Youth Group Venturing Crews

The following ideas will help to incorporate Venturing into the existing United Methodist Youth Fellowships [UMYF]:

1. Determine the purpose and mission of your youth group. Venturing is designed to enrich and support this effort; it should be an integral part of the youth program, not a separate or competing organization.

2. If the group meets every Sunday night, consider devoting one or more meetings a month to career or hobby exploration.

3. Conduct a Program Capability Inventory, (PCI) among adult members of the congregation and a career and hobby interest survey among youth group members.

4. Match interests of youth with resource persons identified from the PCI. Line up program consultants who will present programs on their career and/or hobby, either at the youth group meeting place or at their place of business. Emphasize a hands-on experience, not just lecture.

5. Consider these additional benefits from affiliation with Venturing:

• Venturing journal and Program Helps
• Local Boy Scouts of America council staff and volunteer help
• National high-adventure bases
• Liability insurance
• Council camp and other facilities
• Council activities
• Fellowship with other Explorers/networking with other Explorer Crews
• National activities
• Awards and scholarships

6. Venturing offers resources, i.e., optional programs and activities that may be chosen, mixed, and matched according to the needs and desires of youth group members.

7. All youth group members may register as Venturing and adult leaders may register as Advisors and committee members. This ensures the members have liability insurance and guarantees all rights and privileges of membership in Venturing.

8. The youth group may register as an Explorer Crew and use the word "Explorer" as part of the youth group name (Example: United Methodist Youth Fellowship Venturing Crew).

9. Youth who develop a strong interest in a community service, mission work, church ministry, sport or hobby can be referred to those

Small youth groups especially can benefit greatly from Venturing because it provides an opportunity for program enrichment as well as an outreach to youth in the community Crews.

For additional information on Youth Group Venturing, write to the director of Scouting Ministry, United Methodist Men, P.O. Box 840, Nashville, TN 37202.

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