Can customize to fit specific needs of each council• ByLaws generator located on CR website (

http://www.crventuring.org/Leadership/Venturing_Officers_Association/ )• Copy the Area OPs as a model (on http://area4.crventuring.org )

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SOP Contents• Mission (National Youth Cabinet and Region and Area

VOA’s)• Methods to select youth officers and appoint adult

Advisors to the Council VOA• Timetable for selections • Position descriptions for each role • Organizational charts for Council VOA• Detail of your annual events (fun, training, service,

recognition)• Short glossary to provide definitions and clarify terms

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Council Venturing Goals

• As a VOA create a set of goals• Focus on:• Administration• Program• Communications• Personal

• Remember, keep them SMART!

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Council VOA meetings• Hold meetings at least once a month

• In person• Freeconferencecall.com

• Set an agenda for each month• Allows VOA to stay on task throughout the year• Ensures constant communication with the officers• Who attends:

• Council Venturing President, runs the meeting• Council VPs• Crew Presidents• All respective advisors

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We have a VOA, now what?

• Fun Events

• Training Events

• Recognition Events

• Service

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Fun Events

• Get creative!• Use all of your resources• Promote, promote, promote...• Examples

• Video Game Nights• Skiing Trips• Whitewater• Caving• Putting the WOW into your Program (handout)

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Training Events

• Effective training leads to well performing teams

• Hold at least one training event each year• Provide Opportunities to:

• Train new officers (officer orientation)• Plan the year• Get to know your crews

•Get involved in your Council’s University of Scouting Venturing Courses

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Recognition Events• Recognize the hard workers!

• Venturing Leadership Award

• Good way to promote Venturing

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Council Standards of Venturing Excellence

• Similar to JTE • Presented by BSA National

Council• Must meet 12 core

requirements• Must meet 5 of 9 electives• Goal of every council to earn

the CSVE• Councils sends report to Area

whether they earn or not.

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Council Venturing President and the Council VOA Advisor are part of the Area VOA while leading the Council VOA

Recognize your President and Advisor

The Area 4 VOA will supply these patchesand conduct an Area COH installation.

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Council Venturing Vice Presidents and their Council Advisors are part of the Council VOA

Recognize your VPs and their Advisors

Council provides these

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Crew Presidents and their Crew Advisors are part of the Council VOA

Recognize your Crew Presidents and their Advisors

Council provides the VOA insigniaand Units provide the other.

Starting and SustainingVenturing Officer Associations

Questions?

area4president@CRVenturing.org