Venturing

Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are 14 years of age OR 13 years of age and have completed the eighth grade and under 21 years of age. Venturing units are called crews; adults are called Advisors. The youth leader is the president. The program is developed by local community organizations such as churches, civic groups, and educational and business institutions that match the interests of young adults with the program resources of the organization. These organizations are called chartered organizations.

The Venturing crew is a youth-led organization that recruits members, elects officers, and plans programs based on the organization’s program inventory. Adult Advisors provide training and guidance for the crew’s elected officers.

There is no universal official uniform. The recommended uniform is the spruce green shirt with green epaulet tabs and gray backpacking-style shorts or gray casual pants. However, the uniform, if any, is the choice of the crew. You may choose to get silk-screened t-shirts, embroidered golf shirts or something else that the group selects.

Check this council website regularly for activity updates, as well as our Facebook page and the Trailblazer.

Yes! You can join as many crews as you have time to commit to.

No. You only have to pay one registration fee to be covered under the BSA insurance.

Venturing is a part of BSA but it is for more mature boys, and also girls. With more maturity, you can do more things that would not be appropriate for younger boys such as longer high adventures, scuba, handgun shooting, more difficult climbing and more vigorous treks at Philmont and similar adventures.

Yes, and no. To qualify for the OA the candidate must also be a member of an active and recognized Boy Scout Troop. The nomination and ordeal experience are part of the Troop program and not the Venturing Program.

The aims of the Boy Scouts of America are to build character, develop citizenship, and foster personal fitness. The Venturing methods have been carefully designed to achieve the aims of the Boy Scouts of America and meet the needs of young adults.

• Adult Association – Youth officers lead the crew. The officers and activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. Adults serve in a shadow leader capacity.
• Leadership – All Ventures 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 Ventures and helps to teach in an active way to effectively lead.
• Recognition – Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program and through the acknowledgment of a youth’s competence and ability by peers and adults.
• Ideals – Ventures are expected to know and live by the Venturing Oath and Code. They promise to be faithful in religious duties, to treasure their American heritage, to help others, and to seek truth and fairness.
• 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.
• High Adventure – Venturing 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 Ventures to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others, Ventures are often better able to retain the skill or knowledge that they have 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.

The specific responsibilities of an Advisor include:

• Fostering an environment within the Venturing crew that has a true sense of community and encourages everyone’s growth and responsibility to one another.
• Developing crew officers to lead, i.e., to plan, make decisions, and carry out a program of activities over an extended period.
• Encouraging participation and support for the Venturing crew from the chartered organization associate Advisors, crew committee, parents, and other adults in the community.
• Upholding the standards and policies of the chartered organization and the Boy Scouts of America.
• Providing the necessary framework for protecting the members of a crew from abuse.
• Ensuring that activities are conducted within BSA safety guidelines and requirements. Advisors should be trained by the BSA.
• Seeking to cultivate within the members of a crew a capacity to enjoy life– to have fun through the Venturing experience.
• The Advisor is the key adult leader and is responsible for training crew officers.
• The ultimate responsibility for the crew rests with the Advisor.