Venturer Scouts, formerly Senior Scouts, and commonly known simply as Venturers, is the fourth section of Scouts Australia, and was first formed in 1946. Venturers are aged between 14.5 and 18 years of age and are organised into Units, which can be a part of a single Scout Group or a stand-alone group. Both types of Unit take Scouts from any Scout Group. Although not in common usage, the motto of the Venturer Scout section in Australia is "Look Wide".
The highest award in Venturers is the King's Scout Award. This award recognises people who can set their own challenging goals and achieve them. This section of Scouts Australia is about Venturers organising and running their own activities with leader support, moving away from a reliance on adult leaders, under the concept of "Youth Leading, Adults Supporting".[2]
Structure
A Venturer Unit is run by its unit council, usually consisting of a unit chair, secretary, treasurer and some general members. Some larger units also include an assistant unit chair, social secretary, fundraising coordinator, quartermaster, or assistant secretaries and treasurers.
While the younger sections are represented by their leaders at the district level, Venturers are encouraged to attend their monthly district venturer council. In Australia, all scouting is divided by state ('branches'), and then into smaller, geographically defined, districts. The district venturer scout council (DVSC) is a monthly meeting of the venturer scouts and leaders in the district which serves both as a check on the quality of the potential King's Scouts in the district and for sharing information between the Units in the area. It is also a social meeting for both the leaders and venturers to catch up with each other. Where the district, for whatever reason, is not appropriate for these meetings, typically due to low numbers in the district, a zone venturer scout council (ZVSC) is formed as a replacement for the district.
Branch level activities are becoming more and more popular because of the difficulty in running unit level activities. Unit management is a problem for many units because of small number of attendances and difficulty in running successful activities for small groups, as well as motivation. Most branches have a themed competitive hike run at Easter, plus many smaller activities, normally put on by dedicated leaders. These often are courses required for badge work as well.
Lones Venturer Unit
There is also a unit of venturers in each state for those people that are unable to attend, or unable to find a unit close to them. This is called the Lones section, they do all badge work by correspondence and are still able to go to all the "Ventures", camps and hikes, just like a normal venturer.
Uniform
Venturer scouts wear a navy shirt with maroon shoulder yoke. This is accompanied with a scarf relating to troop, event or association like a scout show.
Sea Scouts
There is a small percentage of groups that are known as sea scouts. These groups still practise the same way as regular scouting groups, but often have a higher focus on water activities. The first such group to identify as sea scouts, and regarded as being the first scout group in Australia are the 1st Victorian Sea Scout Group which was founded in Albert Park, Victoria, dating to 1912. The 1st Victorian Sea Scout Group is currently still active and hosts a cub, scout, and venturer units in the Albert Park Reserve, located in the suburb of South Melbourne, in the boundaries of City of Port Phillip.
Badge Work
King's Scout Badge as worn by recipients of the Award
The highest award in the Venturer Scout section, known as the Peak Award, is the King's Scout Award. The King's Scout Award is about members extending their commitment and achievement in a variety of areas, to strive for better than they do already.
Within Scouts Australia's Achievement Pathways system, earning the award requires:
Introduction to Scouting badge
Introduction to Venturer Scout Section badge
Milestones
Milestone 1 badge (participate in 24 activities, assist with leading two, lead one)
Milestone 2 badge (participate in 20 activities, assist with leading three, lead two)
Milestone 3 badge (participate in 16 activities, assist with leading four, lead four)
Outdoor Adventure Skills
Stage 5 badges in the skill areas of Camping, Bushcraft and Bushwalking
12 progressions to higher stages in any of the nine skill areas
Special Interest Areas
Six projects in at least three different areas of:
Adventure & Sport
Arts & Literature
STEM & Innovation
Growth & Development
Creating a Better World
Environment
Completion of a Leadership/Personal Development Course
Completion of an "Adventurous Journey", a self-led outdoor journey of four days and three nights
Completion of a personal reflection on the award programme
Venturers also have the opportunity to participate in a "Venture", the Venturing equivalent of a Jamboree. Ventures differ from jamborees in the greater freedom and latitude Venturers experience there, in line with the greater freedoms associated with being in the Venturer section. There are a number of on-site activities, as well as an off site expedition, normally totalling about 12 days long. The most recent Australian Venture was held in Lardner Park, Victoria, in January 2024.
Activities
Some of the activities Venturers participate in include:
rock climbing
abseiling
flying
canoeing
canyoning
4WD
camps (including ventures, jamborees, and state events such as Dragon Skin in New South Wales)
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