Venturing Handbook
Author: Boy Scouts of America
Date: 2021-07-15 00:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Scouting
Description: bloomsburylive-655966-20220704154912

Venturing Tools Quick Reference Guide

Venturing Portal @ Scouting.org, www.venturing.org, is your one-stop shop for resources for Venturing news, crew resources, recruitment materials, training, and national events. Check it out, and send in your suggestions for improvement.

Venturing Awards and Requirements, No. 34784, presents the requirements for the Venturing awards and details the requirements for the TRUST, Quest, and Ranger awards. Other opportunities for Venturers are described as well.

Fieldbook, No. 34006, is the go-to manual for backcountry challenges—everything from hiking, camping, and canoeing to mountain travel, ultralight backpacking, wilderness navigation, and whitewater kayaking—but is small enough to fit into a backpack for use in the field.

Guide to Safe Scouting, No. 34416, lays out all Boy Scouts of America policies and guidelines established to protect members from known hazards. Limitations on certain activities aren’t viewed as stumbling blocks, but rather are best described as stepping-stones toward safe and enjoyable adventures.

VENTURING

HANDBOOK

33494

ISBN 978-0-8395-0150-3

©2020 Boy Scouts of America

2020 Printing

WELCOME TO VENTURING

Dear Venturers and Advisors,

Scouting continues to change and serve a wider audience through our family of Scouting programs for young men and women: Cub Scouting for ages 5-10, Scouts BSA for ages 11-17, Venturing for ages 14-20, Sea Scouting for ages 14-20 and new is STEM Scouts for grades 3-12. With each program comes age-appropriate methods of delivering Scouting: in Cub Scouting youth participate in activities presented to them; Scouts BSA youth learn how to plan and the basics of leadership; our older youth programs of Venturing and Sea Scouting take the next level of planning and develop leadership and mentoring skills.

In Venturing you Lead the Adventure! Through your crew you develop skills in planning and project management, time management, and take leadership to a new level called mentoring—by developing leadership in others. All these skills are done in the coolest classroom ever, called Scouting! Through your adventures, you learn not only life-changing skills, but become friends with others seeking adventure, and are provided guidance by volunteer adult advisors.

This handbook is your guide to Scouting as a Venturer, helping to develop skills and track your progress. As a companion to your handbook you will find more resources through Venturing.org, ScoutBook, the Scouting app and your local Scout Shop or online at scoutshop.com.

Good luck to you as you live and Lead the Adventure!

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Using This Handbook

CHAPTER 1: VENTURING ESSENTIALS

The Venturing Attitude

An Introduction to Scouting

The Ideals of Scouting

The Meaning of the Scout Oath and Scout Law

Group Identity

Scouting Symbols

The Venturing Uniform

What Do Venturers Do?

Leadership in Venturing

Venturing Officers Association

Venturing’s Areas of Emphasis

Getting Started In Venturing: The Venturing Award

Tracking Your Ongoing Adventure: Recognition in Venturing

CHAPTER 2: VENTURING’S AREAS OF EMPHASIS—THE ALPS MODEL

Adventure

Why Adventure

Three Tiers of Adventure

Consultants: Key Resources for Adventure

Adventure Essentials

Wrapping Up Your Adventure: Reflection and Evaluation

Leadership

The Meaning of Leadership

Who Leads a Venturing Crew?

Crew Organization Chart

Crafting Your Crew’s Vision

Setting Goals

Time Management

Servant Leadership

Leadership and Life

Personal Growth

The Areas of Personal Growth

The Cycle of Structured Personal Reflection

Setting Personal Goals

Planning

Implementing Your Plan

Reflecting: Assessing Your Success

Ethical Controversies

Personal Code of Conduct

Advisor Conferences

Boards of Review

Service

Service to Others

The Benefits of Service

Crew Sustainability Through Service

Service Beyond Venturing

A Game With a Purpose

CHAPTER 3: LEADING AND PLANNING IN VENTURING

Leading the Crew

Positions Within the Crew

Organizing and Leading Small Crews

Beginning a New Crew Program Year

Crew Sustainability

Leading Others

Stages of Team Development

The Methods of Leadership

Matching Leadership to Team Development

Communicating With Others

Planning the Crew’s Activities

The Importance of Effective Program Planning

Developing Your Crew’s Annual Program

Preparation for the Annual Crew Activity Planning Process

Planning Helps: The Program Capability Inventory

Planning Helps: Venturing Activity Interest Survey

Crew Vision and Mission Statement

The Annual Crew Officers Seminar: Developing the Annual Activity Plan

Areas of Program Emphasis — Building a Balanced Activity Program

Tips for Using the ALPS Model in Annual Program Planning

Planning Crew Meetings

Leading and Planning Your Adventures

Planning Crew Adventures: Detailed Planning Helps

Additional Considerations for Planning Crew Activities

Additional Notes on Planning Service

Knowing Your Limitations

When Service Adventures Go Off Plan

The Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet

Activity Chair Backdater

Leading Others

CHAPTER 4: PERSONAL SAFETY AWARENESS

Personal Safety Awareness

Child Abuse and Neglect

Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse

The Three R’s

Being a Good—and Safe—Venturer

Making Good Choices

Bullying and Hazing

Staying Safe Online

Keeping Yourself Safe

CHAPTER 5: VENTURING RESOURCES

Additional Resources for Adventure

Additional Resources for Leadership

Additional Resources for Planning

Scouting’s Outdoor Adventure Opportunities

BSA High-Adventure Bases

National Scout Jamboree

International Scouting

Recognition for Program Enrichment

Venturers Earning Scouts BSA Advancement

Venturing Ranger Award

Venturing Quest Award

Venturing TRUST Award

Trained Emblem

Building Your Résumé

CHAPTER 6: MY VENTURING TRAIL

Adventure Record

Service Record

Venturing Award Requirements

Discovery Award Requirements

Pathfinder Award Requirements

Summit Award Requirements

Summit Board of Review

Photo Credits

Index

Introduction

When asked what they most want to do with their free time, many young adults say they want to have fun. They want to meet new people and take part in interesting activities. They want to spend time in the outdoors and try new things. They want to hang out with their friends. They want to help others and learn things that will prepare them for the future. They want adventure.

The Handbook for Venturers is all about how to make all those things happen—and more. Read on and engage. Make life more adventurous through Venturing.

Using This Handbook

The handbook is structured to help Venturers find information and inspiration at every level of participation within the crew. The sections are described below.

•   Chapter 1: Venturing Essentials introduces the reader to Venturing and explains how and why one should live life as an adventure. It outlines what living life as an adventure can look like.

•   Chapter 2: Venturing’s Areas of Emphasis—The ALPS Model provides an overview of Scouting and the Venturing program, exploring the four areas of emphasis, which form the foundation for Venturing adventure, activities, and recognition. This section of the Handbook will support new Venturers in their first few months in the crew.

•   Chapter 3: Leading and Planning in Venturing delves deeper into the areas of program emphasis, providing guidance for Venturers who take on leadership positions in their crew and those who want to learn how to achieve Venturing’s highest award.

•   Chapter 4: Personal Safety Awareness: Keeping yourself and others safe is part of the Venturing program.

•   Chapter 5: Venturing Resources offers additional resources for program development and program delivery.

•   Chapter 6: My Venturing Trail provides Venturers a place to record their progress, recognition, and adventures.

Chapter 1: Venturing Essentials

The Venturing Attitude

Adventure is in Venturing’s DNA.

Venturing is adventure with a purpose. Adventures to build camaraderie and skills. Adventures to develop leadership. Adventures to build an attitude of service to others. Adventures in personal growth. Venturing adventure is a platform for development, enabling its members to go where they want in life. And most of all, Venturing adventure is FUN!

Many times, Venturing adventure takes place in the outdoors. Whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and backpacking are examples of some of the amazing outdoor adventures Venturers might find—and so is sitting quietly at the edge of a pond watching the sunset in the evening or even planning a crew trip to explore New York City’s Times Square.

Adventure can happen indoors, too, such as visiting a museum, spending time job-shadowing a surgeon at the hospital, or attending a jazz concert. Adventure can also happen simply when laughing with friends at school or a crew meeting.

Adventure is an attitude, a way of looking at the world and living our lives. It’s not merely about climbing tall mountains, putting on musicals, or learning how to cook gourmet food. It’s not only about what we do, but about who we are. It’s about what happens inside us as we grow and learn from our experiences and as we lead and serve others.

A Venturer’s Reflection

A few years ago, the members of a Venturing crew gathered around a campfire ring near the end of a 10-day backpacking adventure in the Rocky Mountains. The conversation got serious, and crew members took turns sharing a reflection about what their wilderness trip had meant to them. Nick, the funniest member of the group who was known for cheering everyone up by making jokes, was the last to speak. Everybody was sure he would say something funny. Instead, he spoke somberly about how the crew decided they would go on this adventure across the country and about the journey they took together since then to get there. He said, “We have had some great times together—some really FUN times—but for the first time, I’m beginning to realize that there is a larger purpose to these adventures—to prepare us for life beyond Venturing!”

An Introduction to Scouting

Scouting is the world’s largest youth movement. It started more than a hundred years ago and has since spread around the world, attracting those who seek to lead life as an adventure. Today, more than 50 million youth in the World Organization of the Scout Movement participate in the adventure of Scouting.

In the United States, the Boy Scouts of America offers five main Scouting programs: Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, and Venturing, with additional program opportunities through Sea Scouting and STEM Scouts.

Cub Scouting

For boys and girls of kindergarten age through grade 5

Centered on home and family.

Program led by adult leaders.

Participants are part of a pack.

Scouts BSA

For young men and young women ages 11 through 17.

Emphasis on outdoor programming.

Program led by youth leaders in consultation with adults.

Participants are members of patrols that make up separate male and female troops.

Venturing

For young men and women ages 13 (and completed grade 8) or 14 through 20.

Features diverse program content.

Program designed and led by youth, mentored by adult Advisors.

Participants, called Venturers, are part of a crew.

Venturers who earned First Class rank as registered youth members in Scouts BSA are qualified until their 18th birthday to continue with Scouts BSA advancement through their crew.

Sea Scouting

Young men and women meeting the same age requirements as Venturing may also join Sea Scouting, a program focusing on the development of seamanship and preparation for careers and hobbies on the water.

For young men and women ages 13 (and completed grade 8) or 14 through 20.

Emphasis on leadership development through seamanship skills.

Program designed and led by youth, mentored by adult Skippers.

Participants, called Sea Scouts, are part of a ship.

Once a Scout, Always a Scout

Collectively, all members of the programs of the Boy Scouts of America are referred to as “Scouts.” Use of the term Scouts captures the unity of purpose expressed in the mission of the Boy Scouts of America:

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

STEM Scouts

For young men and women grades 3–12.

Uses hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) experiments to deliver the aims and values of Scouting.

Program is delivered directly to participants. Activities are supported by adult leaders.

Participants are members of a STEM Scouts Lab.

The Ideals of Scouting

When you make the commitment to join Venturing, you are not just joining your crew. You are joining the worldwide Scouting movement. The ideals in the Scout Oath and Scout Law are the guidelines all Scouts, use to guide their thoughts and actions. They are honored by Scouts around the world.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind,

obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

While all five Scouting programs share the Scout Oath and Scout Law, each has its own motto that offers a way of interpreting the Scout Oath and Scout Law:

•   Cub Scouts seek to do their best to live up to the ideals of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

•   Youth in Scouts BSA commit to being prepared to live up to the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

•   The Sea Scout promise: As a Sea Scout, I promise to do my best to guard against water accidents; to know the location and proper use of the lifesaving devices on every boat I board; to be prepared to render aid to those in need; and to seek to preserve the motto of the sea, “Women and children first.”

•   Venturers aspire to lead the adventure of a life guided by the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Cub Scout Motto | Scout Motto | Venturing Motto
Do Your Best | Be Prepared | Lead the Adventure

The Venturing motto, Lead the Adventure, reminds each Venturer to experience life as actively as possible. Venturers should lead the adventure in the delivery of service, in taking part in outings and adventures, and in personal growth.

The Meaning of the Scout Oath and Scout Law

The use of the word “Scout” includes Venturers. As a Venturer, you are among the oldest participants in Scouting. The terms “Scout” and “Scouting” include Venturing as well as Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouting, and STEM Scouts. Obviously, the activities you take part in are more challenging than what younger Scouts experience, but the values that guide your adventures are the same for all.

The Scout Oath

On my honor… Honor is the core of who you are—your honesty, your integrity, your reputation, the way you treat others, and how you act when you are on your own.

I will do my best… Do all you can to live by the Scout Oath, even when you are faced with difficult challenges.

To do my duty… Duty is what others expect of you, but more importantly, it is what you expect of yourself.

to God… Your family and religious leaders teach you about God and the ways you can practice your faith. You can do your duty to God by following the wisdom of those teachings and by defending the rights of others to practice their own beliefs.

and my country… Help the United States continue to be a strong nation committed to justice for all by learning about our system of government and your responsibilities as a citizen, including voting in local, state, and federal elections. When you do all you can for your family and community, you are serving your country. Making the most of your opportunities will help shape our nation’s future.

and to obey the Scout Law;… In your thoughts, words, and deeds, the 12 points of the Scout Law will lead you toward doing the right thing throughout your life.

To help other people at all times;… By helping out whenever you can, you are making the world better. “At all times” is a reminder to help even when it is difficult and without waiting to be asked. This resonates with the Venturing motto, Lead the Adventure. Be ready to serve, whenever and wherever the need arises.

To keep myself physically strong,… Taking care of your body prepares you for a lifetime of great adventures. You can build your body’s strength and endurance by eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, and being active. You should also avoid tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, and anything else that might harm your health.

mentally awake,… Develop your mind both in and outside of the classroom. Be curious about everything around you, prepare yourself for the challenges of life by getting appropriate education, and never stop learning.

and morally straight. Your relationships with others should be honest and open. Respect and defend the rights of all people. Be clean in your speech and actions and faithful in your religious beliefs. Values you practice as a Scout will help you shape a life of virtue and self-reliance. It is about doing the right thing for yourself and others.

The Scout Law

The Scout Law is the essential companion to the Scout Oath. Its 12 ideals are stated in a positive manner, offering a statement of what you can achieve and things to keep in mind throughout your life.

A Scout is trustworthy. A Scout tells the truth. He or she is honest and keeps promises made. People can depend on him or her. Integrity is a way of life.

A Scout is loyal. A Scout is loyal to those to whom loyalty is due.

A Scout is helpful. A Scout cares about other people. He or she helps others without expecting payment or reward and fulfills his or her duties to family by helping at home.

A Scout is friendly. A Scout is a friend to all. He or she is a friend to other Scouts and offers friendship to people of all races, religions, and nations, and respects them even if their beliefs and customs are different from his or her own.

A Scout is courteous. A Scout is polite to people of all ages and positions. He or she understands that using good manners makes it easier for people to get along.

A Scout is kind. A Scout treats others as he or she wants to be treated and understands that there is strength in being gentle. He or she does not harm or kill any living thing without good reason.

A Scout is obedient. A Scout follows the rules of his or her family, school, and Scouting unit. He or she obeys the laws of the community and country. If he or she thinks these rules and laws are unfair, a Scout seeks to have them changed in an orderly way.

A Scout is cheerful. A Scout looks for the bright side of life. He or she cheerfully does tasks that come his or her way and tries his or her best to make others happy, too.

A Scout is thrifty. A Scout works to pay his or her way and to help others. He or she saves for the future, protects and conserves natural resources, and is careful in the use of time and property.

A Scout is brave. A Scout faces danger even if afraid. He or she understands that sometimes the most important acts of bravery are doing what you believe is right, even as others would encourage you to behave otherwise.

A Scout is clean. A Scout keeps his or her body and mind fit and stands by friends who also live by high standards. He or she avoids profanity and pornography and seeks to keep his or her home and community clean.

A Scout is reverent. A Scout is reverent toward God. He or she is faithful in religious duties and respects the beliefs of others.

Group Identity

Peer relationships are part of an important part in the life of young adults. Group identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group with common values and serves as a means to build positive group interactions and self-confidence. The ideals of Scouting and Venturing provide an important part of that foundation, and the group activities designed and led by Venturers provide a means of further developing that identity through shared adventures. In addition to the values and shared activities, symbols such as distinctive dress (including, at appropriate times, the Venturing uniform) are other elements of the group’s identity.

Scouting Symbols

Scouting symbols are recognized by millions of people everywhere. The Scout sign, composed of three fingers, is one of the most widely recognized symbols in the world and forms an important part of the Scout salute. The Scout handshake is something you may exchange with your brother and sister Scouts around the world.

A distinctive feature of the Scout handshake is that it is offered with the left hand—the hand closest to the heart.

The Venturing emblem represents the challenges and achievements experienced in Venturing as symbolized by the snow-peaked summit in the emblem. Many of the emblems used in Venturing, including the Venturing rank and recognition awards, have this design as a central figure in the badge, to remind you to always pursue life in a spirit of adventure.

The World Crest unites Scouts and Scout leaders around the world. The crest is designed with a center motif encircled by a rope tied with a square knot, which symbolizes the unity and brotherhood of the movement throughout the world. Even as one cannot undo a square knot no matter how hard one pulls on it, so, as it expands, the movement remains united.

The three tips of the center fleur-de-lis represent the three points of the Scout Oath—duty to God and country, duty to oneself, and duty to others. The two five-pointed stars stand for truth and knowledge.

The crest is white on a royal purple background. These colors are symbolic as well. In heraldry, white represents purity and royal purple denotes leadership and help given to other people.

Scouts and members of the public often ask how the emblem originated. Lord Baden-Powell himself gave the answer: “Our badge we took from the ‘North Point’ used on maps for orienteering.” Lady Baden-Powell said later, “It shows the true way to go.” The emblem’s symbolism helps to remind Scouts to be as true and reliable as a compass in keeping to their Scouting ideals and showing others the way.

The Venturing Uniform

The Venturing uniform is the choice of the crew. Your crew is encouraged to adopt the forest green official Venturing shirt with green epaulet tabs and gray backpacking-style shorts or pants. It is recommended for wear when traveling, at crew meetings, at other Scout meetings, when serving the public, and at other appropriate times. If your crew participates in council-, area-, regional-, and national-level events, such as a national Scout jamboree, the Venturing uniform is required.

When doing field activities, your crew might want to wear something more appropriate to the activity, which can be as simple as a crew-designed T-shirt or golf shirt. A crew with an interest in the culinary arts may adopt a chef’s jacket—possibly with a logo designed by one of the members of the crew on the pocket. A crew with an interest in STEM adventures may elect to use a lab coat as part of its group identity. A crew with a search-and-rescue interest may select matching parkas or caps to signify their common affiliation.

Venturers who are active in a Scout troop or who are working on or have previously earned Scouts BSA advancement may wear Scout rank badges on their Venturing uniform. Venturers who have earned the Eagle Scout Award may continue to wear the Eagle Scout badge until their 21st birthday. Venturers may not simultaneously wear both Scouts BSA advancement and Venturing cloth recognition devices. They may wear a single recognition of their choice on the left pocket of the Venturing uniform shirt.

On more formal occasions such as a parents’ night, open house, or awards ceremony, it is appropriate to wear awards such as the Summit, Ranger, Quest, TRUST, Eagle Scout, and Quartermaster awards as well as religious emblems and meritorious action awards.

You will acquire insignia noting your affiliation, accomplishments, and responsibilities during your time as a Venturer. This diagram indicates proper placement on the Venturing uniform. The Guide to Awards and Insignia, No. 33066, is a good resource for the proper placement and appropriate wearing of all Venturing insignia.

What Do Venturers Do?

Venturers do many things defined by the interests of the crew members and the crew’s adventures. In Venturing you will have fun leading, planning, serving, growing, teaching, mentoring, being outdoors, learning, building relationships, and preparing for life, all guided by the values of Scouting.

For some crews, volunteering in a soup kitchen or at a training event may be the adventures they choose. Other crews may choose horseback riding or a weekend of rappelling and spelunking. The variety of adventures you choose is limited only by your imagination and your willingness to do what it takes to achieve your goals.

Venturing Program Themes

Some successful Venturing crews offer program around specific themes, such as:

Board games

Camping

Canoeing

Community service

Culinary arts/cooking

Ecological preservation

Fencing

Fine arts

Ham radio

Historical reenactment

Kayaking/whitewater

Mission preparation

Mountain biking

Performances

Religious life

Robotics

Rock climbing

Scouting service

Scuba

Shooting sports

STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)

Travel

Volunteering

Other crews choose not to specialize but to develop a general interest approach totheir activities.

In all crews, not only is the process of choosing, planning, and experiencing adventure a lot of fun, but it also will help you serve others, gain valuable leadership experience, and grow personally.

Leadership in Venturing

You and your peers are the leaders of your Venturing crew. You design the program to meet your interests, and you get involved in planning all elements of the crew’s program, including its meetings and activities, operating procedures or bylaws, recognition, finances, and training.

Advisors, or adults associated with Venturing crews, help facilitate your dreams by mentoring and supporting, not by leading. Advisors do not plan events or arrange the crew’s program. Their role is to ensure that crew members have an accessible, willing mentor to support them and that the crew’s program is safe and follows all of Scouting’s policies.

The Advisor and associate Advisors are expected to understand the needs of the crew and its members, offering needed guidance but also encouraging them to develop their own thoughts and plans.

Venturing Terms

Advisor (or associate Advisor). Adult volunteers responsible for the ongoing training and safety of crew officers and other members of the crew.

Consultant. Subject-matter experts who assist the crew with program needs, either on an ongoing basis or in connection with a particular activity or adventure. Merit badge counselors are a great resource for consultants. Check with your local council advancement chair for a list of volunteers. Remember, everyone must be registered and trained.

Crew. A local group of young adults who plan and lead a Venturing program. Crews may be all male, all female, or coeducational.

Officer. The youth members elected to lead a Venturing crew. These include a crew president and vice presidents supported by additional youth officers, including a secretary, treasurer, and activity chairs.

Superactivity. A Tier III (see Three Tiers of Adventure later in this chapter) adventure that represents the focal point or highlight of the crew’s annual plan. Typically, they are longer than four days and require extensive planning, budgeting, organizing, and effort to accomplish. A superactivity is one that the crew looks forward to and stretches to accomplish.

Venturer. A member of a Venturing crew.

Venturing Officers Association

A Venturing Officers Association (VOA) is a group of Venturers at the district, council, area, and regional levels that provides support for Venturers and Venturing crews. Each VOA is composed of a youth president and vice presidents for administration, program, and communication. All crew presidents are members of their council VOA and are encouraged to participate in VOA meetings and activities. Contact your BSA local council to find out more about the Venturing Officers Association.

A strong VOA usually means strong crews. Program and training events offered by the VOA give Venturers the chance to meet other Venturers, learn from each other’s experiences, build friendships and networks, to learn from their experiences, and have fun! The collective power of a VOA also allows small and newer crews the opportunity to participate in events that they might not be able to enjoy as a single crew.

The local Venturing Officers Association is part of a larger network of VOAs that extends across the country. Areas (large geographic expanses) and regions (groupings of multiple areas) offer additional training to support local VOA officers. Area and regional VOAs also offer training and recreational events to crews from across large parts of the country.

Venturing’s Areas of Emphasis

Getting the most from your adventure is not always easy. To help you succeed, Venturing uses four areas of emphasis to help the crew plan and carry out its program. Venturing’s areas of emphasis are the four areas around which the crew will construct a fun and rewarding program.

The Venturing shorthand for the areas of emphasis is ALPS—Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, and Service. Taken together, the Venturing ALPS model is a guide to getting the most out of your adventures while they are happening and as you prepare for your future in college, the workforce, or elsewhere.

Adventure is the key to Venturing, and developing outings with a sense of adventure is the key to the crew having fun and learning something new about themselves. As a Venturer, you not only will participate in outings and adventures, but you also will lead them. As your leadership skills develop, you will become a mentor to other Venturers as they take on the role of leading an adventure or activity. What the adventure looks like is up to you and the crew.

Leadership is the tool you will use as you help the crew plan its adventures. As a Venturer, you will learn to lead the crew through the adventures of their choice. Leadership in Venturing is not just a position—it is an action, captured in the Venturing motto, Lead the Adventure. Even as you begin your Venturing experience, you learn leadership skills by observing crew officers and more experienced members of the crew as they lead the adventure.

Personal growth comes when you learn from your experiences as a Venturer. Discussions with crew members and your Advisor will help you appreciate what you have learned. Personal growth helps you identify and develop your talents and abilities so you can be prepared for life’s challenges and opportunities.

Service is the gift we give to others. It allows us to sustain our communities by identifying needs and targeting them. Venturing’s commitment to community service will allow your crew to develop a program full of opportunities to serve others—and to have fun while doing so.

Through your participation in each of these four aspects of Venturing’s core, you will have fun, experience new activities, and grow as an individual and a member of the crew. You will stretch yourself and become more capable and better prepared to live a life of accomplishment, continued growth, and service to those around you.

Benchmarks of Adventure

If the areas of program emphasis are the “what you are doing” of Venturing, the benchmarks (awards or ranks) are the “how you are doing.” Each of the ALPS area requirements contains progressively more challenging levels. Each level is designed to help you learn and practice new skills, and to track your success. Each challenge you meet will put you closer to the next award or rank, providing you a well-rounded program and a path forward as you progress. The relationship between the areas of program emphasis and the levels of proficiency is laid out below.

This ALPS model is a helpful graphic to map out what you do—as well as the level of skill required to implement it—and is a great tool for planning both your personal adventures and a balanced program for your crew.

The requirements for each of the awards include development of certain carefully selected skill sets that are key to achieving success in education, in the workplace—in life!

Venturing Award. The first step in any journey or experience is having the courage to begin. Right from the beginning of your Venturing experience, you will learn about Venturing, what the crew does, what to expect from your experiences with the crew, and making a commitment to the principles of Venturing. The first level of recognition marks your commitment to join and move forward into the adventure of Venturing.

Discovery Award. The second level of the Venturing award system is all about participation and preparing for leadership. As you become more active in the crew, you will discover talents and gain skills that will help you lead and serve others. You will gradually recognize the vast opportunities awaiting you.

Pathfinder Award. At this level, you will demonstrate your leadership skills by organizing and guiding the crew on adventures. You will continue to deliver service to others, including your crew—to ensure that it remains a strong and viable team. The goals you set and achieve will continue to help you grow as an individual. You will experience both formal and hands-on training to facilitate growth in this area.

Summit Award. The Summit Award represents Venturing’s highest honor. To achieve this ultimate recognition, you will serve the crew as a leader—both formally and informally—and you will be a mentor to others. In addition, you will strengthen your community by designing and leading a service project to benefit others. The experiences gained in earning this award will help you mature as a member of a team and as an individual.

The Summit Award

Those who earn the Summit Award are marked as effective leaders, conscientious servants of others, men and women of integrity who live the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and who are capable of setting and achieving ambitious goals, all while living life as an adventure. Future employers and others in the community will know that those who complete the award are not only “finishers,” but that they have developed skills and capabilities that prepare them for success in life.

The emblem is a reminder that each step in the “Trail to the Summit” has prepared the Venturer for the next step, the next challenge, the next opportunity, the next adventure, and that together, they have prepared the Venturer for success throughout life with skills, abilities, attitudes, and timeless character values to lead a life of service to the community, a chosen profession, the Venturer’s family and religious organization, and to the country.

Getting Started In Venturing: The Venturing Award

Just by joining a Venturing crew, you show you are open to adventure. The Venturing Award recognizes that you have been willing to begin a journey that can lead to even more adventures. Having earned the Venturing Award, you are a Venturer. The requirements for the Venturing Award need not be completed in any particular order, except that the final requirement (4) must be completed after you have completed the three other requirements.

Requirement 1. Participate in a crew activity outside of a crew meeting.

Your real introduction to Venturing will take place during an activity other than your crew’s regular meeting. Whatever the activity, you will see Venturing in action and have a chance to get to know others in your crew. At the same time, the members of your crew will have a chance to get to know you and help you get the best possible introduction to your crew.

