Venturing Leadership Awards

[bacchus]

Our Venturing is somewhat of a separate "District" and we are trying to establish some traditions.

 

What do you think about an annual presentation of the Venturing Leadership Awards? I'm envisioning something similar to the annual District Award of Merit presentation, but using the VLA instead. There seems to be a similar number of VLA authorized each year as the DAM, thus my thought process on this.

 

What do your councils and districts do differently?

[emb021]

First off, check the forms. they tell you how many you can give out each year. For councils, its based on the number of crews. Keep in mind that you have 2 'pools' of awards, one for adults, one for youth. There is no requirement of giving x youth for x adult awards or such nonsense. If you have any awards 'left over' in a pool, you can't shift them over or hold them for the next year.

 

Ok, as to your question. In one council, I'm pretty much in charge of them, and we try to give them out at our annual venturing event, else we do it at one of our council Venturing roundtables.

 

In my neighboring council, they give them out at the council banquet, but I have been hearing that some of the other leaders don't like that (ie boy scout & cub scout leaders), which I think it crazy. They are council awards.

 

 

[bacchus]

I've submitted forms for the council-level VLA to our DE over Venturing. She doesn't know how to submit this for final approval. Does anybody know the next step? Is there another form that needs to be submitted to National?

[OldGreyEagle]

The Council I serve gives the Venturing Leadership Awards at the Silver Beaver Dinner

[JFL49]

Our Council presents the awards at the annual Council Recognition Dinner (AKA Silver Beaver Dinner).

 

Award recommendations / nominations are reviewed by a selection committee of volunteers appointed by the Council President (with input from the Council Venturing Chair and Scout Executive). The professional advisor to the Council Venturing Committee typically serves as the advisor to the selection committee.

 

I would strongly recommend that the selection process be formalized - notify all Venturers (youth and adults) that the selection committee has been formed (web site - email blast - roundtables, etc), that there is a hard and fast deadline for recommendations, and when and where the awards will be presented. Use either the national recommendation form or a local form for all recommendations / nominations - but use a form.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[emb021]

"I've submitted forms for the council-level VLA to our DE over Venturing. She doesn't know how to submit this for final approval. Does anybody know the next step? Is there another form that needs to be submitted to National?"

 

they are council awards, and the selection is handled at the council level, just like the DAM or Silver Beaver. As noted, get a group of Venturing youth and adults to review them. In one council, its pretty much been me making the selections, but I want to form a committee to do this going forward.