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How much is a Serve trip?
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What does a typical Serve week look like?
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What will be expected of our adult leaders?
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What is a groups-only site?
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Will my group be split up at the site?
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How do I register?
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What is the purpose of three site choices on the registration form?
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What forms of payment does Youth Unlimited accept?
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Do I have to register with a group or can I register as an individual?
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When will I find out what mission trip I got into?
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Is there still room at a particular site?
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I have not received my confirmation yet for my mission experience?
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I have received my confirmation letter, but no other information?
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What if I need to cancel or want to change sites after I’m registered?
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Transportation Policy?
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What else should I know about traveling with teenagers?
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What Resources do you have for the sending church?
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Smoking Policy?
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What’s Included once I get to the Mission Experience?
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Are scholarships available?
How Much is a Serve Trip?
Serve projects start at $320.00 if the registration deadline of April 1 is met. Everything is included except transportation.
Register by April 1 to save $50 US off the regular registration price ($370.00)
What does a typical Serve week look like?
Saturday
Registration, Welcome, Community Building Games. You will usually be introduced to your small group which consists of 6–8 students and 1 leader from different churches.
Sunday
Breakfast, personal devotions, commissioning service at the host church.
Lunch, team building, orientation to the area and organized fun.
Dinner, session with a speaker and worship, small group discussions
Monday through Friday
6:30 a.m. Wake up
7:00 a.m. Breakfast/prepare lunches
8:00 a.m. Devotions
8:45 a.m. Leave for work-sites
4:00 p.m. Showers/free time/organized games
5:15 p.m. Leader’s meeting
6:00 p.m. Dinner
7:30 p.m. Evening session with a speaker and worship
9:00 p.m. Small group discussion
10:00 p.m. Snack and free time
11:00 p.m. Lights out
Saturday
Pack up and head home to Serve there.
During the week sometime, a half day or full day is set aside for recreation organized by the Host Team to a local attraction such as beach, theme park, sightseeing etc.
Detailed schedules are set by the local Host Team and may vary from what’s described here. Please be flexible and follow the schedule set by the Host Team.
Middle School and Special Needs Serve experiences may start on Saturday or Sunday and typically wrap-up on Friday.
What will be expected of our adult leaders?
All adults are small group leaders, work site overseers and must be safety conscious, general crowd control and a spiritual “coaches” for the week.
Responsibilities & Expectations of Adult Leaders
What is a groups-only site?
An individual cannot sign up for this site. A group is considered a minimum of one adult and two youths. If you are flying to a groups only site, you must secure your own transportation at the airport to take you to the site.
Will my group be split up at the site?
Yes, the sites will place participants in small work/prayer groups, trying to not have people from the same church in the same group to promote a community among the entire group. In order to facilitate strong team-building and new interpersonal relationships, it is recommended that groups of 10 or more are divided between two or more Serve sites.
How do I register?
You may pre-register as a group or individual, or register in full as an individual at any time.
1. On-line – Available November 1
2. Download the full registration form
3. Contact us to receive a registration form in by mail.
Space is filled on a first-come, first-served basis according to when your pre-registration/registration is received in the Youth Unlimited office. Please allow 3-4 weeks for your registration to be processed.
What is the purpose of three site choices on the registration form?
If your 1st choice is full we will automatically put you in your 2nd or 3rd choice respectively. If all your site choices are full we will contact you to find out where we can place you.
What forms of payment does Youth Unlimited accept?
Youth Unlimited accepts check, money order, Visa, Mastercard or Discover payments in US dollars only.
Effective September 19, 2009, the Youth Unlimited Board of Directors determined that in order to properly plan and budget for income and expenditures of the ministry, all registration fees must be paid in US funds. By offering pricing in US dollars only, Canadian participants will always receive the most current exchange rate available at the time their payment is processed. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this decision may cause and thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Do I have to register with a group or can I register as an individual?
You are welcome to register as an individual or a group, except for sites that have been identified as “groups-only” sites. In fact, many people register as individuals and then meet new people when they arrive at their site! Some sites are limited to individuals and groups of 5 or less only or are limited to individuals and groups of 15 or less only.
When will I find out what mission trip I got into?
Please allow 3-4 weeks for your registration to be processed. You will receive written confirmation in the mail.
Is there still room at a particular site?
