Co-Ed Venturing Crew and younger boy scouts--should they camp together?

[scudder]

I am new to Venturing and have an important question. We have a co-ed Venturing Crew and a Boy Scout Troop that is associated with our crew. Both groups have high adventure programs in the summer. What are the rules about having our co-ed Venturing Crew do a "mixed" high adventure camping trip with younger members of our Boy Scout Troop. I am concerned about having 12 and 13-year-old boys on the same multi-day, tenting high adventure trip as 14, 15, 16-year-old girls. Is it according to scout regs? Does it make sense? I've been to Philmont and can't remember a co-ed Venturing crew taking a hike with members of a Boy Scout patrol.

 

[Nike]

Off the top of my head, NO.

 

Bob White will hopefully be in soon to cite you the reg, but even if it's OK, mmmm, my answer is still NO.

[Beavah]

Yah, scudder, welcome to da forums, eh?

 

My question about high adventure would be why would your youngsters be participatin'? Perhaps your high adventure program can step it up an additional notch to really challenge your high schoolers in ways that wouldn't be as good a fit for your younger boys? High school students have different social needs and needs for challenges, eh? So do middle school lads.

 

In answer to your question, though, there's nothing particularly wrong or against da rules in doing a joint Venturing/Boy Scouting campout or even adventure trip. You need a male and female adult leader, and boys can't tent with girls. Many summer camps often run with both boy scouting and venturing coed staff, and joint campouts can be a great way for Boy Scouts to be introduced to da fun of Venturing. Not that big a deal from da kids' perspective; many of the boys have older sisters and go to coed schools, eh?

 

Beavah

 

[Eamonn]

I have not looked this up in any of the BSA publications or on the BSA web site.

I have taken a coed group of Sea Scouts away to a High Adventure Base and our group was paired up with a older Boy Scout Patrol.

The minimum age for Scouts to participate in the H-A Activity was 14.

Not sure if that helps or not?

I agree with the Beavah.

Maybe a look at the age appropriateness of what is happening rather than looking at the coed? Might be the way to go.

Eamonn.

 

[Crew21_Adv]

Scudder,

 

Greetings!

 

 

As an Advisor and Assistant Scoutmaster allow me to give you my opinion.

 

I have not seen detailed regulations, beyond the G2SS. I have not made the trip; but the Florida Seabase, BSA (as well as other privately contracted similar programs) allow Co-Ed Venturers to sleep within the same berthing area, along with appropriate adult and staff membership.

 

The question should not be if Boy Scouts and (Co-Ed) Venturers be able to take a multi-day trek together. If that was the quesion, I would expect the question would be yes. I do not believe there are restrictions for (Co-Ed) Venturers and Boy Scouts mutual activities. I don't expect a restriction about camping together. An issue for the committees to resolve, yes (because of more tenting and specific leaderhip), but not a restriction.

 

 

The question should be, Do we need both male and female adult leadership, and how many? And how will tenting arragements be made?

 

You may need to take more tents, more equipment and specifically more leadership, than what you would normally desire with just a Boy Scout Troop.

 

Anyways. That is my immediate thoughts and opinion.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

 

[Kahuna]

I think BW is out of town. I know he would have commented on the business suit thread.

[CalicoPenn]

You're not talking about doing a weekend trip somewhere together, you're talking about doing a summer high adventure trip somewhere together.

 

I don't think the first question should be "what are the rules".

 

I think the first question should be to the Crew members: "Do you want to have a shared High Adventure Trip next summer with the 12 and 13 year olds from the Boy Scout Troop (knowing that there may be some limitations on what we can do because of their physical strength, size and maturity)?" If the answer is yes, the second question should be to the Troop's PLC: "Do you want to have a shared High Adventure Trip with the Co-ed Crew (knowing that the older boys will make your life miserable if you aren't on your best behavior in front of the girls)?"

 

Only if the answer to both questions is "yes" should you start to worry about the rules.

 

And I did recommend asking the Crew first. Why? Because their older, and life is unfair sometimes. Also, because if they say no after the PLC says yes, then you won't be disappointing the boys who said yes and turning them off from Venturing, simply because they don't understand why the Crew might say no. Better to ask the Crew and if they say no, not mention it to the Troop. If the Crew says yes, and the PLC says no, the Crew members are much more likely to let it roll off their backs as being no big deal.

 

And if it's a reluctant "yes" on the part of the Crew, I'd take it as a "no" and they just don't want to upset the adults.

 

Just my take.

 

Calico