Requirement 2. Participate in an interview conducted by your crew president and your Advisor.

If you were invited by a friend to join your crew, you may already know something about Venturing and how it works. But no matter how you heard about Venturing, you may still have some questions. Prior to completing the joining process for your crew, you will have an opportunity to sit with the crew president and Advisor and become familiar with how the crew works and other things you may wonder about. Your crew’s president, along with the crew Advisor, may also want to use this opportunity to talk with you about what the crew does, how much it costs to participate, how it handles fundraising and service, and so on. They might also explain your crew’s code of conduct.

If you haven’t already received an application form, you should receive one as part of this interview. Complete and return the form to your crew Advisor as soon as possible. Your crew might also ask you to pay a registration fee at this time. You might also be asked to complete a Venturing Activity Interest Survey to help the crew learn what you like to do.

Questions You Might Ask About Your Crew During a Personal Interview

•   How often does the crew meet?

•   What kinds of things does the crew do?

•   What is the biggest adventure the crew has taken in recent years?

•   How much does it cost to participate?

•   What sort of fundraising does the crew do?

•   Who are the other members of the crew that I might know?

•   What is Venturing’s connection with Scouting?

•   How do I fit Venturing into a busy life?

•   What makes this crew different from others in the area?

•   What keeps other crew members coming back?

Requirement 3. Complete Personal Safety Awareness training.

The purpose of this requirement is to help keep all crew members safe. The Boy Scouts of America is committed to keeping youth safe in all settings. For this reason, the BSA has adopted a series of Youth Protection policies to be followed in Venturing. For example, BSA policy prohibits any adult from ever being alone with a youth member of any Scouting program, including Venturers. For safety, youth in Venturing are expected to always use the buddy system, or even better, travel in a team of four. This always provides at least one additional person who is looking out for your safety.

Part of Scouting’s commitment to safety is helping make sure every Venturer can recognize and respond to possible danger, whether in Venturing, school, work, or other settings. Venturing Personal Safety Awareness training features a series of vignettes about some of the risks that young people can face in today’s society, including sexual harassment and assault, suicide, and Internet stalking and harassment. The training is available at www.venturing.org. Print out your certificate of completion and share it with your crew Advisor.

Requirement 4. State your intention to join the crew by participating in an induction ceremony during which you repeat and commit to live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law and the Venturing motto: Lead the Adventure.

A public declaration of one’s intentions is a longstanding custom. Before completing this final requirement, you will have taken part in at least one crew activity, reviewed how to keep yourself and others safe, and met with the crew president and Advisor to discuss your crew and how it functions. The final step in the joining process is to commit, in the company of other members of your crew, to live by Venturing’s attitude of adventure and the ideals of Scouting.

Many crews will conduct a crew-specific investiture ceremony to formally welcome you to full membership in the crew. Depending on your crew’s custom, you might join the movement as an individual or with a small group of other new members. The ceremony may be elaborate or modest, but as part of it you will be asked to commit to joining the world Scouting movement and to repeat the Scout Oath and Scout Law in the company of your crew.

Examples of investiture ceremonies are available at www.venturing.org.

The values of Scouting are expressed through the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Venturing motto. These values are what make Scouting different from other organizations and clubs. You will note that the requirement does require you to memorize the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Venturing motto. This is intentional. You may have already committed them to memory if you were a Scout or Cub Scout. If you are new to Venturing, you don’t have to memorize them immediately, but you should know and understand them. You will commit them to memory as you have learned many things of value in your life—by using them on a regular basis. This will quickly happen as you and your crew use these ideals to open or close meetings, during ceremonies, and as a framework to examine ethical controversies. What is most important now in your journey is that you commit to live by those values and do so in a public gathering of your peers.

Tracking Your Ongoing Adventure: Advancement in Venturing

The Venturing Award is designed to orient you to Venturing. The next three recognitions—Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit—are designed to help you track your progress through adventures. By increasing your skill in the areas of emphasis of adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service, you build skills that will serve you throughout your life. The challenges that await you when earning the Summit Award are quite ambitious, so creating a series of steps that lead you to the goal of an accomplished leader takes time and planning mixed with liberal amounts of fun and adventure.

Advancement Note

The Venturing Award is the first step to Venturing’s highest recognition, the Summit Award. Requirements for all the Venturing awards are listed in Chapter 6: My Venturing Trail. You can also track requirements and completions using Scoutbook.

The purpose of Venturing is to have experiences that are fun and that change your life. Recognition is an important part of that process. The awards are a reminder of the progress you have made and the goals you have met. Whether you go all the way to the Summit Award or pause somewhere before that goal, the recognitions you receive mark you as a person of determination and perseverance.

Advancement Note

The TRUST, Ranger, and Quest awards are skill development recognition that are supplements to the core Venturing awards system. They may provide additional activity and enrichment opportunities for you and your crew. The requirements for these and other awards that Venturers can earn may be found in Venturing Awards and Requirements.

Guidelines for Awards and Advancement

Your crew’s officers and Advisor can provide you with guidance in completing the Venturing awards. In completing award requirements and earning other recognitions, the following guidelines apply.

•   Unless otherwise stated, requirements for the Summit awards and other Venturing recognitions may be completed at any time after joining a crew.

•   BSA training courses specified in the Venturing requirements (National Youth Leadership Training, etc.) may be taken either while a Venturer or while a registered member of another BSA program (Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts).

•   You may also count previous experiences and achievements completed in Scouts BSA or Sea Scouting toward Venturing awards and ranks.

•   Third-party training/certifications (such as Red Cross first-aid training) earned while a registered member of another BSA program (Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts) may be used to satisfy Venturing requirements so long as the training/certification is current at the time of applying it to the Venturing requirements. Activities completed to satisfy the requirements of the Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, or Summit award may also be used to satisfy the requirements of the TRUST, Ranger, and Quest awards.

•   Experienced Venturers, your crew Advisor, and others approved by your crew’s Advisor may certify your completion of requirements. Use the checklist at the back of this handbook to track your progress.

•   The capstone service project designed and led by Summit Award candidates must be a different service project than one carried out for the Eagle Scout Award or the Sea Scout Quartermaster Award.

•   Most of all, have fun!

Chapter 2: Venturing’s Areas of Emphasis—The ALPS Model

Adventure

Consider the stories of a few Venturers as they describe what adventure means to them.

•   Before joining Venturing, Mike had never been climbing and was petrified of heights. During one Venturing activity, he made it to the top of a giant climbing wall. “Given my fear of heights, I never would have gone on this trip if my friend Peter hadn’t kept insisting that I come along,” Mike said. “I’d like to think it was my own courage that got me to the top—but it was Peter’s encouragement and capable belay that got me there—again and again. I’ve noticed that because I overcame my fear of heights, I am more willing to try other things that are outside my comfort zone—like leading our crew on our next adventure!”

•   Not long ago, Shannon and her crew visited Washington, D.C. They spent a full day walking around the National Mall and visiting the nation’s major memorials. “I’ll never forget gazing at the giant statue of President Lincoln,” Shannon said. “Etched into the marble walls were some of Lincoln’s famous words, including his call for Americans to act ‘With malice toward none; with charity for all.’ I remembered those words when we passed by a homeless man in a wheelchair as we were heading back to our campsite. I asked the crew to gather up our extra food for him. I don’t know if we made much difference, but we helped him that day. And later, we had a great discussion about how we could serve those less fortunate back home.”

•   Andrew had completed all the training courses that were available through Venturing, and all those leadership theories were about to be tested as his crew planned a trip to the Rocky Mountains. “On our way to our next campsite, we could see dark storm clouds were coming our way,” Andrew said. “To take our minds off the storm, I started singing. The crew chimed in, singing one song after another—and we beat the storm to our campsite. Resting in my tent and listening to the rain come down, I was struck by what I had learned in those courses and how they helped me meet the needs of our crew and get us quickly to a place of safety. Now I understood was leadership REALLY was!”

Each of these stories shows adventure in action. They also show the different kinds of adventures possible in Venturing—and that’s just scratching the surface. You can dream big in Venturing and make your own adventures happen. That’s a major part of the adventure, too: getting to choose, plan, and lead what your crew does in Venturing.

Why Adventure

Through adventure, Venturers learn and experience personal growth. Through Venturing adventures, Mike overcame a personal fear and discovered a hobby he would not otherwise have considered. Venturing offers everyone lots of opportunities for growing physically, socially, and spiritually.

Through adventure, Venturers learn and practice leadership. When hiking along the exposed ridge with a storm looming, Andrew discovered how a leader has to adapt to meet the situation. He started singing to lift the crew’s spirits while hiking, but when his crew arrived at camp, he shifted to executing a plan of action for getting camp set up before the storm arrived.

Through adventure, Venturers learn and practice service. When visiting Washington, D.C., Shannon and her crew could have looked the other way when they saw a homeless man, but instead they thought about what they could share with him and took action to help.

“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self… And to venture in the highest is precisely to be conscious of one’s self.”

—Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855), philosopher

Three Tiers of Adventure

Venturing’s three levels of adventure are designed to challenge and engage crew members to experience adventure. Each level provides crew members with opportunity for leadership, personal growth, and skill development. While Tier I activities are fairly basic, they provide a preparation for the greater challenges and opportunities involved in Tier II and Tier III activities. A well-balanced crew activity program will include activities and adventures in all tiers.

Tier I adventure—Little preparation or planning; little or no prior skill development; less than one day duration (not overnight); not far outside comfort zone. Typically, these adventures are good crew fun or recruiting activities and easily accommodate guests. Examples include bowling night, watch-and-learn STEM night, a trip to a natural history museum, and a climbing wall activity.

Tier I adventures may be stepping stones that lead to implementing a Tier II or Tier III adventure.

Tier II adventure—Some planning or preparation is required; some prior skill development may be desirable or even required; less than four days duration; outside the standard range of activities. Examples include organizing and running a Special Olympics event, staging a music and dance event for a nursing home, a weekend canoe trip or camping trip, and a three-day crew road rally. Other options for a Tier II adventure include attending a Scouting University in your council or planning logistics for and attending a council, area, or regional Venturing Officers Association event.

Tier II adventures can serve as shakedown events that lead to Tier III adventure.

Recognition Note

The Pathfinder Award requirements call for you to work with an experienced Venturer serving as a mentor to you as you lead a Tier II or Tier III adventure. In some cases, especially in new crews, an experienced Venturer may not be available. If this is the case, an experienced Venturer from another crew or the crew Advisor may serve as an adventure mentor.

Tier III adventure—Extensive planning, preparation, and skill development required prior to participation; at least four days’ duration; mentally and physically challenging. Tier III adventures are highlights of the program year and may take place once or twice annually. Your crew will invest considerable time and energy in preparing and carrying out a Tier III adventure. Examples include a 50-mile backpacking trip, planning and directing a science-themed Cub Scout day camp, taking a trip to a weeklong arts festival, planning a New York City museum tour, organizing a sports camp for disabled youth, participating in an international Scouting event, and organizing and participating in programming at a BSA high-adventure base.

Your Advisor should be consulted to confirm the tier of adventure being implemented. He or she will have the final word, for example, as to whether a single-day organization-intensive activity meets the expectations for a Tier II or Tier III adventure.

Tiers of Adventures

The notion of tiers of adventure is designed to challenge you and the members of your crew to take on new challenges and provide you with experiences that you would not have otherwise encountered.

The use of Tier II and Tier III adventures is important because of the degree of planning and preparation required to organize and carry them out. These adventures are real tests of your growth as a leader.

Differentiating Tier II from Tier III

The fundamental difference is in the level of preparation, planning, and gathering resources to carry out the adventure. Generally, a Tier II adventure lasts from two to four days and can be accomplished in a weekend. A Tier III adventure lasts for four days or more (planning included).

When an event of fewer than four days is considered a Tier III adventure, it should reflect these criteria:

•   The planning needed to carry out a shorter event is comparable to that of a longer event.

•   The preparation needed to implement the activity is similar to the preparation needed to implement a longer event.

•   The opportunity to challenge the activity chair and the members of the crew is similar as to what would take place during an activity of longer duration.

Consultants: Key Resources for Adventure

Human resources are available in the form of consultants. A consultant is a person, 21 years of age or older, who has a special skill, talent, or expertise, possibly for facilities or contacts, in a particular area related to a crew’s specialty or program.

A consultant can be called upon to help develop a program, to provide further information on a program, or to advise a crew in the operations of its own specialty or program. Consultants are the best resource to introduce a crew to a new activity or program. They may be members of the chartered organization, parents of crew members, or other adults in the community. A bike shop or scuba shop owner, for example, can be among the most enthusiastic consultants; they can’t wait to share their passions.

Consultants can be found from a variety of sources, such as from within a Venturing crew, by searching out information on the Web, or by checking the local business directory of a chamber of commerce, or by reviewing the crew’s Program Capability Inventory.

Consultants need not be registered members of the Boy Scouts of America. As such, it is not required that they take adult Youth Protection training, but it is strongly recommended, and all Youth Protection guidelines must be followed. A consultant who is not a registered member of the BSA does not count as part of the required two-deep leadership.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally "worn out, and loudly proclaiming–WOW'what a ride!'”

—Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005), author

Adventure Essentials

During your time as a Venturer, you will take part in a number of planned crew activities. You and your crew leadership want them to be fun and adventurous, and to achieve that goal, it is important to be prepared for those adventures. Thoughtful planning, crew and individual preparation, proper gear, keeping safe, and learning from your adventure are considerations for every adventure. Whether you’re going into the great outdoors, on a field trip to a hospital, or simply down the street to the local mall, being prepared for the unexpected is a valuable skill any time you leave home.

Adventure and the Trail to the Summit Award

None required

Lead the Adventure

Participate in two more Tier II or Tier III adventures. Serve as a leader for one of the adventures.

Prepare for Adventure

Participate in two Tier II or Tier III adventures.

Complete a standard CPR course and a standard first-aid course.

Continue the Adventure

Participate in three or more additional Tier II or Tier III adventures.

Recognition Note

Taking part in adventures as a participant, as a leader, and as a mentor is part of the requirements for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards.

Wrapping Up Your Adventure: Reflection and Evaluation

Every adventure should allow for a time to gauge the takeaways from the experience. This process of wrapping up your adventure really has two components, which Venturing refers to as reflection and evaluation. They can happen at the same time but have two very different outcomes in mind.

Reflecting On Your Adventure

Reflection is a process of extracting the personal meaning out of an experience, of asking the question, “How did this experience impact me or the crew?” Reflection is about what we learned from participating.

One tool for this sort of reflection used frequently in Scouting is referred to as Roses, Thorns, and Buds:

•   Roses are the good experiences. What happened today that positively impacted you?

•   Thorns are the bad experiences that happen. What happened today that detracted from a positive experience, and what did you learn from it?

•   Buds are opportunities for growth and learning. What happened today that I can take forward to make my adventures a more positive experience?

Evaluating Your Adventure

Evaluating your adventure is about identifying opportunities to make future adventures better. To review the adventure from the standpoint of making your program better in the future, you might choose the Start, Stop, Continue tool, discussing with crew members the following:

•   What they think they should start doing to make the program better.

•   What they should stop doing because it just isn’t working.

•   What they should continue doing because it is effective.

This tool is an easy one to remember, and it can deliver big results. For more resources, visit www.venturing.org.

Regardless of whether you are reflecting on the experience with Roses, Thorns, and Buds or using Start, Stop, Continue to improve the next adventure, always end the process on a positive note.

Recognition Note

You will learn more about the Stop, Start, Continue tool in the National Youth Leadership Training course, which you might participate in while meeting the requirements for the Pathfinder Award.

Leadership

Adventure and leadership go hand in hand. The adventures you experience in Venturing normally do not happen on their own. Venturers make them happen.

Venturers are the leaders of their crews. In Venturing, leaders help the crew develop its goals, plan its adventures, and get the most out of the Venturing experience. They teach others and inspire others by their example. They work to keep the group together. At times, they may have to help resolve conflicts. They also help other Venturers gain leadership skills by sharing responsibilities and mentoring others.

Leadership itself is an adventure and a journey. Venturing offers an exciting opportunity to practice leadership. The leadership you learn and practice in Venturing can equate to valuable skills in life. Learning to speak in front of a group, how to set goals, and helping to resolve conflict are all a part of Venturing.

The Meaning of Leadership

What picture comes to your mind when you think of a leader? Maybe you think of the president of the United States or a military general. Or the CEO of a big business. These people are all leaders. So are many teachers, police officers, clergymen, nurses, architects, athletes, and auto mechanics. Leaders can be found in all different types of organizations and groups.

Leadership is often associated with being the boss—the one who tells others what to do. Leadership actually has little to do with issuing commands. Leadership is not about having a special title or a position of authority. Leadership is about the desire to serve others. Leaders seek to teach, facilitate, communicate, manage, and yes, persuade others—with the goal of achieving a vision shared by the leader and the group.

Maybe you think of yourself as a leader today, or maybe you don’t right now. But you have leadership inside you. If you are willing to step up and serve the needs of a group, if you want to help others, then you have the makings of a leader. Venturers have the opportunities, the leadership training, and the support they will need to step into leadership roles naturally.

Recognition Note

The Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards all have leadership requirements. Some are focused on developing skills through training courses; others are opportunities to demonstrate the skills you have learned.

Who Leads a Venturing Crew?

Venturers lead the Venturing crew with guidance from their Advisors. Notice that across the organizational chart, Venturer positions are associated with adult positions: The president works closely with the Advisor; the officers work closely with other adults. All youth roles gain benefit from the experience of an adult Advisor. Cooperation and teamwork between adults and youth is essential.

Also notice that Venturers in leadership positions are responsible to one another. The president manages other officers and is responsible for their performance. Officer positions are elected and serve for a period of time (a term of office). Other elected officers can also have one or more appointed officers to be responsible for as well. Your crew has a number of important youth positions. Appointed leadership positions are available too, with varying levels of commitment required. Every crew member will be encouraged to accept some kind of leadership position in the crew.

Crew Organization Chart

Crafting Your Crew’s Vision

Effective leadership requires vision, setting clear goals, and planning to achieve those goals. Having a clearly defined crew vision is the first step in forming a successful crew program. Your vision should define what you want your crew to be—its destiny—and all your activities will become the steps you take to achieving that vision.

The BSA training courses Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews (ILSC), National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), Time Management, and Goal-Setting are great resources for learning how to craft a vision and the goals and objectives you will need to set to reach it.

A vision helps you to carry out an adventure with your crew. It keeps you on the right track and ensures that everything that crew does is pointed toward bringing that vision to life. The table on the facing page outlines the relationship between your crew’s vision of success and the planning that is required to achieve your vision.

Developing Your Vision. The first step in defining the crew’s vision is to get every crew member’s input. What are the values of each crew member? What does the crew want to achieve? Input from all crew members is important here. The vision should help declare what success looks like for the crew and the adventures it wants to experience. A vision for a culinary arts crew might read like this: “We seek the ultimate adventure as we learn to plan, prepare, and enjoy amazing meals that helps us develop an ethic of service to others.”

Defining Your Vision. Take the input from the crew members and begin wordsmithing. Make the vision into a single declarative statement about what success looks like for the members of the crew.

Communicating Your Vision. Write it down. Present it to the crew. Is the vision one that all crew members can buy into?

If everyone agrees, you have a vision for your crew. If there is difference of opinion, engage those who don’t see the vision as working for them and work to modify the vision—or their interpretation of it—so that it provides a common statement of purpose for everyone in the crew.

Using Your Vision. Put it at the top of your agenda for crew meetings. Use it to reflect on crew activities: Did this activity help your crew achieve its vision? The answer to that question speaks to the alignment between the crew program and its vision. The vision you establish for your crew will help you define the mission, goals, and tasks needed to achieve that vision. Your vision of success also helps you to set into action the mission that will help you achieve your vision. Building on the sample vision statement above, the same culinary arts crew might use this mission statement to help achieve its vision:

“Crew 36 will serve the local community by planning, catering, and serving a Thanksgiving dinner for the residents of the Lazarus House homeless shelter.”

Crews may also establish a mission and vision statement to plan and implement crew activities. The adventure below offers an example of how a clear vision can provide the direction to plan a mountaineering adventure.

| Explanation | Example

Vision

The vision is the idea that captures the imagination of the crew. Use it to unify the crew and guide its adventure planning. It is your picture of future success.

As a culinary crew, our vision is to provide exceptional culinary service to organizations in our community while developing in our crew members the finest culinary skills and abilities.

Mission

A mission statement is the primary objective of an organization or task. The mission supports the vision by defining the manner in which the vision will be realized. The mission will likely be achieved during a Tier III adventure with your crew.

Our mission is to carry out crew activities that will provide fun and adventure, develop leadership, and help teach our crew members to live in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Goals

Goals are the steps that move us toward our vision. Goals are specific measurable tasks, defined as part of the crew annual plan that lead to the crew moving toward its mission and vision. Many of the goals will be completed during Tier I and Tier II adventures that lead up to carrying out the mission.

We will reach the summit of Mount Rainier in July 2021 and cook a three-course meal as close to the top as possible.

We will take a mountaineering course by April 1 to learn the skills we need to summit Mount Rainier.

Tasks

The tasks are the steps that need to be completed to accomplish each of the goals you establish. Much of your program and activity planning will be built around achieving objectives that meet the goals that lead to accomplishing the mission.

We will achieve our major goals by completing the following by March 1:

•   Identify and recruit a consultant to help us assess and develop needed skills.

•   Raise $400 per crew member to purchase needed gear for the ascent.

•   To prepare for the climb and the mountaineering course, all crew members will complete the following Ranger Award core requirements or electives.

—First Aid

—Mountaineering

—Cooking

—Land Navigation

—Leave No Trace

—Physical Fitness

Setting Goals

The only way for any group to achieve success is to know what success looks like. But just knowing your group’s vision isn’t enough. Your group also needs to break down that vision into smaller steps that lead toward fulfilling the vision. The steps that move toward our vision are called goals.

Meeting several smaller goals along the way can help your crew achieve its vision, like this scuba crew’s mission to complete an adventure at the Florida Sea Base.

Recognition Note

Two Venturing training courses—Time Management and Goal-Setting—will help you set and achieve goals and manage the resources at hand to find success in all settings. Go to www.venturing.org to access these training courses and other training courses of interest to Venturers and Advisors.

Working together, your crew can pursue great adventures. But just as with any group seeking to achieve its vision, your crew will need to chart out the steps needed to reach its vision. Those steps become your goals. Setting goals defines the points along the map that will lead you toward fulfilling your vision.

Get SMART

Be sure that your crew is SMART about the goals they set, establishing project goals and objectives that pass the SMART test:

S—Specific: Is it specific in targeting an objective?

M—Measurable: What are the measurable indicators of success?

A—Attainable: Is it attainable by someone on the team? Can it be achieved within the resources and time allowed?

R—Relevant: Is it connected to the goal’s outcome?

T—Time-based: When will the goal be completed?

Time Management

Effective leaders manage their own time wisely and use their group’s time well, too. Good planning is essential for time management. Here are some more tips that can help you and your crew.

•   Prioritize. Your time and energy are limited. Keep your focus on your vision, giving priority to the tasks that will most advance your goals.

•   Be Time-Aware. You cannot manage time well without being aware of how long things take and how you are using your time presently.

•   Delegate and Divide. Break large tasks into smaller ones. Involve others in getting the task done.

•   Reduce Distractions. Increase concentration on the task at hand. Find a place free of other distractions to get work done.

•   Take Breaks—and Take Care of Yourself. Good diet, exercise, and sleep habits will make you more efficient with your time. And when you’ve been working for a while, take a break so you can come back re-energized.

Servant Leadership

Vision and goals are essential parts of an effective leader’s toolbox. In addition to skills, attitude is essential. How a leader works with and relates to the members of his or her team drives the success of the team. A servant leader puts the needs of others first, encouraging, supporting, and mentoring them in developing their potential and abilities.

Leadership and Life

Venturing is all about adventure, and leadership is itself an adventure will likely continue throughout the journey of your life. Leaders get better the more they practice. By starting to learn leadership skills now, you will gain a head start over others who will not have the opportunity to start practicing leadership until they are older. By learning now that leadership involves putting others first and developing a clear vision and goals, you will find many other exciting leadership opportunities open to you in the years ahead.

Leadership Training and the Trail to the Summit Award

None required.

Prepare to Lead

Complete Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews.*

Complete Goal-Setting and Time Management training.

Complete Crew Officers Orientation.

Active Leadership

Complete Project Management training.

Plan and lead a Tier II or Tier III adventure.

Participate in NYLT, Kodiak, NAYLE, OA National Leadership Seminar, Sea Scout SEAL, or Wood Badge (Venturers 18+) training, or serve as an elected crew officer.

Being a Mentor

Complete Mentoring training.

Participage in NYLT, Kodiak, NAYLE, OA National Leadership Seminar, Sea Scout SEAL, or Wood Badge (Venturers 18+) training different from the courses listed for the Pathfinder Award, or serve as an elected crew officer.

Lead ILSC for a crew.

* or equivalent (ILS for ships or troops)

Be Prepared.

Prepared. For Adventure.

Prepared. For Leadership.

Prepared. For Personal Growth.

Prepared. For Service.

Prepared. For Life.®

Personal Growth

You have been learning, developing, and growing since your life began. All the skills and understandings you have acquired have formed the foundation of the person you are today and will influence you in the future. Earlier in your life, much of what you learned came from what you observed and from trusted people who were helping you develop a sense of who you are and who you could become.

Because the transition from childhood to adulthood is seldom simple or straightforward, you probably still have questions about self, relationships, and values. You will experience circumstances and decisions that might not be obviously good or bad, right or wrong. Venturing’s personal growth area of emphasis provides opportunities to reflect on your ideas about self and how you view your role in your crew, family, school, congregation, or other organization. It encourages you to take an active part in developing into the person you want to become and creates benchmarks for personal reflection, evaluation, and new experiences with support from caring and knowledgeable adults.

The Areas of Personal Growth

Personal growth can and should occur in many areas of one’s life. The Venturing areas of personal growth—Development of Self, Development of Others, and Development of Faith—afford Venturers a framework for identifying areas in which you want to develop and that can become a goal that speaks to you and your aspirations.

The personal growth area suggests reflection and development across Development of Self, Development of Others, and Development of Faith. The areas should be interpreted and personalized to suit your specific needs and goals, so it might be helpful to think of them as addressing different aspects of personal growth.

Development of Self includes analysis of your strengths and limitations, wants and needs, and development of a plan to address a self-improvement goal. Development of Self can be a commitment to become physically fit, complete an online computer science course, learn to horseback ride, or accomplish any goal that promotes the development of personal skills and self-improvement.

Development of Others includes an assessment of relationships and how one serves others. Development of Others can be a commitment to organize a clothing drive for a homeless shelter, teach Sunday school for preschoolers, build a storage shed for the crew’s equipment, or accomplish any goal that promotes skill development while serving others.

Development of Faith allows for an opportunity to explore one’s values and morals and to delve deeper into one’s faith or to expand one’s world-view by exploring spirituality, faith-based practices, and organized religions. Development of Faith can be completion of the TRUST Award, commitment to read a sacred text, organization of or participation in a mission trip, or any goal that promotes personal growth through an exploration of faith.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

—Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

Recognition Note

During your Advisor conferences for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards, you will set a series of goals in these areas and develop plans to meet these goals as you develop personally.

The Cycle of Structured Personal Reflection

The process of reflection can be thought of as a cycle that leads to setting goals. Achieving those goals requires planning to make them happen and managing the time and resources needed to activate them. And as is common with taking on and meeting new challenges, what you accomplish may become the basis for setting and achieving your next personal goals.

The process of developing a plan to meet a personal goal is the same as the one used to plan a crew adventure. Review the Leading and Planning in Venturing chapter and use those concepts as you do your personal goal-setting and planning.

When you first became a Venturer, you had a conversation with your crew president and Advisor. In that conversation, they talked with you about expectations for taking part in the crew and what to expect as a part of your membership. They helped set the expectations (and provide understanding) for your participation with the crew. By setting goals yourself, you can use your experiences in Venturing as a means for personal growth in areas that you believe to be important.

