WHAT IS VENTURING?
Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America
for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade)
through 20 years of age.
Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young
people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring
adults.
Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth,
adult leaders, and organizations in their communities. Local community
organizations establish a Venturing crew by matching their people and
program resources to the interests of young people in the community.
The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps
youth pursue their special interests, grow, develop leadership skills,
and become good citizens.
Venturing crews can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby
interests.
Goals
Young adults involved in Venturing will:
- Learn to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling
the values in the Venturing Oath and Code.
- Experience a program that is fun and full of challenge and adventure.
- Become a skilled training and program resource for Cub Scouts, Boy
Scouts, and other groups.
- Acquire skills in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies,
religious life, or Sea Scouting.
- Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given
opportunities to take on leadership roles.
- Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and fun
environment.
Methods
The aims of the Boy Scouts of America are to build character, develop
citizenship, and foster personal fitness. The Venturing methods listed below
have been carefully designed to achieve the aims of the Boy Scouts of America
and meet the needs of young adults.
- 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 them in an active way to lead effectively.
- 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.
- Adult Association. The youth officers lead the crew. The officers
and activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult
leaders in a spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a "shadow"
leader capacity.
- Recognition. Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement
program and through the acknowledgement 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
be faithful in religious duties, treasure their American heritage,
help others, and seek truth and fairness.
- High Adventure. Venturing's 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 Venturers to
teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often,
Venturers are better able to retain the skill or knowledge 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.
Ethics in Action
An important goal of Venturing is to help young adults be responsible and
caring persons, both now and in the future. Venturing uses "ethical controversies"
to help young adults develop the ability to make responsible choices that reflect
their concern for what is a risk and how it will affect others involved. Because
an ethical controversy is a problem-solving situation, leaders expect young adults
to employ empathy, invention, and selection when they think through their position
and work toward a solution.