Scouting Statewide August
2003
VENTURING ON . . . news from Venturing SA
The following piece of information regarding the approval of the Venturing Skills Award seemed necessary after a recent situation. As you will read, it is not just a signature in the passport because the Venturer has received the Green Cord; the Venturer still needs to do a few things to enable them to pass the first badge in Venturers.
Venturing Skills Award and the Scout Green Cord/Scout Medallion
Venturer Leaders love to have Scouts who come into Venturers with many camping and hiking skills. The Scouts who gain their Green Cord or Scout Medallion should come with these skills.
Venturer Leaders are able to give RPL (recognised prior learning) for the first aid portion (part b) of the Venturing Skills Award IF a current first aid certificate is held. The first aid skills required include:
- major principles of casualty treatment
- treatment of hypothermia and hyperthermia
- treatment of major bleeding
- C.P.R.
For part a (Bushwalking Skills), RCC (recognition of current competencies) is required. That means a Venturer Leader must see that the new Venturer demonstrate the skills. This can be done by successfully participating in activities designed around the skills or on an overnight hike.
All Venturers who have come from Scouts must participate in an overnight hike and also complete parts (c) and (d) of the Venturing Skills Award before the badge can be awarded.
Venturer Leaders have a responsibility to Venturers and parents to know that Venturers have all the above skills before allowing them to participate in expeditions without the support of adults. Leaders can only know this by seeing the skills demonstrated.
Anyway, it is also a good way for your new Venturer to meet the other members of the Unit during an overnight hike, and it will give the young person a chance to share their knowledge again with you while doing the first aid part of the badge. There has been no change to this ruling at all, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you.
Talking about the Queen’s Scout Award, the cut off date for getting an application in has changed to the 30th June of each year. This has come about by changes in dates of the presentation of these awards as of this year. So if you have any Venturers stressing that they have to have things finished by the end of January - they can have a reprieve and get another six months to complete it.
The organising of Surfin’ SuperSplash 2004 is well underway now and should be a great weekend. The whole weekend will have a 60’s surfing theme so we need you to dust off your flowery shirts and your board shorts to have them ready for the 5th-7th December. We have a new logo and a whole lot of fun activities so please start revving your Venturers up to come along. More information to follow shortly.
Keep up the good work everyone and I hope to see you all in the next few months.
Yours in Venturing
Kate Ryder - Branch Commissioner Venturer Scouts.
