Golden Arrow District

Training for Venturing Leaders

	For a Venturing leader to be considered "trained" and to wear the Trained badge on his/her uniform, the leader must complete the following training:
	Fast Start New Leader Essentials Position specific training In addition, Venturing leaders are encouraged to take Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills.

Steps for Training

New Leader Essentials	This course highlights the values, aims, history, funding, and methods of Scouting. It addresses how these aims and methods are reached in an age-appropriate style with Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and Venturing. Videos, discussion and hands-on reinforcement are presented during the 90-minute training session. Since this is a cross-program session, each leader completes New Leader Essentials training only once. For leaders taking the VLST course (see next), New Leader Essentials is offered immediately prior to the VLST course and the material is modified for Venturing adults.
Venturing Leader Specific Training	This training provides the specialized knowledge a new leader needs to assume a leadership role in a Venturing unit. The course is covers both the role of crew advisor and committee chair/member, and is conducted in a single session of approx. 5 hrs. (see schedule below)
Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills	Outdoor skills are critical to the success of the Scouting program, and this course provides leaders with the basic outdoor skills needed to start a program right. The skills taught are based on the those found in The Boy Scout Handbook. The course has an initial orientation session which is held in Houston, and then a weekend campout held a week or two later at a location approximately one hour northwest of Houston. Click here for details.
Roundtable Meetings	Meet with leaders of other crews and troops at the GAD Roundtable, which is held on the first Thursday of most months. Click here for details on Venturing Roundtable.
University of Scouting	A major one-day training fair held for Boy Scout and Venturing leaders from all over the Sam Houston Area Council. University of Scouting is usually held in early February. Click here for details.
Advanced Training	Consider taking the Powder Horn or Wood Badge courses, or the other training courses described under "Training Overview".

Venturing Leader Training Schedule for 2008-09:

Saturday, Sep. 6, 2008	8:45a - 3:00p	(location to be determined later based on the number of participant)
Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009	8:45a - 3:00p	(location to be determined later based on the number of participant)

For information and/or registration, see the leaders at the Venturing Roundtable on the
first Thursday of each month, or contact Jeff Hutchinson at the Scout Office (713-756-3337).
You can also contact Mike Fitzgibbons, Venturing Roundtable Chair at 713-665-5095 (H),
or Kelia Ballou, Venturing Training Chair, at 713-661-1309 (H).

For the schedule for Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills, click here.

Staff and course participants -- August 2005