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 This is Scouting or New Leader Essentials Position specific training In addition, Venturing leaders are encouraged to take Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills.

Steps for Training

This is Scouting	This 60-minute video presentation 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. This on-line course is available on the scouting.org website - click here for that site. This is a cross-program course and each leader needs to take it only once. Note: "This is Scouting" replaces the "New Leader Essentials" course beginning in 2009.
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	This session has been canceled

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 David Coughlen, Venturing Roundtable Chair, at 832-366-2345 (O),
or Mike Fitzgibbons, former 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