Venture Patrol

Requirements

1. Age 14
1. Assuming boys join the troop at age 11 and starting 6^th (or finishing 5^th) grade this gives them 3 years doing normal troop activities before being considered.  Boys therefore who are Venture patrol eligible will be of high school age (the youngest will typically be a rising 9^th grader).
2. Age 14 at time of Venture Patrol Leader election
2. 1^st Class Rank
1. Obtaining 1^st class means you have the basic scout skills.  Any scouts wanting to go on a high adventure trip need to prove they have the skills and motivation to obtain at least 1^st class.
3. Participation in at least 50% of troop outings and meetings in the prior year.
1. Scouts must be active in the troop to be eligible.
4. To attend the summer adventure trip, scouts must have participated in at least 50% of the troop outings and meetings and 75% of the Venture patrol meetings and activities in the current year. 
1. Scouts must remain active in the troop.
5. Venture Patrol invitation
1. Entry into the Venture patrol is a two step process.
• Scouts must meet the basic age, rank and participation requirements.
• The list of eligible scouts will then be reviewed by the scout Venture Patrol Leader assisted by the adult Venture Patrol Director to determine if the nominated scouts have the experience and ability necessary to participate in the current year’s program.
2. Participation in the program is voluntary. When invited, scouts can choose to participate in the program for one year or not participate.
3. Each year, after recharter, the roster will be reviewed and all eligible scouts will be invited to the program.

Program Structure

1. A new separate patrol will not be formed; instead, eligible scouts from the different existing patrols will be invited to participate in the high adventure program.  This group will operate as a Venture patrol on their high adventure activities, but will remain in their existing troop patrol structure.
1. The Venture patrol activities will not compete with the troop activities, instead the Venture program is viewed as an extra opportunity for scouts meeting the requirements and desiring a high adventure experience.
2. Scouts meeting the age requirement but not the rank, or not wanting to be part of the venture patrol will still have an intact patrol to be a part of for normal troop activities.
3. Creating a separate, formal Venture patrol may create elitism and chase away older scouts that are not part of the Venture patrol. Keeping the existing patrol structure and offering this as a separate opportunity instead of a competing program will prevent that.
2. The program will be run by the scout Venture Patrol Leader with the assistance of the adult Venture Patrol Director and other ASMs.  The Venture Patrol Director is appointed by the Scout Master.
• The Venture Patrol Director will be guiding the program and offering support and assistance to the patrol as needed.
• The troop will elect a Venture patrol Leader during the May troop elections, from a list of eligible, interested scouts. The Venture Patrol Leader will then become part of the PLC.
3. The Venture Patrol scouts will wear the same troop uniform with the addition of the Venture strip over their right pocket and they will be known as the Venture patrol only when on high adventure activities or outings. During troop activities they will follow their troop patrol structure.
4. The Venture Patrol scouts are expected to participate in Troop leadership positions, act as instructors for the younger scouts, and set the uniform example.

Calendar

1. The Venture scouts will choose the high adventure theme for the year (backpacking, climbing, kayaking etc…).
2. A one week long high adventure trip will be scheduled during the summer months. 
1. The year will be spent training, earning required merit badges, learning required skills and building physical fitness in preparation for the summer trip. If fund raising is necessary to support Venture Patrol activities, the entire troop will participate. 
3. The Venture patrol will meet one Tuesday a month for an hour prior to a normally scheduled troop meeting.
1. The meeting will be held during the 1^st Tuesday of the month from 6:30 – 7:30 PM.
2. This meeting will be used to plan the monthly activities leading up to the ultimate adventure trip.
4. Activities could include other planning meetings, day outings to work on merit badges (which will be open to other troop members) or weekend trips used for training.
1. The program limits Venture patrol activities to one a month.
2. Some activities might be scheduled to coincide with troop activities specifically so that the younger scouts can see what the venture patrol is doing. The Venture patrol will participate in the same activity but at a higher level.
5. The annual kickoff meeting will be prior to summer camp and during that meeting, the high adventure theme for the year (sea kayaking, backpacking, biking, etc …) will be discussed and chosen, and the calendar of activities decided.
• The troop and Venturing calendar will be finalized during summer camp.
6. The Venture patrol activities will be on the same calendar as the troop activities.
• Venture activities will be listed as “Venture Patrol Only” to help avoid any confusion.

Program Changes

1. This Program description is the plan for the first year of the Troop 216 Venture Patrol Program. The plan will most likely change in future years to accommodate conditions as they exit at the time and natural changes that are dictated as the program matures.