They are among the first to receive the award, the movement’s highest honour, from King Charles.
Amy Pearson, 18, Connor McDowall, 19, and James Avenell, 17, spent three years completing a series of tasks ranging from community service to leadership to outdoor skills.
Alexandra Scout leader Michelle Ryan said the award took a lot of time and effort to achieve.
"Not every Venturer gets it. It’s a huge amount of work," she said.
Venturer Scouts was for 14 to 18-year-olds. Children could start their Scouting adventure at 5 years old at Keas and continue until they turned 24 and finish as Rovers, the group older than Venturers.
Mrs Ryan said as an employer she knew how good Scouting was for young people.
"I’ve been a Venturer leader for a long time and know these kids are a step above the rest."
Scouting taught them life skills many others missed out on, she said.
"... initiative, problem solving, seeing what is happening around them and doing what is needed, being positive and having respect."
James Avenell began as a Kea when he was 5 and continued through the programme until he was 12. After a break of a couple of years he returned and has continued since.
He went to Government House last month to received his King’s Scout badge and his gold Duke of Edinburgh award, meeting Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro at a reception afterwards.
Venturers was enjoyable as the group set their own programme, deciding what badges they wanted to gain and ran the sessions themselves, he said.
"The leaders make sure we don’t set ourselves on fire."
To earn the award, James did many things including a four-day tramp on Stewart Island with Connor and for their residential component they attended a 10-day jamboree, with fundraising for the trips part of the challenge.
Their time management skills were beyond most adults. Connor has moved to Wellington to study this year and Amy is working in Cromwell.
James attends Dunstan High School part-time. When he is not there, he is working on the six Massey University computer science papers he is taking.
And then there is the IT company he started as a 13-year-old after his parents, who own a pharmacy, became frustrated with their internet provider.
"It just sort of grew from there," he said.
While sometimes it was a juggle to fit everything in, James plans to head to university next year.
He is not sure which yet as there "are some business things going on in the background".
Mrs Ryan said there was a phrase that inspired her work with Scouts.
"The greatest gift you can give a kid is independence."
