dana_renner

Can a Venturing Association be formed as a chartering organization? And could this same Venturing Association charter more than one crew? Could it also encompass more than one council?

Good evening all: On page 332 of the Venturing Leader Manual

under uniforms and insignia, Venturers can wear the suggested uniform the spruce green short sleeve shirt with green shoulder loops and either the charcoal gray shorts or long pants. This also

applies to the advisors and other adults on the crew committee, and District,Council,Division and national adult leaders related to the

Venturing program and they can wear shoulder loops related to the crew(green)district (silver) council and national (gold). However uniform if any is the choice of the crew. There is no mention of headgear or anything else. There is a policy known as Distinctive

Dress Identity where a crew can choose any kind of uniform they want. And as in everything in Venturing this is a democratic choice by the entire crew. So in the spirit of Venturing a campaign hat could be ok whether it is USMC, or Boy Scout. If the crew wants it.

recruiting via a Venturing expo where crews set up exhibits, and do some activites that the crews are known to do.

I am Sorry Dana, OGE here, I tried to delete the second post of the double posting and I ended up wiping out both. I apologize and will not attempt such forays on your posts in the future. (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

To all Youth ages 14-21, adult leaders in BSA and Girl Scouts ages 14-21. A unique program exists known as Venturing, it is the young adult program of the Boy Scouts of America, many crews are co-ed, and outdoor adventure oriented, adventure and fun are some of the things that Venturing is known for, also youth run crews, Sea Scouting is fun at sea, sailing, scuba and other fun activities, their units are known as ships. Arts and Hobbies,photography, acting, music,theater are some things Arts and Hobbies crews can do, Religious Life are crews that are close to religious institutions. and Sports where youth do physical fitness and sports activities that challenge them. Venturers can be from 14-21 years old, many crews are male and female (co-ed) but some crews are all male and others could be all female. The recommended crews and ships are co-ed. Venturing is all about youth/adult interaction sharing the same interests that adults do, Youth leadership in the crew. Each year crew officers are elected by the youth members of the crew. These are the youth officers that run the crew for the next year. Adults only advise and help youth in areas where they need the adult help.

Venturers have done the Alps, Scuba off the Florida Keys, produce a play, Sail off of Bermuda, Helped Cub Scouts with outdoor activities.

Venturing is all about adventure, challenge, and fun. Hey can Venturing challenge you today?

Sergei: If you will go to the web site for the Air Force Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB in Alabama you might can get some ideas on how you might could run a Youth Officer Training program

a lot of OTS is academic as well as physical and military and a great deal of patriotism as well. Thanks Dana

Crews need to advertise, do things that put them in the community eye. Participate in service projects in the community. When a local Boy Scout Troop does things the local newspapers get a story from the troop, When a local Cub Scout Pack does something we see the story in the newspaper. When a Boy Scout earns Eagle again it is in the paper. But I do not see anything concerning Venturing crews or Sea Scout Ships. Crews rely too much on the internet, sure it is easy but easy does not always cut it. Especially for recruiting. Word of mouth does a lot, fun programs will help too. If the youth are having a good time then you may start seeing their friends. Get on good terms with scoutmasters but do not stick just to the troop a crew is a crew and a troop is a troop, every crew needs to have it's own program. Also in many councils the area Learning for Life does a career interest survey for Exploring in the local high schools, on the bottom of the survey form is a hobby interest survey that crews can use contact the DE and see if they can get the information if so

then send out invitations for youth inviting them to crew meetings.

Advancement could be a part of the crew program if the youth want to do it. If the crew goes for advancements then as a male Venturer who was a First class in the troop encourage him to continue and earn his Eagle as long as he within the age limits (under age 18)

Even after this young man earns his Eagle encourage him to earn Venturing awards. Encourage everyone in the crew to earn Venturing awards. Design ceremonies for award presentations. If people are having trouble with certain things then have tutorials, or clinics.Put pride in the crew.

Make advancement fun, Have advancement clinics, When your crew does backpacking for example have the Venturers bring their books have the Advisor or another adult check off the requirements. This was done when a Venturing crew did an orienteering activity with a Boy Scout troop, certificates where made up as well for the event and a presentation was made at a crew meeting. Think scoutlike. Some crews are doing a 2 year Ranger program. In the Venturing Reference Guide pg74 under "advancement,Venturing. The Venturing advancement program is based on achievement proficiency in a variety of skill levels. Advancement includes the Venturing Bronze awards for each of the five Venturing clusters. Venturing Gold Award, Venturing Ranger Award, Venturing Silver Award and the Sea Scouting Quartermaster Award. The Venturing Silver Award is the highest award that can be achieved in Venturing. The Quartermaster Award is the highest award that can be achieved in Sea Scouting. Any male Venturer

who has achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or as a Varsity Scout in a team may continue working toward the Star, Life, and Eagle awards while a Venturer to his 18th birthday. Hw must meet the requirements as prescribed in the official Boy Scout Handbook and the current Boy Scout Advancement Requirements. He may be registered as a Venturer only." A male or female Venturer can work on the Venturing or Sea Scouting awards until 21 years of age.

the above reference is from the Venturer Handbook published by the BSA in 1999 and revised again in 2003.

