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Resources Training Awards Literature
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Venturing Advancement: Awards & Procedures The Venturing advancement program is available to all youth Venturing members of the BSA. It's purpose is to provide a pathway for personal development as a means to promote goal setting. It encourages Venturers to learn, grow, and serve. It's purpose is also to recognize the high level of achievement of Venturers who acquire advanced Venturing skills, and to identify trained and highly motivated Venturers who will be a training, leadership, and program resource for other Venturers, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and community organizations. The Venturing advancement program doesn't have ranks, except for in Sea Scouts, BSA. It does however, contain awards which a Venturer, or Crew may or may not choose to pursue. We as Advisors encourage our Venturers to use the Venturing advancement program to help to define crew program, and to allow for individual recognition of achievement. A Venturing award makes a nice addition to a resume or college application, too. All requirements for all awards require that Venturers do work as Venturers. As an example, a Scout who has earned Backpacking merit badge must do all that is required for the Backpacking elective for the Ranger Award as a Venturer, a Scout who has earned Personal Fitness merit badge must do all that is required for Physical Fitness elective as a Venturer. Some requirements may require some sort of certification, such as Scuba Open-Water Diver, American Red Cross Standard First Aid, or BSA Lifeguard. This certification may be used regardless of when it was earned as long as the certification is still current. Venturers may receive multiple credit for requirements in Venturing. For example, obtaining the Standard First Aid certification may be used for the Ranger core requirement, as well as the Silver first aid requirement. Venturers who are also members of a Boy Scout troop may receive credit for work done simultaneously toward Boy Scout advancement and Venturing advancement. An example would be for getting dual credit for hikes for the Backpacking merit badge and Backpacking elective. Venturers may not receive multiple credit when required to do a tabletop display or presentation. Any male Venturer who has made first class in a Boy Scout troop may continue to work toward Eagle until his 18th birthday , in accordance with the Boy Scout Handbook and Boy Scout requirements book. Position of responsibility requirements for Eagle may be met by serving as president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer of his crew, or as boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, or storekeeper of his ship. The Scoutmaster conference will be conducted by the Advisor or Skipper, board of reviews for Star and Life ranks are conducted by the crew or ship committee. The Eagle Board of Review follows local council procedure. All work on all Venturing advancement must be completed prior to the Venturer's 21st birthday. Basic Awards for Venturers Venturing Bronze The bronze award is the
recognition for the introduction to specific Venturing skills. The bronze award
is a campaign style ribbon. For those who aren't familiar, a campaign ribbon is
a nylon ribbon with a printed design, affixed to a brass plate. The long edges
of the plate are rolled over to form a track, which slides onto a holder bar,
which is another brass plate with a pair of pins for attaching it to the
uniform. There are five different Venturing Bronze awards which Venturers may earn and wear on the Venturing uniform. They are:
Arts & Hobbies
Youth
Ministries Sports
Outdoor
Sea Scout
(Ordinary)
The requirements for the Outdoor Bronze are found in the Ranger Guidebook. The requirements for the Sea Scout Bronze are found in the Sea Scout Manual. The process is that as the Venturer completes requirements for the bronze award(s), the Advisor, or consultant (outside expert for the particular task at hand) initials off the requirement in the Venturer's Handbook/Guidebook/Manual. When all of the requirements have been completed, the Advisor then fills out & turns in an Advancement report to the local Council service center, secures the awards, and presents them, preferably at a ceremony, such as a Court of Honor. One Venturing Bronze award is required for the Venturing Gold award.
Venturing Gold
The Gold award is an intermediate level award which requires at least 12 month's tenure and work. Requirements, found in the Venturer Handbook, are based on three area's: personal development, service, and leadership. The Gold award requires a pre-approved plan of action, and upon completion, a board of review. For crews, this board is comprised of 4 - 6 Venturers and adults from the Crew, for ships, the ship's quarterdeck. The District's Advancement Chair should be invited to visit and observe the review. When this has been completed, the Advisor then fills out & turns in an advancement report to the local Council service center, secures the award, and presents it, preferably at a ceremony, such as a Court of Honor. The Venturing Gold award is required for the Venturing Silver award.
Venturing Silver
The Silver award is the highest award for Venturers. Requirements are found in the Venturer Handbook. In addition to the Bronze and Gold awards, Venturers do additional work in the areas of leadership, emergency preparedness, and ethics. The Silver award requires a pre-approved plan of action, and upon completion, a board of review. For crews, this board is comprised of 4 - 6 Venturers and adults from the Crew, for ships, the ship's quarterdeck. The District's Advancement Chair should be invited to visit and observe the review. When this has been completed, the Advisor then fills out & turns in an advancement report into the local Council service center, secures the award, and presents it, at a ceremony such as a Court of Honor, or Eagle/Silver recognition banquet. It is appropriate to recognize the award in local and school newspapers.
