Venturer Scouts is a do-it-yourself mix of fun, adventure and personal challenge that brings together like-minded young people from all walks of life. When you’re dealing with your toughest years in school and making decisions about your future, Venturer Scouts offers vital breathing space. You can focus on friendship and personal growth, while picking up valuable life skills along the way. As a Venturer Scout, you may find yourself exploring wilderness Australia, diving on coral reefs or abseiling into a limestone cave. Venturer Scouts also get the opportunity to travel overseas and to organised activities, to live with a different community and to provide service to others.

Venturer Scouts is designed for young people aged 15 to 17 years old. This stage is all about big adventures, leadership, independence, and personal development, preparing Venturers for adulthood while having an amazing time!

New to Scouting – No Problem! The beauty of being in the Scouting movement is that you can start at any time between 5 and 25 years old, depending on which section you join. Scouts Australia is open to everyone, and you don’t have to go through every section—you can jump in at any stage!

What Do Venturer Scouts Do?

✅ Outdoor Adventures – Camping, hiking, rock climbing, caving, white-water rafting.
✅ Expeditions & Travel – Attend national/international Scouting events like Venture (Australian Jamboree for Venturers).
✅ Community Service – Volunteering, environmental projects, and giving back to the community.
✅ Skill Development – First aid, public speaking, event planning, and life skills.
✅ Badges & Achievements – Work towards the King’s Scout Award (one of the highest youth awards in Australia).
✅ Leadership & Independence – Plan and lead activities, take responsibility for their own challenges.

How Does Venturer Scouts Work?

• Venturers meet in Units, where members plan and run their own program with guidance from adult leaders.

• Activities are youth-led, meaning Venturers have a say in what they do.

• It’s a flexible program—Venturers can choose which challenges and badges they want to complete.

• There’s an emphasis on personal growth, responsibility, and preparing for adulthood.

Venturers and the Queensland Certificate of Education(QCE), Outdoor Recreation qualifications and  theDuke of Edinburgh Award.

Venturer Scouts can use their experiences and learning from participation in the youth program as evidence towards a range of Certificate II and Certificate III qualifications. The Scouts Australia Registered Training Organisation (RTO) is not the same as attending school, TAFE or other RTOs because the Scouts Australia RTO relies on experiential learning versus the alternate classroom model. A completed Certificate 2 course earns up to 4 points and a Certificate 3 can earn up to 8 points towards completion of a QCE.

This means that by attending Venturer Scouts, participating fully in the program and engaging in the activities you like, you will experience things that help you learn and this learning can be recognised with qualifications.

Youth program participants will also be able to have achievements obtained through Outdoor Adventure Skills recognised to obtain sign off for the Adult Training and Development Scouting Adventure course and for most Safe and Trained Participant Skills levels used for qualifications in the Outdoor Industry.

• Scouts Australia’s ‘Scouting Adventure, SafeParticipant, and TrainedParticipant –Youth Pathway Handbook‘ recognises the skills and knowledge gained from the Youth pathways of Outdoor Adventure Skills to be granted credit for Scouting Adventure face to face course (Leader training) and/or Safe or Trained participant Scouting skills of the National Adventurous Activity Framework (NAAF). This recognition of Outdoor Adventure Skills is only one of the pathways to obtain Scouting Adventure course or SP/TP signoff. A member can still choose to complete existing courses being run across the country for members. They may also put together the required evidence to apply for Recognition of proficiency. However, the primary purpose of this youth pathway offering is towards achievement of a Certificate of Proficiency.
• The Safe Participant and Trained Participant pathways provide Scouting outcomes which create an opportunity to seek Recognition of Prior Learning from Scouts Australia Institute of Training (RTO 5443). Recognition of the Scouting outcome through this pathway does not automatically result in issuing of Units of Competence. For more information refer to https://scouts.com.au/members/sait/   and to the Youth Pathways Handbook above.

Venturers also have the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold through Scouts Queensland as a recognised course of study and achieve points toward their QCE.

Advancement to Rover Scouts

At 18 years old, Venturers can move to Rover Scouts (ages 18-25), where they take on even bigger adventures, leadership roles, and service opportunities.

Joining Venturer Scouts (ages 15-17) is an incredible way to gain life skills, leadership experience, and adventure opportunities, all while having fun and making lifelong friends.