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Venturing Fast Start

Welcome to Venturing

This booklet illustrates how using the Venturing pro-

gram planning process can get your Venturing crew up

and r unning and off to a successful start. It also will

provide information to help you when you fir st meet

with youth.

Details on crew operations, program planning, and

elected youth officer training can be found in the

Venturing Leader Manual, No. 34655B.

Getting Started

There are several things you need to know:

• What is Venturing, its goals and methods.

• What’s in it for you.

• What’s in it for youth.

• How do you get your crew up and running.

The Venturing Program

Ventur ing is for young adults ages 14 to 20 who, along

with adult leaders, are registered with the Boy Scouts

of America.

The program matches the interests of young adults

with adult expertise and resources of the chartered

organization and other adults in the community.

The program is carried out through a Venturing crew.

Its purpose is to provide experiences that will affect

the positive development of youth at a critical stage in

their lives and to prepare them to become responsible

and caring adults.

The crew is led by elected youth officers. Young adults

join to gain insight through fun-filled programs and

hands-on activities provided by the chartered organiza-

tion, adult committee member volunteers, youth mem-

ber parents, and other consultants from the community.

Program Goals

Venturing has four specific goals for Venturers:

1. To gain practical experience in a special interest, a

skill, or leadership

2. Engage in a program of activities centered on the

following areas: social, leadership, fitness,

service, outdoor, and citizenship

3. To exper ience positive leader ship from adults and

youth and to have an opportunity to lead others

4. To learn and grow in a caring environment

Venturing 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 interdepen-

dent group experiences in which success depends on

the cooperation of all. Learning by doing in a group set-

ting provides opportunities for developing new skills.

•

Adult association.

The youth officers lead the crew.

The officers and activity chairs work closely with

Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partner-

ship. The adults serve in a “shadow” leader capacity.

•

Recognition.

Recognition comes through the Ventur-

ing advancement program and through the acknowl-

edgement 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 do

their duty to God, help strengthen America, to help

others, and to seek truth and fair ness.

• High adventure. Ventur ing’s emphasis on high adven-

ture helps provide team-building opportunities, new

meaningful experiences, practical leadership applica-

tion, and lifelong memories to young adults.