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 our BSA Youth Protection Training. All registered BSA 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 BSA’s 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 TroopIS 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/.
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 Volunteer Advisor – Patrick Jaime; [email protected]
Council VOA Staff Advisor – Elijah Gonzales; [email protected]
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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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