Our 2023 COVID safety measures are an opportunity for us to embody our value of Respectful Service. Each step taken toward COVID-proofing your trip helps protect your group as well as our summer staff, our vulnerable community partners, and future groups coming to serve after you leave. As you read through the content on this page, know that we’re here to support you in every way. Use the button at the bottom of the page if you’d like additional assistance understanding the information or sharing it with your group.
Below are some of the safety plans YouthWorks we used in the summer of 2023.
These plans are based on the current climate of COVID-19, and additional standards may be added or removed pending public health guidance. Note that some communities or housing locations may also have stricter requirements than what we have planned. In those cases, we will default to their policies. Any changes will be communicated to you prior to your YouthWorks mission trip.
Finally, we know that some groups may want additional levels of safety for their group, and adaptations can be accommodated. Our intent is that your entire trip is safe for everyone involved.
As we care for each other, please respect those that choose to go above and beyond our COVID policies (i.e. wearing masks, social distancing and/or those that decide to not mix with other churches throughout the week).
Make sure your group arrives healthy and ready to serve.
To the best of your knowledge, we want you to arrive healthy. If any participant suspects they might have COVID before the trip, we ask that they only come if they test negative for COVID before they arrive. YouthWorks does not have vaccination requirements for participants this summer and there are no additional testing requirements.
If a participant has a close contact with a COVID-positive person before the trip, and the participant does not have symptoms, they may still come on the trip. We recommend that they wear a mask for the trip to minimize the potential for spread. If the participant has a COVID exposure and COVID symptoms, they must test negative before arrival and should wear a mask during the trip.
YouthWorks Mission Trip Associates are working with and listening closely to our Service Partners when determining the safest and most respectful ways to serve. This may mean that in some communities, we will be unable to serve with more vulnerable individuals directly. Masks may be required at certain service locations or community partnerships based on community request. Before your trip, engage with your group about what respectful service could look like and how you can enter into the community with an open mind to that service.
Your Mission Trip Associate will have more specific information related to your trip.
Groups can intermix both in crews during the service day, as well as during meals, free time and The Gathering. If your group prefers to limit mixing with other groups on site, please let us know ahead of time and we can work to accommodate this to the extent possible.
Responses to frequently asked questions about this year’s COVID-Proofing measures.
If anyone has symptoms of a contagious illness, they will be isolated. If COVID is suspected, we would ask that the participant take a COVID test.
The person who tests positive would need to leave the YouthWorks site. Trip Leaders and parents should make contingency plans for students in case this occurs. Any close contacts on sites may need to wear a well-fitting mask for the duration of the trip.
We have some service partnerships who require participants to bring proof of vaccination in order to serve at those sites. At those locations, our site staff will work to coordinate crews who are vaccinated. If you have a vaccination card, please bring a copy or photo of it just in case.
Since we do not require vaccinations to attend a YouthWorks mission trip, we will always have quality service opportunities for anyone attending, regardless of vaccination status.
Any FDA approved test is fine, including at-home rapid tests.
A participant would need to wait a full 5 days (with day 0 being the first day of symptoms). They must be fever free (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and their symptoms must be improving. The CDC recommends wearing a mask for an additional 5 days.
Generally no, though we will honor mask requirements at service partnerships if asked. While masks are typically not required at housing sites, we welcome anyone’s choice to wear a mask at any point on their trip.
Request additional support to help answer key questions or communicate these COVID-Proofing measures to your group.