Crew officers seminar

[kahits]

I have been attempting to gather information beyond what is mentioned in the Venuring Leader manual. My only contact for venturing is the designated metro venturing chairman, who represents all three of the districts. He originally told me it was a formal training the council had to do, but now is telling me it is all in the leader manual. The manual says it should be lead by a council or district facilitator, which suggests there is more materials available. The crew completed the VLSC over the summer (we chartered at the end of April, 06), and having just had our 2nd crew election, we are ready for something more specific to the officer roles of the crew. Am I looking for something that does not exist beyond that agenda on pages 43-45? Thanks!

[emb021]

First off, it sounds like you don't have much good local sources for Venturing information. I recommend you use this resource and join the Venturinglist Yahoo Group. Consider going to a training course at PTC as well. Or look to take Powder Horn.

 

Here is an overview of Venturing youth training.

 

The first is the Crew Officer Orientation. This is an on-line training session, that is available on the National site (there are some who have put this on CD, unofficially). http://www.scouting.org/venturing/training/coo/index.html

 

Next is the Crew Office Seminar. This is outlined in the Venturing Leader Manual. There is, sadly, no other materials other then what you might find informally or unofficial (such as on the USScouting Service website). This is typically done in crew by the crew leadership. I have never heard of this having to be done by a council/district person, other then with a very new crew. NO, there is no materials on this beyond what is in the VLM.

 

Next is the Venturing Leadership Skills Course. Unlike most leadership courses, this is intended for the entire crew, and ideally should be done by the crew itself. However, in some areas this is done at the council or district levels.

 

Next is Kodiak, which is done in a high adventure forum over a week or 2 weekends. I recommend that before you attempt to do this course that you either go thru another Kodiak course yourself, or go thru the Course Director Course for it.

 

Finally, there is Kodiak X, a weekend follow up course to Kodiak, done by your council or district.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[kahits]

Thank, emb... I guess I'm a little out of order on that, but sometimes that is the way it goes, with this crew going into last summer with a bang. I'll have to get with the Assoc. advisors, on this, but it does need to happen, perhaps over the break. We are lined up to do Kodiak next summer, with one of the districts committed to putting it on, so all of this will be happening in the next 9 months. We do not have alot of local Venturing sources, so are having to pretty much do it on our own, but that is not to say it can't be done, it will just take a while. Thanks for the narrative summary. I think that clarifies alot.

[Crew21_Adv]

Kahits,

 

Greetings!

 

EMB pretty much hit all the main points. I do not have my Scouting literature with me right now, but if I may also add a few thoughts from my memory.

 

The Crew Officers Briefing is so the new officers understand their jobs. (Also look on www.nationalventuringcabinet.org, there are three new officer positions added for large crews to use; Crew Historian, Crew Quartermaster and Crew Guide) This would be similar equivalent to the Troop Leadership Training, and the Officers would be considered Trained after this briefing, and eligible to wear the Trained strip.

 

It can be done with the President and Advisor, but as EMB said, it is online under the national website, which explains the Briefing much better.

 

The Crew Officers Seminar is fairly similar to the Boy Scout Annual Planning Conference. This is where the crew takes the Activity Interest Surveys and Program Capability Inventory, the council calendar, school calendar and community calendar and then write their own Crew calendar to include Activity Chairs.

 

The VLSC is so that they incorporate planning and communication along with other skills. Everyone could use more planning and communications in their units, right? Our youth at home and at school, even some Boy Scouts in a youth run organization, are used to being told what to do. "Do your homework, do your school work, do your merit badge, clean your room, etc." The VLSC helps them to break their routine and plan & communicate their plans.

 

KODIAK is so they can develop life long communications, planning and ethical skills, delivered in a fun environment so the can remember their experiences and skills.

 

Having said that. Transitioning from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Venturing, we may believe the Venturing Leaders Manual is written just for the Advisor(s). I would say that is a half truth. The Venturing Leaders Manual is meant for both the Advisor(s) and the Crew Officers. The Crew Officers should break open this manual and read it, front to back.

 

Now the Venturing Leaders Manual (34655D) has gone thru about three revisions since the first edition. Only minor changes each time, but I believe the Crew Officers Seminar was previous conducted by a member of the Council Venturing Committee.

 

I previously have had this similar discussion (over a year ago) of inviting a council member to conduct the Crew Officers Seminar with us; and between looking in my manual, my wife's manual and my son's manual (you guessed it, three different editions and three minor changes). Stubbornly, I knew that we had to invite a member of the Council to our seminar; after all it was in black and white. Until I read the newest edition of the Leaders manual. The Seminar may now be hosted with just the Advisor(s) and the Crew President.

 

Similarly, KODIAK was previously a Council course, with Council SE approval. In order to allow more use of the course, it became a Council or District course, still with Council SE approval. Now KODIAK may now be conducted as low as the Crew level (or still with the Council or District), but still with the Council SE approval.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[emb021]

"Transitioning from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Venturing, we may believe the Venturing Leaders Manual is written just for the Advisor(s). I would say that is a half truth. The Venturing Leaders Manual is meant for both the Advisor(s) and the Crew Officers. The Crew Officers should break open this manual and read it, front to back."

 

Crew 21 Adv makes a good point here that many may not get.

 

Its "Venturing Leaders Manual" NOT "Venturing Advisors Manual". So its for ALL Venturing Leaders, both youth and adult!