Three Keys To A Successful Youth Trip

Q: What can I do to make sure my youth trip is successful?

A: Youth trips can be exciting but require planning to ensure they are a complete success.

Here are three things you can do to ensure your youth trip is successful.

Youth Ownership – Include young people in the planning of the youth trip. Have them give you ideas of things they’d like to do or places they’d like to go. Depending on their age, how long they’ve been with you, etc. you could delegate the entire planning of the youth trip to them, offering support and maybe a checklist to support their efforts so they experience success.
Proper Paperwork – Ensure you have organization-approved permission slips, photo-release forms, risk assessments and clear instructions / expectations for youth behavior on the trip.
Volunteers – No matter how well behaved your youth group is, a few extra people responsible for group morale, safety and relationship building will help make you less stressed, more focused on the big picture of the day and more able to enjoy the entire trip from start to finish. Many agencies have a 10:1 youth:adult ratio. I recommend increasing this to 3:1 or at least 5:1 if possible.

Question: How do you know if your youth trip has been successful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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