What is Venturing?

Venturing is for young men and young women ages 14 to 20. It includes challenging high-adventure activities, sports, and hobbies for teenagers that teach them leadership skills, provide opportunities to teach others, and give them an opportunity to learn and grow in a supporting, caring, and fun environment. The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.

What are the goals of Venturing?

1. Provide practical experience in a special interest, skill, or leadership
2. Provide a program program of activities centered on the following areas: social, leadership, fitness, service, outdoor, and citizenship
3. Provide positive leadership from youth and adults and an opportunity to lead others
4. Provide a caring environment for learning and growing

Venturing Methods

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 in an active way to effectively lead.

Group activities — Venturing activities are interdependent group experiences in which success depends on the cooperation of all. Learning by doing in a group setting provides opportunities for developing new skills.

Adult association — The youth officers lead the crew. The officers and activity chairs work closely with Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a “shadow” leader capacity.

Recognition — Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program and through the acknowledgement of a youth’s competence and ability by peers and adults.

The ideals — Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturing Oath and Code.They promise to do their duty to God, help strengthen America, to help others, and to seek truth and fairness.

High adventure — Venturing’s emphasis on high adventure helps provide team-building opportunities, new meaningful experiences, practical leadership application, and lifelong memories to young adults.

Teaching others — All of the Venturing awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often, Venturers are better able to retain the skill or knowledge they 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.