Venture Patrol

[hops_scout]

Our SM informed the PLC (3 scouts and 2 leaders tonite) that he felt there was a need to start a Venture Patrol and possibly get the older boys a little bit more involved and actually doing stuff at meetings. He kind of was making it sound like this was something he really wanted to happen and was almost putting it on my shoulders to do. I may be weird in thinking thats how he put it, but if thats how he put it great.

 

He said that he was going to go get the program materials for us to read and decide. I hope he has those for next week's meeting.

 

What suggestions do you have for us to get started?

[Bob White]

I am curious as to what "program material" he is refering to. Please keep us informed.

 

BW

[ozemu]

Hops are you thinking that he wants to force the idea into happening with you as the prime worker?

 

The SMs job is to grow the Troop and to keep the challanges and experience of Scouting alive and exciting for all the Scouts. A Venture Patrol may be a great idea. It might not be suitable right now. That is a decision that requires lots of thought and discussion. I see nothing wrong or strange in what you describe to that point.

 

If you want to personally take the project on then great. If not then maybe it is still a good adea but needs someone else to head it up. We are only human and you can only do 17 things at one time.

 

The Venture Patrol may not be a good idea at all and should be discarded. But only after earnest debate.

 

The SM can and should suggest (sometimes forcefully) new and challenging ideas. He should not inflict them on the unwilling or unable. Regardless of the PLC decision you personally always have the right and responsibilty to say Great idea. I think the project is sure to be successful but I will not be taking part and wish you the best.

 

If the issue that concerns you is the nuts and bolts of starting a Venture Patrol and you like the idea then I advise that you get a 100% commitment from the minimum number of Scouts required to make it work. Dont think that the others will come good when it gets going. That will give you all the work to do and the full responsibilty for any failure (or success but the odds are not good without a fired up Patrol).

 

Also ensure that there is plenty of adult advice and expertise available to the Patrol.

 

The physical resources (equipment and access to locations) are the third priority in my book.

 

I started a Venturer Unit (pretty similar to a Vent Patrol) when I was 15. Had a blast. Best time of my Scouting career. We were short on adult advisors with the required skill (we had two excellant managers but not technical experts) and we had no equipment at all. Our activities were definately of a backwoods style and it worked okay. But there were lots of things we could not get done without the gear and the expertise.

 

Even so I got my Queens Scout award so where there is passion and in at least a couple of you it can be made to happen and the rewards can be large. Without the prerequisites of people and gear then it will also be very very hard work.

[LovetoCamp]

A Venturing Patrol and a Venturing Crew are two different things. Below is a post describing a Venture Patrol written by Yak Herder.

 

Yak_Herder

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RE: Venture Patrol

Posted: Tuesday, 8/24/2004: 1:47:11 PM Member to Member Private Message quality I wrote this proposal regarding Venture Patrols some time ago. The ideas discussed are being tested in several councils as we speak. At the risk of further muddying the distinctions between a VenturE Patrol and VenturING Crew (something that is not at all clear in this thread), I offer it to you for your benefit.

 

 

The Venture Patrol

 

The Venture Patrol is a little known but highly effective option for Scouters wishing to better address the needs and interests of the older Scouts within the Troop. With so many Senior Scouting options available, why would you want to consider implementing a Venture Patrol? The target audience is already saturated with a host of Scouting options that deeply overlap one another. In addition to simply staying in the Troop and forming a Venture Patrol, Scouts over the age of fourteen have the option of joining a Varsity Team, a Sea Scout Ship or Venturing Crew. Some are given the opportunity to join the Order of the Arrow.

 

Most of these programs are a direct result of Scoutings attempts over the years to address the needs of the older Scouts, something traditional Scouting simply does not do well enough. Very early on, within a couple of years of the Boy Scouting movements founding, Baden-Powell recognized this failing in his program design and organized Sea Scouting. History has demonstrated the majority of older boys need a different Scouting format. But with so many solutions in play, the question remains, Which one?

 

The best answer is often the simplest one.

 

What The Venture Patrol Is

 

A High Adventure Patrol

 

Venture Patrols are such an obscure and underdeveloped segment of Scouting that few Scouters even know that they exist, let alone what they could do with one. When the Venturing program was introduced in 1998, the existing Venture Patrol program began to suffer from the challenge of an identity crisis. The similarity in naming has proven to have be troublesome. Even Scouting veterans misunderstand and inadvertently confuse the terminology. While both Venture Patrols and Venturing are designed to be high adventure programs for older boys, a Venture Patrol is not Venturing.

 

Venture Patrols are unique type of Patrol within a Boy Scout Troop. They are distinguished from other Patrols mainly by what they do. The assumption is made that members of a Venture Patrol have either completed the requirements for rank advancement or are no longer interested in pursuing them. The emphasis is less on activities that yield a diversified education (the merit badge program) and focused more actively on doing and using skills already learned.