A structured personal reflection is an effective strategy for becoming conscious or aware of your abilities and limitations, and it is a necessary first step along the journey of personal growth. It helps you make sense of what is important to you. If you know where you are heading, you are less likely to get off track or have others impose their values on you.

Structured Personal Reflection

The structured personal reflection helps you reflect on strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. The reflection will help you set a significant goal for your own personal growth.

Goal-Setting

Setting a goal turns your personal reflection into action. Declaring in advance what you want to do, learn, or accomplish will help you achieve your goal. Your Advisor can help you transform what you learned during your structured personal reflection into a goal that will help you grow.

Planning

The planning tools in the Handbook for Venturers as well as the Project Management training course will help you map out the tasks needed to achieve the goal you set.

Implementation

The implementation phase of the process brings your goal to life. Time Management training will help you manage the resources needed to achieve your goal.

Assessment

What did you learn from setting and achieving the goal? When you discuss what you learned with your Advisor, be ready to talk not only about your goal but also on what you learned while working on your goal. As is often said about learning, it is not the destination that is important, but the journey itself. You will find this to be true as you work to achieve goals in Venturing and in life.

Questions for Growth

Below are some general questions that address the areas of personal growth. Of course, you may ponder other questions that come to mind based on your life experiences. Or, you may ask an adult you respect such as your crew Advisor, parent, teacher, or spiritual advisor to generate questions for a personal reflection. Either way, your answers will form the foundation of your personal growth.

•   What do I value?

•   What motivates me?

•   What is my purpose in life?

What do I want out of life?

•   What successes and achievements have I had?

•   What am I good at?

•   What am I not good at?

•   What gives me joy?

•   What are my current life circumstances?

•   Who is someone I admire, and what characteristics does he or she have?

Do I have those characteristics?

Consider your responses to the questions, and ask yourself how your values affect your own sense of self and influence your relationship with others, including parents, friends, people you don’t like, teachers, and coaches. Be aware of how your values affect or contribute to your faith. Be conscious of specific situations in which your values influenced the words you spoke and the things you did. Now, consider your responses to the rest of the questions and reflect on decisions you’ve made or conversations you’ve had based on those answers. Have you been happy with all your decisions and conversations? Are there any situations in which you wish you had acted differently?

It is important that you be as honest with yourself as possible because personal honesty forms the foundation of the reflection process. To “know thyself” is not only an ancient Greek maxim, it’s an imperative that will allow you to correctly identify your strengths and positive attributes as well as areas that need development. Of course, it may also be a good idea to talk about your reflections with your friends or Advisor to find out if they view your answers, strengths, and limitations the same as you see them. It is from the awareness of your strengths and limitations that you can develop achievable goals in the three areas of personal growth.

Setting Personal Goals

You might think that personal development is achieved by doing something extraordinary. Fear not! Personal development can be achieved by carrying out the most basic and ordinary acts. As long as you have goals that express where you want to improve, the activities you complete and the changes you make to achieve those goals will lead to fulfilling personal growth and a sense of accomplishment across many domains of life.

Recognition Note

The Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards each require goal-setting and planning on one or more of the areas. Conferences with your Advisor support the process of setting, monitoring, and reflecting on the goals you establish.

Goal-setting can provide direction to your time in Venturing and can help you make the most of your experiences by helping you act on what is most important to you.

By developing and working on goals across the areas of Development of Self, Development of Others, and Development of Faith, you are not only advancing the Scout Law, you are achieving personal growth through your own development and the development of others. Consider, for example, how being of service to others leads to personal growth and how seeking advice or engaging in a conversation about your personal reflection and goals with another person can foster a shared experience and mutual personal growth.

From your structured personal reflection, begin to think about goals that will allow you to challenge yourself and maybe even take some risks. Having goals will make you more willing to learn something new or apply a different technique to overcome obstacles and difficulties that come up along the way. Goal-setting can also help further your personal development. For example, setting goals requires an acknowledgment that you are responsible for how you live your life.

Goals can help you focus on specific aspects of your life, allowing you to direct your behavior, decisions, and actions toward one objective. With focus comes clarity, which can not only help you make decisions and prioritize your activities, but also ultimately assist you in confidently exercising control over all of your behaviors and actions.

Make Goals SMART

All personal goals should be SMART goals. See the Leadership chapter for more on SMART goals.

Sample Structured Personal Reflection

Here’s an example of how a structured personal reflection can be used to have an Advisor conference and establish a goal that will promote personal growth in the area of Development of Faith.

Reflection Question | Response
What do I value? | God, family, music, fitness, nature
What motivates me? | Being liked, spending time with friends, competition
What is my purpose in life? What do I want out of life? | To look out for people less fortunate than me, to be happy, to make a positive contribution to the world
What past successes and achievements have I had? | Honor roll, all-state musician (percussion)
What am I good at? | School, music, backpacking
What am I not good at? | Group projects, leading and motivating people
What gives me joy? | Music, the outdoors (nature)
What are my current life circumstances? | High school student, two younger sisters, part-time job

Who is someone I admire, and what characteristics does he or she have? Do I have those characteristics?

Rev. Smith; characteristics: she makes everyone feel important, is funny, very organized, things always go well when she’s around. Not really.

You can brainstorm ideas with your Advisor about how to take advantage of your values and talents while challenging your personal growth. Maybe the goal you come up with is to organize a musical group within the crew that will perform two songs during a Scout Sunday service in February. You and your Advisor can then verify that the goal is a SMART one and that it addresses your values and past successes. The goal turns out to be a good one because it requires you to develop some skills in leading and motivating others. From the structured personal reflection and a discussion with your Advisor, it also becomes pretty clear that the Reverend Smith is probably the best person to mentor you on achieving your goal. The attributes you admire in the Reverend Smith are the same ones that will be helpful to you in putting together a group to perform during Scout Sunday. Plus, by working with the Reverend Smith, you will undoubtedly learn about the structure and purpose of a religious service so that the musical component you develop is appropriate and meaningful.

Although this example suggests a process of reflection and goal-setting in the context of Development of Faith, it can also be used as an example of Development of Self because personal leadership skills were developed during the planning and execution of the activity. Similarly, the above example can be viewed as addressing the Development of Others area because achievement of the goal provided service for the crew and the Reverend Smith’s congregation. It is up to you, in consultation with your Advisor, to determine the area of personal growth your goals and activities address and fulfill.

Planning

Your plan will help you bring your goals to life. The leadership and planning resources in Chapter 5 provide a framework for developing the steps needed to achieve your goal. The Project Planning training course will supply you with additional guidelines to help ensure your success.

Implementing Your Plan

Depending on the nature of your goal, it might be helpful to break down your plan into a series of tasks and dates so that you have a path toward goal achievement. For the goal of “Organizing a musical group to perform two songs during a Scout Sunday service in February,” here are some sample tasks.

Tasks | Complete by
Meet with Rev. Smith to talk about Scout Sunday and musical group | Sept. 15
Review possible music options with Rev. Smith | Oct. 1
Present idea of music group to crew | Oct. 10
Recruit participants | Nov. 1
Select music and set up rehearsal schedule | Nov. 15
Perform songs for Rev. Smith | Jan. 15
Perform two songs during Scout Sunday service | Feb. 7

Reflecting: Assessing Your Success

After you achieve your goal, it’s a good idea to thank your mentor and talk about how you achieved your goal. A strategy to start the discussion might be to ask yourself what went well, what didn’t go well, and what would you do differently in the future. Afterward, you can set up a follow-up Advisor conference to talk about what you learned and to generalize your experiences in achieving your goals. Many Venturers have found that setting goals and overcoming challenges to meet goals serves as a pathway for future success, whether it is in college, a career, or community service.

The processes described here and the skills involved are invaluable in planning, leading, and evaluating any adventure or project you may encounter.

Ethical Controversies

Ethical controversies are dilemmas based on complex situations in which rendering a decision or action is difficult because different people, based on their principles and values, can view the situation differently. Dilemmas most often don’t have a right or wrong answer, but the more you think about ethical controversies, the better you will become in making decisions and taking actions that fit your moral and ethical compass.

Recognition Note

Leading and participating ethical controversies discussions is part of the Pathfinder and Summit awards requirements.

Challenging yourself to think about ethical controversies is a great way to promote personal growth because it requires reflections on the teachings of family, clergy, teachers, and others as you consider different points of view and strive to understand why you think and feel the way you do. At first, you may just want to listen to a crew discussion about an ethical controversy, but over time, you should plan to actively participate in the process so you can advance your reflection, reasoning, communication, and leadership skills, all elements of personal growth.

An Ethical Controversy Discussion

These activities can be used to discuss ethical standards and dilemmas that apply to the interest area of your crew. You can conduct them as single activities during one crew meeting or use several meetings to explore the ethical issues in depth.

Ethical judgments are a part of every profession, vocation, hobby, and recreational activity, as well as every relationship. Pose these questions, and others like them, for thought and discussion about relationships or interest areas within your crew.

•   Is it right to accept a gift from a supplier who is bidding for an account when you are responsible for choosing the supplier?

•   Should it be legal for a police officer to take a second job?

•   What do you do when your boss does something illegal?

•   Is it right to refuse jury duty?

•   When is censorship OK?

Discussions based on questions like this can help your crew tackle tough issues in an interesting, organized, and active way. The questions themselves can easily be adapted to your particular interests.

The Ethics Forum

An ethics forum is a crew meeting devoted to learning about the ethical issues in your crew’s career or interest area. Experts invited to speak at the meeting can describe the ethical standards for their profession that are upheld by corporations, trade associations, unions, or other organizations. It is best if they give examples of how those standards are used, explain the consequences of breaking the rules, and explain why the rules are important. The presenters also can give examples of the ethical dilemmas that arise in their professions. These could be dilemmas for which ethical standards have not been written or for which it is difficult to understand how to apply standards.

An Ethical Controversy Exercise

Ethical controversies are dilemmas without easy answers, dilemmas in which each side might have valid arguments. The basic process of leading an ethical controversy exercise is as follows:

Organize the Activity. Divide the crew into groups of four. Include Advisors and any other adults present. If possible, divide the groups so that Venturers work with people they don’t know very well.

Divide each group of four into two groups of two. Give each pair a copy of a position statement, assigning the pairs into opposing sides. It does not matter whether the participants agree with their assigned position.

Conduct the Activity. An ethical controversy activity has five simple steps. Describe and conduct them one at a time. Allow enough time to complete each step before moving on. All groups of four should work on each step at the same time. The entire activity takes 45 minutes to two hours.

1.   Learn the position. With your partner, develop as many arguments as possible to support your assigned position. You also can work with a pair from another group that has the same topic and position.

2.   Present your position. Present your arguments to the other pair. In turn, listen closely to their position, making sure you understand their arguments. Clarify your understanding by restating what others say.

3.   Discuss the issue. Defend your position and critique the opposition. Try to persuade the opposing pair that you are correct, and then listen to their defense and critique. Remember to be critical of ideas, not people.

4.   Reverse positions. Switch positions with the other pair. Take a few minutes with your partner to review your new position. Present and defend your new position as if you really believe in it.

5.   Try to reach consensus. Work toward finding a position that all four believe is the correct one. This may be a position already discussed or a completely new one. Change your mind only when you are convinced by rational arguments.

Follow Up. After the activity is over, discuss it as a large group. Ask each group of four how they arrived at their final position. Compare the positions chosen and the arguments used to support them. Reflect on the process, discussing both the activity and how group members related with each other.

Ethical controversy vignettes are available at www.venturing.org.

Personal Code of Conduct

The Scout Oath is a code of conduct shared by all members of the Boy Scouts of America. A code of conduct is a set of binding principles and expectations for any person who is a member of a group. The Scout Law is considered by many to represent a code of conduct. Your crew may have bylaws that also state an expected standard of conduct by crew members.

Developing your own personal code of conduct is an opportunity to make permanent those things that you have gained from your time in Venturing. The Scout Law is a stellar starting place. As you have participated in Venturing you will have reflected on opportunities for adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service, you have likely learned some important lessons in life that will guide you as you take on new challenges. Your own code need not be long—the Scout Law is only 12 words—but it should speak to you and how you will live your life.

Recognition Note

“What do you believe in?” is a good question but a hard one to answer. Your time in Venturing will help you prepare an answer to that question.

Creating your personal code of conduct is Summit Award requirement 6.

A personal code of conduct includes the rules, guidelines, or expectations you establish for yourself. Your personal code of conduct should reflect your values because it will help direct your decision-making and behavior and should be the standard by which you hold yourself accountable.

Perhaps more challenging than writing a code of conduct is upholding and promoting the principles of your code throughout your all of relationships. Conducting a regular, honest assessment to determine if you are really living by your code and encouraging others to call you out when you don’t adhere to your code is important to maintaining connection to your personal code. Living an ethical and moral life should be a function of your personal ideals and values, and people around you can aid you in maintaining those ideals.

After you have developed your code of conduct, discuss with your Advisor what challenges living up to its values has had for you and how your personal code provides guidance for making decisions.

Advisor Conferences

An Advisor conference is a requirement for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards. You should think of the Advisor conferences in two parts. The first part of the process is to share with your Advisor the goals you set for yourself in the three areas of personal growth. You should do this as soon as you start working on your developmental goals for the Discovery, Pathfinder, or Summit awards and as frequently as is helpful for you to form your goals and plans to achieve them.

The follow-up conference allows you to discuss what you have learned during your progress to the next level of recognition, including how you have done on the goal that you set. As you develop your relationship with your Advisor, consider him or her a source of perspective and insight as he or she helps you reflect on the successes and challenges you have experienced in Venturing and in life.

In addition, you may talk about the challenges you faced along the way and what skills you developed to overcome them. If your Advisor was not your mentor and you had a discussion about your goal achievement process with someone else, be sure to share that discussion with your Advisor.

An important part of Venturing is adult association. That’s more than just spending time together on adventures and in service projects; it is also a time to grow through conversations about the things in life that matter to you. Consider your Advisor conferences an opportunity to get feedback on what is important to you and how you are meeting your personal standards.

Recognition Note

The Advisor conference is a great way for you to prepare for your crew board of review, the last step before being awarded Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards. The crew board of review exists to review your goals and accomplishments as well as to encourage you to continue your personal development through the crew’s activities and the Venturing program. During the crew board of review, you should report on why and how you established your goal, what you learned in the process of achieving your goal, and how the crew supported you in the process. Crew board of review members might offer comments about your achievements and ideas about how your future goals can be supported through crew adventures and activities.

For the Summit-level conference with your Advisor, you will also discuss the personal code of conduct you developed as part of your progress to the Summit. You may also reflect with your Advisor on your future life goals and aspirations and how your experiences in Venturing provide opportunities to live life as an adventure and help you prepare for the life you want to live.

Boards of Review

For the Discovery and Pathfinder awards, the board of review is led by the crew president and made up of at least three Venturers: the crew president and two other Venturers selected by the crew president. If the crew president’s progress is the subject of the board, a crew vice president may serve in the president’s role. The crew Advisor and another adult member of the crew will also be present. The Advisors will not serve as decision-makers but will ensure that the board is conducted in a fair manner and is focused on helping the participants live up to the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Summit Award Board of Review

The Summit Award board of review is different from the boards of review you completed for the Discovery and Pathfinder awards. This board involves participants from outside of your crew. It is also convened by a member of your local district or council advancement committee rather than a member of your crew.

Why is this board different? The Summit Award, much like the word “summit” implies, is a significant achievement. Along with the intrinsic significance of the accomplishment, having participants from outside your crew attend the board communicates a positive message regarding the significance of this achievement: People care about what you have accomplished. You have attained something meaningful that is worthy of celebration.

With a Venturer from another crew present, a great opportunity is provided to network and to see what is happening in other crews. This sort of intercrew relationship has worked well for Venturing crews in the past, and participating as a board of review member is one more opportunity to build relationships among crews.

By involving a community member as a board member, a great opportunity arises to share the accomplishments of Venturing youth with community leaders. More than one business leader has become an avid supporter of Scouting by participating in these sort of projects and seeing the impact of the program on the young adults who are participants.

For you, opportunities for service on a Summit board of review might be one of the highlights of your experience as a Venturer. Attending as a Summit Award-holder helps you to keep the standard high and to give back to Venturing in a way that is significant and personally rewarding.

The structure and process for a Venturing Summit Award board of review is outlined in the “My Venturing Trail chapter and in the Guide to Advancement.

Personal Growth and the Trail to the Summit

None required.

Prepare for Personal Growth

Complete a structured personal reflection in one of the areas of Development of Faith, Development of Self, or Development of Others.

Set a personal goal related to your area of exploration, and achieve it.

Explore Personal Growth

Discover the other two areas of development you didn’t explore for the Discovery Award, and prepare structured personal reflections for each.

Participate in an ethical controversy activity.

Set two personal goals related to your areas of exploration, and achieve them.

Leading Personal Growth

Complete two additional structured personal reflections from any of the areas of development.

Create a personal code of conduct.

Lead an ethical controversy and conflict resolution scenario.

Be Prepared.

Prepared. For Adventure.

Prepared. For Leadership.

Prepared. For Personal Growth.

Prepared. For Service.

Prepared. For Life.®

Service

“Try to leave this world a little better than you found it, and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best.”

—Lord Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941), founder of the worldwide Scouting movement

How can you and your crew leave this world a little better than you found it? It is through service to others that Scouts throughout history have demonstrated their willingness and ability to do a Good Turn for those in need. In deeds both small (helping an elderly person open the door) and large (participating in a Habitat for Humanity build), a Scout serves others. You and your crew are ready to meet this challenge!

Service to Others

A service is a valuable action, deed, or effort carried out to meet a need of an individual, a group of people, or an organization. An act must both be valuable and address a need of the recipient to qualify as an act of service. The variety of service project ideas is boundless. And with your capabilities as a young adult, it becomes your responsibility to choose those opportunities that best fit with your personal and crew values and to bring about significant positive change for the individual or organization that you serve. Service is a great way to stretch your leadership muscles.

Delivering and leading service to others is the “S” in Venturing’s ALPS model of program emphasis. Service may be delivered either individually or as part of the crew. A Venturer’s commitment to service is progressive as they move through the benchmarks of progress of the ALPS model.

The Benefits of Service

The benefits of serving are many, and those benefits often emerge in unexpected ways and at times far removed from the actual service completion date. First, service helps those in need, fulfilling an immediate need and often providing countless ancillary benefits. Second, it helps your crew grow and develop as a team. Lastly, it helps you as an individual.

For Those in Need

Of course, those in need are the first to benefit from our acts of service, but very often, a single good deed can set off ripples of effects that go beyond the original recipient and positively influence the lives of countless others.

•   If you help a child of limited means learn how to read, you may well open the door to a lifetime of different choices for that child.

•   If your crew organizes, designs, and builds a vegetable garden for a local elementary school, a hundred children may develop interests in nutrition or, environmental stewardship, and more that will launch happy, productive lives in your community.

You really never know how far-reaching the impact of a single simple act of service on your part might be.

For Your Crew

Successful service projects can bring about strikingly positive changes for your crew. These rewards include community networking, enhanced crew sustainability, and better crew unity.

Community networking. Groups that serve are seen by others as legitimate community building organizations, not just social clubs. Service allows you to network with members of the community who can offer their knowledge, abilities, and services to your crew. When your crew helps a local place of worship or civic club, you’ll make good connections with community and business leaders, and those connections might be valuable later when you’re seeking consultants or other resources for your next crew adventure.

Enhanced crew sustainability. When we serve someone, we make a friend and a fan who will promote our crew for us, potentially inviting others to join. Service projects can also be a great way to invite potential crew members to participate in Venturing for the first time.

Better crew unity. The shared experience or working together to achieve a common goal in service to others is frequently a rewarding personal and team experience. Service projects de-emphasize the “me” and emphasize the “we” and point the crew toward its responsibility to “help other people at all times.” Through this shared experience, crew strengths are identified and close bonds are formed.

For You

In many ways, the giving of service can change your life!

Greater happiness. First, it just feels good to know that you have done something for someone else that they could not do for themselves, without any expectation of any reward or compensation in return. And feeling good is really valuable—people who serve others commonly live longer, healthier lives and are even likely to be more successful in their careers and families.

Growth in self-perception. Service can change the way that you feel about making a difference in the world. By participating in meaningful service projects, you will be stepping out of your usual role and into something. Service helps you see that one person’s efforts can lead to positive changes in the world and that you can be the architect of that change.

Acquisition of life skills. Service activities are superior chances to learn skills that you need in life. Service almost always has a distinct objective—you’ll know what you want to accomplish. This gives you good experience in practical skills such as scheduling, budgeting, purchasing, and recruiting. Often, the people receiving the service will assist with planning, so you can learn while you serve.

Crew Sustainability Through Service

All Venturers have an obligation to help build and sustain the crew for the next generation of Venturers.

The purpose of a crew sustainability project is to help your crew continue to grow and thrive. Sustainability is about the capacity to endure. In Venturing, sustainability involves good stewardship of crew resources and ensuring that the crew and the opportunities it provides for others will continue into the future. A sustainability project, whether a long-term project or a single event, should support the crew’s ongoing viability by attracting new members and/or the crew’s ability to continue to follow its chosen path of adventure.

The National Venturing Officers Association and Venturing Officers Associations across the country have developed useful peer-to-peer recruiting materials for crew sustainability projects. To find them, visit www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/crew-resources/marketing-toolbox/.

Crew Sustainability Service Project Ideas

Drive to Thrive

A member of a Michigan Venturing crew organized the Drive to Thrive event. Each crew member invited a friend. Six cars carrying two Venturers and two guests took part in a road rally. Each destination had an activity based on one of the four areas of program emphasis of Venturing. An adventure stop featured a visit to a climbing wall. The service stop involved two hours of packing food for a food pantry. Then the teams arrived at a park, where they played initiative games for fun and to use the activities to reflect on leadership and personal growth achieved by working together. The day ended with a bonfire and a cookout. Ten of the guests decided to join the crew.

Float Your Boat

A Venturing crew organized a cardboard boat race, locating scrap cardboard and duct tape to construct boats, borrowing needed life jackets and canoe paddles, and recruiting leaders from the local camp staff to ensure that Safety Afloat practices were observed. Each team constructed two boats: one for the boat crew of four, and one to collect trash found along the river bank. At a shallow portion of a local river, the crew members and their guests built boats, floated downstream 2 miles to a second local park on the river, and had a celebratory cookout. Awards were given to the boat crew that collected the most trash during the float trip.

Different crews have different needs. Discuss with your crew president and Advisor some of the ways your crew would benefit from a project designed to introduce others to your crew.

Service Beyond Venturing

People who develop habits of service find ways to serve lifelong. How will you continue to serve? What will be your impact upon this world? Opportunities abound, not only in community service organizations, but in a host of professions: education, art, medicine, technology, government, law enforcement, the sciences, the military, and countless other fields. Perhaps you will become an adult Scouter and mentor the next generation.

Serving Others and the Trail to the Summit Award

None required.

Participate in Service

Participate in 24 hours or more of service, at least half may be individual.

Organize Service

Plan, organize and give leadership to a project designed to sustain and grow your crew.

Since earning the Discovery Award, participate in an additional 36 hours or more of service. Up to half of the service may be delivered as an individual.

Lead Service

Plan, develop and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to a religious institution, school, or community.

Be Prepared.

Prepared. For Adventure.

Prepared. For Leadership.

Prepared. For Personal Growth.

Prepared. For Service.

Prepared. For Life.®

A Game With a Purpose

Scouting is often described as “a game with a purpose.” The message here is ultimately about the purpose of the game. Venturing is designed to take you to the next step in your journey toward full adulthood and good citizenship.

Whatever the adventure you take, whether indoors or outdoors, each time you take on and meet a new challenge, each time you help others by delivering service, you are learning the purpose of the game called Scouting. Starting now and in the years ahead, you have the opportunity to decide for yourself: Was your time in Venturing just a game, or was it something more?

“Here, then, is Scouting in a nutshell: A purposeful game, but a game just the same, a game that develops character by practice, that trains for citizenship—through experience in the out-of-doors.”

—William “Green Bar Bill” Hillcourt

The Scout Oath and Scout Law are the rules of the game. All through your time in Venturing, your Advisor has helped you experience exciting, out-of-your-comfort-zone adventures and activities while also grounding them in the positive values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The practice you’ve had is designed to help you become comfortable with those statements of value. Now you’re on your own. May you be always guided by the words and the message. Look wide for yourself, for the adventures you pursue, and for the opportunity to always be of service to others.

Be Prepared.

Prepared. For Adventure.

Prepared. For Leadership.

Prepared. For Personal Growth.

Prepared. For Service.

Prepared. For Life.®

Chapter 3: Leading and Planning in Venturing

Leading the Crew

When you become a Venturing officer, you will be encouraged to take responsibility for many facets of the crew’s planning and operations. Some areas of responsibility will be harder for you to master than other areas. But learning to take responsibility for others is part of the process of growing into a leader.

Recognition Note

Serving as a crew officer is one of the leadership requirements for the Pathfinder and Summit awards.

The role of a Venturing officer is to foster and develop an environment within the Venturing crew that has a true sense of community and encourages growth and responsibility to one another in the following ways.

1.   Set an appropriate personal example of living the Scout Oath and Scout Law as you lead.

2.   Help set and achieve the vision, objectives, and goals of the crew.

3.   Help each member of the crew be fully engaged in crew activities and in personal growth through Venturing.

4.   Help your leadership team set priorities and focus on key tasks to fulfill and meet your objectives.

5.   Solve problems and make decisions.

6.   Through your example and selfless service, persuade, motivate, and inspire others to follow.

7.   Ensure, in conjunction with your Advisor, that the activities and goals of your crew uphold the mission, standards, and policies of the chartered organization and the Boy Scouts of America and are conducted within BSA safety guidelines.

8.   Ensure that the crew is stronger at the end of your leadership term than it was when you began.

9.   Have fun as you lead and ensure that the other crew members are enjoying their crew experience as well.

Use these responsibilities to evaluate how you are doing throughout the year, but not as a judgment of your performance. Over time and with experience, you will find that you have changed—that your ability to lead has improved.

Not only do leaders serve the groups to which they belong, but they also share leadership responsibilities with others. No single person can do everything on his or her own. The best leaders recognize that they have to work with others. One of their goals is to get others to work together. By working together, members of a group can accomplish much more than any one person 106can alone.

Recognition Note

Completing Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews and Crew Officers Orientation is required for the Discovery rank. Completing ILSC allows you to wear the “Trained” emblem on your Venturing uniform shirt.

Positions Within the Crew

The many formal leadership roles—known as crew officers—available in Venturing can vary from crew to crew. They can even change over time in the same crew, depending on the crew’s size and needs. Most critical to the success of a crew are the roles of president, administrative vice president, program vice president, communications vice president or secretary, and treasurer. The president and vice presidents of a crew are usually elected by the entire crew. In many crews, the other officers are appointed by the president in consultation with other officers. The responsibilities of crew officers are listed below. As an officer, you should become familiar with the position description for your office and study the descriptions of the other officers so that you work effectively as a team.

The Venturing website offers the Crew Officers Orientation. Visit www.venturing.org.

Crew Member

Crew members are not part of the crew’s leadership team, yet their actions are important to the success of the crew’s program. Their principal responsibilities include:

•   Participate in meetings and activities.

•   Periodically serve as activity chair.

•   Recruit new members.

Crew President

The crew president is the primary leader of the crew. He or she was selected by crew members as the best person to lead and represent them. Being president carries honor and privilege, but it also requires hard work, responsibility, and dedication. The principal responsibilities include:

•   Serve as leader of the crew.

•   Implement the crew program in cooperation with officers and members.

•   Work closely with Advisors and other adults in a spirit of partnership.

•   Represent the crew at the Venturing Officers Association (VOA) and be available to report to the chartered organization and crew committee.

•   Work with the crew Advisor in conducting the crew officers seminar.

•   In consultation with the vice president of program, appoint activity chairs.

•   Appoint special crew officers.

•   Present an annual report to the chartered organization at the conclusion of the term of office.