Under my previous posts on a maritime interest under Sea Scouts I mean for Marine Career Programs this is on page 66 in the Sea Scout Manual can a ship adopt a marine career program only? Also can a ship also adopt a Merchant Marine Midshipman program similar to what is offered at the US Merchant Marine Academy or co-opt much of this

Midshipman program and use it in their ship's Program? If so are there any ships out there doing it. On the same token could an aquatic interest Venturing crew do this as well.

Venture Scout. The crew that I am unit commissioner of did a Banquet for recognition of 2 Venturers that earned both Gold and Silver Awards. I believe they borrowed some things from the Eagle ceremony. What I am talking about is to put some ceremonies in crews so it makes the meetings to be something of meaning to Venturers. Earlier last week a Crew Advisor from Texas asked about having a crew officers induction ceremony. I referred him to the Sea Scout Manual and on page 27 of that manual there is a Petty Officer Installation Ceremony. Later he e mailed me and received the suggestion well. I for one believe that crews and ships should have

recognition ceremonies and need to celebrate the achievements of their ship and crew mates.

I have noticed especially in my council that Venturing is not as well attended to as is Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts there is more knowledge concerning troops and packs than to crews. 2 years ago there was Powderhorn a Venturing style familiarization session that went for 2 sessions on a weekend consisting of 3 days each. Many scoutmasters, advisors, committee, council and district people attended it. A few new crews have been started. Council VOA is having a Beachfest this summer, these are all encouraging, but when it comes to district and council no one seems to want to consider Venturing and the problems that arise with crews. Venturing is a part of the traditional part of BSA, although Crews can come off as less than traditional sometimes. But that is the nature of Venturing

Venturing has the co-ed emphasis in some crews and that throws traditional scouters for a loop as well. What are they going to do with all those girls? Girls are an asset to the crew and if they get interested will work hard to get things going. Our council has about

27 crews, some are very active and some are just on paper and are not very active at all. How we get the message out? First to the public, and then to council.

Earlier this week of May 2004 we had an advisor of a Venturing crew ask about crew officer induction ceremonies to bring in a little meaning to crew meetings. We referred him to the Sea Scout Manual, which still has a lot of the traditional Sea Scout ceremonies to put meaning in ship meetings and special occasions. Is there to anyone's knowledge a book, manual or pamphlet that Venturing crews can use for ceremonies or induction ceremonies or recognition ceremonies. Or is it the common practice among crews and ships to borrow from old material or use Boy Scout ceremonies? Do we need to write a Venturing

special occassions and ceremonies section for the Venturing Leader Manual or the Venturing Handbook. I believe ceremonies could work for uniformed and un-uniformed units. If any crews or ships or leaders or commisssioners have any ideas we need all the help we can get. Thanks Dana.

Jason If you have a copy of the Sea Scout Manual on page 27 in the "Ship Meetings and Activities" chapter under Installation of Petty Officers " there is a brief ceremony for outgoing and incoming ship officers maybe you can augment the ceremony for your crew. It's worth a shot. By the way this a recent Sea Scout Manual.

In my Council 2 years ago we had a multi-council event the University of Scouting where 3 councils went together and had a UOS in a neighboring council in a different state. Anyway there were people there from 3 councils even Girl Scout leaders were invited. Point is if they can do that with a UOS they can do that with Venturing Camps. Sea Scouting holds regattas and invites other ships from other councils to attend and invites volunteers to help staff the regatta. Look at Jamborees, and I am just talking about Venturing Camps for the summer. I do believe it can be done as far as volunteers from one council helping in another council. That too is being done here in my own council. One person who belongs to the OA in this council resides in another council. I have heard of people registered in two councils. Also the event can be held one year at one council and another year at another council. Large Councils can build Venturing Camps and have volunteers that are registered in both those councils serve on the camp board or staff.

What I am talking about is this, If scout camps have much land that they can devote to a Venturing Camp why not run a Venturing Camp and invite crews from the hosting council as well as the neighboring councils. Instead of every council running their own Venturing Camp. This could be helpful to the councils and every council that send it's crews to that camp could also have a representative on the camp committee for the Venturing camp. Maybe this idea could go down to the Boy Scout and Cub Scout camp activities too. This may save a lot of money in the long run. The neighboring councils could send their Scouts and Venturers to that camp to work on camp staff. The hosting camp could also charge a higher fee to cover expenses. Maybe even the OA could be on a multi-council level.

Now let's do a new thing a Venturing Camp completely dedicated to the entire Venturing Program for the entire summer. Are there many scout camps that are large to accomodate a seperate Venturing Camp, if so then why not have one that will serve many crews and ships from their councils as well as others? High Adventure activities, Arts and Hobbies activities for those crews, Relgious Life crews may could help lead religious services at the camp. Sea Scouts could do COPE or the land based programs that Sea Scouts do. Summer Camp Crew for the staff. Sports clinics for the Sports crews. Well maybe some of the people involved in my council will read this as well and consider doing some of these ideas. Maybe something to consider.

