Venturing Service Hour Requirement

[krikkitbot]

Is he a Life Scout?

 

Eagle

[qwazse]

@@qwazse

 

I agree with you 100% that youth are responsible for determining the direction their crew wants to take and should maintain advancement records. However, per multiple BSA literature and personal experience, it is the crew committee who "ensure [accurate] advancement reports are submitted to the local council", and district/council advancement committees who responsibility it is to handle "advancement particulars", especially when there is a gray area that could affect whether a youth progresses or not.

I already discussed the qualifications of the average DAC/CAC. Seriously, give yours a call and find out how prepared they are to rule on the particulars of venturing awards, or, if they would rather defer to a venturing committee or VOA.

 

Here is the quote in full regarding "ensuring advancement reports" from crew committee challenge (http://www.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/511-902_WB.pdf page 15) omitting references to boy scout advancement and my emphasis underlined):

 

Recognition

Explain that if any of the participants have been on a troop committee, they will remember that maintaining advancement records, arranging boards of review, and conducting courts of honor were the responsibilities of the committee. Point out that in Venturing, the responsibility for recognition falls to the crew leaders and Advisors. There are no ranks in Venturing, but there are awards that Venturers may earn.

While the crew committee does not take an active role in awards and may or may not have a person assigned specifically to awards, the committee still has a supporting function in ensuring the crew’s program offers youth the opportunity for recognition.

Ask participants how the crew committee might do this. Answers may include:

• Cooperate with the crew Advisors on supporting goals for the crew.
• Work together with the crew Advisors to ensure the youth are recognized properly and promptly for their achievements.
• Provide expertise for consultants for Venturing awards.
• Serve on crew reviews for appropriate Venturing awards and boards of review ... when asked.
• Ensure advancement reports are submitted to the local council.
• Help the crew’s leaders secure the awards and certificates.

From, this, I conclude that the committee serves as mail-clerk, not referee. Resolving disputes over syntax happens only at the pleasure of the youth leadership. Rest assured, I'm not harping on this to be picky. It stems from about the only lesson that I've learned over the past 12 years as an advisor: It is profoundly demoralizing for youth to realize that -- by the book -- something that should be in their purview has been co-opted by an adult. Don't let that happen in your crew.

Edited August 9, 2017 by qwazse

[4CouncilsScouter]

A quick note here on Venturing advancement, per national policy:

• Two adults registered with the crew, preferably members of the crew committee, must be present during the board of review in a nonvoting advisory capacity. The crew Advisor and associate Advisors are not members of the board of review, but may be present as observers, and they may serve as one or both of the registered adults present.
• Additionally, if a Venturer is pursuing Boy Scout advancement in a crew, there is no "and's", "if's", or "but's" about a crew committee's role. They are to serve as that Venturer's board of review members. It is important to note there is a not an exception to this.

Back to the original topic. One of council advancement committee members agreed with our Venturer's original argument, and the issue is now resolved.