•   Assess on an ongoing basis whether the responsibilities of the officers are being considered and carried out effectively.

•   Approach Venturing in a spirit of fun and enjoyment, and encourage others to do so as well.

•   Run the crew officers’ meeting.

Vice President of Administration

Two key responsibilities characterize the position of vice president of administration: leading the recruiting efforts for new crew members and managing member recognition.

This position provides leadership for recruiting new members into the crew by ensuring that prospective members are made aware of the crew and are invited to the crew’s open house, and by encouraging members to bring friends to crew meetings. This position also follows up with any members who seem to be losing interest and helps them re-engage with the crew.

The principal responsibilities of this position include:

•   Serve as administrative officer of the crew.

•   Assume the responsibilities of the crew president in his or her absence.

•   Lead the recruiting and admission of new members during the year.

•   Coordinate with others the leadership of crew membership and sustainability events.

•   Organize, record, and recognize the achievements of crew members.

•   Conduct opening and closing ceremonies for special occasions as scheduled.

•   Attend all crew activities.

•   Participate in the council’s annual Venturing Officers Association program planning conference.

•   Approach Venturing in a spirit of fun, and seek to reflect this spirit in the recruiting of new members and through recognizing the achievements of crew members.

•   Appoint and supervise den chiefs and crew guides.

Vice President of Program

Much of a crew’s success depends on the program of activities, and managing the development of a good program is the core of the position of vice president of program. Venturing is based on planning a program that meets the needs and interests of crew members.

The principal responsibilities of this position include:

•   Serve as the program officer of the crew and arrange the program planning process for the crew.

•   Collect and maintain a crew activity file consisting of the Program Capability Inventory forms, a list of crew member interests and suggestions for activities, program resources, and an annual activity schedule.

•   Determine the interests of the crew members on an ongoing basis (using Venturing Activity Interest Surveys).

•   Appoint youth chairs for special projects and appoint special crew officers, if this responsibility was assigned by the crew president.

•   Provide support for the chair and committee for each activity.

•   Maintain an up-to-date calendar of crew meetings and activities.

•   Approach Venturing activities in a spirit of fun and enjoyment, and encourage others to do the same.

Sharing your responsibility with others is a part of Venturing. It’s a quality of good leadership.

Vice President of Communications or Secretary

Effective communication is a key ingredient in any organization. The vice president of communications or secretary is primarily responsible for written communication—correspondence, records, and minutes showing decisions, plans, and publicity—and for ensuring that everyone has the right information. An adult member of the crew committee may be assigned to assist the vice president of communications or secretary, and other crew members can be enlisted to help as well.

The principal responsibilities of the position include:

•   Serve as the communications officer and, in that position, manage all communications and publicity for the crew.

•   Maintain crew membership and attendance records in consultation with the vice president of administration.

•   Handle crew correspondence and minutes.

•   Coordinate crew publicity through local media, social media, crew newsletters, and the crew’s telephone network.

•   Approach Venturing in a spirit of fun, and seek to reflect this spirit in the publicity and communications of the crew.

Treasurer

The crew treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate records of the income and expenditures of the crew’s funds. The crew expects an exact accounting of all the money taken in or paid out. The treasurer ensures that all expenditures are approved by crew officers and the Advisor before writing any checks. An auditor from the crew committee may be assigned to assist in setting up bookkeeping procedures, bank accounts, and money-handling methods.

The principal responsibilities of this position include:

•   Serve as the financial officer and, in that position, maintain financial records and the crew budget.

•   Collect and disburse crew funds.

•   Communicate with the officers and members on a regular basis to keep them informed about the crew’s finances.

•   Maintain and share balance sheets for current adventures.

•   Approach Venturing in a spirit of fun, and spread this spirit in carrying out the treasurer’s responsibilities.

Some crews may also make use of the following appointed roles:

Additional Office | Description of Responsibilities

Quartermaster

The crew quartermaster is responsible for the crew supplies and equipment. He or she keeps an inventory of and maintains equipment in good working order. When equipment is loaned to a crew member, the quartermaster monitors the safe return of the items. The crew quartermaster generates a list of equipment and supplies needed by the crew for future acquisition.

Crew Guide

The crew guide serves as an individual mentor for new Venturers, assisting in their understanding of the Venturing program and participation in crew activities.

Historian

The crew historian collects and preserves memorabilia, press releases, photos, and other data of historical significance to the crew. He or she maintains information about crew activities and alumni crew members.

Den Chief

The den chief serves as a liaison to a Cub Scout den; assists the Cub Scout den leader in operating the den; serves as a role model for Cub Scouts in the den and in the entire pack; promotes Scouting in general; and holds a leadership position in the crew, thus fulfilling an advancement requirement in the unit.

Chaplain Aide

The crew chaplain aide supports a spiritual tone during crew meetings and crew adventures. The chaplain aide encourages crew members to grow in the practice of their faith and to participate in the religious emblems program of their faith.

Additional Office | Description of Responsibilities

OA Unit Representative

Serves as a communication link between the Order of the Arrow lodge or chapter and the crew. Encourages year-round and long-term camping in the crew. Encourages participation by older Venturers in high-adventure programs.

Advisor and Associate Crew Advisors

The Advisor is responsible for supporting and training crew officers, helping them plan a program of activities, coaching them in their leadership responsibilities, and obtaining adult help and resources as needed through the crew committee.

The Advisor is supported by one or more associate Advisors who provide additional guidance and assistance to the members of the crew. The Advisor and the associate Advisor serve as coaches and mentors for the youth officers; the youth lead the crew in consultation with the Advisor and associate Advisor. Advisors are appointed by the head of the chartered organization. They can be male or female, but must be at least 21 years of age. The principal responsibilities and characteristics of the Advisors include:

•   Foster a true sense of community within the Venturing crew, and encourage everyone’s growth and responsibility to one another.

•   Develop crew officers to lead—to plan, make decisions, and carry out a program of activities over an extended period.

•   Encourage participation and support for the Venturing crew from the chartered organization, associate crew Advisors, crew committee, parents, and other adults in the community.

•   Uphold the standards and policies of the chartered organization and the Boy Scouts of America.

•   Provide a framework for protecting the members of a crew from abuse.

•   Ensure that activities are conducted within BSA safety guidelines and requirements. Advisors must be trained by the BSA.

•   Seek to cultivate within the members of a crew a capacity to enjoy life—to have fun through the Venturing experience.

Crews may also create additional leadership roles, such as a webmaster, librarian, religious awards coordinator, or risk management coordinator, based on the size, needs, and interests of the crew.

Organizing and Leading Small Crews

Venturing is not dependent on the size of the crew. Any sized group may form an effective and fun Venturing crew. There are some differences to consider when working with small crews (10 or fewer members) and larger crews.

Small Crew | Large Crew

•   Consensus-driven

•   Smaller number of activity interests

•   Youth take on a broader range of leadership responsibilities

•   Choices made via democratic and representative methods

•   Wide range of interests within a crew

•   Greater resources and support needed to balance different interests

Suggestions for Smaller Crews

Ownership. Ensure that all crew members have a responsibility that is important to the success of the crew. Keep crew members invested in the crew’s success.

Program Development. A small crew may find that it falls into a program rut fairly quickly. Ensure that annual planning conferences include the goal of bringing new and different activities into the mix. Meet regularly and ensure that there are always fun and interesting things to keep the crew returning. You might find that having regular exchanges with other Venturing crews in your area not only adds program variety and divides up the task of program planning, but also allows your crew to meet new youth.

Leadership. Small crews may ask too much from members of the crew. Be respectful of crew members’ time and availability, but work to keep all members active and involved in planning and delivering the program. There is a role for every member of the crew. Schedule activities when all or most crew members are able to participate.

Organizational Structure. Some appointed positions may not be needed in a small crew, but many of the tasks need to be completed. For example, a large crew may have an appointed webmaster. A smaller crew may direct the crew secretary to update a crew web page or social media forum. A small crew may not use appointed committee chairs, but instead direct the vice president for program to take on the responsibility of leading major crew events. Remember that whether your crew is small or large, the crew committee is organized to assist you in fulfilling your crew vision and mission. When planning your program, always ask, “How can our crew committee assist us in our efforts to make this plan successful?”

Access to Resources. Small crews may have limited resources. Working with consultants may be more important to smaller crews than to crews with a large committee and extensive membership.

Growth. Attention must be paid to sustaining all crews, but for a crew of only six members, a high school graduation season may mean that more than half of the crew will leave for college the next year. Ensure that plans to sustain the crew are always present. Never before has the modern adage “If you build it, they will come” had greater application than in a small Venturing crew. If you have a great program and are actively involved in inviting your friends from school, neighbors, members of your religious congregation, and others to join the crew, you will be surprised how quickly you can grow from a small to a medium and then to a large crew. Remember, as new members join, get them involved immediately in program planning and carrying out your crew program and other crew assignments. If new members become involved as more than just crew participants, the likelihood increases that they will stay and work to build and strengthen the crew.

Recognition Note

Helping your crew grow and nurture new members is the focus of the crew sustainability service project required for the Pathfinder Award. Work with other members of your crew to help your crew grow and thrive.

Beginning a New Crew Program Year

As you begin your tenure as a crew officer, you are starting a new crew program year. Like a trip in which the way you begin affects how well the trip goes, your first three months as a crew officer can affect how well the crew operates and how much you enjoy serving as an officer.

While every crew is unique, most effective crews follow a similar crew program year. Typically, the year begins with elections and then continues with the crew officers planning the year’s activities before it moves on to the detailed planning for each adventure and its execution.

Depending on the crew, some of the steps may be reordered to suit their needs. In the case of some crews with established membership, wide interests, and varied capabilities, some steps may even be skipped.

Election of Officers

Elections for a one-year term should be held as soon as possible after the startup of a crew or beginning of the crew year so that the officers can begin leading the crew’s program of activities and crew business. Most established crews elect officers in the summer or early fall, corresponding to the school year. Other crews elect officers in January to follow the calendar year. This provides continuity for the crew through the spring and summer months. Some crews find it helpful to elect officers for six-month terms. The approach your crew uses should reflect what makes sense for your crew.

Recognition Note

Serving as a crew officer is one of the leadership requirements for the Pathfinder and Summit awards.

Two types of elections may take place in a crew:

•   Temporary election of officers followed by a permanent election (This is common for a new crew.)

•   Permanent election of officers for a one-year term

Whether elections are for temporary or permanent officers, the following procedures must be followed when the crew holds its regular election.

1.   The Advisor informs crew members of the responsibilities and position description of each office and stresses the need for commitment to the goals of the crew and attendance at all meetings.

2.   The present or temporary youth president explains the election procedures and the date of the election, and appoints a nominating committee of three or more crew members. (All nominating committee members as well as nominees for crew officers must be registered Venturers.)

Those nominated should understand and commit to the responsibilities and the time involved. The role of the nominating committee is to interview prospective crew officers and prepare a slate of nominees. Nominating committee members should ensure that nominees are able and willing to serve. An associate Advisor should be involved with the nominating committee to lend support and advice.

3.   On election day, certain procedures are followed:

•   The president asks for the nominating report—the slate of candidates for each office.

•   Crew members are invited to make any additional nominations. If the nominations of these individuals are seconded and the nominees agree to serve, their names are added to the ballot.

•   Nominations are closed by a majority vote.

•   Each nominee is invited to give a brief talk on his or her qualifications, goals, and desire to serve. Crew members should be able to ask questions of each candidate.

•   Voting then takes place. If there is only one nominee for an office, the president requests a motion to approve this nominee for office. If there are two or more nominees for an office, voting is done by secret ballot. The nominee receiving the most votes is elected. In the event of a tie, the two nominees receiving the most votes are voted on again.

•   The newly elected officers are congratulated, and an installation ceremony may be conducted.

The model described here reflects the practice of many crews: annual elections. However, each crew is different and therefore they may consider elections every 6 months, if it best meets their program needs. Such practice gives more Venturers the opportunity to serve in a crew leadership role, which is important, particularly in a large crew, as members work toward the Summit Award.

Crew Officers Briefing

Right after the election, the Advisor and the new youth officers should schedule a crew officers briefing. This two-hour meeting can take place after school, on an evening, on a Saturday morning, or whenever convenient for the group. Choose a location where the briefing can be held without interruption.

The new youth president chairs the crew officers briefing with guidance and assistance from the Advisor. Before the meeting, the new youth president should carefully review the following areas with the Advisor so that he or she is fully prepared to chair this meeting effectively.

1.   The president and Advisor should review the history of the crew and its program.

2.   The Advisor and the president should review the purpose and agenda of the upcoming crew officers seminar and outline the tasks that need to be completed prior to the seminar (including the Program Capability Inventory and Venturing Activity Interest Survey forms).

3.   If this is an existing crew, the president should be ready to discuss the crew’s code of conduct and operating procedure.

If this is an established crew, the records from the previous officers should be given to the new officers.

This meeting should be fast-paced—it’s your kickoff meeting! Its purpose is to prepare the new crew officers for the upcoming crew officers seminar, which is probably the most important event in the first three months of an officer’s term. The Advisor should distribute a Venturing Planning Calendar, No. 331-012, to each officer in preparation for the crew officers seminar. Following the crew officers briefing, schedule the crew officers seminar.

Crew Officers Briefing Suggested Agenda

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Advisor

•   Invite each officer to comment on how he or she feels the crew is doing and to suggest future activities.

•   Ask each officer to read aloud his or her position description and to ask any questions regarding these responsibilities.

Opening Remarks by Youth President

President

•   Establish motivational tone for the youth leadership team.

•   Briefly discuss the crew’s code and bylaws and the officers’ responsibility to uphold them. The Advisor may comment on what he or she expects in the way of health, safety, or behavior standards.

Program Activity Update

President or Program Vice President

•   Inform the officers of the next three or four crew meetings and activities.

•   Clarify the date, time, and place of monthly officer meetings.

Explanation of PCI and Venturing Activity Interest Survey

Advisor

•   Explain the PCI and how the responses to this crew’s PCI will help shape the program of activities for the crew.

•   Clarify the opportunity for the youth leadership to offer suggestions for this initial program. This is a good time to introduce and explain the Venturing Activity Interest Survey.

•   Clarify the officers’ responsibility to design the long-term program for the crew.

Preview of the Upcoming Crew Officers Seminar

President

•   Clarify the purpose of the seminar.

•   Inform officers of the date, time, place, and travel arrangements, if needed.

Conclusion

Advisor

•   Close with a few individual remarks about what you hope the crew will accomplish.

•   Share with the officers your faith in their ability to lead their own crew and your intent to provide as much guidance and support as needed.

•   Advisor’s Minute or Officer’s Minute to close.

Crew Code of Conduct and Operating Procedures

If the crew does not have a crew code of conduct and standard operating procedures, the crew president should appoint a committee, chaired by the administrative vice president, to draft them. Once the officers review and approve the draft, it should be approved by the crew members. Subsequent additions and revisions can be made at a regular officers’ meeting and presented for approval at the next crew business meeting.

The Scout Oath and Scout Law should be the preamble to the crew code of conduct and operating procedures.

The elected crew officers are expected to live by and enforce the crew code of conduct and operating procedures. New members should be given a copy and asked to sign or otherwise indicate that they understand and agree to the crew code of conduct and operating procedures.

Crew Officers Seminar

The crew officers seminar is a training and planning seminar for newly elected officers. It is led by a crew officers seminar facilitator provided by your council or district (if available), with the assistance of your Advisor, associate Advisors, and crew president. This important session provides in-depth training for officers and the development of the year’s program of activities.

The objectives of the crew officers seminar are

•   To have you, the youth officers, learn your position responsibilities

•   To build a working leadership team

•   To acquaint the officers with Venturing leadership skills and the contents of the Handbook for Venturers and Venturing Awards and Requirements

•   To plan the crew’s program of activities for the coming year

This important seminar is an experience that, in one day, parallels the kind of leadership that will be needed throughout the coming year. It is probably the most important step you make as an officer. What you do here affects the whole crew.

This is the first time that the officers will actually undertake their leadership responsibilities.

At this hands-on seminar, officers will plan the crew’s program and clarify the crew’s expectations and goals. Then the group will consider how to share the program and get the entire crew committed to it.

Consider holding the crew officers seminar in a retreat setting such as a weekend campout or going to a motel. Have some fun while working and don’t rush the task.

See Planning the Crew’s Activities later in this chapter for more guidance in planning your crew’s program. You will find it helpful for preparing for all of the experiences you create in Venturing.

Crew Officers Seminar Agenda

Led by a council or district facilitator, if available.

Explain the purpose and objective of the seminar.

I.   Duties. Review and discuss officer and Advisor roles and responsibilities: why they joined and what they expect to get from their participation.

II.   Activities. Discuss program planning process. Select one activity and practice steps in the planning process using the Activity Planner.

Plan this activity using the following steps:

1.   Determine the activity (what is to be accomplished).

2.   Identify resources (equipment, costs, people).

3.   Consider alternatives (brainstorm how to accomplish).

4.   Reach a decision (what, when, where; make assignments).

5.   Promote the activity (communication plan, commitments, follow-up).

6.   Conduct the activity (share plan, follow up).

7.   Evaluate the activity (determine if members liked it).

III.   Scheduling. Plan and schedule a year’s program. Review Program Capability Inventory and Venturing Activity Interest Survey for capabilities and interests. Use the brainstorming method to list definite activities for the year. Put the 12 monthly calendars on the wall and write in dates of crew meetings, topics of selected activities or special events, and the names of activity chairs. Avoid conflicts with school, vacations, etc. Before selecting activities, discuss their advantages and disadvantages and be sure activities are based on crew goals. Decide which fund-raising activities are necessary.

IV.   Meetings. Discuss format for crew meetings (see Sample Regular Crew Meeting Agenda later in this chapter). Explain role of each officer, activity chair, and crew member. Develop sample agendas for meetings.

V.   Standard Operating Procedures. Appoint a youth committee and chairperson with adult consultant to establish crew standard operating procedures and code of conduct. Establish rules of conduct, attendance expectations, qualifications for participating in crew superactivities/Tier III adventures, dues, and allocation of funds from approved money-earning projects, etc.

VI.   Closing. Congratulate officers. Reflect on and evaluate day’s activities. Reinforce need to carry out each assignment and that their newly planned calendar of activities should be printed and distributed to all crew members, crew committee members, consultants, and parents. Offer an Advisor’s Minute or a youth-led Officer’s Minute to conclude the seminar.

Suggested Crew Code and Operating Procedures

I.   Preamble—Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

II.   Crew Vision and Mission Statement

III.   Crew Operating Procedures (Each crew can revise to suit its needs.)

A.   Objectives

The objectives of Crew No. _______ are

1. ______________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________

B.   Membership

Membership shall be open to all young adults of high school age who live in the surrounding area and have completed the eighth grade and are at least 13 years of age, or who are 14 to 20 years of age. No prospective member shall be disqualified because of race, color, creed, or sex. All members must be registered as Venturers and agree to the crew code and bylaws.

C.   Officers

1.   The elected officers shall be president, two vice presidents, secretary, and treasurer. The president, with the approval of the Advisor, shall appoint activity chairs and make other assignments as needed. The duties of the officers shall be as prescribed in the Venturing Advisor Guidebook and the Handbook for Venturers.

2.   The normal term of office shall be for one year starting on May 1. Elections shall be held between March 15 and April 30.

3.   No member shall serve more than two successive terms in the same office.

4.   The president shall appoint a nominating committee, which shall consist of three members. The committee shall interview and present a complete slate of candidates who have agreed, if elected, to serve to the best of their abilities.

5.   On the night of the election, nominations may be presented from the floor by any member. If the nomination is seconded and the candidate agrees to serve, he or she must be included on the ballot.

6.   All contested ballots shall be secret.

D.   Crew Business

Crew business will be conducted under the principles outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order. Voting on all issues will be by simple majority, with the exception of changes or amendments to the standard operating procedures, which will require a two-thirds vote of the total membership. A quorum shall consist of one more than the majority of members for votes on routine business.

E.   General Meetings

General meetings will be held during the first and third weeks of each month. The day will be decided by the membership at the beginning of each school year.

F.   Officers’ Meetings

Officers’ meetings will be held at least once a month, prior to and at a time and place different from the first crew meeting of that month.

G.   Newsletter

The crew will publish a newsletter every other month, which shall include all meeting dates and other information of interest to the membership. The newsletter will serve as the historical record of the crew.

H.   Dues

Dues will be $_______ per month, payable quarterly or at any time within the quarter. Members delinquent in dues payments for six months or more will be dropped from the crew roster.

I.    Money-Earning Projects

All money-earning projects must be approved by a majority vote of crew members. Members who do not participate in a project are not entitled to any benefits of the funds earned. All money-earning projects must be approved by the Advisor and meet Boy Scouts of America requirements.

J.    (Additional standard operating procedures may be added by the crew.)

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

This sample document is available online at www.venturing.org.

Crew Sustainability

Recruitment is not a once-a-year experience that happens only with an annual open house. Your crew may have multiple open houses throughout the program year. Crew sustainability and recruitment are ongoing concerns for your crew.

Peer-to-Peer Recruiting

At the heart of peer-to-peer recruiting is asking your friends to try out Venturing with you. The Venturing Peer-to-Peer Packet is a set of tools designed to aid Venturers in recruiting their friends. These resources allow Venturers to have a better way to grow the program. They are intended for an individual crew member to hand flyers or brochures to potential members. Councils and crews may use these materials to promote recruitment.

Recognition Note

Responsibility for planning and implementing a successful crew open house may be used for completion of the Pathfinder Award crew sustainability requirement.

You can order individual pieces or entire packets. The materials are free for your use. You may either order them as hard copies or download electronic copies for your use. Visit www.venturing.org to see the entire set of materials and suggestions for making them count.

Remember: Paper informs, but people inspire. Use these tools to help inspire the next generation of Venturers to join your crew.

Open House Events

The Venturing crew open house is a crew event where potential members (and possibly their parents) are invited to a crew activity, given an opportunity to find out about your crew and its program, and invited to join. The open house may be a prelude to inviting prospective members to a crew outing organized as a Tier I adventure.

The meeting has two purposes. The primary purpose is to introduce potential new members to your crew. First impressions are key, so plan an open house with that in mind. You might get only one opportunity to show off what you do and to invite someone to join. The second purpose of an open house is to make the crew feel good about what the crew is accomplishing and how it brings its vision to life.

When planning an open house, be bold and creative! The open house could be a very simple meeting where the potential members learn about the crew’s past and future programs, or it can be BOLD. A high-adventure–oriented crew, for example, could meet potential new members outside the meeting place, where they will climb and then rappel off the side of the building.

A sports-oriented crew could offer a sports maze where guests do several sports, such as shooting basketballs, throwing a football at a target, hitting a hockey puck into a net, and identifying famous athletes.

Crew officers have the primary responsibility for planning and conducting the open house. Usually the administrative vice president is the chair for planning the open house, or the crew president can assign another crew member to be the chair. The open house chair then recruits a committee to plan and conduct an open house. The crew committee also assigns an adult Advisor to help plan and run the open house.

Planning the event will take one or two meetings and should start at least four to six weeks before an open house. The first planning meeting will be to explain why you are doing the open house, plan what you will do, and make assignments. The next meeting, which occurs one or two weeks before the open house, is a follow-up, is-everything-done–type meeting. Open houses and their planning meetings should be Venturer-run, not adult-run.

Sample Open House Agenda

1.

Before the Meeting

The open house committee arrives at least one hour before the open house. All other crew members arrive at least half an hour before the open house. All hands-on activities are set up at least half an hour before the open house. All equipment such as computer and video project, welcome kit, name badges, sign-in roster, registration table, etc., are set up at least half an hour before the open house.

Greeters

2.

Greeting

Have signs in the parking lot directing guests to the entrance. Have greeters outside the entrance and just inside the entrance. Have greeters at all turns and at the door to where your open house is held. Once guests are inside, all crew members are greeters.

Hands-On Committee, Open House Chair, or Crew President

3.

Hands-On Activity/Icebreaker

Ask everyone to take a seat.

Crew President

4.

Welcome

The crew president welcomes everyone and introduces crew officers and Advisors.

Crew Officer

5.

What Is Venturing and the Purpose of a Crew?

Consider creative ways to have your crew officers and/or members explain what Venturing is and what a crew does. Tell about program planning, officers, leadership opportunities, the Venturer/Advisor relationship, etc.

Crew Officer

6.

About Our Crew

Also in a creative way, share what you think your crew is and some of the activities your crew has done. This could be slides or a video of what you have done. Share your future plans for trips, activities and adventures, service and leadership opportunities, and your superactivity.

Crew President

7.

Questions and Answers

Give potential members and their parents an opportunity to ask questions.

Crew Advisor

8.

Advisor’s Comments (Short)

The crew Advisor wraps up any area not adequately addressed earlier and talks about adult supervision and adults’ role in the crew. He or she invites parents to talk further during the registration process.

Crew President

9.

Invitation to Join

Describe the joining process: participation in an event outside of a crew meeting, an interview with the Advisor and president, Personal Safety Awareness training, and a joining/investiture ceremony.

Crew Members, Crew Secretary

10.

Hands-On Activities Again and Registration Process

This is another opportunity for potential members to experience a little of what you do. At the same time, they can register at the registration table.

All

11.

Refreshments

Refreshments are optional, but are popular. They could be pizza, ice cream, cookies, soft drinks, etc. Have them at the same time as the hands-on activities or whenever else you want.

Cleanup Committee

12.

Cleanup

This document is available online at  www.venturing.org.

Cleanup Committee

Open House Countdown

-84 days

Open house chairman appointed.

-70 days

Open house chairman and adult Advisor are trained by your district.

-60 days

Open house committee members appointed.

-45 days

First open house committee meeting.

—Brief members.

—Plan open house.

—Make assignments.

-15 days

Call to remind open house committee members.

-14 days

Final open house committee meeting.

-12 days

Send special invitation letter (see sample letter).

-5 days

Call prospective members.

-1 day

Call prospective members.

All crew members should be at the open house and consider themselves part of the open house event. Members who have no other assignment will serve as greeters. All members should make the potential members and the family and friends that attend with them feel welcome from the time they get out of their cars until they leave. You should have an exciting, hands-on program for them to enjoy and answer all their questions. If guests get to experience some of what you do and see a well-run, Venturer-led program, they will be more likely to join and come to crew meetings. When planning the open house, think about what you would like to do or see if you were the potential member.

Crew Open House Sample Invitation Letter

Key Points in Writing the Letter

1.   Personalized.

2.   Comes from youth.

3.   First paragraph paints the picture of what the potential member can do.

4.   Emphasizes one-hour meeting, time, place, bring friends and family, bring registration money, what money is for.

5.   Briefly explains who we are—Venturing. Youth-planned and run.

6.   Invite them to visit the crew website.

7.   Enclose a detailed map and Venturing brochure.

8.   Give a source to get more information.

9.   Emphasize friends some more.

10.   Send with a stamp, never bulk.

Leading Others

As your Venturing crew plans and runs its program, you may at times feel like everyone in the crew is heading in a different direction. Other members of the crew might not always share your ideas about the crew’s visions, goals, and plans. They might not even share the same ideas with each other. You might at times feel somewhat frustrated.

This may be because every group of people or team progresses through a series of predictable stages. A Venturing crew is a team, and it will go through these stages, too. Understanding which stage your crew is at will help you keep things in perspective and serve as a better leader and follower.

Stages of Team Development

The four stages of team development are forming, storming, norming, and performing. Each team will move through these stages at different speeds, possibly even shifting back and forth between stages, especially when encountering new challenges or gaining new members.

1.   Forming. When teams first come together, they usually exhibit great enthusiasm but much disorganization. Think of a high school band that meets for the first time at the start of the school year. Band members are excited and look forward to playing, but they are not ready to give a concert. It will take time, and lots of practice, before they come together to play well.

2.   Storming. In this stage, the initial excitement has worn off. Things remain disorganized, and team members can have different visions of how much they have left to do. Arguments or grumbling may arise, especially as individual team members pull in opposite directions. Storming is a phase nearly every new team goes through, and even existing teams may revert to storming when confronted with change.