Venture Scout, sorry about the double postings, I hit the submit once and it does it twice don't know why it does this. I have asked many people about this and even have complained about this and got no satisifaction, Sorry. Well you are one of the people who feel that I am trying to reinvent the wheel. Well not really, I am trying to find consensus on what Sea Scout Ships are doing in this Maritime Interest Sea Scout post, I basically am a person that does ideas and like to brainstorm ideas, and will stick around to put them into action. It is not my intentiion to confuse other people, or to appear like I am confused what my program is all about. And it is good that you are cheerful as part of the scout law and also what the OA is all about right. But also as a part of the scout law a scout is trustworthy I honestly regret any confusion or inconvience on your part. Thanks

Bob we also use the Venturing Roundtable Guide for the Roundtable ideas. Last Year the first roundtable was a banquet for Venturing and basically a Brainstorming session a breakout session for the youth and It was a good session food really brings people out. Then We did a Roundtable on Sea Scouts a ship from a neighboring council helped us out since the one in our council was just started. The third roundtable was a Winter Sports skiing and snowboarding, The Last real roundtable was on Climbing and Mountaineering. We were sidetracked by Council for a while and finally we received clearance to resume roundtables at the District Roundtable so in August we will resume Venturing Roundtables we need to set a mission and a vision and goals and resume staff meetings.

Venturing Roundtables will resume in August, Ideally they are held every 3 months, I try to have a Staff Meeting about a month before the Roundtable. We were getting some advisors to come though not enough there are about 26 crews in our council. The roundtable is council wide and we try to cover a lot of the topics that Venturing can use. We also try to keep up with the Venturing Officers Association and they have helped us with presentations when we needed youth to assist us. As a Unit Commissioner for a Crew sometimes I have helped with some activities for the Crew, back in March we took 2 Venturers and 2 other adults for an orienteering activity with a Boy Scout Troop. The youth had fun and learned quite a bit. We awarded them with a Certificate for the Activity to give a little encouragement and they also done the Land Navigation requirement for Outdoor Bronze and this also goes toward Ranger. I am in process of doing Crew profiles for crews in the District so I can give a report of them for District Committee. Many times I visit crews either, the crew meeting or Committee, or an officers meeting.

In fact this upcoming week I visit a Civil War Living History crew to see a little how they operate. I try to keep up with what we have in our district.

In this I mean where there are a part of a council or where other councils would come together and design a Venturing camp for High Adventure activities in Venturing or a Sea Scout interest camp, something located near a large body of water. Or maybe a Venturing Camp that would do a program designed for all the Venturing specialties. I am aware that most BSA Camps are open to crews as well as troops, teams, ships and posts, and packs. But where one would do primarily a Venturing camp for just a week or so.

To support Venturing in my council, I am a Venturing Roundtable Commissioner, also a Unit Commissioner for a Venturing Crew I attend District Committee Meetings, I habve attended Camporees, In the roundtables we have addressed the Sea Scouting Program, winter sports, first roundtable was with a banquet. I helped lead Venturers in Orienteering, and we are now planning a council camporee, I advise a crew advisor also as a part of the unit commissioner, and on the Roundtable for Venturing I have 2 staff members that work with me. I have a Bachelors of Commissioner Science that I earned in 2002 from UOS in Camp Rodney, MD. That is about it. I am also aware that the Marine Careers are in the Sea Scout Manual but what I was trying to do is to see if there are any ships that do that part of the program. I am also aware that the Sea Scout program is an asset to the Merchant Marine as well as the Navy and the Coast Guard. Also this is a good way to get youth to be more confident and to learn leadership as well as fun doing that.

Venture Scout and Scoutldr Why I mentioned this is to give ships an idea for a program there are already Maritime Careers listed in the Sea Scout Manual , As a UC sometimes I help with brainstorming for crews. This could be a new idea for some ships to try. Again I am not trying to re-invent the wheel as accused by other scouters. Just reading the Sea Scout Manual. No history just present program

I am fairly new to this site, from what I gather it is quite good, but the people who post on this site are the people who will challenge you and this is good. I currently am a Unit Commissioner for Venturing in the Horseshoe Trail District in the Chester County Council BSA. I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout in the 1960's I just attained the rank of First Class Scout. In 1996 when my son joined Troop 116 I signed on as an Assistant Scoutmaster in a Venture Crew Patrol in 1998 I helped to start a Venturing Crew in a Civil Air Patrol Squadron. Then signing up for Unit Commissioner in 2002 for Venturing I have a strong passion for Scouting in general but for Venturing in Particular. I believe that today's young people new a quality youth program and BSA is it.

To create a new program within Sea Scouting. Maritime Interest Sea Scout ships, to sail the bounding main, learn seamanship, oceanography, to serve an apprenticeship aboard a merchant ship, or a ocean tug, a cruise ship, a riverboat on the Mississippi River, to learn Naval Customs and Courtesy and about the US Merchant Marine the second year for Sea Scouts a week of that year summer camp at sea, or at Sea Base. Young men and women spending time at a sea camp learning marine biology. A program like this could start a new specialty within Sea Scouting.