Grow in Faith as You Serve on a Christian Mission Trip

For Workcamps & Week of Hope

• Jr/Sr High trips: Must be at least 11 years old OR entering the 6th grade in the fall of the same year as your trip. 
  Sr High trips: Must be at least 14 years old OR entering the 9th grade in the fall of the same year as your trip.
  • Due to liability, under-aged participants will be sent home at their own expense (NO babies or any children under the required age).
  • Only registered participants are permitted at the lodging facility and on the project sites.
  • No special skills are required.
  • 19 or 20 year olds are welcome to attend as participants! Remember that only those that are 21 or older will be considered “adults” at camp and count in your 1 adult to 5 youth required ratio.

We normally split groups up into work crews.  But, we are willing to work with your group on how you’d like to split into crews. Our work crews are made up of six people with usually one or two adults and four or five youth--typically each person from a different church. If you’d like to have your youth meet new friends and develop friendships outside of your youth group, then allow us to split up your group. If you have specific church safety rules that require your group to be together, we are more than happy to arrange that for your group as well. Our top priority is to partner with you to arrange the best experience for your youth group and help you meet your ministry goals.

Safety is our top priority!

• We require groups to bring 1 adult (21 or older) for every 5 participants that are under 21 years of age.
• We require participants that are 18 and older be screened and background-checked by their church. Their pastor signs off that they meet Group Mission Trips' requirements and that they are approved to attend.
• Every staff member has been screened, background-checked, and reference checked by Group Mission Trips.
• For overall protection, we have separate shower times designated for participants that are 17 and younger from those that are 18 and older.
• We review safety procedures at camp.
• Participants are not required to do any work that they consider unsafe.
• Although we do serve in needy areas, we require crews to stay together at all times. No one should ever be left alone and all participants are back at the lodging facility by their designated check in time.
• Group Mission Trips' staff visit the crews every day so they are aware of where a crew is working and any issues in the area.
• Every crew has the direct phone number to the GMT office and directions to the closest hospital. If an injury occurs on the project site, and is not serious, GMT staff will contact the youth leader and coordinate any transportation needed. If the injury is serious, the adult on site will call 911 and GMT staff will offer support and ensure needed medical forms are delivered to hospital.
• Each crew will have a small first aid kit and a bigger one for every vehicle. 

The safety of your group is a top priority for us, as we’re sure it is for you. In all the areas we serve, we take extra precautions to make sure you or your group is as safe as possible. Guided by our local, experienced ministry staff partners, we avoid situations that are inherently dangerous. We’re also proactive by choosing lodging facilities and transportation that are safe and reliable. Our mission trip advisors are glad to answer further safety questions.

For Domestic trips

• Groups must provide transportation to and from the mission trip as well as daily to and from the sites.
• All vehicles must be available for transportation to and from the sites. (Mileage or fuel costs are not reimbursed for any transportation costs.)
• Vehicles with a minimum capacity of six passengers are requested, with seat belts. While adults will be driving their vehicles, they typically will not be transporting a crew that includes their own youth members. Typically, the youth from your group will be traveling in other vehicles with their crews.
• Due to rough terrain and narrow roads, there are some locations that are labeled “Not Bus Accessible”. If you are serving at one of these, you’ll need to plan on bringing smaller vehicles.

For Workcamps

Your participants will provide home repairs at no cost for elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged people who need your help. Work crews typically serve the same resident for the entire trip, creating an environment where meaningful relationships develop.

Most projects are designed to be completed during the trip, allowing your group to experience the satisfaction of a job well done. You’ll serve the needs of others through projects like interior and exterior painting, building or repairing porches and wheelchair ramps, building or repairing steps, weatherization and other home repairs. No skills are needed!

For Week of Hope

Be ready to tackle any project and expect to interact each day with local residents from the community. Crews typically serve at the same organization for the entire camp (or at the most 2 organizations), creating an environment where meaningful relationships develop. 

Projects could include working with children at a day camp, serving at a food bank or homeless shelter, leading a Vacation Bible School, improving the homes of people in need, assisting the elderly, tutoring struggling kids, working with disabled children, facilitating a sports camp, and/or serving churches and other human service organizations in different ways. If there are any minor repair projects, we may ask your group to bring a few small hand tools and paint brushes.

For Workcamps 

A Workcamp can hold up to 400 participants and we house them all typically at a middle or high school. Group Mission Trip staff transforms the facility into a home away from home–there will be a separate boy’s hall and girl’s hall, a cafeteria for meals, adequate bathrooms and showers, and either a gym or auditorium for programs.

Participants need to bring twin-size air mattresses, pillows, sleeping bags or other bedding to sleep on classroom floors. Youth groups are assigned to sleeping rooms together, gender separate. Sleeping rooms may be shared with other youth groups, depending on the size of groups and the size of the room.

Registered groups can see more information about their lodging facility online on their Customer Account under Lodging Info. The primary contact will have access to the lodging facility’s address.

For Week of Hope

A Week of Hope can hold up to 100 participants and we house them all typically at a local church. Group Mission Trips' staff transforms the facility into a home away from home–there will be a separate boy’s hall and girl’s hall, a space for meals, adequate bathrooms and showers, and a space for the programs.

Participants need to bring twin-size air mattresses, pillows, sleeping bags or other bedding to sleep on floors. Youth groups are assigned to sleeping rooms together, gender separate. Sleeping rooms may be shared with other youth groups, depending on the size of groups and the size of the room.

Registered groups can see more information about their lodging facility online on their Customer Account under Lodging Info. The primary contact will have access to the lodging facility’s address.

For Workcamps and Week of Hope

Meals will consist of hot breakfasts, picnic-style lunches, and hot dinners. All meals will be prepared for participants by kitchen staff. Picnic-style lunches will be assembled in the mornings and brought to work sites. The first provided meal is dinner on Sunday and the last meal is breakfast on Saturday. IMPORTANT NOTE: Dinner is NOT provided on Wednesday, youth groups have free time this day and dinner is on their own.

For registered groups: If you have a participant that has to eat gluten-free--please let us know. We can have a few gluten free options at camp, but need to know in advance to plan. The sample menu is located on your customer account, under Helpful Resources, and under Schedule, Menu, and Packing. Share this with your participants so they can start planning. Participants with special diets or allergies are welcome to bring their own food items to fill in as needed during the week. Please know that we do have peanut butter on the menu. Group Mission Trips is unable to guarantee there will not be any cross-contamination during meal preparation by kitchen staff. There will be a staff member available at camp who will be able to answer any questions about food.

Focused on Jesus. Our goal is to point people to Jesus. Programs focus on Bible passages and daily themes that challenge us to respond to Jesus in ways we will never forget.

Interactive. People learn better by doing. Participants will be involved in sharing, speaking, acting, reflecting...not just sitting and watching.

Relevant. Through creative multimedia, thought provoking sound and video, our programs are designed to reach everyone.

Fun. Relationship-building activities, games and having fun are part of every program. Expect to have a great time!

For Domestic trips

• Lodging during the camp.
• All meals, except for dinner on Wednesday for a Workcamp.
• Site selection and organization.
• Supplies and project materials for each work site.
• Bible-based thematic, fun, faith building programs.
• Devotions to do before, during, and after camp.
• Highly trained staff to handle all the details.
• Custodians and cafeteria staff to take care of lodging cleanliness and meals.
• An online customer account full of camp information and resources to help prepare you and your group for camp.
• Unlimited customer support from professional and courteous staff.
• T-shirt and Mission Handbook for each participant.