3.   Norming. After storming comes norming, when the team is working together better. Enthusiasm returns, and the team’s skills grow. The norming stage can be fragile, with team members seesawing between storming and norming.

4.   Performing. At this point, the team has solidified. The first flush of enthusiasm has returned, and now the team members have the skills and organization to work together well and accomplish their goals. The team is performing as a team.

Remember that each of these stages is part of the process of any team growing and getting stronger. Even if most of the members of the crew have been together for years and normally work well together, the crew could still move between these stages when facing new challenges. As a leader, you will want to learn the stages of team development so you can know how to help move your team forward.

The Methods of Leadership

Though no two leaders approach leadership in exactly the same way, any leader can use the four basic methods denoted by the acronym EDGE—Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable—to match their leadership approach to the situation their team is in.

Explain. The leader gives clear and careful instructions about what is expected of the team and how team members should go about their tasks. This method is appropriate when teams are forming and need instruction about what they are supposed to be doing.

Demonstrate. Showing can be more powerful than telling. When a team enters the storming stage, it becomes vital for the leader to demonstrate appropriate behavior that will help the team move forward, conveying expectations by example and avoiding any temptation to join in grumbling or arguing.

Guide. When guiding a group, a leader steps back and does less instructing. Although guiding is less hands-on, the leader remains actively involved, offering encouragement and stepping in to provide coaching as needed. When a team enters the norming stage, its leader can act more as a guide.

Enable. The leader of a team that is performing can step back still further and let the team run on its own. The team knows what it is doing and works well together. A leader enables by giving the team full ownership of its actions, offering encouragement, providing needed resources, and helping the team evaluate its own performance.

Exactly how a leader uses these methods will depend on what the group is doing and where it wants to go. Each leader might use these methods differently, according to individual personality and style. Some leaders may enjoy being at the center of attention, while others may have a quieter manner. Not every leader needs to be highly extroverted; many highly effective leaders have a more reserved personality.

No matter where your team is developmentally or what method you are using, be positive and supportive of your team. Show them you care and view your leadership role as one that puts others first. Also, be sure to celebrate success. Successes breed more successes. When your team members rise to a challenge or do something right, let them know you recognize how well they did.

Matching Leadership to Team Development

Deciding which EDGE method to use will depend largely on the team’s stage of development. With a team at the earlier stages, a leader needs to be hands-on. But as the team gains experience and enthusiasm, the leader may turn more to guiding and enabling.

Consider a typical Venturing crew that goes on a weeklong canoe trip.

Crew Situation | Team Stage | Leader Response

Arriving at the starting point on the river, everyone is excited. All crew members know how to swim well and they have practiced canoeing skills, but they don’t know exactly what they should be doing to get started.

Forming

Before anyone gets into a canoe, the crew president gathers the crew together and reviews the safety rules. The president also explains   the plans for the day, making sure everyone knows the route the crew will take and how to secure their camping gear in the canoes.

After unloading their camping gear, crew members set up tents. Progress on dinner, though, is slow because the Venturers who are responsible for cooking are unable to light the camp stove. Several other crew members start grumbling about dinner taking too long. Everyone is tired, and some crew members are thinking about going to sleep without dinner or dipping into some of tomorrow’s lunch that doesn’t require cooking.

Storming

The crew president, having had experience as a camp cook, sees an opportunity to help the crew find success by asking everyone to watch as she demonstrates   the safe technique for lighting the camp stove. By getting the stove lit and displaying a positive attitude, the president eases the tension and refocuses the crew productively toward plans for dinner, which the cooks proceed to prepare and everyone enjoys eating.

When dinnertime comes the next day, the cooks proceed to prepare the evening meal but seem to be having trouble with their organization. They are cooperating but don’t seem to have things quite on track.

Norming

The crew president monitors how the cooks are doing and guides   them with suggestions as needed on how to organize their work, timing of tasks, etc., so that the cooks can achieve a great meal, on time.

After another day or two on their trip, all the crew members—including those who struggled and grumbled on the first day—are working together without the president needing to offer much of anything but praise each night about how delicious dinner tastes.

Performing

The crew president continues to monitor the team and makes sure that they have the necessary resources for them to accomplish their goals, enabling   them to achieve success.

Of course, not every crew’s experience will be the same. Some crews will go through the stages of team development more quickly than others—and some more slowly. Some crews might revert to an earlier stage when confronted with another challenge. For example, the crew on the canoe trip might move past its challenges over dinner on the first night, only to find itself back in the storming stage when it rains all day.

Recognition Note

Matching team phases with leadership methods is a key component of a number of BSA leadership trainings, including NYLT, Wood Badge, and NAYLE. These trainings may be used to satisfy leadership requirements for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards.

The key is for a leader to be aware of how the team is working together and to try to adapt the method of leadership to try to meet the team’s needs. Leadership, after all, is about serving others, and groups going through different stages of development will have different needs to be served.

Communicating With Others

Leaders need strong communication skills. To succeed, they must share ideas and information with others. They need to explain and demonstrate, as well as guide and enable. They also need to listen, to learn what the members of their team think, need, and want. Successful leaders rely on good communication skills to help resolve any conflicts that arise. Leaders also draw on their communication skills to mentor future leaders. In Venturing, you have the opportunity to practice and improve your communication skills in all these ways.

Recognition Note

Communicating effectively will serve you well in meeting the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit award requirements.

Communicating Effectively

Communication is the process of transmitting or sharing a message between a sender and one or more receivers. Effective communication depends on both the sender and the receivers—and on messages flowing back and forth between them. Communication is a two-way street. It breaks down when information is not shared at all or when it fails to convey what the sender wanted the receivers to know.

To communicate well, any leader should consider three elements of effecting communications:

1.   Knowing what message he or she wants to send.

2.   Relaying that message so that the receivers receive and understand it.

3.   Making sure the receivers received the correct message.

The first step—figuring out what message to send—will depend on the situation and on the leader’s vision and goals.

When it comes to the next step—relaying the message—the leader must be clear. The message will more likely be understood if it is relayed in a way that is simple, uncluttered, and focused on the essential idea or information that needs to be received.

In deciding how to relay a message, the leader needs to think about the receivers. Only by stepping into the receivers’ shoes can the leader figure out the best way to relay his or her message.

The final step, after relaying the message, is for the leader to find out what the receivers have received. It’s important for a leader to solicit questions—and to ask questions, too. The leader must listen well to make sure the receivers heard what the leader intended.

Communicating With Youth and Adults

Venturers communicate with two sets of receivers: youth and adults. Effective communication is much the same for both groups. Both want to be treated with respect. Common courtesies such as “please” and “thank you” go a long way when communicating with others. In addition, youth and adults all benefit from you speaking clearly and simply.

Your crew may also need to refine how it shares meeting reminders, announcements about upcoming adventures, and other information about crew activities. Be sure to include everyone when communicating about the crew’s plans:

•   Venturers

•   Crew Advisors

•   Venturers’ parents

•   Crew committee members

•   Consultants

•   Hosts of locations where your crew meets

•   Managers of destination locations

•   Individuals supporting crew activities

Good communication is vital when your crew leaves on an adventure. Leaders need to communicate plans and expectations with crew members before and during a trip.

Effective Conversations

How to have a conversation:

•   Maintain eye contact.

•   Pay attention to the person you’re talking to. Don’t do something else (like check text messages on your phone or play with a pen or pencil).

•   Find a time or place to talk free of distractions.

•   Take turns talking and listening. Listen attentively. Avoid thinking about what you’re going to say next when the other person is talking.

•   Repeat what you heard to make sure you have it right.

•   Be courteous. Do not interrupt the other person.

Getting Feedback

Feedback is important so leaders can keep the crew doing what works well as well as try to make things work better. When a leader strives to put others first, feedback is like a gift. It gives the leader a basis for better serving his or her team.

Venturers should be asked to give feedback during and after every adventure. There should also be periodic opportunities to give feedback about crew meetings and the overall crew program.

Feedback should not dwell only on complaints. It also needs to highlight what is going well. Sometimes this balance is achieved by following the sandwich principle: Start by saying something positive, then offer constructive criticism, and finally return to something positive.

Gathering feedback, of course, is only a first step. A successful leader reflects on what he or she has learned from feedback. Should he or she do something different as a leader? Does the team need to modify its goals or plans? The gift of feedback gives the leader more information about how to effectively serve his or her team.

Resolving Conflict

Even when conflicts don’t rise to a serious level, small slights or frustrations involving crew members can fester if the individuals keep their concerns to themselves. Good communication can sometimes prevent conflicts from arising. Effective leaders actively seek feedback from their team members, both to gauge how the group is doing and to try to head off conflicts.

Even in crews with good communication and effective leaders, conflicts can develop. When this happens, a crew officer needs to step in to help guide resolution—it’s your duty as a leader. Resolving conflicts will not always be easy. Follow these five basic steps to help ease the difficulty.

1.   Be mindful of yourself. If your emotions have heated up because of the conflict, you might ask everyone to take time to cool down. Your role is to help others resolve their conflict, not to enter the conflict yourself. You need to serve as a neutral sounding board, so make sure you are calm enough to play that role.

2.   Be mindful of others. Think about factors that might affect the individuals involved in the conflict. Has it been hot outside? Are people hungry? Have they had trouble at work or school? Relatively minor things can make people irritable. Maybe everyone should get something to eat before discussing the conflict. If the conflict involves only part of the crew, find a place that’s out of the hearing of others.

3.   Listen. Listening is the most important thing you can do. Listen to any judgment about who is at fault so you can get everyone’s perspective on what happened or what’s the matter. Affirm that you have heard what people are telling you; say, “I got it” or “I hear you.” Summarize things in your own words to make sure you have heard what the others mean, saying something like, “This is what I hear you saying …”

4.   Encourage others to talk. Ask questions that will help the individuals find a solution to the conflict. What does each person want? How have they been trying to get what they want? Why is that approach working or not working? What other ways might solve the problem? Keep everyone talking, focusing on anything positive in how they are handling the situation. Help them find a solution that seems fair to all.

5.   Bring in backup. When a conflict seems too big or lasts too long, talk with other crew members and Advisors to get their suggestions and help. Some conflicts can be resolved only by involving Advisors. Be sure to tell your Advisors right way about any serious situations like those involving drugs, alcohol, bullying, hazing, harassment, or self-harm.

Coaching and Mentoring New Leaders

Leadership is shared when responsibilities are distributed among different leaders, and it is also shared when an experienced leader helps a new leader learn leadership skills.

Recognition Note

Mentoring training will help you to serve as a successful mentor in leadership and personal settings. Mentoring training is a requirement for the Summit Award.

Experienced leaders can help new leaders in two main ways: coaching and mentoring. Coaching is a learning activity directed by a coach, or teacher, not by the learner. It involves explaining and demonstrating by the coach, and it can be very useful in helping the learner gain concrete skills or learn how to perform specific tasks. When Venturers serve on the staff of BSA leadership training course, such as the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews course, they act as coaches.

Recognition Note

Serving as a mentor will help you achieve Summit Award Leadership requirement 3—mentoring another member of your crew as he or she leads an adventure.

Mentoring might include some coaching, but it is really different. Mentoring involves learning that is motivated by the learner, not the mentor. The focus with mentoring is also less on concrete skills than on longer-term personal growth. A mentor guides and enables, listening actively and helping the learner to assess his or her own strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Mentoring does not come naturally to many of us. We are more inclined to step in to solve other people’s problems, offering them our advice about what to do. But when we analyze and solve other people’s problems for them, we deprive them of an opportunity to think and grow for themselves.

Mentoring takes place through conversation, not instruction. The learner seeks out the mentor as a resource or sounding board. The mentor, in turn, asks questions that help the learner formulate goals, analyze problems, and generate a plan of action. The mentor supports the learner by both encouraging and challenging. The mentor should never put down a learner’s ideas or make judgments.

Valuing Others

The Scout Law says that a Venturer is a friend to all. A Venturer offers friendship to people of all races, religions, nations, and backgrounds, respecting them even if their beliefs, perspectives, and customs are different.

Every individual is unique, so within any group you will find both similarities and differences among the group’s members. Successful leaders not only accept these differences, they embrace them.

They know that each person brings different knowledge and experiences that make their teams stronger.

By valuing the differences we see in people, we value those people themselves—as individuals. This is just what the Scout Law directs. Only by seeing and seeking the best in others—and in ourselves—can we experience the strength and diversity that is needed to make the world a better place.

Recognition Note

The Venturing TRUST Award has an extensive focus on valuing others and the importance of developing and acting on that disposition.

Planning the Crew’s Activities

The answer: one bite at a time.

The truth is that whenever you want to accomplish something, it helps to break it down into smaller tasks. You need a plan. Just as goals are steps toward a vision, a plan is a means of reaching those goals. Planning is not only an essential skill for organizing adventures as a Venturer; it is also a critical life skill.

The Importance of Effective Program Planning

Whether you are planning a crew meeting, an open house, or a Tier I or Tier II adventure, a clear plan will go a long way to ensure the success of your project. Effective planning assists your crew as they:

•   Make effective use of resources.

•   Establish and act on clear goals.

•   Communicate success.

•   Build a stronger crew.

•   Build stronger individuals.

•   Prepare to have fun.

The guidelines that follow are used by crews as they plan, conduct, and celebrate their Venturing crew’s program.

Developing Your Crew’s Annual Program

In addition to planning individual events, the crew officers also plan an annual program.

Each year, your crew should agree on a calendar of its activities for months to come.

Recognition Note

The BSA’s Project Management and Time Management training courses are recognition requirements and will provide tools needed to meet the challenge of planning the annual program.

Having a yearly plan is vital and can be a lot of fun to put together. The yearly or annual plan is important for a variety of reasons.

•   It enables the crew to achieve its vision. If a major adventure is what the crew wants, training and preparation goals can be built into the annual plan.

•   It enables the crew to build a balanced activity plan of adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service into its annual program using the ALPS model.

•   An annual plan allows Venturers and Advisors (as well as parents) to mark their individual calendars. Participation in crew activities increases when people know what to expect.

•   An annual plan enables the crew president to start appointing activity chairs to be responsible for planning and leading each activity the crew plans to take during the year.

•   The plan ultimately determines what the crew will be doing throughout the year. It’s the crew’s ticket to adventure and fun!

Annual program planning also helps map out weekly and monthly programs. If the crew is planning a cross-country bicycle ride, plan meetings around fitness, bike repairs, first aid, and transporting and acquiring gear, and build a series of endurance rides into your monthly and weekly program. Venturing is what you make it. It doesn’t just happen by chance; it takes planning and preparation.

In many crews, the annual program planning process begins with the selection of a new slate of crew officers. This allows a crew to begin by planning a schedule for meetings and other activities that will start in the fall. But of course, each crew can be different. The key is to look ahead for the year and develop a plan.

The first step in building your crew’s annual program is to begin the process by “preparing to plan.” Start by identifying the individuals who will help inform the plan, gathering resources, considering alternatives, and laying the groundwork for the detailed program planning to follow. Carrying out the organizing steps will allow the crew to apply the planning model with ease and efficiency.

When it comes to developing an annual program plan, the initial preparation process involves three basic steps.

Step 1

The crew Advisor holds a crew officers briefing immediately after the crew’s annual election and starts the program planning process. The Advisor explains the process, goals, and what each officer needs to do to prepare for the next step.

Step 2

Gather the following key information.

•   Key school dates, like holidays and exams

•   Community event dates, like proms, homecoming, graduations

•   The chartered organization’s key dates

•   Personal dates that may affect your crew’s activities, such as the Advisor’s anniversary cruise

•   Key district and council dates

•   Data from completed Program Capability Inventory (PCI) sheets from parents and others who might offer resources

•   Data from Venturing Activity Interest Surveys from each member

•   Last year’s crew annual plan, if you have it

•   Crew priorities and goals

•   Venturers’ recognition records and Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit award requirements

Step 3

After collecting each member’s Venturing Activity Interest Survey, hold the annual crew officers seminar, where officers plan the coming year’s program.

•   Align the program plan with the Venturing areas of program emphasis: adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service.

•   So you have plenty of uninterrupted time for the process, it is recommended that this be conducted in a retreat setting over a weekend. This could be the most important meeting of the year; do it right!

Preparation for the Annual Crew Activity Planning Process

Preparation for planning is as important as the planning itself. The process described here encourages your crew leadership to do quite a bit in advance of creating the actual plan your crew will follow during its program year. Gathering information from a variety of sources—crew members’ interests, the results of the crew’s annual planning meeting, the resources available among the members’ of your crew’s committee, and an assessment of what your crew can reasonably deliver—will help your crew members form a plan that is likely to be successful. This process makes use of the resources gathered in the three steps described on the previous page.

Once the plan is developed, the crew president assigns a member of the crew as the activity chair for a particular activity. The chair convenes a team to put the plan into action, guided by one of the crew’s Advisors. One of the key tasks of the activity chair is to publish a timeline/calendar that will communicate to the members of the crew (and often to their families) not only what is taking place, but when.

Planning Helps: The Program Capability Inventory

The Program Capability Inventory (PCI) is a process of surveying the adults associated with the crew to understand how they might support potential crew needs. Each Venturing crew’s program is unique because it is based on the interests of the young adults who join the crew and what the adults associated with the crew can provide. The PCI process reveals the expertise of adults associated with a crew. PCIs become one of the most important tools that shape a program of activities for a Venturing crew.

While the crew committee traditionally collects PCIs, ideally, this is a task managed by a Venturer. The first step is to send the Program Capability Inventory form to adults. The second step involves converting their responses into a follow-up form called the Program Planning Form.

Step 1: Distributing the PCI Form

Completing the PCI form begins the process of matching adults and young people with similar interests. (This form can be accessed online at www.venturing.org.)

The PCI form is given to all the adults in the crew organization (Advisors, crew committee members, potential consultants, etc.) and to any other adults who might have an interest and ability to assist your crew at the beginning of a crew organizational process and then ongoing throughout the year. The crew president or his or her appointee has the primary responsibility of distributing the PCI form and converting the responses into a program planning form. The officers’ responsibility is to use the Program Planning Form to plan the crew’s initial program of activities (during the crew officers seminar) and to fine-tune this program throughout the year.

A crew should continually expand its list of possible adult resources that can help the crew in specific ways.

All adults who are given the PCI form are asked to:

1.   List their career, hobbies, skills, and any contacts they might have that could be of benefit to the crew.

2.   Indicate their willingness to share their expertise with the crew at least once during the year.

Step 2: Completing the Program Planning Form

After a crew receives the completed PCI forms, the responses must be converted to a Program Planning Form to help the officers plan a program of activities for the year.

This step involves organizing the responses in a useful, meaningful way by sorting them into such areas as:

•   Name of each responding adult

•   Each adult’s career

•   Each adult’s hobbies, interests, and skills

•   Their ideas for service projects

•   Their ideas for program activities

•   Equipment and facilities any of these adults can provide

Planning Helps: Venturing Activity Interest Survey

The PCI process provides the crew with information about the expertise and availability of the adults associated with your crew. The Venturing Activity Interest Survey matches that expertise to the interests of the crew.

The Venturing Activity Interest Survey should be conducted before developing the year’s program of activities at the crew officers seminar. It’s important to know the interests of the crew members in order to make this program meaningful. Continue conducting Venturing Activity Interest Surveys throughout the year to fine-tune the program as the year progresses. A recommended approach is to complete the survey when a new Venturer meets with the crew president and Advisor during his or her interview.

Crew officers can design unique methods of gathering information about the interests of their crew members. Whatever method is used, it is important that:

•   All members are surveyed for their interests.

•   Every member feels that his or her interests are important to the crew and he or she is free to express interests and ideas for activities.

•   The results of the surveys are put into writing and filed for easy access.

The program vice president should ensure that Venturing Activity Interest Surveys are conducted regularly, at least annually, and the vice president of communications or secretary should ensure that the results are in writing and filed with the PCIs and Program Planning Form.

Crew Vision and Mission Statement

Your crew’s vision and mission statements help guide your crew as you plan your crew’s program. Developed and revisited annually by your crew, these statements communicate clearly and concisely convey the crew’s purpose and direction. By crafting a clear mission statement and vision statement, you can communicate your intentions to crew members and prospective members and use them to help your crew take action as you develop your annual program plan. The vision and mission statements should inspire you and should provide a direction for your annual program planning.

A mission statement defines the crew purpose and primary objectives. It meets the needs of the members of the crew. It communicates to crew members what the crew likes to do.

Vision statements also define the crew’s purpose, but rather through the crew’s values. The Scout Oath and Scout Law are part of your crew’s value system, but your crew may have additional values that they wish to communicate to others: dispositions about providing serving, helping the members of the crew grow as servant leaders or seekers of adventure. Those values should be imbedded into your crew code of conduct and operating procedures statement.

The Annual Crew Officers Seminar: Developing the Annual Activity Plan

Now that you are well prepared for the planning process and have gathered the information you need to plan your annual activity plan, you are ready to develop your crew’s annual activity plan as part of your annual crew officers seminar. Start with these ground rules for the planning process.

•   It is important to respect the each other’s views. Listen carefully and avoid interrupting the speaker.

•   Keep focused on the task, which is to plan the crew’s annual program. Try not to get sidetracked.

•   Use the planning model to keep everyone on track and to be sure that all questions are addressed. This will help deal with unintended consequences.

•   Write out ideas so everyone can see them.

•   Be in agreement.

With these five guidelines in mind, the planning progress may be broken up into six steps:

Step 1. The crew president and/or Advisor leads a discussion on the crew’s goals for the coming year. Write the goals on a flip chart or eraser board and narrow them down to a final list of goals for the year.

Step 2. Brainstorm ideas of what the crew might do based on the Venturing Activity Interest Surveys. Write the ideas on a flip chart. Remember—don’t critique the ideas while brainstorming.

Step 3. Evaluate the ideas that have been developed to see if they match the Program Capability Inventory. Do you have the resources needed for each idea? If those resources are not identified on the Program Capability Inventory forms you have collected, discuss other resources that may be available to you in your community. Vote on the chosen programs.

Step 4. Expand the basic program by adding support programs and activities leading toward the big activities or activity. Align program plans to provide opportunity for members of your crew to accomplish requirements of the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards. Take a look at your annual program “from 35,000 feet” to ensure a balanced program, using the ALPS model (adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service).

Step 5. Draft the plan and calendar, including big activities, meetings, support activities, and key dates that apply. Officers approve the final calendar. Identify the activity chair and consultants, and organize teams/committees to lead out the work.

Step 6. Distribute the annual plan and calendar to the Venturers, their families, and the chartered organization representative. Once the annual activity plan is finalized, the activity chairs for the various events can begin working on their activities. It is up to them to keep the process moving forward and to report progress at the regular officers’ meetings and crew meetings.

Communication is also vital. Even a good plan won’t help much if it is not shared with others. After all, everyone needs to know the crew plan so they can make their own individual plans.

Areas of Program Emphasis—Building a Balanced Activity Program

The Venturing areas of program emphasis should be used to suggest things in which crews might wish to take part: adventures and fun activities, leadership-building exercises, setting goals to achieve personal growth, and performing service in your community. It should serve as a tool for year-round program planning for the members of your crew. Once you have completed your annual program plan, review it to ensure that you have a fun, balanced program plan that helps crew members become involved in each of the areas of emphasis.

Using the requirements for each award level helps the crew leadership set some program goals for each year. Acting on the responsibility to lead the meetings and the Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III adventures will help prepare the crew for the program as well as helping individual crew members to grow as leaders.

The Venturing awards recognition system can provide benchmarks of progress for the opportunities that your balanced program offers. An active program, grounded in all four areas of program emphasis, makes it easy to track your progress via the Venturing awards. These requirements should also be the basis of annual planning.

Tips for Using the ALPS Model in Annual Program Planning

As you conduct your crew officers seminar and develop your crew’s annual plan, the ALPS model and the requirements for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards can be used as guides to constructing a robust crew plan that will facilitate your crew members achieving Venturing awards. Tips by area of program emphasis include:

Adventure

Participation in adventures is at the heart of the Venturing experience. As your crew plans its annual program, pay attention to what your crew’s interests are. Use these interests to set program goals for adventures that line up with the requirements of the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards. These must be Tier II or III adventures. As you consider adventures for your crew, be creative and take into consideration the needs of your crew members, as identified on the Venturing Activity Interest Survey, and the resources available to your crew, as identified on the Program Capability Inventory.

Tier I

Tier II

Tier III

•   Bowling night

•   Watch-and-learn STEM night

•   Campfire/hayrack ride

•   Sledding

•   Visit a natural history museum

•   Climbing wall

•   Camporee staff

•   Swimming outing

•   Attend a play or performance

•   One-day bike ride

•   First-aid training

•   Crew skill or leadership training

•   Running a Special Olympics event

•   Organizing and staffing a Scout camporee or day camp

•   Weekend bike ride

•   Weekend trip to museum or performance, with required travel

•   Weekend canoe trip

•   Weekend climbing adventure on real rock faces

•   Staging a music and dance event for a retirement home

•   Crew skill or leadership training

•   50-mile backpacking trip

•   Directing a science-themed Cub Scout day camp

•   Trip to a weeklong arts festival

•   Weeklong home-building service project

•   Organizing a weeklong camp for disabled youth

•   Weeklong urban museum tour

•   1,000-kilometer bicycle tour

•   10-day canoe expedition

Leadership

Leadership in Venturing takes place in a variety of settings. Some crew members have been selected as leaders. Some will be appointed to serve as leaders for various adventures. There are also training courses available to help you learn the skills in a structured setting. Planning dates for the following required trainings should be a priority for the crew. And giving crew members and crew leaders the opportunity to take part in BSA and other adventure-based leadership training should also find its way to your annual crew program.

•   Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews should be offered annually or semiannually to help orient new crew members.

•   Crew Officers Orientation is available online; new crew members should be made aware of this by the crew’s leadership.

•   Goal-Setting and Time Management training should be offered at least annually by the crew or through local council resources.

•   Project Management training should be offered at least annually by the crew or within the local council to assist crew members in organizing crew activities.

•   Mentoring training should be made available as a crew-level course or through the local district or council.

•   First-aid training (such as American Red Cross—First Aid/CPR/AED for Schools and the Community or the American Heart Association—Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED) is one of the essential adventure skills. Building this training into the crew’s annual program is important to provide new crew members with needed skills.

Giving crew members and crew leaders the opportunity to take part in BSA and other adventure-based leadership training should also find its way to your annual crew program to support those Venturers who have completed the required trainings above.

Personal Growth

Your goals in personal growth will help impact both the crew’s annual program—and what you gain from serving as a member of the crew in pursuit of adventures. Look at the opportunities present during the crew’s annual program planning meeting to help plant some seeds for the ways in which you will reflect on your skills, abilities, and interests and take charge of your own destiny as you set personal challenges to meet and learn from.

Take into consideration the following personal growth opportunities when planning the annual program. Ethical controversy activities can be done as crew activities as well as providing opportunities for Venturers to lead these sessions.

Some program resources such as the TRUST, Ranger, and Quest awards are useful for building skills in pursuit of adventures. The Ranger Award, in particular, is well-suited to help crew members prepare for outdoor adventures by setting program goals that will help them gain a comprehensive set of outdoor skills. See Venturing Awards and Requirements for additional information about these and many other recognition opportunities for Venturers, individually and as a crew.

Additional program ideas and approaches to deliver skills are available in Program Features for Troops and Crews.

Service

Service is a commitment to others and so forms an important part of your time as a Venturer.

As your crew plans its annual program, be aware of opportunities to deliver service to others. Service provides additional opportunities to build your own skills as a leader, especially as you take on the challenge of leading service projects as a Venturer. But remember that service is much more than just an occasional project. It’s a way of life. As you are involved in other crew activities, always be on the lookout for opportunities to serve, to improve your community, and to help other people along the way. It is not uncommon for a crew to stop along the way to an activity to assist someone in need, only to realize later that the unplanned, spontaneous service rendered became the most memorable part of the activity.

Service is one of Venturing’s areas of program emphasis, so a strong program of service is essential. Consider the following as part of your annual programming needs:

•   Service hours—24 hours of service are required to complete the Discovery Award; an additional 36 hours of service are required to earn the Pathfinder Award.

