Venture Wellington - Open your eyes

Scouts New Zealand is pleased to invite Venturers (or equivalent) and Venturer Leaders from other National Scout Organisations (NSOs) to attend Venture Wellington. Members of NSOs from the Asia Pacific Region are particularly welcome to attend.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to attend Venture Wellington, Venturers from other NSOs must:

• be 14 -19 years of age on 1 January 2010;
• be an invested member of a Venturer Scout Unit (or equivalent); and
• have the approval of their own NSO to attend.

Adult Leaders from other NSOs may attend Venture Wellington either as a Unit Leader or as Venture Staff if they:

• Have attained the age of 21 years as at the opening day of the Venture;
• Hold a current adult leader warrant in their NSO; and
• Have the approval of their NSO to attend.

Application Arrangements

Members of other NSOs should apply in the first instance to their own NSO National Office (or Venture Contingent HQ where applicable) to obtain permission to attend Venture Wellington. This will most likely include completing appropriate application forms required by your NSO/Contingent.

All Venture Wellington participants, including overseas Venturers and Leaders, must complete the Venture Wellington online application form which will be up on this website from 8pm Wednesday 1 April 2009 (NZDT). The completion of the Venture Wellington online application form is mandatory and is required in addition to any application forms required by your NSO/Contingent, even where the information required is the same.

Please note: The Venture Wellington online application form should NOT be completed until after you have received approval from your own NSO to attend Venture Wellington.

Once you have completed your online Venture Wellington application form you must print it and mail or fax it to the Scouts New Zealand National Office in Wellington, New Zealand along with a bank draft in New Zealand dollars for your deposit of $100. This may be sent directly to the Scouts New Zealand National Office or via your own NSOs National Office if they require it. If you are sending it directly you must also include a letter from your NSO National Office approving your attendance at Venture Wellington.

Special Arrangements for Australian Venturers and Leaders

Special application arrangements have been put in place for Australian Venturers and Leaders planning to attend Venture Wellington. Australian Venturers and Leaders may only attend the Venture as part of the Australian Contingent and must apply to the Contingent HQ in the first instance – see your Contingent website for all the details: www.nzv2010.scouts.com.au. The website also contains details of pre and post Venture tours of New Zealand for Contingent Members.

Once you have completed the Contingent application form and been accepted as a member of the Contingent you must then complete the online Venture Wellington application form (from 1 April 2009). As part of that application process you will be required to enter your unique Australian Contingent ID number – in fact the system won’t allow you to complete the application process unless you do. Entering your ID number is a special arrangement for Australian Contingent members and is in lieu of mailing your printed form to New Zealand.

Members of the Australian Contingent therefore do NOT need to print and mail their Venture Wellington application form to the Scouts New Zealand National Office or send any money to New Zealand. Your Contingent HQ will take care of that.

Please note that this arrangement ONLY applies to Australian Venturers and Leaders. Members of all other NSOs are required to send their forms to New Zealand in accordance with the procedures outlined above.

Fees

Fees for Venture Wellington must be paid in New Zealand dollars and transmitted using a bank draft or money order made out to "The Scout Association of New Zealand – Venture Wellington".

Transportation and New Zealand Entry Requirements

All overseas participants are responsible for their own transportation arrangements to New Zealand and to the Venture Wellington site in Wellington (unless this is being organised by their Contingent). Anyone wanting assistance with transport within New Zealand (on a user pays basis) may contact the Venture Wellington Director of Transport email: nigelm@tranzit.co.nz.

Overseas participants are also responsible for organising their own New Zealand entry visas – see www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit. You are encouraged to apply well ahead of time. Venture fees will not be refunded if entry permits are not granted. Australian passport holder do not need an entry permit to enter New Zealand.

Leaders Wishing to Come as Unit Leaders or Staff

Leaders wishing to come to the Venture as a Unit Leader should apply using the process outlined above. Once your application has been processed you will be assigned to a Unit for duration of the Venture – see Adult help.

However, the number of staff positions at Venture Wellington is limited. Overseas leaders wishing to attend the Venture as a staff member are therefore requested to contact the Venture Chairman before applying to make sure that a staff position is available. The contact email is: chair@venturewellington.org.nz.