Venturing

"Lead the Adventure"

Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth, Service

Each crew is sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, school, labor group or religious institution, called the chartered organization. The chartered organization, represented by the adult Chartered Organization Representative, is responsible for providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. A chartered organization representative manages the relationship between the crew, the chartered organization, and the BSA.

Additionally, Venturing crew's should have a crew committee. The crew committee is a group of adults, led by the Crew Committee Chair, who guide the crew program and activities and manage record keeping, finance, leadership recruitment, and registration. The crew committee may elect to have the crew be all-male, all-female, or co-ed.

The crew itself is led by youth members who are elected to different leadership positions. Traditionally, these include president, vice president of administration, vice president of program, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster, guide, and historian. However, crews are free to add or remove positions as it benefits their crew. Additionally, crews may choose to have ad hoc or temporary positions like activity chair. The crew officers are encouraged to select a specialty for their crew, plan program for the upcoming year, train their crew's members, recruit new Venturers, and give service to their communities.[6]

The Crew Advisor exists to help guide and mentor youth crew officers and members as they lead their crew. Depending on the size of the crew, the Crew Advisor may choose to recruit Crew Associate Advisors.

Above the crew level, Venturing is led by Council, Territory, and National Venturing Officers' Associations (VOAs) The purpose of the VOA is to better the Venturing program for Venturing youth and adults across the country. They strive to host Venturing program, teach Venturing trainings, provide crews with important resources, and grow Venturing membership.[7]

The National VOA, previously known as the National Venturing Cabinet, are the youth leaders of the Venturing program. These youth are the National Venturing President, and five National Venturing Vice Presidents for administration, program, communication, territory support for western territories, and territory support for eastern territories.

Prior to the BSA's national restructure in 2021, there were Council, Area, Regional, and National VOAs. The nation was divided into four regions: Central, Northeast, Southern, and Western. Combined, there were 27 areas – seven in the Central Region, six in the Northeast Region, nine in the Southern Region, and five in the Western Region.[8]

Post restructuring the country was divided into 16 national service territories, each with its own VOA.

Any Venturer who has achieved the First Class rank as a Scout in a troop (or did so as a Varsity Scout in a team) may continue advancement toward Star, Life and Eagle Scout ranks, and Eagle Palms, up to his or her 18th birthday.[4] Venturers must meet the requirements as prescribed in the official Scouts BSA Handbooks and on Scouting.org. As the Venturer meets requirements for the Star and Life ranks, a Board of Review is be conducted by the crew committee.[4] The Eagle Board of Review follows the procedures for advancement established by the local council.[4]

The core Venturing program includes advancement opportunities for youth featuring four different ranks: Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit. These ranks must be earned in order. The Venturing Summit Rank is comparable to the rank of Eagle Scout.[9]

• Venturing Rank – The Venturer makes a commitment to join the crew and move forward into the experience of Venturing.
• Discovery Rank – The Venturer must participate in adventures, take CPR and first aid training, complete the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews and the Goal-Setting and Time Management, and Crew Officers' Orientation. They must also set and achieve a personal goal and participate in service activities.
• Pathfinder Rank – The Venturer must participate in and lead adventures, take the Project Management training, and give leadership to advanced adventures. They must also serve as a leader in the crew, serve on a VOA, or serve on staff for leadership training. Additionally, they must set and achieve another personal goals, lead a crew recruitment project, and participate in service activities.
• Summit Rank – The Venturer must participate in and lead adventures, complete the Mentoring training, mentor another youth in leading an activity, serve as a leader in the crew, serve on a VOA, or serve on staff for a leadership training. They must also complete a personal reflection, create a personal code of conduct, lead an ethical controversy and conflict resolution scenario, and plan and conduct a service project similar to that required for the rank of Eagle Scout.

Before the current Venturing advancement was created, the Gold Award and the Silver Award were the highest Venturing recognition that could be obtained. They were both discontinued on December 31, 2014.

In addition to Venturing's core ranks, Venturers may also earn awards that demonstrate their unique skill sets.[10]

• Ranger Award – The Ranger Award recognizes youth for high-level outdoors and high-adventure skills like first aid, conservation, and various electives.
• Quest Award – The Quest Award recognizes youth who take control of their personal health by managing their diet and exercise.
• TRUST Award – The TRUST Award recognizes youth who learn to trust those around them by more closely connecting themselves with their religion, culture, community, and themself.
• Supernova Award – The Supernova award recognizes youth who work alongside an adult mentor to better understand the world of STEM and take on unique STEM-related projects.
• Shooting Sports Outstanding Achievement Award – This award recognizes youth who take their shooting skills to the next level by becoming proficient in five of the seven shooting sports sections: air pistol, air rifle, archery, muzzle-loading rifle, shotgun, pistol, or small bore rifle.

Before the current Venturing specialty awards, the Venturing Bronze awards for Arts and Hobbies, Outdoor, Sea Scouts, Sports and Religious Life were the primary specialty awards Venturers could earn. They were discontinued on December 31, 2014.

The Venturing Leadership Award is given to recognize both Venturing adults and youth who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law. The Venturing leadership can be given out by councils, areas, regions, and the BSA National Council. Area, Regions, and the National Council may only give out 12 Venturing Leadership Awards every year. Councils do not have a limit on the number they may present.[11] The award was not presented to adults from 2012 – 2015.[12]

The National Noteworthy Crew award is a distinction presented by the National Venturing Officers' Association every year to 3–5 Venturing crews from across the country who approach Venturing in innovative ways. The award was modeled off of Sea Scouting's National Flagship. The award was first presented in May 2021.[13]

As part of its rank advancement, Venturing offers youth members the opportunity to complete the following trainings:[15]

• Personal Safety Awareness Training (Venturing Rank)
• Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews (Discovery Rank)
• Goal Setting and Time Management (Discovery Rank)
• Crew Officers' Orientation (Discovery Rank)
• Project Management Training (Pathfinder Rank)
• Mentoring Training (Summit Rank)

Additionally, Venturers may also choose to take the following trainings:[16]

• National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) offered by a local council
• National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) offered at the Philmont Training Center or The Summit Bechtel Reserve.
• Kodiak offered by a local council. Kodiak is a Venturing-specific training.
• Powder Horn offered by a local council. Powder Horn is a Venturing-specific training.
• Wood Badge offered by a local council if the Venturer is 18 or older.

Upon turning 18, all youth Venturing participants are required to take the BSA's Youth Protection Training (YPT).[17]

To help prepare adults to guide youth through their Venturing experience, Venturing offers adults access to the following Venturing-specific trainings:[18]

• Venturing Advisor Position-Specific Training available online.
• Crew Committee Position-Specific Training available online.
• Powder Horn offered by a local council.

Additionally, all adult Venturing volunteers are required to take the BSA's Youth Protection Training Youth Protection Training (YPT). Re-certification is required every two years.[19]