by wagionvigil » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:17 pm
was posted on the NER L-List and Was copied from that. I think it is something that everyone involved in the Scouting program needs to read and decide what we can do in our councils to promote Venturing and make sure it works. It appears to me that in many councils Venturing is not supported enough or lets say promoted enough. I was at this event and the tower was only 40 feet but I am sure it seemed like 150 feet to many that attempted it. The youth had a fantastic weekend and the Area 4 VOA did a bang up job in their planning. This is written about GSUSA But the same holds true for those of us that think only tan shirts count.
Jerry Clark
NER Area 4 Venturing Chairman.
Greetings All,
>
> I'm probably going to knock a hornets nest off a tree with this post.
>I hope GSCM (Girl Scouts of Central MD) is monitoring the e-mails of
this
>group, because I am about to unload. I just returned from a Venturing
>event this weekend with my daughter's Venturing crew. The success of
>that event, just reaffirms what I have been observing over the past 7
>years of leading a girl scout troop. (the past 4 of which has been at
>the Cadette/Senior level).
>
> I think GSCM is failing our girls (and families-- particularly when
>it comes to including Dads) miserably when it comes to providing
>periodic adventure and outdoor events for girls 14-18 which includes
>male (as well as female) role models.
>
> My daughter is a 1st year Senior Girl Scout and a Venturer (she
joined
>a Venturing crew 1 year ago). I just tuned over the leadership of my
>Cadette/Senior troop to a Co-leader and the GS troop is in good shape.
>My daughter has decided to continue as a Juliette (for some personal
>and medical reasons). The interesting thing that I've noticed and am
>grateful for is, that Venturing really encourages the girls to not
>quit Girl Scouts and helps them work toward completing their Gold
>Award. My daughter was about ready to quit GS because she wants to
>teach younger girls outdoor skills, but her male Venturing Advisor
>encouraged her to stay with GS. In fact VENTURING provided her with a
>way to earn more leadership hours toward her Gold Award, through a
>program at a local elementary school called "ACCESS" which is a
>program to introduce scouting underprivileged kids at area schools.
>She in essence was a den
> chief for Cub Scouts at an under performing school (normally an adult
>position).
>
> She would have done the same to introduce girls to girl scouting, had
>there been an ACCESS program for GS and I know that ACCESS must exist
>for young girls. When a little girl saw Krista in her Venturing shirt
>doing ACCESS with the 14 kindergarten- 1st grade age boys she asked
>her, "Isn't there a meeting for little girls too?"
>
>We just returned from a weekend just north of Pittsburgh from a
>Venturing Quest. The event was well run, well organized, and provided
>adventure and co-ed fellowship for the kids involved. (Archery, Trap
>shooting, pistol, hatchet throwing and climbing and rappelling)-- The
>Girls loved the hatchet throwing the best!.
>
>I would estimate that of the 200 youth attending (there were nearly 350
>total participants, with over 125 being adult advisors), about 70
percent were
>girls and 30 percent boys. Of that 70 percent girls attending about 50
>percent were former girl scouts and the female Venturing Advisors were
>former or "soon to be" former girl scout leaders who were just
>frustrated with Girl Scouts and the feeling that Girl scouts actually
>makes Girls more dependent because the organization is so risk averse.
>
> After seeing this event as compared to GS council events; I am
>convinced that Venturing is the Gold Standard for girl run/boy run
>programs. There are a lot or things that the GSCM can learn from the
>Baltimore Council or National Capital region of Boy Scouts. There are
>many things that the Boy scouts (especially Venturers) do right and
>Girl Scouts do wrong. The biggest thing, and most positive thing, I
>saw was the
>involvement of FATHERS at this Venturing Quest!
> Girl Scouts needs to involve fathers more and GET OVER its aversion
>to anything Boy Scout organized and pick up a few pointers. Either
>that or I predict will lose (its older girls) to Venturing in droves.
>
> This event was well balanced. What impressed me most was the girl/boy
>run Area wide elections to determine the girl/boy leadership of the
>area (MD, Delaware and PA). The girls learned to work with the guys
>(which is what life is about anyway) and in many cases (especially the
>climbing wall and repelling) the girls out-did the guys. You can't
>flirt when you are climbing a 150 ft tower. In short, I think the
>Venturing serves to dispel a lot of gender
> stereotypes for both the boys and girls. Most importantly, there was
>a mix of good male and female role models to teach the Venturers. (75
>percent male advisors -- fathers; 25 percent female advisors)
>
> This summer, my daughter and her crew are going kayaking/camping down
>the Delaware River, stopping at the various scout camps. The girls and
>guys of the crews are doing most of the organizing and planning and
>the Adult advisors are there to do just that advise, counsel and
>consent.
>
> My point in this lengthy e-mail is that a representative needs to
>actually participate in one of these Venturing events to learn how to
>keep older girls in Girl Scouting. The Venturing business model works
>and works well. It only has been around for 10 years, and I think it
>will overtake Girl Scouts for older girls unless GS USA recognizes
>it's competition and learns from it.
>
> Take Care,
> Donna
NER Area 4 COPE/Climbing Chairman
NE Area 4 Venturing Chairman
"If You Ain't a Bear, You're a Meal!"