•   Summit Award service projects—Anticipate crew members who are seeking this award and will be organizing a project to meet this requirement.

•   Crew sustainability projects—Organize multiple opportunities to provide service that supports the operation and longevity of the crew.

Choosing Program Chairs for Each Crew Activity

The activity chair for an activity is selected by either the vice president for program or the crew president (depending on your crew’s practices and size) and Advisor, and is responsible for planning, promoting, and staging the activity. For relatively simple activities, the activity chair alone may be sufficient to carry out these three responsibilities. However, some activities in a crew are more complicated. For these, the activity chair recruits a committee and, depending upon the activity, receives help from the Advisor, crew committee, and consultants. When a committee works with the activity chair to plan an activity, the chair and the committee should go through the seven planning steps together. It is the responsibility of the chair to be sure that the activity planner is filled out and filed with the crew records.

Choosing a Consultant

Consultants can be a great asset to an activity but might not know much about Venturing or the Boy Scouts of America. The youth leader for the activity should help orient the consultant by carefully explaining the proposed activity and finding out how the consultant’s expertise can be helpful.

In addition, the youth activity chair should review with the consultant what is expected of him or her and what equipment or supplies are needed, if any. The more structure and guidance provided to consultants, the better, so they understand exactly what the crew needs.

After the initial discussion, the activity chair should follow up with a letter or email to the consultant, summarizing their discussion so that there is no misunderstanding. Be clear as to the crew’s expectations for the consultant, and make sure there is an understanding of the relationship between a crew’s youth and adult members and the consultant. Remember that the consultant is there to help, not to run the activity. When the activity is over, be sure to thank the consultant for his or her time and resources.

Take good notes throughout the planning process. After each activity, do a critique/debriefing on what went well, what didn’t go well, and what you can do differently next time.

After each step, put the notes in your crew history file. These updates will help during your next planning cycle.

Your plan will be a living, breathing document. For it to have real value, you must follow it, share it with everyone, and review it regularly to see if modifications have to be made. Good luck on another great year and don’t forget: Share your plan and calendar with every Venturing family!

Planning Crew Meetings

A lot of planning takes place at crew meetings, but making crew meetings productive themselves also takes planning. This is the purpose of the crew officers meeting. If you are the crew officer responsible for a meeting, think through the crew meeting ahead of time. Each meeting needs a purpose. That purpose will, of course, vary from crew to crew and from meeting to meeting. Some crews meet once a week, while others meet once a month. But no matter how often your crew meets, each meeting’s purpose will depend on the crew’s goals and its upcoming activities. Meetings will involve discussion and decision-making, but they also can involve active skills training, service activities, and games.

The officer responsible for a meeting should formulate a plan or agenda that takes into account the crew’s goals, input from other officers, and any advice from the Advisor. Once an agenda is developed, it helps to make it available at the meeting for everyone to see. The key is to develop and use a meeting plan or agenda that helps the crew make meetings both productive and fun. Try to focus as much of the meeting as possible on hands-on learning and doing, minimizing the amount of talking and filing reports. Make time spent at crew meetings also part of the adventure!

Tips for Crew Meetings

•   Be sure that fun is part of every meeting.

•   Keep crew meetings active.

•   Be sure that there are activities of interest for everyone in the crew.

•   When planning the meeting, think of it as five to seven short activities instead of one long meeting.

•   Be sure that meetings further the crew’s annual program goals.

•   Use crew meetings to prepare for significant adventures.

•   Keep the business parts of the meeting brief.

•   Keep track of recognition requirements along the way.

•   Be sensitive to time constraints from school, jobs, and extracurricular activities that young adults experience.

•   Team-building games and initiative games provide rich opportunities for crew members to learn to work together better—and have fun at the same time.

•   Follow up with reminders and action items through email, phone, text, or social media.

•   Crew leadership, supported by Advisors, should work together to ensure that every meeting is well-planned and ready to go.

Frequently Asked Questions About Crew Meetings

How often should a crew meet? When and how long to meet are up to each crew. Separate from other activities and adventures, some crews meet every week, while others meet every other week, and a few even meet just once a month. Meeting weekly can help keep the crew together, building the team and creating a routine for Venturing. But it also means the crew officers need to do more planning to make sure all the meetings are productive and worthwhile to attend.

How long should crew meetings last? How long meetings last will depend on what the crew needs to do to achieve its vision and goals, as well as how often the crew meets. A crew that meets every week may be able to keep its meetings shorter than a crew that meets only every other week. Whatever you decide, try to keep to the same meeting times on a regular basis. Making a habit of starting and ending on time will make it easier on everyone to plan their individual schedules to include Venturing.

Where should crew meetings be held? Hold your meetings at a safe place that is convenient for crew members: usually at the place of worship, school, or community group that sponsors the crew. It helps to have a regular location for each meeting, but for some activities, the crew might choose a different location.

What do Venturers do at crew meetings? As with everything in Venturing, the crew can choose. As long as it’s safe, in line with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and in support of one or more of the Venturing areas of emphasis, you can do just about anything you’d like to plan during a crew meeting. For example:

•   Prepare for your next adventure.

•   Play Frisbee.

•   Learn camping skills.

•   Make a dessert.

•   Take Hazardous Weather training.

•   Hold a crew birthday party.

•   Practice lighting camp stoves.

•   Plan a yearly crew calendar of events.

•   Set up and run a geocaching challenge.

•   Take part in an ethical controversy discussion.

•   Complete Project Management training.

•   Get together with another crew for a game night.

Leading and Planning Your Adventures

This section is designed as a reference to help you and your crew plan and lead crew adventures. It is a brief but helpful introduction to skills you may develop more fully through National Youth Leadership Training, the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience, and the Kodiak Challenge. It should not be considered in any way a substitute for those courses, but rather a primer to help you get started as an effective leader.

Planning Crew Adventures: Detailed Planning Helps

Planning every adventure means that you have to be concerned with the high-level details—what the seven-step model provides—and the details that you work out to implement each step in the process.

The annual activity plan helps your crew identify what the members wish to do for each program year. The seven-step planning model presented here will be useful as you plan crew adventures and service projects. (This same model will also be useful in life when you face project planning and project management tasks.)

This activity planning model is used in the pages that follow. Its purpose is to help you make good decisions along the way as you develop, implement, and assess your plan for a particular activity. Use the points on the cycle to help you evaluate your plans as you go along, as well as the Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet.

Step 1: Define the Specifics of the Activity

What would the crew members like to do? Consider what the crew has done before as well as new activities that relate to the crew members’ interests. Narrow down the ideas to create a final list. If your annual crew plan has scheduled a canoe trip and assigned you as the activity chair for that particular activity, work with your Advisor, crew officers, and your consultant to develop and plan for that activity that will be fun, meet the needs of crew members (as identified in the Venturing Activity Interest Surveys), conform to the safety requirements of the Boy Scouts of America and the Guide to Safe Scouting, and possibly, help some crew members meet requirements they are working on for the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards.

Step 2: Define Resources

Determine the time available for the activity, what skills will be needed in the crew and from consultants, whether the needed tools and gear are on hand, what the event will cost and how it will be paid for, and other relevant issues such as the availability of sufficient adult leadership.

Step 3: Consider Alternatives

Evaluate the ideas you have developed to see whether they match your Program Capability Inventory. Do you have the resources needed for each idea? Are there alternatives that would work as well—or better? What if an emergency occurs leading up to the event—or during the event? How are you prepared to handle changes in circumstances?

Step 4: Commit the Plan to Writing

Draft the plan and calendar, including the activity itself, support activities (such as, prior to your canoe trip, meetings to learn to paddle canoes properly, water safety seminars, etc.), and key dates. Review the plan with others to make sure all dates are feasible. Follow up with key dates and times to ensure adequate guidance and accountability to implement the adventure. Be sure to schedule periodic status checks to help execute the plan properly.

Step 5: Promote the Plan

Promote the plan and the event. Have a point of contact for questions to be answered.

Consider the tools to use when communicating the adventure: social media or paper handouts? Keep in mind how the audience prefers to communicate. Follow up with multiple messages to keep the excitement building.

Step 6: Implement the Plan

Have fun. Take lots of pictures. Tell lots of stories. Celebrate success.

Step 7: Assess the Activity

Regular assessment checkpoints along the way ensure you are making progress. Then at the end, debrief the entire experience with the members of the crew. What went well? What should be changed? What has been learned? What you can do differently next time? Take good notes and put them in the crew history file to help during the next planning cycle. A reflection after the adventure will allow crew members to learn from the experience. The next crew adventure should run more smoothly as you apply what you learned when planning and implementing this activity.

Additional Considerations for Planning Crew Activities

Proper planning for an outing or service project might seem like a lot to do, but having clear answers to all questions in advance and knowing who is responsible for implementing the interlocking parts of your adventure will go a long way to ensure that the adventure is successful, safe, and fun. The seven-step planning process will help you develop an effective plan.

Adventure is one of the key components of the Venturing program. As you move from a participant to a leader to an adventure mentor, your skills will be growing. Your progress through the Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards will help you track your growth as an adventurer—and as a leader.

Applying the Seven-Step Process

The planning process is built around asking questions along the way as you plan your adventure. You will not necessarily be able to answer every question in the order it appears here. Your answers to some questions will generate other questions. You may think of your plan as a puzzle and try answering the questions that are more obvious. These initial answers may help you fill in the blanks for the other questions.

While it is important to have a detailed trip plan, don’t be so inflexible that some plans can’t be changed during the crew’s adventure. Write it down. Review it. Share it. Publish the plan and the timeline and make certain that everyone is ready to go. Follow up with key dates and times in the plan to make sure there is guidance and accountability to implement the adventure. Make sure there are regularly scheduled status checks to ensure that the plan is executed properly.

Define the Activity

An adventure requires a goal, and having a goal makes it easier to plan the adventure. The first step in planning any Venturing adventure should be to consider the purpose of the activity and the goals of the crew. The objectives of the adventure will serve as a foundation for the planning. Is the purpose of the upcoming event to learn a skill, improve self-confidence, experience a specific activity, go to a certain place, just have fun, or all of the above? Other objectives might include getting crew members to learn new things, accept new challenges, and make new friends, or to complete certain requirements for an award. The only nonnegotiable objective of any adventure is to minimize risk. Managing risk is required.

Once you have your vision in place, follow up with questions—and thoughtful answers—that will help deliver that adventure.

•   What has to be done? What will it take to make the event happen? What resources need to be acquired to move the project into action?

•   When is it to be done? Establish a timeline. Backdating tasks to complete in leading up to an event is especially critical for Tier II– and Tier III– level adventures.

•   Who does it? This is vital in establishing accountability. Do the persons responsible for implementing their part of the adventure have the needed skills? If not, how do we help them acquire those skills? What other support do they need?

•   Where, when, and how? Answering these questions will establish locations and timeline and will settle issues regarding implementation of the adventure.

•   Is everything clear? Preparing an initial written draft of the adventure—including the vision for success and implementation details—will start the process of defining the adventure in detail. Ask the adventure mentor to review the plan for completeness and accuracy.

While most of the planning tips in this chapter can be used for any tier of adventure, the lower tiers require less significant effort (and experience). Therefore, if you are new to adventure planning, a good place to start is planning a Tier I adventure. As you develop your planning skills, then you will be ready to push yourself out of your comfort zone to plan a Tier II or III adventure.

Define the Responsibilities

When planning and implementing an adventure, clearly identify the responsibilities of the activity chair, officers, and Advisors.

For relatively simple activities, the activity chair may be able to carry out the planning, promotion, and staging responsibilities alone. However, for more complicated crew adventures, the activity chair recruits a committee and, depending on the activity, receives additional help from the Advisors, the crew committee, and consultants. For example, if the activity is a bowling night, the activity chair probably can organize, promote, and run it alone. But for a waterskiing party, the activity chair might need other Venturers and adults to help with things such as equipment, food, and transportation.

The Advisor is ultimately responsible for the health and safety of the crew members. The Advisors and crew officers, as a team, need to make sure the activity chair has the necessary training and support to carry out the role.

Define Resources

An adventure can stall when crew members realize they don’t have the resources for it or they have not identified resources far enough in advance to gather them. When defining resources, address the important issues in detail.

•   Is there enough time to prepare for the event? Will the timing allow most of the crew to participate in preparation and in the activity itself? Making a backdating calendar will help identify critical implementation points.

•   What skills do crew members and consultants have? Are there prospects for additional or new consultants to help the crew attain the needed skill level?

•   Do you have the necessary tools and gear? If you are going canoeing, for example, can an outfitter support your needs, or do you need to raise money to purchase your gear? For a service project, can you borrow tools from friends and family, or will the agency you are serving provide you with what you need?

•   How much will this adventure cost? Is it realistic to pay for it yourself, or should your crew hold fundraising events? Will the fundraiser bring in enough to implement the activity you are planning?

•   Have you considered school calendars and summer jobs? Do you have sufficient adult leadership in place? What other issues do you need to consider? As your crew gets more proficient at planning adventures, you will likely add to this list of other concerns that reflect how your crew operates.

Recognition Note

Serving as a crew officer is one of the leadership requirements for the Pathfinder and Summit awards. Your ability to lead a discussion while serving in those offices will help lead the crew to a respectful consideration of adventure options.

Consider Alternatives

Considering the alternatives is always an important step in the planning process. In general, the trip to the location where the adventure takes place is a means to an end. Once the adventure is defined, sometimes it is easier—and more economical—to carry it out closer to home.

Here are some questions to consider when testing your adventure against alternatives.

•   What resource issues suggest that an alternative plan is needed?

•   What if an emergency takes place leading up to the event—or during the event? How is the crew prepared to handle changes in circumstances? Be methodical when looking at the plan and the alternatives that may be necessary.

•   Does the alternative make more sense, based on resources? Can the same goals be met on an adventure close to home rather than traveling? Are there service opportunities in the local home community, for example, that you can accomplish without investing funds in travel and lodging?

Make a decision to proceed. Gain the participation and commitment of crew members, Advisors, and parents or guardians, and commit to making the adventure take place. How you address the concerns that follow may suggest a more cost-effective or achievable adventure for your crew.

Decide Where to Go

Knowing what the crew wants to do helps you decide where to go for the adventure. A good method for determining places within the crew’s range is to mark your location on a map with a dot. Then make three circles:

•   A circle with a radius of 120 miles—Any place within this circle is about a two-hour drive or less from your location and appropriate for a weekend activity.

•   A circle with a radius of 600 miles—This is how far you could safely drive in one day following BSA guidelines (a maximum of 10 hours of driving per day, under 600 per day on interstate highways). Every place inside the circle is a one-day-to-get-there trip.

•   A circle with a radius of 1,200 miles—This is how far you could get in two days. All of a sudden, faraway places seem a little closer.

If you can afford to travel by train, bus, or plane, your circle of possibilities can grow dramatically. Then see if you can find the resources to get there.

At this stage the outfitter, property owner, or land-managing agency should be consulted well in advance to inquire about costs, reservations, group size limits, and permit requirements.

To help ensure a safe adventure, ask these questions when selecting a location:

•   Are youth officers and/or adult Advisors familiar with the location?

•   Have program locations been selected based on the needs and abilities of all crew members, not the needs and abilities of the leaders and/or more experienced crew members?

Refer to the Guide to Safe Scouting for BSA driving requirements for both adults and Venturers as well as guidelines for safe driving. See www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/.

•   Are the locations appropriate for the philosophy, mission statement, and objectives of the crew?

•   What are the program location’s hazards?

•   What emergency resources are available in the area?

How Will We Get There?

1.   Determine How to Travel. Because transportation is frequently the greatest expense of an adventure, be sure to carefully consider alternatives: air, train, commercial bus, chartered bus, or private vehicles including cars, vans, buses, and recreational vehicles.

Before choosing a mode of travel, explore the alternatives and their costs. Also consider the cost of meals, lodging, and additional vehicle insurance.

2.   Select the Route. Determine the route to take. Will it be the scenic route or the fastest way? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Be sure to determine stops for food and rest.

3.   Plan Group Travel. Chartered buses are often the most economical transportation for groups of 20 or more. While small groups may find it cheaper to travel in private vehicles. Established rail, bus, and airline companies are strongly recommended, especially for longer adventures. For long trips, booking a flight may be the most reasonable alternative. Flying usually eliminates the need for overnight stops and meals. Choose the best transportation method based on your destination, itinerary, numbers, and budget. If you plan to use a commercial carrier during spring break or over a holiday, you must make reservations well in advance to ensure space for your crew.

4.   Automobiles/Vans. If traveling by private vehicle, you must arrange for enough drivers to allow plenty of relief. Parents are great resources for vehicles and drivers. Determine who will drive, and plan for delays such as mechanical problems or flat tires.

Group Identity. Whether it’s the official Venturing field uniform or a crew T-shirt, a common attire lends credibility, helps crew members know they are part of a team, makes it easier to keep track of the group, is required at some places to take advantage of offers available only to organized groups, and is your passport to shared Scouting goodwill.

Decide When to Go

Choose the time of year that best suits the crew—summer vacation, spring break, winter holidays, etc.—and select events suited to the season or time. Or choose where you want to go or what you want to do, and then pick the best time for it. Some trips are possible only for one season or for only a short time during a particular season. Crew member/Advisor availability can affect your timing, as well.

The timing of your adventure can play a significant role in the risks you must plan for (especially for adventures that will take place in the outdoors): The crew should be prepared for the season and conditions it is operating in.

Other resources that could help you make some of these important decisions include travel guides and guidebooks, online sources, people who know the area, and managers of adventure locations.

Decide What to Do There

Many Venturing crews have a theme (backpacking, service, STEM, culinary arts, historical re-enacting, etc.). Activities during your adventure might be focused on this theme. But don’t be limited to activities based on your crew theme. Part of a good adventure is trying and learning new things.

Determine the Equipment and Supplies Needed

No matter what kind of crew adventure you have planned, whether it’s a whitewater rafting trip or a STEM summer camp, three types of equipment must be considered: personal gear, group gear, and supplies. Personal gear includes such things as a crew member’s sleeping bag, clothes, toothbrush, and water bottle. Group gear includes items that are used by the entire group, such as maps, stoves, and tents. Supplies are consumable items, such as food.

BSA’s Fieldbook can be an invaluable guide to gear and skills in the outdoors and other adventure situations. You can get a copy at your local council service center or online at www.scoutshop.org.

Personal Gear

Give crew members a detailed list of personal gear, and ensure they bring the appropriate items. Be specific and clear about why they need to bring certain item and what the performance characteristics should be. For example, if the personal gear list includes “rain gear” and a disposable plastic poncho is not acceptable, your gear list is not clear and could lead to cold, wet crewmates.

Depending on the scope of the adventure, conducting a gear shakedown could ensure the crew’s safety, comfort, and well-being. Conduct the shakedown well before the adventure to ensure all crew members are prepared, and have extra gear available for loan.

Group Gear

Many established Venturing crews have acquired a supply of group gear, but depending on the activity or the crew’s development, some Venturers, Advisors, and parents might be asked to bring items to share. Just as with personal gear, provide a detailed list of the group gear needed for the adventure. Be sure to check all group gear to ensure everything is working properly before departure.

Supplies

Supplies include food, stove fuel, dish soap, first-aid supplies, and any other consumable items. Even if you are not going camping, at least one properly stocked first-aid kit is a must. Food is typically one of the largest expenses of any adventure. Keep these tips in mind when planning what the crew will eat:

•   While it might be easier to eat out, it is usually cheaper to cook your own food.

•   Cooking your own food provides an opportunity for crew members to come together as a team and learn new skills.

•   If the crew is sponsored by a school or place of worship, check to see if you can take advantage of any arrangements they have with food service vendors.

•   Check with the chartered organization and/or local council to see if the crew is exempt from paying sales tax in your state.

•   If you take your own food, be careful to prevent spoilage. Even a slight case of food poisoning could ruin your trip.

•   Don’t forget the condiments and cooking utensils. Determine the type of cooking needed. Consider testing the meals before the adventure to ensure you are prepared with all of the appropriate supplies.

•   In some cases (such as a day trip), it might be best for each crew member to bring his or her own food so the crew can avoid cooking.

What Is Included in a Budget?

A budget for a crew adventure is more than just a list of prices for food and program fees. It should include everything that the crew will be spending money on once away from home.

Common budget items include:

•   Transportation. This may include airline, bus, or train tickets, rental vehicles, gas, and/or parking fees.

•   Lodging. Includes the cost of overnight stops to and from the adventure, as well as fees for campground, cabin, hotel, or hostel.

•   Food. Includes meals en route and during the adventure. Some crews have each crew member pay for his or her own meals en route. If so, it is helpful to provide a recommended dollar amount crew members should bring. Also, it’s a good idea to tell crew members how many meals they will be responsible for while on the road (as well as the kind of restaurants the crew plans to visit).

•   Training. Determine the cost of meals and other expenses for any weekend training needed for the adventure. These training costs can either be incorporated into the overall adventure budget or listed as separate expenses.

•   Use or Participation Fees. Whether the crew is going to a museum, using a whitewater rafting outfitter, or attending a Scout camp, make sure to account for any fees for participation.

•   Equipment Purchase or Rental. Include the purchase or rental of crew equipment such as maps, propane fuel, etc., that will be used during the adventure.

•   Side Trips and Tours. Include costs of any side trips or special activities that are planned.

•   Promotion. Include the cost of mailings, postage, trip T-shirts, hats, etc.

•   Contingency. Allow for unexpected costs, such as a delay en route or replacement of damaged equipment. Refund this fee at the end of the trip if not used. A typical contingency fee is 5 to 15 percent of the total trip cost.

When creating a budget for the adventure, work closely with the crew treasurer to make sure you are following all operating procedures established for the crew’s finances.

Determine the Cost

Whether the crew is going to New York to catch a Broadway show, participating in a weeklong Habitat for Humanity build, or heading into the backcountry for a backpacking trek, an important step in planning is to develop a budget. A budget helps ensure the crew will be organized. By carefully estimating all the expenses of the adventure, you can prevent unforeseen problems.

Budgeting well in advance of the event is just as important for a simple Tier I adventure as for a complex Tier III adventure. The crew will undoubtedly have members with a diversity of financial resources. It is important for the entire crew to be involved in the budgeting process so the final participation fee can be supported by as many crew members as reasonably possible.

Money Earning

Once you have determined all expenses, the group can decide how to pay for them. To determine each person’s share, add up the costs and divide the total by the number of participants. Can each crew member afford a full share?

•   Many crews conduct fundraisers to reduce the costs of their adventures.

•   Some crews offset the cost of activities through large annual fundraisers that require participation from all crew member families.

•   Other crews provide opportunities for crew members to sell popcorn, candy, or other items.

Funds for all anticipated expenses must be on hand before the trip begins and must be earned by means in accordance with the policies of the Boy Scouts of America. For council approval of your crew fundraiser, complete a Unit Money-Earning Application, No. 34427. This application should be submitted to the local council at least two weeks before the fundraiser.

The Venturing Activity Planning Worksheets in this chapter are useful tools for capturing your planning process and the decisions as you make them and is then the basis for promoting and executing your adventure.

Payment Details

Once a budget (and a per-person outing fee) has been established, it’s time to begin promoting the adventure and collecting money for it. Many crews have found the following tips helpful.

•   Secure a commitment from each crew member with a deposit. The deposit may be refundable or not. Some crews allow all payments to be refundable except for travel fees (e.g., nonrefundable airline tickets). Others will allow a refund until a certain amount of days before the adventure. Whatever the crew decides, establish a policy and communicate it up front to all crew members and parents.

•   Once a reservation is made, fees are typically the responsibility of the crew member (whether or not they attend), unless a replacement participant can be found. A payment schedule, established during the initial promotion of the adventure, can be helpful way to split up costs for participants and to help the crew leadership identify crew members who cannot follow through on their plans to attend.

•   Final payment for crew adventures is typically 30 to 60 days from beginning of the outing. Shorter (3 days or fewer) adventures may have a shorter final payment deadline.

•   Determine in advance whether money left over at the end of the trip will be refunded or applied toward the next trip. This should be determined before fees are paid for the current adventure so that participants, parents, and leaders know the plan in advance.

Handling Money While on the Adventure

Prior to the adventure, the crew treasurer and Advisors should ensure a process for the payment and tracking of expenses. Some of the questions you should ask include:

•   What expenses can be paid prior to or upon return from the adventure?

•   When a payment with a credit/debit card is needed, whose card will be used? In many crews, the Advisor will pay for certain expenses with a credit/debit card and then submit a request for reimbursement. Do not assume that is the case for every crew.

•   How much cash will the crew need during its adventure? Are ATMs available during the adventure so you can avoid taking large amounts of cash? If ATMs are used, be prepared to be charged bank service fees for each withdrawal.

•   Who is responsible for tracking expenses? A crew officer (typically the treasurer, with the support of a designated Advisor) should be assigned to record all expenses.

•   How will expenses be tracked? Before departure, the crew treasurer should total the amount collected and subtract expenses that have already occurred (transportation, program fees, etc.). The treasurer or their designee should maintain a running balance of expenses during the adventure so that you know how much money is available to spend.

Commit the Plan to Writing

Steps outlined below show the level of detail that is helpful in planning an adventure. The information offers a detailed set of considerations. Every adventure might not require every point, but if the proposed adventure will have significant travel, the points below will offer insights and suggestions to include in the written plan.

How Can We Manage Risk?

Risk management is a matter of foresight and good judgment. When you’ve planned your adventure well and left a trip plan with someone, you can depart from home confident that the crew is prepared to handle any situation. As long as you keep your wits about you and carefully consider the consequences of your actions, you’ll be able to enjoy even the most adventurous activity safely.

Thorough planning means much more than the crew having all the clothing, equipment, and provisions needed for the adventure. It includes thinking through the intended route, checking weather forecasts, practicing any special skills the adventure will demand, and leaving a complete trip plan with responsible people who will search for you if you are overdue in returning home. It is also important for crew members to understand the meaning of personal safety awareness.

Recognition Note

Completing first-aid training is a practical step in service to others and risk management preparation. First-aid training is part of being prepared in any situation and in any setting and is a requirement for the Discovery Award.

Paperwork. Preparing the crew to manage risk during an adventure involves a certain amount of pre-trip paperwork and development of a risk management plan. At a minimum, before the adventure begins, the crew must have the following BSA forms on file:

•   Annual Health and Medical Record Form for each crew member—www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/ahmr/. Adult Advisors should review each crew member’s medical record form to be aware of any potential risks associated with their participation in the adventure.

Be sure to check with the land manager, tour operator, or guide service you plan to use during your adventure to see if they require any forms to be completed by crew members, including contracts, backcountry permits, liability waivers, and talent release forms.

Always prepare a written itinerary of where you plan to be on each day and night of the adventure. Also include driving directions to each location, cell numbers for each crew member, and emergency contact numbers for family members. Leave copies with several responsible people who will take appropriate action if you haven’t returned according to schedule.

Promote the Plan

For an adventure to be successful, crew members must go! For people to go, they must know about it so that they can plan. Keep the Venturers and their parents informed about what will happen, dates, costs, and what they will need to do to prepare for the adventure. Get them excited! You are competing with many other activities, so sell yours well. A crew Facebook page or newsletter are good ways to sell and advertise upcoming events. Maintain photo albums, slide shows, videos, etc., of past trips. At meetings, have Venturers recap past events, highlight future trips, and emphasize how much fun you anticipate having. Keeping parents informed is another key to good activity participation. Have an annual information night to discuss what the crew will do in its regular activities and for its adventures for the coming year.

Assess the Activity

After the activity, determine whether the crew members liked the event. Were the desired outcomes achieved? What would you do differently the next time?

A good adventure is like a good book; it should have a good buildup (planning process), a climax (the adventure itself), and a closing. In this case, the closing would be recognizing everyone who helped put on the adventure with thank-you cards or other appropriate means.