If the site is at less than 100% capacity, we cannot guarantee you will get in because we don’t know what is in the mail. We place applicants on a first come first served basis based on when we receive the registration in the Youth Unlimited office.
What if I have not received my confirmation yet?
If it has been more than a month since your application was sent, please contact us and we can send another confirmation to you. If it has been less than a month, the confirmation will be sent out soon. Also, if you have not received a confirmation letter, it is possible that your registration form was incomplete or the registration fee was not paid in full. If this is the case, you will receive a notice via postal mail.
I have received my confirmation letter, but no other information?
The Host Team for your mission experience will be sending out more information about their site and what to bring. You can expect to receive the information approximately 30 days before your mission experience begins.
What if I need to cancel or want to change sites after I’m registered?
Youth Unlimited will refund monies in excess of $150 USD if a written cancellation request is received by YU prior to April 1 for summer missions. Please note that pre-registration deposits are non-refundable and not transferable to your remaining balance due.
For international experiences, the cancellation policy varies based on whether the fees were paid by the individual or by financial supporters.
If you request a change of location or participants within 30 days of the start date an additional $50 USD will be charged to cover administrative costs.
In the case of extreme weather or disaster cancellation: Youth Unlimited has your group’s safety in mind as we host events. If we are unable to host an event due to weather conditions or national disaster, deposits cannot be refunded. Refunds of final balance payments will be made only if properties and/or locations refund Youth Unlimited for these costs. If an event is hosted as scheduled and your group cancels or reduces numbers due to weather conditions or other concerns, all payments are non-refundable.
If a registrant or immediate family member has an emergency prior to or during the mission experience YU will do what we can to refund a portion of the money.
Transportation Policy
Registration fees do not include transportation to and from sites.
Each group of five or more must provide vehicle(s) and adult driver(s) to transport an equal number of participants during the duration of the mission trip. Any exception is noted on the site descriptions as “on-site transportation included.” If your group is unable to provide van transportation, please contact us to discuss options and additional charges.
Within U.S. and Canada
Passports are required for travel between the United States and Canada
Outside U.S and Canada
Travel requirements for U.S. and Canadian citizens varies by the country where you are going. Youth Unlimited will help you understand the necessary requirements. You will need a valid U.S. or Canadian passport to travel outside of the U.S. and Canada and should apply for one immediately.
More Information
For more information or to find the travel requirements for non-U.S./Canadian Citizens, visit:
Canada Border Services Agency — www.cbsa.gc.ca
Foreign Affairs Canada — www.voyage.gc.ca
U.S. State Department — www.travel.state.gov
U.S. Customs and Border Protection — http://cbp.gov/
** 15-passenger vans are not allowed into Ontario due to MTO restrictions
For more information, contact us.
What else should I know about traveling with teenagers?
Keep It Safe
Make photocopies of your passport’s identification page and/or of your identification cards and keep the copies separate from the original when you travel. For added security, leave a copy with a friend or relative at home.
Traveling with Minors
Any adult who is not a parent or guardian should have written permission to supervise the child from the parent or guardian, as well as the child’s identification and carry it with them. A letter would also facilitate entry for any one parent traveling with their children. This permission letter should contain addresses and telephone numbers where the parent or guardian can be reached. Example Consent to Travel Form. It is recommended, but not required, that the letter be notarized.
What resources do you have for the sending church?
Download Serve’s 2012 theme related material here.
Expectations of Adult Leaders Document
Youth Unlimited Statement of Faith
Smoking Policy
Most mission sites are non-smoking. Check Site Location descriptions for exceptions.
What’s Included once I get to the Mission Experience?
Short Answer: Most Everything
Long Answer: Your registration fee includes most everything you need once you arrive on-site, except transportation to the site and daily transportation while at the mission experience. Sending churches must provide transportation.
- Leaders Guide with small group leaders training, theme based small group discussion outlines, pre-trip lesson suggestions and commissioning litany, post trip debriefing and follow up guides…
- Student Guides with daily devotionals.
- Supplemental medical insurance
- All meals
- Lodging (usually in a church or school)
- Daily schedule with planned activities
- Engaging worship&speaker
- Organized service projects&supplies
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Need-based scholarships are available for Serve.
Download a scholarship application and/or contact us for more information.
