Sheet 1
What's In Venturing For Me
  Services
    Opportunity to learn and practice leadership
    Exciting, adult-level experiences in safe environment
    Character development
      Proven competence in outdoor skills
      Emphasis on ethical interactions with adults and older youth
    Satisfies aims of Venturing
    Program is defined by youth, run by youth, enabled and facilitated by adults
  Membership Requirements
    Youth are 14 or 13 and finished 8th grade
    Adults must be able to pass background check
      Must be able to act as advisor, mentor, or coach as the situation requires.
      Must be willing to not lead
    No Scouting experience required
  Youth and Parents
    Voice of the customer
      "My son/daughter is burned out from Scouting. They want to do more than the program offers."
      "Scouting was only about earning merit badges/IP patches. I want adventure!"
      "We (Girl Scouts) want to do what the boys do!"
    Utility
      All activities allowed for Boy Scouts, and more
        Ventures are allowed to get pistol safety training and shoot pistols
        Popcorn sales via Internet (e.g., e-mail, Facebook)
      Venturing program can compliment youth programs
        Experiences in Venturing can be counted twice, for Venturing and Girl Scouting / Boy Scouting
        Venture service activities can support Capstone
      Co-ed
      Meetings and activities with with older youth
      Interaction with adults in peer relationships
      Program focus is on personal achievement
        Venture has no rank advancement (except Sea Scouts)
        Venture program has achievement awards to recognize accomplishments
        Opportunity for leadership training comparable to advanced adult training.
        Youth define the mission and program of the Crew, supported by adult resources
      Adults provide "shadow" leadership
        "Stealth" recording of accomplishments
        Transportation, permission forms, past experiences, removing obstacles, prohibit non-Venture adult interference, program "safety net"
        Adults as advisors, consultants, mentors, not leaders
      Venture membership is "key" to BSA High Adventure bases
        BSA reserves slots for Venture Crews at Sea Base, Northern Tier, Philmont
        Venture units are typically smaller, more mature than Scout units
      Crews and Ships have recurring inter-Area activities
        Quest (Area 4; North East Area Region)
        Getaway Weekend (Area 6; Greater Pittsburgh Council)
      Majority of outdoor organizations provide resources to Scouting units
        Outfitters in non-BSA high adventure bases have favorable experiences with Crews and Ships
      Alternative to after school activities (e.g, high school sports)
        Venture activities can be as intense and as challenging as youth wishes, but varied.
        Flexible, program can adapt to commitments
      "War stories"
        Youth have opportunity for extensive range of experiences which can be cited in college resumes, job interviews
        "What would you do if..." questions become "What did you do when..."
      Venture program is based on servant-leadership.
    Warranty
      Adult leaders are required to annually take Venture Youth Protection training
      Two-deep leadership
        Two adults present at all times at all Venture activities
        One-on-one with youth is prohibited (except parent/guardian with own child)
        Overnights with mixed genders requires female and male adults present
      No required ratio of adults to youth
      Adults are trained to lead ethical controversies
  Girl / Boy Scout Troop Leaders
    Voice of the customer
      "Venturing steals my most trained youth."
      "Youth have too much on their plates now to take on another program."
    Utility
      Older youth stay in Scouting and provide motivation to achieve highest Scout awards
        Youth age out at 21, not 18
        Venture program activities can provide leadership opportunities and achievements
      Leaders can be dual registered with Venturing
      Venturing allows cadres of youth (similar ages, similar skills) or mixed, but all members are older youth
      Venture crews can provide skills training, fulfilling requirements for achievement awards and demonstrating opportunities reserved for older youth.
    Warranty
      Venturing leverages GSA and BSA youth protection training programs
      Program requires two-deep leadership
  Chartering Organizations
    Voice of the customer
    Utility
      Promote ideals of chartering organization
      Provide youth-centric outreach to community
    Warranty
      Like Boy Scouting, the chartering organization has the right and responsibility to select leaders
  High School Counselors
    Voice of the customer
      "What opportunities are there for senior high youth?"
    Utility
      Program develops character
      Co-ed, older youth activities
      Youth are encouraged to become independent
      Opportunities for Capstone projects with potential broad impact
    Warranty
      Two-deep trained adult leadership
      Program can adjust to accommodate academic program
      Ventures have participated in sports (though careful planning was necessary).