 

Little information is given in the current BSA literature describing a Venture Patrol. The Scoutmasters Handbook reads:

A Venture patrol is an optional patrol within the troop made up of Scouts age 13 and older. These troop members have the maturity and experience to take part in more challenging high-adventure outings.

 

Whereas Venturing is a completely separate unit (a Crew), a Venture Patrol is just that; a Patrol forming a part of the Troop. As a Patrol within the Troop, the Venture Patrol utilizes essentially the same uniform, leadership structure and awards as the others in Boy Scouting. Members of a Venture Patrol wear a small patch that reads Venture on their uniform shirt over the Boys Scouts of America program strip. They have an Assistant Scoutmaster that works specifically with their Patrol and their own Venture Patrol Leader who represents them on the Patrol Leaders Council.

 

Venturing, on the other hand, has a unique uniform (if any), a different leadership structure altogether and its own recognitions. While defining Venturing well exceeds the scope of this outline, it must be understood that Venturing is as distinctly different from Boy Scouting as Cub Scouting is. While a Venture Patrol is very similar in its activities, a Venture Patrol remains very much a Boy Scouting program in philosophy and methodology.

 

What The Venture Patrol Can Be

 

A Leadership Patrol

 

There are a number of concepts and ideas floating around from earlier days in Scouting that can find their way into your Venture Patrol. The Pine Tree Patrol, Green Bar Patrol and Leadership Corps of yesteryear are good examples. Each combined the older Scouts within a Troop into the same Patrol. They enjoyed special privileges, but were not snobbish in nature. Being organized this way gave them opportunity to participate in more the challenging activities the Guide to Safe Scouting reserves for those over 14 years of age without involving younger Scouts. They also formed a reservoir of leaders that could be reliably drawn upon by the Troop for ad hoc needs.

 

A Teaching Patrol

 

One of the best ways to allow the Venture Patrol members to become elite without becoming elitist is to give them ample opportunity to serve the balance of the Troop and others. They should be examples, mentors, even leaders to the younger Scouts. Venturing employs this technique with its teaching others method. A Venture Patrol can incorporate that same teaching aspect in to their program.

 

One of the finest leadership positions in Scouting is that of the Troop Guide. In much the same manner in which Venture Patrols suffer from obscurity and lack of use, so does the Troop Guide. Building on the concept of the Leadership Corps, the Venture Patrol and Troop Guides were made for one another. Members of the Venture Patrol who serve as Troop Guides to the younger Scouts, especially the New Scout Patrol, not only provide a valuable service to the Troop but also deepen their own understanding through teaching. In addition, they develop an even greater sense of self-worth as they begin to appreciate their contribution to the program and a better sense of their own abilities. Most young men begin to value the attendant rewards of that service more than the recreational pleasure or personal accomplishment that results from participation in the high adventure activities. The rewards of service through teaching, more than any other factor, improves retention.

 

A Bridging Patrol

 

Scouting learned long ago the value of a bridging unit. Retention in Scouting was significantly improved when the Webelos program was introduced, better tying Cub Scouting to Boy Scouting. Rather than simply relying on the boys to find their own way from the Pack to the Troop, Webelos points the boys directly at it. Scouting should have a similar means of pointing the young men towards Venturing.

 

Venturing is far more than just Scouting for older boys. But it is no less a step beyond Scouting. No formal means currently exists for transitioning boys from the Scout Troop to the Venturing Crew.

When utilized as a bridging unit, the unfortunate names of Venture Patrols and Venturing Crews (further compounded by the outdated terminology associated with the now discontinued Venture Crew) can be leveraged to reinforce the idea of a transition from Scouting to Venturing. While presently a stumbling block for even veteran Scouters, the terminology can become quite serviceable if the Venture Patrol is considered a step towards Venturing rather than merely another high adventure program.

 

Proposed Changes

 

A unique Look

 

Members of a Venture Patrol require a uniform that distinctly sets them apart from the rest of the troop. There are many factors at work within the mind of a 14-year-old by that leads to this conclusion. The strongest of these is a general desire to disassociate themselves with the little kids in the Troop. This is the age when most are beginning to High School. They are struggling to join with their older High School peers and resist anything that pulls in the other direction. The tan/green uniform of Boy Scouting has that affect.

 

Furthermore, they are becoming very image conscious. Many become embarrassed when identified as a Boy Scout. When this happens, rather than resent it, a wise Scoutmaster observing this behavior will understand it is an important insight into a young mans life and adjust accordingly. Uniforms remain no less an important tool, but a greater effort and more clever means will then be required to maintain its effectiveness.

