Venturing is a youth development program of Scouts Australia for young men and women who are 14 through 18 years of age.

Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth, adult leaders, and organizations in their communities. Venturing units are established within local communities and operate by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The program is flexible allowing members to choose activities according to their own interests. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, to grow, to develop leadership skills, and to become good citizens.

Venturing units can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby interests.

Goals

Young adults involved in Venturing will:

• Learn to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values in the Venturer Scout Law and Promise.
• Experience a program that is fun and full of challenge and adventure.
• Become a skilled training and program resource for Cub Scouts, Scouts, and other groups.
• Acquire skills in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies, youth leadership, or citizenship.
• Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given opportunities to take on leadership roles.
• Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and fun environment.

Methods

The aim of Scouting is to encourage the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual development of young people so that they take a constructive place in society as responsible citizens, and as a member of their local, national and international communities. The Venturing methods listed below have been designed to achieve the aim of Scouts Australia and meet the needs of young adults.

• Leadership. All Venturers are given opportunities to learn and apply proven leadership skills. A Venturing unit is led by elected unit officers. The Venturing Leadership Course and Unit Management Course are designed for all Venturers and helps teach in an active way to effectively lead.

• Group Activities. Venturing activities are interdependent group experiences in which success is dependent on the cooperation of all. Learning by "doing" in a group setting provides opportunities for developing new skills.

• Adult Association. The youth officers lead the unit. The officers and activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a "shadow" leader capacity.

• Recognition. Recognition comes through the Venturing award program and through the acknowledgement of a youth's competence and ability by peers and adults.

• The Ideals. Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturer Scout Promise and Law. They promise to be faithful in religious duties, treasure their Australian heritage, to help others and to seek truth and fairness.

• High Adventure. Venturing's emphasis on high adventure helps provide; team-building opportunities, new meaningful experiences, practical leadership application, and life-long memories to young adults.

• Teaching Others. Many of the Venturing Awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often, Venturers are better able to retain the skill or knowledge they taught, they gain confidence in their ability to speak and relate to others and they acquire skills that can benefit them for the rest of their lives as a hobby or occupation.

The Program

Key elements of the program are selected from the following four development areas:

Community Involvement: Citizenship, Environment , First Aid, Service

Adventurous Activities: Expeditions, Outdoor , Initiative

Personal Growth: Expression, Lifestyle, Ideals, Pursuits

Leadership Development: Unit Management, Leadership Course, Vocations

By determining their own training needs it encourages young people to be self-motivating. The proportion of time devoted to each activity will depend on the preferences of the Unit Members, but a well balance program will include activities from all areas.

Morals in Action

An important goal of Venturing is to help young adults be responsible and caring persons, both now and in the future. Venturing uses "ethical controversies" or "moral dilemas" to help young adults develop the ability to make responsible choices that reflect their concern for what is a risk and how it will affect others involved. Because an ethical controversy is a problem-solving situation, leaders expect young adults to employ empathy, invention, and selection when they think through their position and work toward a solution of an situation.