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Venturing Specialty, Rovering?


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Could a crew be a Venturing Crew and do Rovering too? Yes I believe it could if the youth wanted too. combine the two programs into a super outdoor adventure program? Rovering was one of the forerunners of the Venturing program of today, in fact Rovering was before Explorer Scouts, and Explorer in the Troop program and it could be done. I believe as a second specialty to be done with an outdoor

adventure crew, also it could be used to help set up a Honor Society and really restore an outdoor feel to the Venturing Program

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I have to admit to not knowing anything about Rover Scouts or Rover Scouting in the USA. I was around just before the program was done away with back in England and did serve on a Service Team at a National Camp Site in England which when I joined was made up with Rover Scout "Left Overs." At the time I was a young Venture Scout. While I don't think it would be fair to say that what I seen and heard is in any way a fair representation of the program. It seemed to me that a great deal of time was spent in the pub remembering and reminiscing about the good old days. The good old days when there was Boy Scouts, Senior Scouts and Rover Scouts.My personal feelings are that while the guys that I worked with were very proficient in traditional Scout skills and by belonging to the service team it could be said that they were still serving Scouts and Scouting they were in fact getting nothing out of Scouting and not giving anything back. Even these Service Team members (Very much like Campmasters.) Who would work their tails off all day, used the time as their monthly get together and come sun down were off to the pub to drink vast quantities of real ale.

Eamonn

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"...really restore an outdoor feel to the Venturing Program"

 

Not sure the Arts and Hobbies, Religious Life, or Sports Crews want to restore an Outdoor feel, the Sea Scouts are probably ok with being outdoors though.

 

We have a Crew in the Council that does Model Trains, I know they dont want to be outdoors.

The WWII Re-enactment Crew like the outdoors, but are limited in gear (pre 1945) they can use

 

BTW, I have never heard of Rovering in the US, is this something new or have I misplaced you geographicaly? Welcome to the Forum

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  • 2 weeks later...

Rovering is a program that is very much a traditional form of Senior Scouting to use an old term. The ages for the youth involved are 16-26 years of age. It is a program that is very much part of the international scouting area. However according to Senior Scouting Program Overviews, it was once a part of the BSA. Also according to the SSPO(senior scouting program overview) it mostly disappeared from the American scout scene around 1953 or so. To be replaced by

The Explorer Scouts, then Explorers, then the Exploring Division BSA

predecessor to Venturing (traditional BSA) however here in the USA and still in BSA there is a Venturing Crew that does a Rovering style program they even try to attend the activities. Also independent of the BSA there are Rovering Scout Crews that are a part of Rover Scout Association some Crews could do this as a specialty as does the Dan Beard Rover Crew (Venturing Crew 95) does and I believe that crew is in the Three Fires Council BSA one of the

last BSA Rover Crews in the USA that is in the BSA. This does not include the others that are independent of the BSA.

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Last time that I was "Home" the Scout Association was getting ready for a major overhaul of the British Scouting program. Prior to the Advanced Party Report in 1969 there was: Wolf Cubs.

Boy Scouts.

Senior Scouts.

Rovers.

These became:

Cub Scouts.

Scouts.

Venture Scouts. Which was a co-ed program.

Over the years the Scout Group (A Scout Group was/is a pack a troop and a venture unit.) could opt to become co-ed. Sometime in the late 80's Beavers were added which seem to be very much like our Tigers only again if the group is co-ed girls can join.

The new program has:

Beaver Scouts. Young people can join in the 3 months leading up to their 6th birthday. They can move up to Cub Scouts from age 8 to age 8 1/2.

Scouts start at age 10 1/2 and run to age 15 1/2. This is the final part of the Scout Group.

Explorer Scouts, which is new and has replaced Venture Scouts runs from age 14 - 18. While it can be part of a traditional Scout group many are part of a district or are formed with a certain area of interest.

Scout Network is also new it is open to all members of the Scout Association aged from 18 -25. While you can just be a Network member you can also be a leader or a member in any other capacity. From what I have seen while it is all very loose and while there is the opportunity to complete some awards and some of the groups are doing some neat stuff it is more about keeping people in the program then anything else.

Eamonn

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  • 1 month later...

I ran across your reference to the Dan Beard Rover Crew. I am one of the leaders of the DB Crew. I became a rover 20+ years ago through the mentoring of an Australian Rover Scout, and over the last couple of years, finally worked with some other good folks to organize our own Rover Crew. We are not one of the last BSA crews, but we have had good help from members of the B-P and Kudu Rover Crews.

 

Rovering works well as our venturing specialty. We are in a college town, so it was relatively easy to collect members who are older venturers and young leaders (from both BSA and Girl Scout, in fact). We were able to attend our first moot with the members of Scouts Canada last month, which was a great opportunity to engage in Scouting as an international experience.

 

General information on our crew--is available at our crew website: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/scied/db_crew/Dan_Beard_Rover_Crew.html

 

Kind regards,

 

Ken

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The B-P and Kudu Crews are no longer currently registered as BSA units, but their members that I have been in touch with have been most helpful, living up to the Rover Scout motto of "Service."

 

Rovering was described by Baden-Powell as a "Brotherhood of Open Air and Service." To that end, we combine camping/outdoor experiences with service to the community (which includes scouting-related service).

 

Essentially, there is no conflict between Rovering and Venturing, as we use the framework provided by the Venturing program to deliver a program of outdoor adventures and public service. Some members of the crew have expressed interest in pursuing the Ranger/Silver Awards as a personal challenge, and Rover Crew activities support their personal program needs in this area.

 

I realize my answer is pretty general--if you have some specific questions, I'd be happy to offer my perspective. On one of the crew's web pages, you can find a file to a "zipped" copy of our crew handbook.

 

http://www.cedu.niu.edu/scied/db_crew/DBRC_guidebook.html

 

Kind regards,

 

Ken

 

 

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Elburn, IL is 45 miles west of Chicago (placing it 15 miles east of me, here in DeKalb)

 

Wood Dale, IL is west of Chicago, near O'Hare International Airport.

 

Re: better answer to your previous question: The Kudu and B-P Crews were chartered as explorer posts (and in the case of the B-P Crew, as venturing crews as well). The B-P Crew was chartered as a Rover Crew in the early 1950s, and became an explorer post (with a specialization in rovering) in 1965, when the National Office of the BSA elected to cease rechartering existing rover crews. The National Office had ceased chartering new Rover Crews in 1953 or so; the B-P Crew operated under a grandfather clause and maintained their rover crew charter until 1965.

 

Ken

 

 

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Ken

There was a rumor going around that you where going to staff Thunderbird this year, but I have not seen you at any meetings?

Just to help you with who I am, as you put it to me the first time we meet, Oh you are with "that" troop in Lily Lake.

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Did I really say that? ;-)

 

***

 

I had conflicts on every one of the TB weekends:

 

2/7--took rover crew to Klondike derby to staff event

3/6--presenting at a conference (i.e., work)

4/3--camp visitation required meeting

4/24--rover crew service project

 

Clearly, I am

--too busy

--not much use to you or TB this time, Dan

 

I was amused that you found me in such an unexpected forum...but I see you have quite an active presence here. :-)

 

Hi to all who are friendly.

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