 

Another reality is the physical growth a young man experiences in his teen-age years. Most of them are wearing the same uniform shirt they got when they joined Boy Scouting. About the time he turns fourteen it becomes too small and uncomfortable. A new uniform has to be purchased. Most are unwilling to spend money on another shirt that they dont want to wear for reasons already discussed.

 

Part of the success of earlier Senior Scouting programs had to do with an associated eligibility to wear a special uniform. They thereby took on a look that set them apart from the younger Scouts, often with uniforming details that more closely paralleled an adult Scouter. This is a simple but important aspect of Scouting that should not be overlooked today.

One solution is to allow them to wear the green/gray Venturing uniform. If they eventually move on to the Venturing Crew, chances are they will want to purchase one. Since the need to buy a new uniform generally exists anyway, thriftiness suggests it be the Venturing uniform.

 

With that, some method of distinguishing members of the Venture Patrol from a Venturing Crew is required. Taking a cue from what Cub Scouting is doing with the Webelos uniform, the simplest and most consistent practice would be to wear Boy Scoutings red shoulder loops rather than Venturings green ones.

With the permission of the Council Executive, an experiment utilizing this uniforming practice has been shown to be highly successful.

 

Enhanced recognition

 

Interest in Scouting advancement and rank among Venture Patrol members will vary greatly. Some will be Eagle Scouts looking for additional challenges. Some will want to complete their efforts to earn an Eagle Scout Award. Others will no longer be interested in advancement. All of these needs can be accommodated simultaneously with a modest modification.

 

A focus on high adventure activity should provide ample activity to anyone not interested in rank advancement and plenty of opportunity to anyone wishing to accomplish rank advancement to do so. However, those looking for additional challenges and awards will be short-changed. The recognitions available through Venturing are not available to them unless they join a Venturing Crew.

 

Little merit is seen in this restriction. Since the majority of the experiences they will enjoy as members of a Venture Patrol will directly parallel those of a Venturing Crew, reason dictates that they be eligible to earn a limited amount of Venturing Awards. Rather that contribute to what could only become feelings of resentment by forcing them to repeat the same activities as Venturers later in order to be given the same recognition, allowance should be provided for members of a Venture Patrol to earn Venturing Bronze Awards.

 

Dual Registration

 

It is possible today to sidestep the need for either of these changes to the program by simply dual-registering the boy as a Scout and Venturer and gaining the permission of the local Council Executive wear the Venturing uniform as described.

 

Scouting would be better served by publishing an enhanced definition of Venture Patrols as outlined in this document.

 

What A Venture Patrol Can Really Be

 

A Saving Patrol

 

Combining all the aspects of what a Venture Patrol is and what it could be, the Venture Patrol becomes a powerful tool in skilled hands to keep boys in Scouting. Far beyond a simple high adventure group, the Venture Patrol can take on the mission of the Leadership Corps while functioning as something like an In Troop version of Venturing, ready and willing to serve the Troop and others.

 

Whether the young men remain in the Troop or join a Crew, they are no less members of the Boy Scouts of America. The longer they remain members, whatever the unit, the more opportunities Scouters have to positively affect the lives of the young man and the greater the young mans ability to return service to others. This expanded use of the Venture Patrol contributes positively towards those goals.

 

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[LPC_Thumper]

In my unit we run a venturing patrol. Now I know this isn't exactly right, but it works for us. What we do is allow the older boys from all the other patrols to come together as part of the venture patrol. This patrol functions seperately from other patrols. It really gets formed about March, and functions until the summer high adventure activity.

 

You might ask what kinds of activities it's done. We've only gone to Philmont twice, Northern Tier, Sea Base, hicked rim to rim in the Grand Canyon, climbed Mt Shasta, white watered on the Russian River.

 

We tried to run the venturing patrol as a completely stand alone unit, but it just didn't work for us. So every March, we start talking about what is happening this summer, and what to look for next summer. From an adult standpoint it works well, oh and by the way, we have had several boys turn 18, and then become ASM because they aren't ready to leave the troop yet.

 

Happy scouting. I'm sure you'll find a way to use this concept just like we found a way, even if it's not the SAME way.

[Eagledad]

Hi All

 

>>It really gets formed about March, and functions until the summer high adventure activity.

[Mike F]

They may work great for some, but Venture Patrols about killed our troop. Within about 3 years of their forming, the Venture guys were almost totally disengaged from the troop. Very few were willing to be leaders and almost none of them would attend troop campouts. Yes they usually had a high-adventure activity in the summer, but no activities except for a few shakedowns in the spring.

 

We dissolved the Venture Patrols about 1.5 years ago and have seen significant improvement since we dispersed them into regular mixed-age patrols. The older guys are almost all active leaders and have good participation in monthly campouts, etc.