You might have a get-together such as a cookout or potluck dinner for the crew members, Advisors, parents, and others who helped you. Show slides, hand out awards, and reminisce about the trip. You will have fun, and the parents will be able to see what you are about. It is important to critique the trip plan and adventure and file this for future reference. Learn from what went well and what didn’t. Your successors will appreciate the critiques. Who knows, they may want to repeat a really successful adventure.

Additional Notes on Planning Service

For a major service project that involves gathering significant resources and managing a large group of participants, detailed planning is essential, just like it is for every major adventure.

The same planning skills used to plan a major service project can also be used to plan a crew sustainability project.

Contact someone who represents this group or place and tell the person that you want to perform a service there. He or she might have specific opportunities ready to go, waiting for someone like you to volunteer, or the person might want to hear what you want to do. Remain open to deviation from the crew’s initial vision. The service project might end up involving different activities than expected. Sometimes the client’s needs won’t align with the crew’s vision. Maybe the client already has a vision. It will be up to the crew to decide whether to adopt that vision for the service project.

Determine Where to Serve

You’ll find no shortage of organizations that are seeking assistance, but your selection of a place to serve is an important one. First, you should consult with your crew to determine their passions. Maybe the crew shares a common interest in helping out others in a particular way or meaningful location or historic site. If you need more ideas, reach out to:

•   Fellow Venturers and Scouts who have already completed service projects

•   Your place of worship

•   Your school

•   The crew’s chartered organization

•   The local Scouting district or council

•   Your local government or parks and recreation department

Recognition Note

Project Management training is a helpful tool for helping you plan and organize activities, whether they are service projects or adventures. It is a requirement for the Pathfinder Award (requirement 2).

Knowing Your Limitations

Clients or client organizations will sometimes ask for services beyond your capability to provide. In this case, consult your crew Advisor. The Advisor can help you reflect on individual/crew capabilities and engage in open, direct communication with the client about the limits of the crew’s capabilities. It’s far better to decline or modify a request of service than to commit to a task that the crew is unable to fully perform.

Messengers of Peace

To see how Scouts around the world are making a difference where they live, view some of the project summaries at the Messengers of Peace website. Visit www.scouting.org/international/messengers-of-peace/.

When Service Adventures Go Off Plan

No one starts out to fail in any adventure. But things happen—weather, equipment failure, illness, etc. These can interfere with the planned adventure, but a Venturer will still learn from the experience.

When a service project does not go off as planned, more than the crew is impacted. The client or client organization can be negatively affected. Does that mean you should not do service projects? No! But it does mean that service projects need the most careful, attentive planning possible and a recognition that it is about the client, not the crew.

Serve on!

The Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet

The Venturing Activity Planning Worksheets capture much of the information described in detail above, describing how to use the seven-step planning process to organize your crew adventures and service projects. The planning sheets are a useful tool to summarize your plans in a systematic and clear manner. Make use of these planning tools as you organize your crew adventures.

Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet

What is our goal?

Where will we go?

When will we go?

What will we do when we get there?

What equipment, supplies, and reservations will we need?

How will we get there?

Please attach maps/driving directions for each stop of the trip.

How can we manage risk?

Analysis and Management of Risk (What-If Plan)

Emergency Communications

Nearest Medical Facility to Adventure Location (including address and contact information)

First-Aid Certified Members Attending the Adventure

Other Required Training (may be event-specific)

Emergency Response Plan

Weather Forecast (as of ________________)

Allergies and Medical Concerns

How much will it cost?

Contact Lists

Venturers Participating in the Adventure

Advisors Participating in the Adventure

Parent/Guardian Emergency Contact Information

Activity Chair Backdater

This backdater should be used as a guide. It can be modified to meet the needs of your crew and its adventures. For example, a Tier III adventure will most likely take at least three months, and perhaps as long as a year, to plan and prepare for.

Upon Assignment

Pick up program material from vice president for program and associate Advisor for program.

Develop and review schedule of crew meetings preparing for the event.

Two to Three Months Before Activity Date

Make initial contact with event site to determine requirements for:

•   Overnight lodging (if used)

•   Special permits required

•   Fees

•   Water

•   Restrooms

•   Site map

•   Worship services

•   Transportation requirements

•   Emergency phone number

Discuss event and crew meeting plans with vice president for program and associate Advisor for program.

Determine requirements for any additional training.

•   Swimming event—Safe Swim Defense

•   Canoeing, rafting, kayaking, or sailing event—Safety Afloat

•   Climbing event—Climb On Safely

Prepare initial event budget to include cost of site, food, and transportation.

•   Brief initial event details at crew meeting.

•   Provide information for crew’s website, Facebook page, and/or newsletter.

One Month Out

Meet with crew president, vice president for program, and associate Advisor for program to finalize details including:

•   Departure and return time

•   Number of meals

•   Emergency phone numbers

•   Drivers

•   Special equipment required

Hand out event flyer at crew meeting containing all details, including dates, cost, and any required permission forms.

Three Weeks Out

Begin collecting required fees; keep records of all monies collected and spent; turn money in to crew treasurer.

Two Weeks Out

Activity chair briefs crew president, vice president for program, and associate Advisor for program on status of the activity.

Continue collecting required fees and permission slips.

One Week Out

Activity chair briefs crew president, vice president for program, and associate Advisor for program on status of the activity.

•   Prepare roster of all Venturers and adults going on the trip.

•   Collect final fees.

•   Prepare final transportation plan; drivers’ maps and instructions (one for each vehicle); sufficient transportation for crew equipment.

•   Obtain blank check from crew treasurer to cover any unpaid or adjusted fees.

•   Obtain book containing annual permission forms and medical forms.

Departure Day

Activity chair briefs crew president, vice president for program, and associate Advisor for program on any last-minute changes in the activity plan.

Maintain a roster of all Venturers and adults going on the trip (give copy to all adults and crew president).

Carry all required permits.

Carry the book containing annual permission forms and medical forms.

After Event

Ensure all expenses for trip are paid.

Give vice president for program an activity file with all handouts and information collected.

Conduct an evaluation of the trip.

Leading Others

Leadership is one of the areas of program emphasis in Venturing. You bring this skill to life as you complete training, as you serve your crew as an officer, and as you lead your crew on adventures and serve as a mentor to others.

The youth leadership training continuum is used to describe the set of courses you take to prepare you as a leader. Effective leaders are made, not born, and there is great value in completing those training courses.

“I attended the national Junior Leader Training program in Philmont when I was a teenager—a program that taught me how to deal with people, how to set goals, and then how to go about achieving them. I actually never saw the need for another management course. All would have been wordier, more expensive versions of what I learned at age 15 at JLT at Philmont.”

—Dr. Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense (retired)

Hopefully you will, as Dr. Gates did, have an opportunity to take part in the BSA’s leadership development courses to help you develop as a leader now and in the future. What follows is more information to help you use the planning model to organize activities and adventures for your crew. The more you are prepared for your adventure through careful planning, the greater your opportunity for success.

Chapter 4: Personal Safety Awareness

Personal Safety Awareness

When you were younger, the responsibility for keeping you safe fell solely on your parents and other caregivers. They made sure there was nothing around that could harm you, and they rarely let you out of their sight.

Things are different now. As you move closer to becoming an adult, more and more people share responsibility for keeping you safe, including your crew Advisors, teachers, and other caring adults. Some of the responsibility falls on you, too, because there are times when no caring adults are around to protect you. As you become a leader, you also take on some responsibility for the other Venturers in your crew and for helping them learn how to protect and take care of themselves. This is called personal safety awareness.

Advancement: Personal Safety

Venturing can teach you much about being safe—and not just when you’re building fires, using woods tools, or steering canoes through rapids. It can teach you to protect yourself from child abuse, from bullying, and from the dangers you can encounter on the internet. Along your journey in Venturing, you will learn about keeping yourself safe in all these situations and more.

Boundaries

Boundaries are the limits and rules we set for ourselves including personal (body), emotional (feelings), and property (possessions). A person with healthy boundaries can say “no” to others when they feel their boundaries are being violated. It is an understanding between you and others of reasonable, safe, and permissible ways to interact with each other.

Personal

Imagine a safety circle around your body like a Hula-Hoop. No person—adult or youth—should enter this circle without your consent, especially when it’s done to abuse, bully, or harass you in any way. Examples of appropriate physical contact by adult and youth include handshakes, high-fives, pats on the back, and fist bumps. Inappropriate forms of physical contact include grabbing, tickling, or wrestling, and any type of physical assault such as punching or choking. Any contact with private areas of the body is off-limits for obvious reasons. All of these boundaries apply especially when showering or sleeping, and in bathrooms or any other place where privacy is expected.

Feelings/Emotions

All emotions should be respected. Everyone can have a bad day. You may not know what is going on in another’s life. They may be experiencing abuse, violence, death of a family member, or emotional problems in their home or community. Calling someone names, berating them, ignoring them, being rude in person or online, or manipulating others violates the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Property/Possessions

Camp or program property and personal possessions are always to be respected and not touched, used, or borrowed without permission from the owner. Stealing or damaging someone’s property may lead to disciplinary action and may also be a criminal offense.

Healthy/Acceptable Boundaries

•   Ability to say “no” without consequence

•   Asking for what you want or need

•   Saying “yes” because you consent without obligation to please others

•   Having your personal rules and property respected

•   Support from others and for others

Advancement: Personal Safety

Think about your personal boundaries. How should you respond when these boundaries are not being respected?

Trusted Adults

A trusted adult is a parent, teacher, counselor, religious leader, or other adult—approved and agreed upon by your parents—with whom you can talk if you are in trouble. It’s a good idea to keep a list of five trusted adults so that you have several people you can turn to in different situations or if one of them is unavailable or actually part of the problem. If your parents or guardians have given you the responsibility of taking care of yourself when they are away from home, discuss with them what they expect of you when you are on your own.

An important step can be making a list of contact numbers and keeping it near a telephone or in your mobile phone. Having these numbers handy will give you plenty of trusted adults you can call if you have questions or need help.

Emergency Contact

Use this example to start your own list of important telephone numbers. Keep the list in a safe, convenient place near the telephone, and program the numbers into your mobile phone, too.

Emergency response: _______________________________________

Parent or guardian at work: __________________________________

Parent’s or guardian’s mobile phone: ___________________________

Nearest relative: ___________________________________________

Trusted adult (leader, neighbor, family friend): ___________________

Crew Advisor: ____________________________________________

Religious leader: __________________________________________

Council: _________________________________________________

Scout executive: ___________________________________________

If you feel that a trusted adult doesn’t believe you or is not helping, keep talking to them or tell another trusted adult until you get the help you need to feel safe. Remember, you can also call your council Scout executive or the Scouts First Helpline at 1-844-726-8871.

Child Abuse and Neglect

The majority of adults want only what is best for you. Some adults and youth, however, engage in abuse and neglect. In fact, police departments and social service agencies receive more than 3 million reports of child abuse each year.

Abuse happens when a child or older youth is harmed or threatened with harm by a person responsible for that child’s or youth’s care.

Neglect happens when a person responsible for the care of a child or youth fails to provide for their needs. Abuse and neglect affect people from infancy through their teenage years.

Sexual Abuse

When an adult or older youth uses their authority to involve you in any type of sexual activity, it is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is unwanted sexual activity, with persons using force, making threats, or taking advantage of you with or without your consent. Anyone can be an abuser. It can be a brother, sister, teacher, neighbor, leader, or another youth who takes advantage of you or someone you know. Sexual abuse can also occur when an adult or youth crosses your clear personal boundaries through inappropriate communication or by exposing you to alcohol, drugs, or pornography. You can be at risk of being sexually abused anywhere there is access or opportunity, such as at home; at a neighbor’s house; at school, field trips, and public events; and even in Venturing.

You have the right to respond to anyone who does something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe by saying “NO” and telling them to stop. You can also get away from them. Tell a leader, trusted adult, or parent what happened. Sometimes our bodies freeze as a natural response in a dangerous situation or when someone is doing something that feels wrong. Even if you aren’t able to stop it from happening or yell “no” in the moment, that’s OK. You can still respond later by following up with a parent or trusted adult. Remember, it is not your fault.

If you have concerns about yourself or others experiencing any type of sexual abuse, help is available. Contact your trusted adult. If an adult you have trusted is an abuser, speak to another adult or the Scout executive, call 911, or call the Scouts First Helpline (1-844-726-8871).

Sexual Abuse by Adults

All youth are vulnerable to sexual abuse. Adults who abuse may manipulate, bribe, coerce, threaten, or force you or others into feeling like a partner in the sexual activity. They most often use a multistep “grooming” process that focuses on your needs and possibly on your parents’ needs as well. Adults who intend to sexually harm you may ask to spend a lot of time alone with you to create a special relationship. They may offer overnight trips, special outings, money, and other inappropriate gifts including alcohol and pornography. An abuser usually seeks out a youth who craves affection or attention and makes them feel special.

Once the potential abuser has identified you as a target, the grooming process usually moves to what looks like harmless touching—such as hugging and massages—or exposure of private areas.

You may feel trapped, overwhelmed, or ashamed, and afraid to tell. You may find it difficult to immediately report or disclose the abuse because of fear or love of the individual abusing you. Know that there are trusted and caring adults available who will understand and help you.

Grooming Behaviors

You may not realize you are being groomed until it is too late. A potential abuser may do any of the following:

•   Work to become a close friend of your family

•   Make himself or herself overly accessible to your family

•   Manipulate you with gifts and favors

•   Encourage you to keep secrets

•   Befriend you through interests such as video games or sports activities

•   Ask you to model for photos or videos, or expose you to pornography, drugs, or alcohol

•   Engage in progressive, invasive touching such as hugs, back rubs, neck massages, wrestling, etc.

•   Seek opportunities to be undressed or shower with you

•   Engage you playing sexually themed games

•   Manipulate you through their position of authority

•   Manipulate your need for love, attention, recognition, and affection

These and other behaviors can be very confusing. To keep you or others silent, the abuser will try to convince you that you are equally responsible for what occurred and that you will get in trouble if you tell. Even if you have engaged in any of the above and you are scared or ashamed, or you care about the person, or the person has threatened you, it is not your fault. Remember that no youth or adult can require you or others to do anything inappropriate in exchange for participating in the Venturing program, receiving an award, or earning an advancement. If you think you are being groomed or abused, talk to a trusted adult immediately. This can be hard to do, but remember that a Scout is brave.

Sexual Abuse by Other Youth

It is also possible for a youth of similar age or older to abuse you through force, position of authority, or manipulation. Anytime you find yourself in a game, club initiation, or other situation that starts to involve sexual activity, be aware that this is a form of sexual abuse and should be addressed and reported immediately. Overnight activities such as sleepovers and campouts—or places where privacy is expected, including latrines, bathrooms, showering facilities, etc.—pose a greater risk. Make sure that you use the buddy system and have a clear understanding of your personal boundaries and the personal boundaries of others.

Your overall safety and the safety of other Venturers is of the highest importance to the Boy Scouts of America. If you have any concerns about your safety, the safety of others, or the actions of leaders or parents, you should speak to your trusted adult, parent, teacher, or local council Scout executive immediately.

In an emergency, call 911. The BSA also provides the 24-hour Scouts First Helpline: 1-844-SCOUTS1 (1-844-726-8871).

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is any deliberate injury done to you by a person responsible for your care or a person of authority. Physical abuse injuries can include bruises, broken bones, burns, and scrapes.

Neglect

Neglect often involves depriving you of food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or other necessities of life. Neglect can also involve exposing you to harmful substances or materials, such as drugs, alcohol, or pornography, or to harmful practices such as violent behavior. If you or someone you know is experiencing neglect, please speak with a trusted adult.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse occurs when you are continually ridiculed, blamed, humiliated, or compared unfavorably with others by an adult or peer.

Emotional abuse can occur when someone is completely ignored or rejected, or is frequently threatened with violence. Emotional abuse damages self-esteem and is just as harmful as other forms of abuse.

Violence in the Home

You or others may grow up in a home or neighborhood where yelling, hitting, fighting, and other forms of violence occur—often daily. To someone living in this environment, it may even begin to seem like the normal way to treat other people. Every family has arguments, but when the yelling goes too far and someone gets hurt, or if you live in constant fear in your home or environment, you need to seek help from a trusted adult.

Teen Sexting

Sexting is sending or receiving nude pictures or videos of yourself or others to another person digitally. While it may seem like innocent fun between friends, you need to realize several things:

•   It is against the law.

•   No image is permanently deleted. Once uploaded, even if immediately deleted, the image(s) can be captured and will continue to exist in cyberspace.

•   The images can be used by friends, enemies, or cyber predators to embarrass or shame you or for extortion of money or sexual favors. This is serious. If you have sent pictures of yourself or received pictures of others, help and support are available.

Reporting youth protection violations and abuse to leaders, trusted adults, or parents gives them the opportunity to stop the abuse, and to protect and support you.

Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse

Our goal in the BSA is to create and maintain a safe environment so that all can benefit from the program. The greatest positive step that we can take together is to ensure that everyone understands and follows the BSA Youth Protection policy and procedures. The Youth Protection program includes policies and training courses designed to keep Scouts safe from abuse. Your parents and other adults are encouraged to take the training, especially before participating in any Scouting activity. All adults registered as members of the BSA must complete Youth Protection training at least every two years and adhere to the Scouter Code of Conduct in the Guide to Safe Scouting: www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss.

Take responsibility. Adult leaders and youth members share the responsibility for the safety of all participants in the program, including following youth protection and health and safety policies. Although adult leaders are responsible for monitoring behavior and intervening when necessary, it’s also your responsibility to help ensure that everyone participating in Venturing activities abides by the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Physical violence, sexual activity, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, unauthorized weapons, hazing, discrimination, harassment, initiation rites, bullying, cyberbullying, theft, verbal insults, drugs, alcohol, and pornography have no place in the Venturing program and may result in loss of membership.

Use the buddy system. Scouting’s buddy system is a good example of how Venturers can look out for each other. It ensures your buddy’s safety during activities and your safety by making sure you are never alone and vulnerable.

The buddy system works by pairing Venturers who are about the same age and who have about the same experience level. (If an odd number of Venturers is on an outing, one of the buddy teams may include three Venturers.) You should always know where your buddy is, and never leave the group without your buddy, including going to the latrine, the trading post, or anywhere at night. And be a buddy to others; if you see, suspect, or hear that another youth is experiencing abuse, be brave and tell a trusted adult.

For adult leaders, the buddy system is referred to as “two-deep leadership.” This means that two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings. There must be a registered female adult leader 21 years of age and over in every unit serving females. A registered female adult leader 21 years of age and over must be present for any activity involving female youth. Program supervision must always be provided.

Any communication between you and an adult leader without another registered adult leader or parent included is prohibited. This applies whether you are face-to-face with the adult, texting, emailing, instant-messaging, or chatting on social media. In situations requiring a personal conference between you and an adult leader, the meeting is to be done with the knowledge and in view of other adults and/or youth.

Use words and actions that are positive. This means that even disciplinary actions must reflect the values of Scouting. All forms of corporal (physical) punishment are prohibited including isolation, humiliation, or ridiculing. All forms of bullying and harassment including verbal, physical, and cyberbullying are also prohibited and not in agreement with the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Tent accommodations. During all activities, separate accommodations are required for males and females, whether youth or adult. When tenting, separate arrangements must be provided for male and female adults as well as for male and female youth. The rule that requires youth in buddy assignments to be no more than two years apart in age also applies to tenting. Unlike Cub Scouts, older youth in Scouting programs are not allowed to share a tent with their family. Venturing adult participants ages 18–20 are not allowed to share a tent with youth participants under the age of 18.

Lodging/cabin accommodations. Whenever possible, separate cabins or lodging should be provided for male and female adults as well as for male and female youth. Where separate accommodations cannot be provided due to group size or limited availability, modifications may be made. Where separate accommodations are not available, additional supervision is required. If adults and youth of the same gender occupy a single room, there must be a minimum of two adults and four youth, with all adults being Youth Protection trained. Physical separation by other means, including temporary barriers or space, should be used only when no other arrangements are possible.

Respect privacy. The use of smartphones, cameras, mirrors, drones, etc., is prohibited in places or situations where privacy is expected. Adults and youth must respect each other’s privacy, especially in situations such as changing clothes and taking showers at camp. Separate shower and latrine facilities should be provided for male and female adults as well as for male and female youth. If separate facilities are not available, separate times should be scheduled and posted. Adult leaders should closely monitor these areas but only enter as needed for youth protection or health and safety reasons.

No secrets, hazing, or initiations. It is not OK for others to ask you to keep secrets or engage in activities that they would not want your leader or parents to know about. All parts of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders. The BSA does not recognize any secret organizations—which often involve hazing and initiations—as part of its program.

Public displays of affection. Sexual activity and inappropriate public displays of affection are prohibited in all Venturing activities.

Proper attire. Proper clothing is required for all activities.

See It. Stop It. Report It.

Adult leaders and youth members have a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for everyone. If you see abuse or any violation of BSA Youth Protection policies, bring it to a stop if you can safely do so. You should then speak with a trusted adult about the incident that you experienced or witnessed.

The Three R’s

While every situation is different, you can protect yourself from abuse by remembering the three R’s of personal safety: recognize, respond, and report.

Concerns About Reporting

Confiding in another person after someone has hurt you can be difficult, but there are people who will believe you and want to help. If you or anyone you know has been abused, it’s important that you tell someone you trust. If you don’t feel you can trust anyone at home, you can talk to a teacher, school nurse, counselor, coach, or another trusted adult. Do not keep the abuse a secret, even if the abuser tells you that something bad will happen if you tell.

Sometimes, a person you turn to may not want to believe the abuse really occurred. If this happens, just tell someone else. Don’t give up until you get the help you need to feel safe.

Being a Good—and Safe—Scout

When you became a Venturer, you promised to be faithful to the rules of Scouting found in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan. These rules, which apply to you and others, will never require you to put yourself in potentially dangerous situations.

Sometimes people who do not need help will ask for it to create an opportunity for abuse. You should be familiar with five rules of personal safety.

A Scout is brave. Telling a trusted adult when you think a friend is being abused or neglected is a Good Turn that could even save a life.

Personal Safety

When feeling threatened, you have the right to

•   Trust your instincts or feelings.

•   Expect privacy.

•   Say no to unwanted touching or affection.

•   Say no to anyone’s inappropriate demands and requests.

•   Withhold information that could jeopardize your safety.

•   Have your personal, emotional, and property boundaries respected, just as you respect the boundaries of others.

•   Refuse gifts.

•   Be rude or unhelpful if the situation warrants.

•   Run, scream, and make a scene.

•   Physically fight off unwanted advances.

•   Ask for help.

The Scout Law also states that a Scout is obedient. However, that does not mean you have to obey an adult or another youth when that person tells you to do something that you feel is wrong or abusive. In these situations, talk with your leader, trusted adult, or parent.

Making Good Choices

Common sense, ethics, wisdom, and good judgment help you make good choices and allow you to do your best with what you know. The skills you have can prepare you for what lies ahead. Self-leadership will help you develop a vision of what is right and the steps for getting there. The Scout Oath and Scout Law will provide guidance along the way.

Good Judgment in Choosing Friends

Your friends are among the most important people in your life. You enjoy being with them and going places together. They understand you. You depend on one another for support through good times and bad. Good friends can be with you for many years to come.

A good friend or buddy will hold you accountable. They will encourage you to get your homework done before you go out to play, and ask you how you’re doing on your Scout advancement. If you start making bad decisions, a good friend or buddy will call you out. And you will do the same.

Choose friends whose values you share and admire. Be open to those who are not just like everyone else you know. Differences in race, culture, and language may keep some people at a distance, but those differences can also be doorways for you to expand your understanding of other people and of the world. Disabilities might seem to be barriers to friendship, too, but look beyond what seems to separate you. You might be surprised to discover how much you have in common with others and how much you can share with one another.

Peer Pressure

At some point while you are growing up, you will probably discover that some friends or acquaintances are doing things you know are wrong. They might be using tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs, or engaging in sexual activity. Maybe they are cheating on tests, or harassing or bullying others. Or they could be stealing, vandalizing, or committing other crimes. They may want you to join them, even though you know you shouldn’t. When you refuse, they might say they will stop being friends with you. But real friends will not ask you to do anything that could put you at risk or hurt others.

Bullying and Hazing

Bullying happens when someone uses their power and position to frighten, embarrass, harass, or threaten another person. This behavior may be repeated over time. Anyone who is bullied or bullies others may have serious, lasting problems that need to be addressed.

Hazing is bullying that involves forcing someone to do something unpleasant, stupid, or dangerous, usually as a requirement for joining a group.

Bullying and hazing can lead to poor self-image, low self-esteem, physical problems, and worse in the person being targeted. People who are bullied often grow up to bully others, creating a continuing cycle of pain.

All forms of bullying, harassment, hazing, and initiations are prohibited in Venturing.

Bullying can take many forms:

•   Verbal. Name-calling and teasing

•   Social. Spreading rumors, leaving the target out of activities, and breaking up or manipulating friendships

•   Physical. Hitting, pushing, shoving, and physical coercion

•   Group. Intimidation and ostracizing

•   Criminal. Injury, assault, and sexual aggression

•   Cyberbullying. Using digital technology (social media, mobile phones, computers, etc.) to do any of the above

Youth who bully often operate in the open because they think what they’re doing enhances their status in the group. (It doesn’t.) However, some youth who bully—especially online—act in secret.

You might be able to tell someone is being bullied if that person:

•   Seems reluctant to join activities

•   Comes to activities late or leaves early

•   Seems afraid or acts nervous around certain people

•   Avoids certain places

•   Shows increased anger for no obvious reason

•   Talks about wanting to carry a weapon for self-protection

•   Talks about loneliness or suicide

•   Takes blame for all their problems

•   Doesn’t stand up against being teased or pushed

•   Suddenly has fewer friends

StopBullying.gov offers a variety of available training and information materials to Venturers and adult leaders that can help you and your crew learn more about how to stop bullying.

How to Stop Bullying

The Scout Law calls on you to be helpful, friendly, courteous, and kind. That means that you should never bully and that you should help to stop bullying when it’s happening to people around you.

Here are some simple actions you can take to stop bullying if you feel safe doing so.

•   Be an “upstander,” not a bystander. Instead of saying nothing, which can make the person who bullies think the behavior is OK, tell them to stop. Say you don’t like what they’re doing and that it isn’t funny.

•   Avoid bullying back. It won’t help if you use mean names or actions. And it could make things worse.

If you don’t feel safe—for example, if you think the person who is bullying will attack you next—you can still help. Here’s what you can do:

•   Say kind words to the person being bullied, such as, “I’m sorry about what happened” and “I don’t like what that kid said.” Help the person understand that it’s not their fault. Be a friend.

•   Tell the person being bullied to talk to someone about what happened. Offer to help by going along.

•   Pay attention to the other people who see the bullying. Are any of these bystanders laughing or joining in with the bullying?

•   Tell a trusted adult. The person being bullied needs help from an adult, and the person doing the bullying probably does, too. By telling an adult, you can start the healing process.

Staying Safe Online

Today most of us are online more than ever before. You may use the internet to do research, to check the latest sports scores, to connect with family and friends, to play games, and to have fun.

Unfortunately, some people use the internet for bad purposes, such as to spread malware, to steal people’s financial information, and to engage in cyberbullying or online grooming. This means you need to be just as careful online as you are in day-to-day life.

The Cyber Chip

A great way to learn about staying safe online is by earning the BSA’s Cyber Chip. The Cyber Chip shows that a youth in a Scouting program knows how to use the internet properly. The Cyber Chip requirements vary based on your grade in school, but they include the following:

•   Reading and signing the Internet Safety Pledge

•   Making a contract with your parent or guardian about how you will use computers and mobile devices

•   Watching videos about staying safe online

•   Teaching others about internet safety

•   Discussing with your crew Advisor the proper use of electronic devices during crew meetings and outings

The Cyber Chip expires annually. When you renew it, you will have the chance to learn the latest information about internet safety.

Internet Safety Pledge

•   I will think before I post.

•   I will respect other people online.

•   I will respect digital media ownership.

•   I won’t meet face-to-face with anyone I meet in the digital world unless I have my parent’s permission.

