Venturing unit possibilities

[Pack212Scouter]

We are looking at starting up a Venturing unit, but are running into an issue. Our CO will not allow a co-ed crew. Has anyone run into this and a solution? Do you need to start two units? Is this even allowed? Or maybe it can be worked where there is one unit with two Crews one female and one male? Any insight would be helpful.

[BadenP]

With over six years of Venturing experience I will give you my take on the situation. First, your CO can require an all male crew, it is their unit, however if a coed crew is your goal then I would suggest you find another CO. It would be much easier than having two seperate crews whose members would probably want to do joint activities anyway. I have had a coed crew all these years and have never had a problem with innappropriate behavior, not only that but the girls actually push the boys into being more active on activities and earning awards. The reality is by Venturing age boys and girls enjoy hanging out with and doing activities with each other. Try talking to your CO to see what their objections are and try to assure them they have nothing to worry about, you could also bring a crew advisor along from another coed crew to support you.

 

In any case good luck, I absolutely love working with my crew who are highly motivated, great leaders, and proud to be Venturers, we have a solid program and large size crew (50), we continue to grow every year. It is truly a great program.

[Pack212Scouter]

The situation is that our CO is a mega church and as such wants to avoid any hint at impropriety with youth, since they are a target. As for changing CO's that's not really a good option for us....first, our units are too large to move to most other places, second we like our CO, and third a co-ed crew isn't so much our goal as being able to have the boys and girls both be able to do it. Our Girls are AHG and are looking for a little more adventure. Our boys are pretty much high adventure already anyway, but this would give them an opportunity to do more traditional Boy Scout things while using Ventures for the high-adventure side.

[Eagle92]

My old troop's venture crew, now called venture patrol, decided to become chartered as a Venturing Crew just after Venturing came about and they were all male by their own decision. I've read of all girls crews, and had a friend in the UK who got tired of the Girl Guides ( UK's GS) and staretd an all girl Scout troop. No problems.

 

Question, how does the megachurch handle coed activities with any other church youth groups? I ask b/c I know of several churches that turned their youth group into crews so that they can get the additional insurance, take advantage of Scouting activities and camps, and have fun.

[BadenP]

Pack 212 Scouter

 

Unless your CO is the LDS church then their objections are at best illogical and out of date and at worst a perfect reason to find a new CO. Check with your DE to see if your CO could sponsor two seperate crews at the same church, I am pretty sure the council will either say no or strongly discourage the move. I guarantee you the youth will want to do joint activities anyway so having two crews becomes a moot point. At least talk to some crew leaders and learn more about the program before you try to organize two crews, IMHO it would be a receipe for failure. Many crews fail in their first year because the adult organizers don't do their homework and do not realize all the work that goes into organizing and maintaining a new crew.

Good luck no matter what you decide.

[shortridge]

Not knowing much about the American Heritage Girl program - is there a reason they can't do more adventure-related activities?

 

BadenP,

 

While I agree that point of view is out of date, I'm not so sure that it's illogical from a CO's perspective. A CO is supposed to use the Scouting program to serve families and youth and to help the organization accomplish its objectives. If its objectives include supporting only young men, or keeping young men and women apart to teach them right actions and morals, it's not illogical. In fact, it's very logical in that it adheres to the CO's own principles.

 

"Check with your DE to see if your CO could sponsor two seperate crews at the same church, I am pretty sure the council will either say no or strongly discourage the move."

 

I would think a DE would be gung-ho about the idea - that's two new units instead of one!

[Eagle92]

Yep a DE would be drooling as it would be 2 units. And eys a CO can have 2 different numbers assigned to it. My old CO had a pack and troop with with the same number, but the troop couldn't get off the ground. They actually merged with my troop when we were at one CO, but when the new IH hated BSA and we started looking for a new CO, we were welcomed with open arms with the CS only CO. We got the charter transferred over, and kept our original number, so the Pack was 172, and the troop was 866.

[Kahuna]

The CO can determine that it will be a male only or female only unit. Or two units, if that's what they want. As mentioned above, the DE will be much happier with two.

[Pack212Scouter]

Thanks for all of your input.

 

As for AHG, they are pretty new, just about 10 years old and for the most part simply have not branched into any high adventure type stuff. BSA issued a memorandum of understanding this year, allowing them to use BSA training, facilities, etc.

[emb021]

Most churches have co-ed sunday school classes. Most churches have co-ed youth groups. In fact, most church-sponsored Venturing Crews are pretty much just an extension of their youth group. Does your church segregate these by gender?

 

Have you shown them the BSA's youth protection policies and such? These should help them understand the policies they can follow to allay concerns of impropriety.

 

 

[Pack212Scouter]

Yes they do segregate junior high and high school youth outside of large programming. Girls and Boys are separated at the summer camps, spring break outings, for small groups, etc.

[Rythos]

Just use a different CO for the Venturing Crew and leave the other units where they are.

 

Ry (Who can't figure out why the rest of the world can manage co-ed scouting and its just beyond the US, along with the metric system)

[John-in-KC]

I gather your Chartered Partner is a relatively conservative non-denominational mega-church. Got it.

 

Really, the best approach for this is to form a common Crews Committee. Get two Advisors instead of one. In fact, form your own mini-VOA. Let the youth, under supervision, plan and coordinate activities. If needed by the CP, then don't do common activities.

 

Another option for the Crew (not the entire Scouting operation) is to find a more amenable CP.

 

Keep us informed. Right now EagleSon is with most of his Crew, staffing Scout Camp Venturing works.