Quapaw Area Council Boy Scouts Of America
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What is a Venturing Crew?  The Venturing crew is a youth-led organization that recruits  members, elects officers, and plans programs based on the organization's program inventory. Adult Advisors provide training and guidance for the crew's elected officers.

What uniform does a Venturer wear? There is no universal official uniform. The recommended uniform is the spruce green shirt with green epaulet tabs and gray backpacking-style shorts or gray casual pants. However, the uniform, if any, is the choice of the crew.  You may choose to get silk-screened t-shirts, embroidered golf shirts or something else that the group selects.

What are the Aims and Methods of Venturing?  The aims of the Boy Scouts of America are to build character, develop citizenship, and foster personal fitness.  The Venturing methods have been carefully designed to achieve the aims of the Boy Scouts of America and meet the needs of young adults.

1. Adult association -  Youth officers lead the crew. The officers and activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. Adults serve in a shadow leader capacity.
2. 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 to teach in an active way to effectively lead.
3. Recognition -   Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program and through the acknowledgment of a youth's competence and ability by peers and adults.
4. Ideals -  Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturing Oath and Code. They promise to be faithful in religious duties, to treasure their American heritage, to help others, and to seek truth and fairness.
5. 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.
6.  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.
7. Teaching others -  All of the Venturing awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others, Venturers are often better able to retain the skill or knowledge that they have 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.

What are the responsibilities of the Venturing Advisor? The specific responsibilities of an Advisor include:

• Fostering an environment within the Venturing crew that has a true sense of community and encourages everyone's growth and responsibility to one another.
• Developing crew officers to lead, i.e., to plan, make decisions, and carry out a program of activities over an extended period.
• Encouraging participation and support for the Venturing crew from the chartered organization, associate Advisors, crew committee, parents, and other adults in the community.
• Upholding the standards and policies of the chartered organization and the Boy Scouts of America.
• Providing the necessary framework for protecting the members of a crew from abuse.
• Ensuring that activities are conducted within BSA safety guidelines and requirements.  Advisors should be trained by the BSA.
• Seeking to cultivate within the members of a crew a capacity to enjoy life-- to have fun through the Venturing experience.
• The Advisor is the key adult leader and is responsible for training crew officers.
• The ultimate responsibility for the crew rests with the Advisor.

How do you start a Venturing Crew?  You start a Venturing Crew by having an open house to introduce the program to the interested youth and adults.  If you are interested in starting a crew, the easiest way to do so is to call the Quapaw Area Council Service Center and ask to speak to the District Executive responsible for your area of our Council.  Adults may obtain specific training on how to conduct the open house and get a new crew started as part of the Venturing Specific Training, part of the BSA adult leader training program.  Ask about when the next Venturing Specific Training will be held, or if a special session can be held for your interested group of adults.  If you need some help in starting your crew, we'll be glad to come to your location and help you learn all about the program.

Can girls belong to Venturing?  Yes, absolutely!     What a cool deal!

What do you do in Venturing?  Have lots of fun and learn some important things, too.

Why should my church or civic club form a Venturing Crew?  The Youth Ministries Bronze Award and the Religious Awards Program offer excellent activities to complement your church activities.  One of the main focuses of all Scouting activities is development of citizenship and to encourage young people to develop good habits and values based on service to others.  This complements the programs of both church and civic groups as well in providing excellent opportunities for youth development.

What activities are available to participate in on a Council-wide basis?  Check our Council website regularly for activity updates.  Subscribe to our New Council Venturing Newsletter and check out back issues on the web.

How do I get more information about Venturing?  Contact the Quapaw Area Council Service Center, your district executive or email our Venturing email list at QACVenturing@yahoogroups.com.  You may also want to purchase copies of the Venturer's Handbook and the Ranger Guidebook from the Council Service Center.  

Can a group of Venturers and adults  visit our organization to help us form a Venture Crew?  Yes.   Contact the Quapaw Area Council Service Center, your district executive or email our Venturing email list at QACVenturing@yahoogroups.com.

What adult leader training is available for Venturing advisors and committee members?  Click here for information on our web site.

What adult leader training is available to help adult Venturing leaders to safely plan and conduct high adventure activities with their youth leaders?  Click here for information on our web site.

Why is leader training and understanding the BSA safety rules important? To have a quality Venturing program, you need to follow the excellent program and training materials established by the BSA.  This program and training information is built around a program that is SAFE and FUN.  None of us want accidents or to have our participants injured in unsafe activities.  None of the adults want to worry about litigation if there is an accident.  That is why it is very important to follow the well-established BSA safety rules.  Besides that, following the rules helps us make sure that we are within the scope of protection of the BSA insurance coverage.