What are Venture Scouts?
Venture Scouts are young adults between the ages of 15½ and 20. They meet together in a Unit which may be attached to a Group or a District.
The Venture Scouts are, and probably always will be, the smallest of the training Sections, but Membership is steadily increasing. In the 1997 Census there were 26,537 Venture Scouts, about one-quarter of them female.

What is Unit?
A Venture Scout Unit may be formed within a Scout Group. However, since school, work and other factors prevent many Members from continuing in Scouting during their late teenage years, it is more usual for a Unit to serve a number of Groups within a locality or, in some cases, a whole District. The minimum age for joining a Unit is now 15½ years, and Membership may continue until the 20th birthday. An Executive Committee of Members, elected by the Members, decides unit organisation and administration. Census there were 26,537 Venture Scouts, about one-quarter of them female.

What do Venture Scouts do?
Venture Scout Units are self-motivating, self-programming and self-governing. The adult Leader's role is that of being a consultant or adviser. The scope of the activities can range widely, depending on the interests and initiative of Unit Members. Parascending, mountaineering, canoe expeditions and deepwater sailing are becoming increasingly common. Community service is challenging, such as assistance in hospitals and adventure playgrounds and help for the elderly and handicapped. Further afield, there may be projects overseas such as working in an African village, exploring in remote parts of Iceland or backpacking along the High Sierra in America.

The Training Programme
As in the Cub Scout and Scout Sections, there are Progress Awards. The Venture Scout Award encourages each Member to take part in a wide range of self-selected activities, and to show personal development. These activities often form the basis of the Unit's program. The Queen's Scout Award builds upon the Venture Scout Award and again the activities incorporate challenge, service to others, self-reliance and initiative. Those Venture Scouts who have gained the Queen’s Scout Award are invited to take part in the annual Queen’s Scout Parade at Windsor Castle.

Background
The Venture Scout Section evolved in 1966 following the Chief Scout's Advance Party Report which reviewed The Scout Association's policies in order to adapt them to the rapidly changing society. It has developed to provide a program of activities and experiences for young people aged between 15½ and 20 years. The Venture Scout Section completes the Progressive Training scheme that started with the Cub Scout Section and continued in the Scout Section but it is also open to young people who have never been Cub Scouts or Scouts. It offers opportunities for adventurous activities, more challenging community service projects and broadening international experience through projects and expeditions overseas. Originally, the Section was open only to young men between the ages of 16-20 but, since 1976, young women have been able to join Venture Scouts and follow the same program and activities alongside the young men as equals. There are also 'joint' Units where Venture Scouts and Ranger Guides amalgamate under joint Leadership but retain their separate identities within the respective Movements. Some young people, after leaving the Venture Scout Section, choose to become Leaders whilst others may join the Scout Fellowship.