The De La Salle Venturer Group

Incorporating the De La Salle Venturer Group - there is now a combined Venture Scout Group in operation in Waterford known as the Waterford Scout County Venturer Group.  This page includes some information on that group and their recent activities and on what exactly Venturing is.

Above: Members of the De La Salle Venturer Group camped on the summit of Corran Tuathail.
There are more photos on our Gallery Page.

Venturing in Waterford

We first came up with the idea for a County Venture Scout Group way back in January 2003. There were only 3 groups in our old Region i.e. St. Pauls, De La Salle and Ballygunner. Some of the groups had nearly more leaders than Venture Scouts and it was a lot harder to organise County activities. So we decided to be come one group. We meet every Thursday night from 9pm –10pm at the De La Salle Scout Hall.  The group is open to all groups, however, if a group is providing 3 or more Venture Scouts we also ask if they can provide a leader also.

Above and Below: Members of the County Venturer Group receive their Belts after the mini Explorer Belt in March 2008.
Click to view a larger image.

What is Venturing?

Venturing is the senior section within Scouting Ireland for young people aged 15 to 19 years of age. Venturing offers young people the opportunity to mature and develop themselves through programmes and activities designed by themselves, with adult assistance, to suit their needs and expectations. A young person joins Venturing as a Venture Scout and is part of a Venture Scout Group which can consist of anything from 5 to 20 Venture Scouts. The programme within a Venture Scout Group is as wide and as varied as the Group wishes it to be. However it usually falls into the following areas - Adventure, Personal Development, Skills, Service, Social and Spiritual.

Above: The Waterford Venture Scout Contingent at the Special Olympics.

Normally Venture Scout Groups meet once a week but because most Groups act and think as a team, small informal meetings can also take place outside the weekly meeting. Depending on the size of the Group an Executive Committee is often formed to aid in the running of the group. Sometimes group activities involve all members but activities can also take place with individuals forming "interest" groups. Some of the activities undertaken by Venture Scout Groups include: mountaineering, canoeing, camping, service to the community and to Scouting, communications skills, orienteering, climbing, cycling and many many more.

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Rogha - The Venture Scout Award

Rogha "The Venture Scout Award" is a journey through Venturing which is designed to take Venturing into the 21st century. The elements that make up Rogha, i.e. Action, Awareness and Expression; give every Venture Scout a chance to push themselves in all areas and gives them the opportunity to be as creative as all Venture Scouts can be. Rogha is designed for individual or group participation and each group may decide for themselves which way to go about it.

The Award Scheme has four main components. The first is the Link Badge which is a green badge with a half dove inlay. To earn this the Venture Scout must take part in at least 3 group activities, one of which is a weekend away and a knowledge and understanding of the Scout Law, Promise and Prayer as well as the aims of Scouting Ireland CSI must be attained. Next comes Stage 1 (or Tus in Irish) and a purple badge which is the second half of the Venture Scout Dove is awarded on completion. 5 modules from the three main Rogha categories must be completed, a basic First Aid course must be attended and the Venture Scout must participate in a Regional Venture Scout Forum.

Above: Members of the De La Salle Venturer Group on the 2008 Sluacht na Sleibhte in the Mournes.
There are more photos on our SNS 08 Page.

Stage 2 (or Lar in Irish) sees the awarding of the Silver Dove Pin on completion. 7 modules and at least two from each category must be completed as well as the Spiritual and Focus modules. The Venture Scout must also take part in a National Venture Scout Forum. Stage 3 (or Crioch) involves acheiving an award from a recognised outside agency in one of the Rogha Modules. An example would be an award from the Association for Adventure Sports (AFAS), from FAS, the local VEC and so on. A certificate of completion is awarded at the end of Stage 3.

Above: Ian Grant from the De La Salle Venturer Group on the 2006 Mini Explorer Belt.

Full details of what is contained in each module is given in the Rogha Manual which is available from the Scout Shop. In summary "Action" contains the modules Air Activities, Backpacking, Cycling, Equestrian, Explorer Belt, Hillwalking, Orienteering, Pioneering, Rock Climbing and Water Activities. "Awareness" contains Careers, CommGroupy, Computers, Culture, Environment, Explorer Belt, Global, Human Care and Politics. "Expression" contains Art, Communications, Drama, Explorer Belt, Fashion, Food and Drink, Hobbies, Music, Photography and Writing.

The Focus and Spiritual modules are separate to these categories and there is also an open challenge where the Venture Scout and Venture Scout Leader constructs there own module. Each module should have a choice of three sections and each section should have three parts namely (a) Demonstration / Presentation (b) Theory / Research and (c) Activity.

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