venturing bylaws

[scubascout]

me and a few friends want to start a venturing crews, some of us are scouts. we dont know if well have enough adults to run the program can anybody tell me what to do. were just scouts

and can you guys post your crews bylaws on the site, cause im trying to make our own

[jhawk]

Before you worry about bylaws, you need a chartering organization and enough adults to form a committee, adult advisors, and enough scouts to sign up to ask the council to let you form a crew.

[wagionvigil]

remember you must be 14 and finished with grade 8.ALso you must have male and female leaders if this is a co ed crew. ALso those same leaders must go o the outings If you are co ed you must have female leaders attend the outing.A crew is NOT operated like a troop. The adults make no decisions or plan anything. It is strictly youth led. The adults serve in a support function just like in the OA.

[scubascout]

i know the rules for a coed program because my dad is starting a fire explorers program. now that i think about it, the girls that i know would do it, my asm would, my dad would, ect. so say we have enough people. what about chartering organizations and meeting places if we were an outdoor crew

[jhawk]

What about starting a crew with the org. that sponsors your troop? You would have a pool of potential members among your older scouts, too. Maybe you could share equipment with the troop. You really need a chartering organization before you can go on with much planning. Your council is going to require that you have enough people signed up to approve your crew, so get names of committed people down on paper. Not who you think might do it--people who will fill out Venturing apps.
Who will your female leader be? No girls can participate without a female leader present.... it might be better to find an established crew nearby that has the outdoor focus you are looking for. Crews can come and go pretty quickly.... Not to discourage you, but Venturing age youth are pulled in many directions, and you really need hardcore committed people in it for the long haul to make it work. Even getting people to a meeting or activity twice a month can be really difficult around school, sports, jobs, troop meetings, family obligations, etc. Starting a crew is a worthwhile activity, if a new crew is needed, but have you researched whether an existing crew is reasonably close by? Be forewarned that if you are adamant that you need a new crew, it will be difficult, and you won't go anywhere without a supportive chartered organization backing you. Start there.

[Nuts4Scouts]

You should talk to your Venturing DE. Helping to start new units is part of their job.

[Nuts4Scouts]

BTW - Don't start volunteering your dad without talking to him about it first. Starting up a Fire Explorers Post is a lot of work. He might not have a lot of time for a Venturing Crew or Sea Scout Ship too.

[scubascout]

nuts4scouts, i know, but thanks for the reminder, if anything (i assume) he'll be a guy who helps out

[commish3]

Hi scubascout
You have gotten some good sound advice. I will try and add something as well.

Have a purpose to the crew? For instance you mention that your dad was developing a explorere group with a fire fighting theme, that specific focus is what helps develop a program. I have seen many crews fail due to lack of a program focus to build activities around.

If you are actually a SCUBA enthusiast and live near water, then perhaps a Sea Scout Ship would be a more fitting program rather than a Venturing Crew? You could look for a SCUBA shop or boat club as a chartering organization.

What common interests among Venturing eligible youth have you found so far?

[scubascout]

i am a scuba enthusiast and i do live near the water. my friends and i who i know would do the program (because i asked them). Our main interests are boating and backpacking and high adventure, so i guess a sea scout ship would be a very possible option

[commish3]

You can learn more about it at www.seascout.org

[riverwalk]

Since the Fire Department can only support a Post these days and not permitted to have a Crew, there may be alternatives. If the FD has a Citizen Fire Academy Alumni group, they might be approached for help. I'm working this out now. I actually have an idea for National to explore, adding Crews all over. But I haven't gotten my foot in the door there yet.

But the CFA type groups of citizens might either be a resource for adults, or even considering being a sponsor? Most communities have chapters/lodges of national groups, and these often seek to sponsor Scouting units. And yes, the DD/DE's should know of local sponsor prospects.

Additionally, in Circle Ten Council, the Staff is going to do a new Unit training class for us. They're encouraging Scouters to go for the new Boyce award, as the result is new and functioning units.