Robert GrupeCommittee ChairChesterfield Missouri Troop 848

2014-11-23tags :: BSA, Boy Scouts, Venturing

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Extending The Troop Through Venturing

Prepared. For Life.®

– Prepared. For Adventure. – Prepared. For Leadership.– Prepared. For Service. – Prepared. For Learning. 

Contents

• Troop Committee Presentation– Getting sponsorship

• Troop Scout Presentation– Determining interest

• Formation Exploration– Defining focus, activities, and plan

• Resource Links

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Troop Committee Presentation

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Troop Challenges With Older Scouts

• Earned Eagle, but now what?• Like camping and hiking, but be interested in

other types of group activities as well• Turned 18, but want to remain active with my

home scout troop and activities• Going to college, but would like to

– participate in some home troop special trips, and – participate in activities with a crew near my college

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What is Venturing?

• Youth age 14-20 years old– Crews can be boys-only, girls-only, or coed

• Venturing Activities not allowed for Boy Scouts/under-14– Mountaineering/scrambling– Horse treks– Search & rescue missions– Snowmobiles & dirt motorcycles– Aircraft flying– Cave Exploration– Hunting, shooting pistols & large bore rifles

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Venturing Awards & Recognition

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What’s in it for Boy Scouts?

• Scouts ages 14-17 and adult leaders can be members of both units; primary registration in the troop and multiple in the crew.

• Participate in Scouting events after age 18• Participate in Boy Scouting & Venturing events• Access to all Scout camping and high adventure

properties• Advancement opportunities beyond Eagle• Rank advancement opportunities for scouts “aging out”

before Eagle• Ability to earn highest scouting awards

– STEM Super NOVA Albert Einstein Award• New leadership skills training for all members.

• District and National scouting leadership opportunities

• College scholarships opportunities (Summit rank achievement)

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How Venturing Helps the Troop

• Serves as the “senior scouts” patrol– Meets the wants and needs of 14-20 year old young men– Involves Venturers in leading, instructing, and mentoring the

Troop

• Venturers teach and provide program.• A scouting program for daughters of scouting

families• Challenging older Scouts, while attracting and

retaining younger boys• Giving younger Scouts something to anticipate

beyond Eagle

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Crew & Troop Integration

• Crew decides their uniform– Optional Venturing uniform with same unit number

• Crew determined separate and combined with troop meetings, events, and outings– Can share meeting space and time

• Troop adult leaders and merit badge counselors provide support to Crew

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Integrated Activities

• Committee Meetings– Troop committee meeting first– Followed by Crew committee meeting

• Troop & Crew Meetings– Same place, same time– Combined opening flag ceremonies & announcements– Some Venturing lead/participation, depending on program– Separate activities

• PLC/VLC Meetings– Same place same time– Separate meetings

• Troop outings– Shared campsite: separate patrol areas– Crew can have separate activities

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Minimum Required Adult Involvement

• Crew Adult Leadership (21+yrs, can be non-parent)– Committee

• Chartering Organization Representatives• Committee Chair• Committee Member

– Crew advisors (all events and activities)• 1 Registered Crew Advisor (can’t be committee member)

– Mentoring crew leadership/development• 1 Available Parent (can be committee member, can rotate)

– 2 Deep Youth Protection– If crew co-ed, must be opposite gender than the Crew Advisor

• What’s In It For The Parents?– Extending the adventure with their young men for a couple more

precious years– Adult Scouter Knot Award for Venturing involvement

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Plan

• Troop Committee Meeting– Presentation & Discussion, Vote for Approval

• Presentation to Scouts– Email invitation prior to meeting to scouts & parents

• Current 16&17 year olds• Current Eagle scouts• Inactive/graduated scouts under 21

– 1 hour before/after troop meeting

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Troop Presentation Meeting

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Have You Ever Wondered…???

• Earned Eagle, but now what?• Turned 18, but want to remain active with my

home scout troop and activities• Like camping and hiking, but be interested in

other types of group activities as well• Going to college, but would like to

– participate in some home troop special trips, and – participate in activities with a crew near my college

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What is Venturing?

• Scouting for youth age 14-20 years old– Crews can be boys-only, girls-only, or coed

• Everything in Boy Scouts +Activities not allowed by Boy Scouts/under-14– Hunting, pistol, large bore– Mountaineering/scrambling– Horse treks– Search & rescue missions– Snowmobiles & dirt motorcycles– Aircraft flying– Cave Exploration

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Example Crew Activities

• Indoor Climbing• Bowling• Dodge Ball• Capture the Flag• Geocaching• Sailing• Scuba• Shooting & Archery• Mountain Biking• Caving• Whitewater Rafting• Scavenger Hunts• Annual Super Activity

roadtrip

• Fall Fun Rally @ Beaumont• High Adventure Bases

– Philmont– Sea Base– Northern Tier– The Summit

• Scouting for Food• Council Camporee staffing• Personal development

training• Leadership training

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Venturing Awards & Recognition

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What’s in it for Boy Scouts?

• Scouts ages 14-17 and adult leaders can be members of both units; primary registration in the troop and multiple in the crew.

• Participate in Scouting events after age 18• Participate in Boy Scouting & Venturing events• Access to all Scout camping and high adventure

properties• Advancement opportunities beyond Eagle• Rank advancement for scouts “aging out” before Eagle• Ability to earn highest scouting awards

– STEM Super NOVA Albert Einstein Award• New leadership skills training for all members.

• District and National scouting leadership opportunities

• College scholarships opportunities (Summit rank achievement)

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So What Do You Think?

• Is this something for you?

• Would this benefit our troop?

• Who wants to help form a new crew?

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Formation Exploration

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Crew Survey of Interests

• Shooting sports: guns, shotguns, pistols archery, hunting• Arts: painting & sculpture, theater, concerts• Emergency preparedness & rescue. Police & EMT support.• Watercraft: sailing, canoeing, motorboats, houseboats,

whitewater• Science competitions• Electronics & Robotics competitions• Computers & gaming (board games, video games)• Sports: biking, cross country, ultimate, volleyball• Hangouts: skating, indoor climbing, trampoline, swimming,

cooking• Camping, Hiking historic trails, backpacking, & fishing• Community service project and charity support• Conservation• …

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Resources

• National – http://www.scouting.org/Home/Venturing.aspx

• Greater Saint Louis Council– http://stlbsa.org/programs/venturing/ – https://www.facebook.com/groups/gslacventuring/ – http://www.venturing.gslac.org/newhorizons

• Other– http://scoutermom.com/4720/starting-venture-crew/– http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/500ideas.pdf

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