The venture unit

The Venture Scout Unit homes members of the Group aged 15-18 years.

The Unit’s aim is to continue to mould our members into young men of standing and worth and encourage them to take their place in society as adults. This is achieved via the informal do-it-yourself programme which guarantees a mix of fun, adventure and personal challenges that bring together like-minded youth from all walks of life and gives them the opportunities and experiences to develop.

The Venture Section is about having fun and looking for new opportunities of discovery.  At this age, youths can engage into more rigorous and challenging activities and experiences which will give them a greater sense of achievement and create a bond that will make lifelong friendships.

Considering the age of ventures and the responsibilities they have with regards to the world of school, work and personal life, members in this section have a considerable load to deal with already, however Ventures provides valuable “down-time” from these  pressures, giving the opportunity to remain refreshed and focused in life.

15 – 18 is a crucial age for youths to develop their social and life skills. Through the Venture Programme, Ventures will be given many opportunities to organise activities for themselves, the Unit, and even other sections of the Group. Honing the vast scouting knowledge absorbed throughout their cub and scout years, and encouraging the individuality of each Venture, provides the perfect recipe for a motivated, hardworking and adventurous Unit.

The venture programme is a jam-packed list of activities that literally include anything you can imagine. Each activity has an underlying focus on the individual Venture’s personal development in areas such as management, self-reliance, courage, expression, conflict resolution, etc. so while having fun, Ventures are also building their character to become worthy members of society.

The Venture Unit is run by the Ventures themselves. Under the watchful eyes of fully trained leaders, the Unit members form an Executive Committee which in turn gives opportunities to each Venture to come up with ideas and work on them with the rest of the Unit. During meetings, ventures discuss and plan the scouting activities that are coming up and practice any skills they may need to use. There is a very prominent social element in Ventures, thus often, Ventures have informal ‘hanging out’ events in and out of the scouting environment.

Venture Scouts are a vital organ of the Scout Group. Their invaluable experience as scouts coupled with their fresh input as youths ensures that our activities are always appealing to the young generation. For this reason, members of the Venture Unit are all encouraged to take up meaningful roles within the Group such as in the executive committee of the Unit itself or in other sections of the Group as helpers with Cubs and Troop, Group Administration, Quartermaster assistants, camp & kitchen staff etc.

Meetings take place on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 onwards. The Unit has its special meeting place called The Mousehole. This is the sancta sanctorum for Ventures and all unit members take great pride in the upkeep and decoration of their quarters.