 

I believe a key to success is plenty of high adventure activities for the older scouts, as mentioned by LPC_Thumper and Eagledad. We have 1-2 events every year and are gearing up for 2-3 starting next year. This keeps the older guys interested and looking forward to coming back. (And the younger ones cant wait to join in.) We also make it clear that a requirement for participation in the high-adventure program is that a scout is an active member of the troop.

 

We also form temporary groups for high-adventure trips, but to reduce confusion, we refer to them as Crews with an elected Crew Chief in charge. All members remain in their normal positions in the troop as patrol members, QM, PLs, SPL, etc. High-adventure crew meetings and functions (shakedowns, etc.) are always scheduled to deconflict with troop activities. The crews come together and function mostly outside of the normal troop structure. The only exception is the ASPL/High-Adventure whose official troop job is to oversee, plan and promote the program. As the crews are formed, the ASPL/H-A serves as leader for the Crew Chiefs.

After the trip is over, we have a big celebration party to show parents slide show of pictures, tell stories, present gifts for Crew Chiefs. Then the crews are dissolved as we start planning for the next adventure. Troop structure is never disrupted and members from every patrol come back charged up with stories and skills to share within the patrols.

 

This appears to be working for us. Your mileage may vary.

 

-mike

 

[Bob White]

I must disagree with my esteemed brothers Trail Pounder and Yak Herder.

 

While lengthy, his description is filled with error and personal opinion. For a shorter, more accurate, description please open your Boy Scout Handbooks to page 420.

 

One thing that will help the Venture Patrol to succeed is for the SM to pick the right Assistant Scoutmaster to direct the Ventuire program.

 

Best of luck.

BW

[Eagledad]

>>Our SM informed the PLC (3 scouts and 2 leaders tonite) that he felt there was a need to start a Venture Patrol and possibly get the older boys a little bit more involved and actually doing stuff at meetings.

[hops_scout]

When I said that it kind of felt like he was wanting me to take charge of it, I meant that it felt more of a request for me to do so and IF that is the case, I will more than gladly do so.

 

I've skimmed parts of this and read entire other parts. We'll see what happens. I hope we can get some more high adventure type stuff going soon.

 

 

[Mike F]

Eagledad,

 

Right on! And write on!!

But I think we blew right over Hops' question about how to get V Patrol started.

 

Hops,

 

There are Pros and Cons to Venture Patrol. Consider copying some of the info in here for your SM to read. Then discuss it with him and maybe others. You've heard from a few of us about pitfalls. If you move forward with plan to pull older guys into Venture Patrol, work proactively to head off the potential problems. You don't need a Venture Patrol to do high-adventure stuff.

 

Good luck!

 

-mike

[LovetoCamp]

Following along with what Bob said, a Venture Patrol needs its own ASM who is willing to get outside and outdoors. A Powderhorn graduate would be a perfect fit for a Venture Patrol ASM because he or she would be filled with ideas and activities and ready and willing to get outside and do them with your bunch.

[Bob White]

Hops Venture Patrol is really nothing new just re-labeled. In the past it has been called Leadership Corps among other things.

 

Think of it as a natural program progression. We start scouts out in a New Scout Patrol learning basic skills. They practice and inprove those skills as an Experienced or Regular patrol, then they move to a Venture Patrol once they have gained confidence and competence in their abilities.

 

There is no less reason for a Venture patrol to succeed than any of the other two types of patrol, if the responsible adult leader understands leadership skills and how to teach them to the junior leaders.

 

Here are some tips for successful Venture patrols:

 

Organize the Venture patrols according to similar interests among the members.

 

Explain the unique awards program that only the Venture patrols can earn.

 

Do BIG stuff. Bike 100 miles on a weekend, take 50 mile canoe trips in the summer, go skiing, sleep in cave, hike a mountain don't expect older teens to want to go camping to the same place they have gone three or four times a year already.

 

Like Trail Pounder recommened you will need an ASM with high adventure interests, and Powerdhorn Training would be a great asset.

 

Just as the New Scout Patrol and the Regular patrols each have their own programs going on at the troop meeting, the Venture Patrol needs their own. The info that will help a New Scout will bore a Venture. That is not a bad thing its just a part of development and you need to recognize that and have a program that addresses it.

 

Venture patrols are a great way to enhance a troops program, but like everything else it takes planning. You can make it work or you can make it fail depending on whether or not you have a plan.

 

Good Luck

BW

[SWScouter]

Venture patrols are a great way to enhance a troops program, but like everything else it takes planning. You can make it work or you can make it fail depending on whether or not you have a plan.

 

You know, it's very refreshing to hear "you have a plan" instead of "I have a plan"

[Bob White]

"know, it's very refreshing to hear "you have a plan" instead of "I have a plan"

 

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I guess I need a translation.