How to Choose a Site

We often hear from trip leaders that choosing a trip location can be a daunting task. That’s why we asked Ryan, a representative in our service center, to comment on some of the advice that he would give a trip leader that is having trouble with choosing a site. 

 

 

How to Choose a Site 

When I talk with youth leaders trying to decide where to take students next summer, they either have a response of debilitating excitement (think kid in a candy store), or they have no idea where to even begin (think adult shopping for the latest toy fad). I know that with about 80 different locations it can be hard to sort through to find a community and week that will work.

 

Hopefully this can help you narrow the choices down, and find the perfect trip for your group.

 

The best question to answer first is the age group you’re bringing. This might seem as a given, but often trip leaders don’t realize that we have different age categories for trips: high school, middle school, and mixed (middle and high school together). We also offer Church sites where any age group can attend and family sties that are designed for families to attend together. Knowing what age group you’re bringing can help you filter the trip offerings to find an age appropriate location.

 

Second, think about location. Travel times are important, but so is the type of community. We break them down three ways: urban, small town, and American Indian Reservation. So, think about where you want to go. Typically, our urban communities are all about partnerships with churches and organizations that are serving their neighborhoods. We are blessed to partner with many of these organizations, and see God’s work in the middle of a beautiful city.

 

Small Town and American Indian Reservation community will usually have fewer service organizations. This means that we work more directly with the community. Often we will run our Kids Club, and work with homeowners on Work Projects. Each community has its particulars, so talk with us if you have specific questions.

 

Third, remember this all dependent on a trip still having space open for your specific date. Check out the community page to see what is available.

 

Finally, give our service center a call. We gather up all the information from our mission team setting up our trips, and want to pass it along to you. We know it can be overwhelming to find a perfect trip for your group, so give us a call and we can talk it through with you. We’ve heard every question about transportation, partnerships, or food, and we truly want to answer everything for you. We’ve found that part of a successful trip is thorough planning, and we want to help you set the trip up well.

 

Remember that all of the communities we work in are wonderful places where God is at work. No matter where you choose to serve, come to the community to learn, experience and grow. The great part of service is that God has already called other people to these places, and we get to join them. The opportunity to join Kingdom work is exciting, regardless of location, so we hope that you’ll join us next summer, somewhere.

 

For more on choosing a site, check out this great resource we’ve created to help you out.

Choosing Your Next Mission Trip Destination

 

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Ryan Lee-Norman is a Service Center Associate for YouthWorks where he books trips, answers questions and makes people feel good about their lives. When Ryan is not helping out youth pastors, he keeps himself  busy being a husband to Rose and a dad to Esme. Ryan also enjoys cooking, gardening,  reading and serving regularly at church where his wife serves as Children’s Pastor.