We are currently meeting via Zoom monthly (dates & times vary per availability). All Crews who have agreed to receive communications from our VOA will be emailed a Zoom invite link at least 2 weeks before the scheduled meeting date. All Venturing Crew Presidents are Council VOA Members and are encouraged to attend our meetings! Also, to all Venturing Crews, please check your emails for our monthly Venturing newsletter (releases every 10th of the month) for all Venturing-related news in our council.
Mandated Reporter Training from the State of California (complete ASAP if you have not already)
Mandated Reporter Training is required in addition to Scouting America Youth Protection Training. All registered Scouting America members age 18 and over must complete the 2 hour training and upload their certificate at California Scouting ASAP.
Note: after some Council clarifications of earlier interpretations of AB506 policy, Venturing Participants (those ages 18-20) are NOT required to complete AB506 (training/Live Scan) because they are paying members participating in the program BUT must still complete Scouting America Youth Protection Training. Venturing Crew Advisors and Associate Advisors are subject to AB 506 & the Live Scan.
However, anyone who is registered as Camp Staff (even if the individual is a Venturing Participant) IS subject to AB506 (training/Live Scan) because the individual is now supervising youth, by definition. Lastly, any Venturing Participant who is also dual-registered as an Assistant Scoutmaster in another Troop IS required to complete AB506 (training/Live Scan) because an ASM supervises youth.
More details can be found at: https://californiascouting.org and the training itself can be found here: https://mandatedreporterca.com/training/volunteers.
AB506: Live Scan background check (complete ASAP if you have not already)
A Live Scan background check (the digital version of inked fingerprinting) is required for all volunteers and staff. Live Scan replaces previous background checks; all volunteers will have to complete this once. More details can be found at: https://californiascouting.org/background-check-info/.
GGAC Venturing Leadership Award Recipients (after 2020 council merger)
# – National Venturing Leadership Award
^ – Territory Venturing Leadership Award
* – Region Venturing Leadership Award
+ – Area Venturing Leadership Award
2024
2023
2022
2021
The purpose of the Golden Gate Area Council’s Venturing Officers’ Association (VOA) is to provide support and guidance to maintain and grow the council’s Venturing program. VOAs collaborate with other committees in providing training for Venturers and Advisors, programming for crews, and monthly or quarterly forums to bring together youth and Advisors.
A VOA consists of a team of officers (youth president, vice presidents for administration; program; communication; along with a secretary, treasurer, etc.), supported by an Advisor, and keeps the VOA organized. This forum provides a voice for youth to help strengthen the Venturing program. A VOA holds several meetings during the year and hosts a few events that help to bring the crews, districts, councils, or areas together. Each event may have a different goal: training, adventure, recognition, fun—or all of the above.
Council Venturing Officers’ Associations provide opportunities for adventure, leadership, personal growth, and service (ALPS). By doing so, they serve to model best practices in programming for local crews and to provide a program resource for Venturers and Advisors throughout the VOA’s Council.
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In the past years of our VOA, we have planned, promoted, and hosted numerous in-person events/activities to bring Crews in our council together. However, that nowadays is more “easier said than done” and not really feasible at the moment. As we plan some limited in-person events and more virtual events, we would like to hear your ideas and suggestions!
Please contact the VOA Advisor(s) down below to send us your feedback or click the Yellow Button near the top of the page. Thank you!
For more information on the VOA, if you are interested in joining, have any feedback to help improve our program, or have any inquiries about the Venturing program, please email the Council Venturing Volunteer Advisor and Staff Advisor:
Council VOA Advisor/Chair – Dave Fontaine; [email protected]
Council VOA Staff Advisor – Elijah Gonzales; [email protected]
Our Office and Retail hours change occasionally. Follow this link to view our Current Business Hours.
1714 Everett Street
Alameda, CA 94501 | (510) 965-5631
1955 West Texas St. Suite 1
Fairfield, CA 94533 | (925) 674-6166
508 Contra Costa Blvd, Suite K2
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 | (925) 674-8500
6601 Owens Drive, Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94588 | (925) 674-6100
The Golden Gate Area Council has instituted a refund policy to ensure our Scouts receive high quality programs & activities. A great deal of advanced planning and purchasing takes place for programs and events of the Golden Gate Area Council during the months and weeks prior to an event.
The Council will refund up to 100% of the costs for any event it cancels. In order to maintain the most cost effective and positive program impact activity, camping, and event refunds of 100% cannot be given. Refunds are not given for No-Shows, schedule conflicts, weather conditions, or behavior issues occurring before or during the event. Refunds are considered based upon the following criteria and timeline and are returned to the person or entity and in the manner in which they were received.
Time Until Start of Event | Percentage Refund |
Up to 14 days prior | 80% refund |
Up to 7 days prior | 60% refund |
7 days or less | No refund* |
*Participants who cancel from an event within 7 days will be considered for up to a 60% refund if the refund request is accompanied by a Doctor’s note. Requests under these circumstances will not be considered if not received at the Council Service Center less than 14 days after the start of the event.
The Golden Gate Area Council believes each Scout should be given every opportunity to attend Camp. At times it can be hard for a family to raise the money, and Camperships can help cover part of the cost of a week of Camp for Golden Gate Area Council members attending one of the Golden Gate Area Council Camps. Campership applications are due by March 27th for continuing Scouts and May 29th for newly bridged Arrow of Light Scouts.
ALL of our Camps are CLOSED and the Staff is off duty from 11:00 AM on Saturday to 11:00AM on Sunday each weekend.
No Troop……..No Problem! You don’t have to miss out on all the fun just because your troop isn’t going to summer camp or because other summer plans mean you won’t be able to go to camp with your Troop. You may even want to do an additional week of camp just because you had such a great time.
New Friends…….New Experiences! Provisional Camping is just like camping with your home troop, except you’ll have the opportunity to camp with new friends as you join Scouts from all over the council and beyond. You’ll meet new people and have the opportunity to develop friendships that can last a lifetime. Provisional Scouts will partner with a selected Golden Gate Area Council Troop with an experienced leader. You’ll have a full time Scoutmaster for the week that, just like your Scoutmaster back home, will make sure you have a safe and fun camp experience. Provisional scouts can participate in all of the camp’s exciting programs including advancement, competitions, and patrol events. It’s a great way to finish additional Merit Badges, or to try a new part of the program that you weren’t able to try before.
NOTE:
SO, sign up now if you’d like to attend camp as part of the provisional camping program!
Provisional Camping is the creation of a temporary Troop or an opportunity to work with another unit. Provisional camping allows youth to attend camp without their home unit. Provisional camping is not new; it is used during many different Scouting events including National Jamborees and High Adventure trips.
The Scout’s family is responsible for transportation to and from Camp. Please contact the Golden Gate Area Council Camping and Outdoor Programs Department ([email protected]) for questions or more information.
First, try to connect the Scout and counselor in Scoutbook. If that is successful, the counselor is registered and qualified. If unsuccessful, go to the counselor’s home council and search for their Advancement Administrators. Most will have an email address for either the Council Advancement Committee or Professional Advisor. Send an email asking if the counselor has been registered and qualified for the merit badge(s) in question and the status of their Youth Protection Training. Ask California councils if the counselor has completed AB506 training and LiveScan. The unit leader’s “blue card” signature verifies their counselor credentials verification.
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Order of the Arrow
