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