•   I will protect myself online.

Tips for Staying Safe Online

Follow these guidelines to stay safe online:

Don’t give out personal or emotionally private information online. If you would feel uncomfortable seeing what you are typing or posting on a billboard, don’t put it on the internet.

Create a positive online footprint. Things that you post online last forever in cyberspace. Pause and think before you post. Step away from the computer or your cellphone if you are upset or angry. If you do make a mistake, own up to it, learn from it, and start making online choices that you can feel proud standing behind.

Be kind. Remember that friends you interact with on the internet are real people with real feelings. They can be wounded by social media posts as easily as they can be wounded by insults in the lunchroom at school. Words have power both online and offline, so use words that build community rather than create division.

Listen to your gut instinct. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If a website seems dangerous, click away from it. If a conversation makes you uncomfortable, end it immediately. Don’t agree to meet in person anyone you’ve met online without your parents’ involvement and permission.

Help keep the internet safe. Don’t send or forward disturbing, harassing, or provocative emails. If you are on the receiving end of cyberbullying, do not respond but report it instead. Offer support to those who are targeted by cyberbullying.

Respect boundaries. Refuse to send or receive sexual pictures with your phone or online devices. Help create a culture of respect.

The Scout Law and the Internet

As in all other aspects of life, when engaging in online activity, a Venturer is

Trustworthy. Be truthful with others online, unless it is not safe to do so, and be very careful of the information you share. If you are unsure, speak to your trusted adult. Do the right thing when sharing other people’s words, pictures, music, and other creations. Make sure you have the owner’s permission before using them.

Loyal. Share information about others only if you have their permission to share it. Uphold appropriate agreements you make with friends when you play games with them.

Helpful. Alert others to scams, cheats, and suspicious sites. Point them to reliable and accurate sources of information. Encourage people to report bad behavior online.

Friendly. Reach out to support others who are doing good things, like posting quality creative works. Support those who are cyberbullied.

Courteous. Be polite and respectful. When you use other people’s work, be sure to ask permission when necessary, follow fair-use standards, and give credit to the people who created and own the work.

Kind. Treat people with respect when you are interacting on social networks, playing games, talking or texting on a cellphone, or engaging in other digital activities.

Obedient. When using digital devices, follow the rules set by your parents or guardians, teachers, and crew Advisors. Abide by the rules established by sites, services, devices, and games.

Cheerful. Use games, messaging tools, and social forums to build relationships with others while having fun.

Thrifty. Be a smart consumer. Know your voice, text, and data plans, and use them wisely. Be sure to study digital devices and services you want. Before buying them, make sure you’re not overspending on functions and features you won’t need. Be careful not to run up charges on apps and sites.

Brave. Stand up for what is right. Do not participate in mocking and bullying others, even if your friends are doing it. Report suspected abuse to a trusted adult.

Clean. Use clean language and discuss only appropriate topics when using digital devices to communicate with others.

Reverent. Respect the feelings of other people. Do not use digital devices to spread irreverent ideas.

If you suspect attempted sexual exploitation of children using the internet, you or your parent can contact the CyberTipline® at 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.org. If the incident involves the Scouting program, call your council Scout executive immediately or email youth.protection@scouting.org.

Keeping Yourself Safe

This chapter has covered some very important topics for your safety and the safety of others, and the support that leaders in Venturing are expected to provide. Abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment are major issues facing you today in your home, school, community, and potentially even in Venturing. While adults are responsible for maintaining safe environments, many times they do not know what is going on with you and other Venturers. Personal safety awareness, as well as having a good knowledge of the Barriers to Abuse and how and when to report violations, will be essential to keeping you and others safe in and out of Venturing.

Chapter 5: Venturing Resources

Additional Resources for Adventure

Publications

AMC Guide to Outdoor Leadership, published by Appalachian Mountain Club Books and available through the BSA’s Supply Group (www.scoutshop.org).

Fieldbook, No. 32067 (coil bound), No. 34006 (perfect bound)

Merit badge pamphlets. Published by the BSA, the Merit Badge Series is designed to introduce youth to hobby and life skill areas of interest. The pamphlets serve as a good introduction to many topics such as swimming, computers, boating, horsemanship, art, theatre, woodworking, and more.

Program Features for Troops and Crews, No. 33110, 33111, and 33112, resource guides published by the BSA.

Venturing Awards and Requirements, No. 34784, compiles requirements for the core Venturing awards (Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit) as well as those of the Venturing specialty awards—Ranger, Quest, and TRUST, and other awards Venturers can earn.

Several of the regional Venturing websites provide a helpful listing of places your crew can go for its adventures:

•   www.crventuring.org/Other/Where_To_Go_Venturing

•   http://wrventuring.org

•   http://nerventuring-bsa.org

•   http://srventuring.org

Organizations

American Red Cross

431 18th St., NW

Washington, DC 20006

Telephone (toll-free) 1-800-733-2767

Website: www.redcross.org

Emergency Care and Safety Institute

5 Wall St.

Burlington, MA 01803

Telephone (toll-free): 800-716-7264

Website: www.ecsinstitute.org

Additional Resources for Leadership

BSA Training Courses

The Boy Scouts of America offers a variety of leadership training courses that you will find helpful as you grow as a leader through Venturing. Some of these courses are available online, while others are designed to be delivered in person, whether in your crew or at a council or national level.

Crew Officer Orientation. Overview of how the officers of a Venturing crew work together to lead a crew.

Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews (ILSC). Basics of leadership and the role of crew officers in running a successful crew. Designed to be offered by your crew, but may also be offered at the district or council level. Completing this course entitles you to wear the Trained emblem on your Venturing uniform.

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). Weeklong course, delivered by your local council, offers more in-depth leadership experience in a fun, outdoor setting. ILSC is a prerequisite.

National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE). Weeklong leadership experience offered each summer in the wilderness of Philmont Scout Ranch, at the Florida Sea Base, or at Northern Tier. NYLT is a prerequisite for NAYLE.

The Kodiak Challenge. Leadership training incorporated into a challenging adventure experience. Your crew can run it with approval from your local council’s training chair. ILSC is a prerequisite.

Wood Badge. Intensive, council-offered leadership development course for adult volunteers but also available for Venturers who are 18 to 20 years old. ILSC is a prerequisite.

Powder Horn is a high-adventure resource management course designed to expose Venturing leaders and Advisors to activities and resources necessary to operate a successful Venturing Ranger program. The course is based on the Ranger Award requirements, exposing participants to several outdoor/high-adventure activities.

Additional Resources for Planning

The Boy Scouts of America provides websites with resources to assist crews in their annual program planning. Crews should review and apply these when building its annual program.

Annual Program Planning
www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/crew-resources/annual-program-planning/

Planning Your Crew’s Annual Budget
www.scouting.org/filestore/venturing/pdf/510-276.pdf

Program Capability Inventory
www.scouting.org/filestore/venturing/pdf/510-012WB.pdf

Venturing Activity Interest Survey
www.scouting.org/filestore/venturing/pdf/510-013WB.pdf

Fieldbook, No. 32067 (coil bound), No. 34006 (perfect bound)

Messengers of Peace
www.scouting.org/international/messengers-of-peace

(The BSA also has a general Activity Planner form on Scouting.org that you may find helpful.)

Scouting’s Outdoor Adventure Opportunities

BSA High-Adventure Bases

The Boy Scouts of America owns and operates four world-class high-adventure bases. They are Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs in Minnesota and Canada, the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base in the Florida Keys, and the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia. Each year, thousands of Scouts, Venturers, and volunteers enjoy the diverse programs offered at these bases.

High-adventure base programs are especially excellent for experienced crews. All four bases offer a variety of program selections to match your crew’s preferences, ability, and history.

Florida National High Adventure Sea Base

The Florida Sea Base offers water-related adventures such as scuba certification, scuba adventure, a deserted island living experience, a Bahamas adventure, and several sailing experiences (cruises). All programs are exciting and educational.

Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs

Wilderness canoeing at its finest can be found at bases located in Ely, Minnesota, and Bissett and Atikokan, Canada. Four trips, each with a different character, length, and price, are offered from May through September. The Charles L. Sommers Base also offers an Okpik Winter Adventure for cold-weather lovers.

Philmont Scout Ranch

Philmont is the BSA’s most active base, having had more than 1 million campers and leaders hike its 140,177-acre mountain wilderness. Expeditions are available on a daily basis from early June through mid-August. Additionally, programs in the nonsummer periods can be arranged. Weekend programs are available from September through early January.

Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve

The high-adventure experiences that are available at the Summit include climbing, whitewater rafting, shooting, and adventure areas supporting BMX/mountain biking, skateboarding, and zip lines/canopy tours. Programs are open to registered Scouts and Venturers who are at least 14 years old by the first day of the program session. The minimum group size is seven with the majority being youth members. Maximum crew size is 12 (but the majority must still be youth members).

Rates

Fees for participation at BSA high-adventure bases do not cover transportation to the base. The fees average between $40 and $80 per day, depending on the type of program.

Employment

More than 2,000 young adults are hired each year as staff for BSA high-adventure bases. Positions vary from backcountry leaders and staff to support staff at headquarters. Your Venturing experiences can lead to a summer—or more—employment, with many of the needed job skills developed during Venturing activities.

How to Get Information

Brochures and videos that describe each high-adventure opportunity are available. Write or email for more information:

Florida National High Adventure Sea Base

Islamorada, FL 33036
www.bsaseabase.org

Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs

Ely, MN 55731
www.ntier.org

Philmont Scout Ranch

Cimarron, NM 87714
www.philmontscoutranch.org

The Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base

Summit Bechtel Reserve

Mount Hope, WV 25880
www.summitbsa.org/programs/national-high-adventure-base/

National Scout Jamboree

Over the course of 10 summer days, every four years the Boy Scouts of America comes together for the national Scout jamboree. Hosted at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, Scouting’s flagship event is a one-of-a-kind gathering of approximately 45,000 Scouts, leaders, and staff that showcases everything that is great about the BSA and its members.

International Scouting

As a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), the Boy Scouts of America receives invitations to many international/national events in different countries every year. This is a great opportunity for Venturers to connect with the world, interacting with local Scouts and Scout leaders at those special events. Venturers learn about other countries, people, and cultures through Scouting activities, plus learn their Scouting skills and make new friendships as part of the adventure.

International Contingents

To qualify for a BSA contingent, Venturers and Advisors must be nominated to the International Department by their council international representative and approved by their council Scout executive. Contact your local council office to obtain a nomination from your council international representative.

World Scout Jamboree

The world Scout jamboree is an international Scouting event hosted by the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Young adults between the ages of 14 and 17 are invited to attend. The BSA organizes contingents for this event, drawing Venturers from across the country to participate.

World Scout Moot

The World Scout Moot is a gathering of older Venturers and young adult leaders, ages 18 to 26, from all over the world. Moots are held every four years. Members of the BSA participate in this international event as part of a contingent selected from across the nation.

European Camp Staff Program

Through the European Camp Staff program, young leaders from the BSA, including Venturers ages 18 and above, have the opportunity to learn more about Scouting in Europe by working at a European Scout center. The aim of the European Camp Staff program is to assist young people in developing their leadership skills and to encourage intercultural learning by providing the individual with a residential experience as a volunteer staff member at a Scout center in another country.

Scout centers in Europe do not operate in the same way that BSA camps do. The staff members of a typical European Scout center are usually involved in many different aspects of operating the center rather than specializing in one particular area. This is different from the situation in a BSA camp, where staff members are usually assigned to a particular activity or skill with which they work for the majority of their time at camp. In addition, Scouting in Europe normally operates on a coeducational basis, with males and females having the opportunity to be equally involved at all levels.

For more information, visit www.scouting.org/international/.

Kandersteg

Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) is an international Scout center in Kandersteg, Switzerland, that provides lodges, chalets, and campsites. It is open to Scouts year-round. More than 11,000 young people from 40 different countries visit the center every year. The facility hosts a staff of older Venturers and Scouts from around the world and provides flexible program options. Information is available at www.kisc.ch/.

Recognition for Program Enrichment

The Venturing awards system helps crews develop a rich and rewarding program. The Venturing awards program and recognition model provides a means of organizing any program all the while helping crew members develop leadership skills. The recognitions outlined below offer opportunities for content and skill development within your program. Setting out to meet the requirements for the Ranger Award, for example, provides opportunities to learn outdoor adventure skills during crew meetings and put them to practice on weekend and weeklong adventures.

Venturers Earning Scouts BSA Advancement

Venturers who earned First Class rank as registered Scouts are qualified until their 18th birthday to continue with Scouts BSA advancement. Any work done while a Venturer can count toward both Scouts BSA advancement and Venturing recognition at the same time. For instance, a conservation project required in Scouting can also count in Venturing.

Eagle Scout Award

Venturing Ranger Award

High adventure and the outdoors have always been of interest to young Americans as well as an important part of the Boy Scouts of America. The Ranger Award offers you a set of high-level outdoor and high adventure challenges to complete. In earning this award, you will demonstrate proficiency in a variety of outdoor sports and interests, outdoor safety, and leadership skills.

Venturing Quest Award

The Quest Award helps you learn how to be fit for life. In completing this award, you will learn more about what makes up a nutritional diet and a healthy lifestyle. As with many other requirements throughout the Venturing program, to earn this award you are required to share what you learn with others. This sharing may be done through various sports clinics and presentations with other groups. In the electives section, you will be required to choose at least one sport in which to become proficient.

Venturing TRUST Award

Trust is an essential aspect of our relationship with others. Learning to trust is the challenge. Today we live in an increasingly pluralistic society made up of multiple nationalities, cultures, and religions. One way to work toward a safe future is to learn to get along and work together. Understanding is a good start toward trust. While working on the TRUST Award, you will learn more about yourself, your community, and your religion and culture—as well as those of others. As with other Venturing awards, to earn the TRUST Award, you are required to share what you learn with others.

Trained Emblem

Venturers and Venturing Advisors who complete basic training for their role in the crew are eligible to wear the Trained emblem on their Venturing uniform.

Building Your Résumé

Creating a résumé is one of the first steps in getting a job. You may also be asked to provide a résumé when applying for college admission or scholarships. The purpose of a résumé is to give the reader an accurate picture of your skills and abilities. As an active member of a Venturing crew, many of the experiences you have taken part in gave you an opportunity to gain skills and demonstrate dispositions that will be of interest to any employer. A Venturer who has earned the Summit Award might include on his or her résumé an entry similar to this under the section on avocational interests.

Boy Scouts of America, Venturing Summit Award (June 2022)

•   Leadership development award for young adults in the Venturing youth program.

•   Led group of teenagers on a six-day, cross-state bicycle ride. Organized training, logistical support, and six-month program preparation for participants.

•   Provided more than 200 hours of community service in preparation for organizing and leading a service project to benefit a local food pantry organization. Recruited and facilitated a team of 20 young adults to raise funds, secure donations, and deliver food supplies to the Wasatch County Food Network.

•   Completed leadership development training in effective communications, time and resource management, leadership skills, and goal-setting.

How you organize your résumé depends on what position you are seeking or what information you need to share with the reader. The most traditional résumé offers a chronological account of what you have done in the areas of work, education, and extracurricular interests. A functional resume is focused on the skills you have gained and what you can do with those skills. Your school guidance counselor is a good resource for questions about résumés as well as one of the many websites for job seekers.

Chapter 6: My Venturing Trail

Adventure Record

Service Record

1 Venturers may, but are not required to, share the personal reflection associated with Development of Faith with their Advisor, during the Advisor conference, or during a board of review.

2 Venturers may, but are not required to, share the personal reflection associated with Development of Faith with their Advisor, during the Advisor conference, or during a board of review.

3 If the crew does not have any youth mentors who have earned the Pathfinder Award and completed Mentoring training, an Advisor or associate Advisor may serve as a mentor to meet this requirement.

4 Venturers may substitute district, council, area, regional, or national Venturing officer positions for the positions listed in this requirement.

5 Venturers may, but are not required to, share the personal reflection associated with Development of Faith with their Advisor, during the Advisor conference, or during a board of review.

6 Venturers may substitute district, council, area, regional, or national Venturing officer positions for the positions listed in this requirement.

7 Venturers may, but are not required to, share the personal reflection associated with Development of Faith with their Advisor, during the Advisor conference, or during a board of review.

Summit Board of Review

For the Summit Award, the board of review will be conducted according to the BSA Guide to Advancement.

The board of review must consist of at least five, but no more than six, members. At least half of the board of review members, excluding the chair, must be Venturers currently participating in the program.

The candidate’s crew president (or vice president of administration, if the candidate is the crew president) and the chair of the board of review must agree upon the board’s final membership makeup. If the chair and the crew president (or vice president of administration) cannot agree, the candidate’s Advisor will make the final determination of board membership, including members previously considered by the crew president and chair.

Board of Review Chair. The chair of the board of review shall be an adult at least 21 years of age who is a Venturing-certified member of the district or local council advancement committee or a designated Venturing-certified representative. “Venturing-certified” means that the person studied the Venturing Board of Review Guide, completed the Venturing Board of Review training (available on my.scouting.org), and developed a basic knowledge of Venturing.

Venturer Representatives. The board of review should include at least two active Venturers, at least one of whom must be from the candidate’s crew. Other Venturing members of the board of review should be selected from the following list.

•   A current holder of the Summit Award or Silver Award

•   A member of the council, area, or region Venturing Officers Association or equivalent

•   A Venturer who currently holds an elected office in a crew

•   An Eagle Scout or Quartermaster

In the event the chair determines that no Venturer is available who meets one of these qualifications, the crew president may nominate another Venturer from the candidate’s crew to serve on the board of review.

Adult representation. The board of review shall include at least one adult, in addition to the chair, who is registered with the BSA—preferably in the candidate’s crew—and who works regularly with the Venturing program at any level. The crew Advisor, associate Advisors, or parents, guardians, or relatives of the Venturer shall not be members of the board of review. The candidate or his or her parent(s) or guardian(s), or relative(s) shall have no part in selecting any board of review members.

Community representative. It is recommended that the board of review also involve at least one well-respected adult representative of the community, who need not be affiliated with the BSA.

Photo Credits

Shutterstock.com—pages 38 (climbers, ©Matusciac Alexandru), 68 (©Odua Images), 119 (©rayuken), 198 (©andia), 182 (youth with tablet, ©MJTH), and 200–201 (©Monkey Business Images). All other photos and illustrations not mentioned above are the property of or are protected by the Boy Scouts of America.

Index

A

Activities. See also Venturing Activity Interest Survey; Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet
annual plan of, 119, 130–135, 141
annual program of, 120–135
planning for, 119–129

Activity chair backdater, 163–164

Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, Service (ALPS), 9, 26, 28, 36–79, 120, 130, 131

Adventures, 12–13, 38–45. See also Outdoor adventure opportunities
benchmarks of, 28–29
budget for, 148, 151–152
consultants for, 43, 49, 93, 99, 113, 124
essentials of, 10–35, 43
evaluation of, 165
location of, 147–148
paperwork for, 154–155
planning of, 141–162
record of, 202
reflection on, 13, 44
resources for, 142, 144–146
responsibilities for, 145–146
risk with, 154–156,160
three tiers of, 40
travel with, 148

Advisors, 25, 48, 48, 52, 65, 68, 87, 91, 92, 97, 104, 113, 115, 120, 122–124, 136, 145–146, 147, 150, 153, 154, 155, 169, 183, 210
associate, 91, 97, 210
conferences with, 58, 61, 67,
guidance from, 25, 34, 48, 67, 91, 95, 97, 98
interviews conducted by, 30–31, 104, 127
personal growth and, 27, 57–59, 67
responsibilities of, 87–89, 91–92, 94–97, 99–101, 103–105, 121, 130, 136, 142, 145, 146

ALPS. See Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, Service

Annual activity plan, 130–132, 141

Annual crew officers seminar, 122, 130–131

Annual program, 130–136

Associate Advisors, 25, 91, 97

B

Baden-Powell, Robert, 73

Benchmarks, 28–29

Board of review, 68–69

Boundaries, 169–170

BSA, 14, 16–17
policies of, 31
safety guidelines of, 31, 85, 92, 147, 148, 174, 174–184
training courses of, 34, 42, 50, 92, 112

BSA high-adventure bases, 42, 191

Budget, 151–153

C

Child abuse and neglect, 171

Coaching, 116

Code and operating procedures, 96–97

Communication, 112–115,172, 176

Conferences, with Advisors, 58, 61, 67,

Consultants, 43, 93, 123, 135

Crews. See also Leading, of crew
leadership of, 27, 43, 49, 79, 95, 122, 131, 136, 153
meetings of, 135–136, 138
organization chart for, 48
planning activities for, 143–146
president of, 87
service for, 75
small, 92–93
sustainability of, 93, 102, 134, 156
of Venturers, 30
vision of, 50–53, 119

Cub Scouting, 14, 17

Cyber Chip, 181

D

Discovery Award, 29, 134
requirements for, 154, 205

E

Eagle Scout Award, 21, 34, 196, 209

EDGE. See Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable

Emblem, 19–20, 30, 86, 197,

Ethical controversies, 32, 64–65

European Camp Staff program, 195

Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable (EDGE), 110–111

F

Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, 191

G

Gates, Robert, 165

Goals, 47, 50–54, 57–61, 63, 67, 68

Group identity

Scouting symbols, 19–20

Venturing uniform, 20–21

Guide to Awards and Insignia, 22

H

Handbook for Venturers, 91, 59, 97, 100

Hillcourt, William “Green Bar Bill,” 80

I

International Scouting

European Camp Staff program, 195
international contingents, 194

Kandersteg, 195

World Scout Jamboree, 195

World Scout Moot, 195

Internet safety, 183

Interviews, with Advisors, 30–31

K

Kandersteg, 195

Kierkegaard, Søren, 40

L

Leadership, 9, 12
of crews, 25, 48–49, 85–86
crew’s vision crafted by, 50–51
goals set by, 53
life and, 54
meaning of, 47–48
methods of, 110–111
new, 116
resources for, 189
servant, 453
training of, 54
of Venturers, 25, 27–28, 40, 43

Leadership in Venturing, 132–133

Leading, of crew, 85
code and operating procedures, 97
new crew program year, 93–94
officers, 95–96
organization of, 92–93
positions, 86–92

Leading, of others
communication, 112–113
leadership methods, 112
team development, 109–110, 111–112

M

Meeting agenda, 99, 137

Mentoring, 25, 27, 113, 116

Messengers of Peace, 157, 190

Mission, of Scouting, 15

My Venturing trail, 9
adventure record, 202

Discovery Award requirements, 29, 70, 78, 134, 154, 205

Pathfinder Award requirements, 29, 41, 45, 54, 93, 102, 134, 156, 206–207
service record, 203

Summit Award requirements, 29, 33, 34, 66, 78, 95, 112, 116, 134, 199, 208

Venturing Award requirements, 30, 33, 204

N

National Scout Jamboree, 194

National Venturing Officers Association, 76

New crew program year, 93–94

Northern Tier, 191–192

O

Officers, 85–91

Open house, 102–106

Organization
chart for, 49
of crews, 92–93

Organizations, as resources, 188

Outdoor adventure opportunities

BSA high-adventure bases, 191

Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, 191

Northern Tier National High Adventure Programs, 192

Philmont Scout Ranch, 192

Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, 192

P

Pathfinder Award, 29, 45, 54, 93, 102, 134, 156
requirements for, 41, 62, 63, 113, 121, 122, 125, 132, 158, 176–177

PCI. See Program Capability Inventory Personal code of conduct, 66–68

Personal growth

Advisor and, 57–58, 57–58, 59, 60
areas of, 57
ethical controversies with, 64–66
personal code of conduct with, 66–67
personal goals for, 60–61
planning for, 63

SMART goals for, 61
structured personal reflection cycle, 58–61
success assessment for, 63

Personal safety awareness, 104, 154, 169–184

Philmont Scout Ranch, 189, 191, 192

Planning, 59
for activities, 51, 122, 142–155
of adventures, 51, 141–162
for personal growth, 63
process of, 122
resources for, 190
seven-step model for, 141–143
in Venturing, 9

Policies, of BSA, 31, 43, 85, 92

Program Capability Inventory (PCI), 96, 122–125, 127

Program enrichment recognition, 196–197

Program Planning Form, 122, 123, 125–127

Publications, 188

R

Ranger Award, 51, 133, 184, 196

Recognition
program enrichment, 196–197

Record
of adventures, 202
of service, 203

Recruiting, 102

Resources, 9, 142, 145
for leadership, 189
organizations, 188
for planning, 190
publications, 188

Responsibilities
for adventures, 145–146
of Advisors, 87–89, 91–92, 94–96, 97, 99–101

Résumé, 199

S

Safety guidelines, 31, 85

Scout handshake, 19

Scouting
barriers to abuse, 175–177

Cub Scouting, 14
ideals of, 16
introduction to, 14–18
mission, 15

Scouts BSA, 14

Sea Scouts, 15
terminology, 15, 17

Venturing, 14, 17

Scouting symbols

Scout handshake, 19

Scout salute, 19

Scout sign, 19

Venturing emblem, 19–20

World Crest, 20

Scout Law, 15–18, 29, 31, 32, 61, 66, 68, 80, 85, 97, 100, 117, 127, 138, 170, 175, 176, 177, 178, 180, 183, 201

Scout Oath, 15–18, 29, 31, 32, 61, 66, 68, 80, 85, 97, 100, 117, 120, 127, 138, 170, 175, 176, 177, 178

Scout salute, 19

Scout sign, 19

Scouts BSA, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 196

Sea Scouts, 15

Servant leadership, 53, 128

Service, 134
benefits of, 74
for crew, 75
to others, 74
record of, 203
beyond Venturing, 78
for you, 75

Seven-step planning model, 141–143

Sexual abuse, 171-173

Small crews, 92–93

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Based (SMART), 53, 61, 62

Stop, Start, Continue tool, 45

Structured personal reflection cycle, 58–59, 61, 62, 70

Success assessment, for personal growth, 63

Summit Award, 29, 33, 34, 66, 69, 78, 95, 112, 116
requirements for, 66, 112, 116, 121

Summit Bechtel Family National

Scout Reserve, 191, 192, 194

T

Team development, 109–110

Thompson, Hunter S., 43

Thoreau, Henry David, 58

Time Management course, 59, 120, 133

Trained emblem, 86, 189, 197

Training

BSA courses for, 34, 50, 116, 189
of leadership, 132–133,141, 189

Treasurer, 89

V

Venturers,
activities of, 23
crews of, 24, 30
emblem of, 20
leadership of, 25, 48–49, 85
program themes of, 24
reflection, 13
in Scouting, 14, 17
stories of, 38–39
uniform of, 20–21

Venturing, 14
attitude for, 12–13, 24, 30
emphasis areas of, 9, 26–27
essentials of, 9
leading and planning in, 9
recognition in, 33
resources for, 9
service beyond, 78
terms of, 25

Venturing Activity Interest Survey, 31, 88, 95, 96, 99, 121, 122, 127, 128–131, 132, 142

Venturing Activity Planning Worksheet, 142, 152, 157–158

Venturing Award, 28, 30, 33
requirements for, 204

Venturing officer, 85

Venturing Peer-to-Peer Packet, 102

Venturing Quest Award, 196

Venturing Ranger Award, 196

Venturing TRUST Award, 117, 197

Vice president
of administration, 49, 86, 87
of communications or secretary, 49, 86, 89, 127
of program, 49, 86, 87, 88, 93, 96, 127, 134, 163–165

W

World Crest, 20

World Scout Jamboree, 195

World Scout Moot, 195

Venturing Recruiting Toolbox

Check out a wealth of resources you can use when planning your crew sustainability projects:

•   The Venturing Recruitment Guide: Suggestions for Youth Recruiters and Who and When to Recruit, No. 523-506, available in printer-ready and printerfriendly versions

•   Customizable flyers and posters that allow you to enter your crew meeting information before printing

•   Printable brochures designed to excite your guests to the possibilities that await them in Venturing

•   A Fast Facts sheet to help you introduce Venturing to your guests

For more information and links to all these resources (and more!), visit

www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/crew-resources/marketing-toolbox/.