Specialty Growth Opportunities
Ranger
The Ranger award is an additional award/growth opportunity based on outdoor/high adventure requirements. A Venturer must complete 8 core requirements, and at least 4 of 18 electives. (The Outdoor Bronze award is the completion of 4 core & 2 electives, or half way) There is no board of review, once the Venturer has completed the requirements, the Advisor fills out & turns in the advancement report to the local Council service center, secures the award, and presents it, at a ceremony such as a Court of Honor, or Eagle/Silver recognition banquet. It is appropriate to recognize the award in local and school newspapers.
Quartermaster
The Quartermaster award is
an additional award/growth opportunity based on seamanship skills. (The Sea
Scout Bronze award is half of Quartermaster.) Formerly an award exclusive to Sea
Scouts, it may now be earned by any young man or woman registered as a Venturer.
It requires a pre-approved plan of action, and upon completion, the application
for the award is reviewed by the ship's committee with a member of the
district advancement committee as chairman. Venturing Leadership Awards
National, Area/Regional, and Council level Venturing Leadership Award medallions This award is presented by councils, areas/regions, and the BSA National Council to Venturers and adults who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Venturing Code. Councils may present two awards for youth and two awards for adults per year for up to 50 crews/ships and one additional award for each fraction of 25 crews/ships above 50. Regions may present 12 youth and 12 adult awards per year, National may present 6 youth and 6 adult awards per year. Venturing youth and adults who have been registered and involved in Venturing for at least one year may be recommended for an award by completing the Venturing Leadership Award Candidate Information form #25-203. An additional sheet with 200 words or less explaining why the candidate should receive the award, and letters of recommendation from school, church, clubs, etc must be provided with the information form. (The same form is used for all three award levels.) The instructions and
procedures for this award are contained on the information form: Awards for Adults Venturing Leader Training Award
Requirements for this
award include completing Adult Venturing Leader Basic Training, and two years
tenure as a registered adult Venturing or Sea Scouting Leader, and performance.
Record of meeting the requirements is kept on the Venturing Leader Progress Record #25-856. When the requirements have been met, the record is approved by the Crew Committee Chair, and turned in to the District or Council Training committee chair for review and approval. The award is presented in accordance with district or council procedure. Venturing Advisor's Key
Requirements for this
award include completing Adult Venturing Leader Basic Training, and three years
tenure as a registered adult Venturing or Sea Scouting Leader, and performance,
including earning the Venturing Leader's Training award, and Roundtable
attendance. Record of meeting the requirements is kept on the Venturing Leader Progress Record #25-856. When the requirements have been met, the record is approved by the Crew Committee Chair, and turned in to the District or Council Training committee chair for review and approval. The award is presented in accordance with district or council procedure. Venturing Advisor Award of Merit
One of the unique attributes for the Venturing program is the relationship between Venturers and the crew Advisor. The ability to work effectively with young adults as they themselves plan and run the program is a true test of leadership skills. This award is intended to recognize crew Advisors for tenure (18 months), training (fast start and Venturing Leader Basic), and quality crew program. The crew president in conjunction with the crew officers nominates the Advisor using form #25-013. The nomination is approved by the crew committee chair, then certified by the unit commissioner, and submitted to the council service center. The nomination is then approved by the Scout executive and council commissioner. It is recommended that the award be presented in a timely manner at an appropriate district or council function, and the recipient should be recognized appropriately in the council newsletter, and local newspapers. Seabadge
The Seabadge conference is
an official part of the Venturing leader training program of the Boy Scouts of
America. The Seabadge Conference program presents the overall Aims and Methods
of Sea Scouting and how they relate to the purposes of Scouting. It deals
briefly with instructional methods and techniques, then the key issues of
motivational theory, management versus leadership, planning, problem solving,
decision making, management principles, and behavioral theory as another view
before tying all this together as the basis of management and leadership.
Various team exercises--each providing the opportunity to demonstrate what is
gained from the previous sessions--follow, interspersed with sessions providing
additional tools and techniques. Powder Horn
The powder horn was long
used by outdoorsmen as one of the necessary tools for daily life. The powder
horn carried the propellant that allowed him to sustain daily life. Powder Horn is a training
opportunity designed to expose the Venturing or Boy Scout leader to activities
and resources necessary to operate a successful Venturing Ranger or Troop High
Adventure program. It also familiarizes the Advisor with the Ranger program so
that he or she can help the Venturer to meet the requirements of the Ranger
Award by giving the Advisor a "taste" of most of the Ranger Award activities.
After completing this course, participants will have detailed knowledge of the
Venturing Ranger Award and associated Silver Award requirements. For more information, please see the official Powder Horn site. Resources Venturer Handbook #33493 Ranger Guidebook #3128 Sea Scout Manual #33239B Venturing Leader Progress Record (for the Venturing Leader Training Award & Advisor's Key) #25-856 Venturing Leadership Award Candidate Information (nomination) form #25-203 Venturing Advisor Award of Merit application #25-013 Advancement Committee Policies & Procedures #33088C Web Resources at BSA National Council Venturing Leader Progress record Advisor Award of Merit application Venturing Leadership Award application
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Last updated: Sunday, 26 February 2006 04:19 PM |
Mecklenburg
County Council
