How to Organize a Youth Group Field Trip

Youth group field trips don’t plan themselves, unfortunately. Whether you are planning a trip across the street or to another state or country, the key to success is anticipating things not going according to plan. Children will get sick, someone will leave something at home and rain will fall. Remember to anticipate these events and have fun planning.

Youth Group Fund raising

No trip can happen without some sort of funding and the more funding available, the more options you will have for activities and outings. The key to youth group fundraising is keeping your expenses down so that your profit is higher. If you spend everything that you make, the fundraiser has served no purpose. Determine how much money you will need to have a successful trip. What items can be paid for with current funds and what needs additional funding?

Find out where your students strengths lie. Are they good sales people, do they like to bake, are they hard workers. Use these skills to your advantage. Car washes bake sales and donations are traditional methods for raising money, but maybe you want to be more creative. Organize a parents’ day out if your group is made up of older children. Have families bring their children to a location and charge a set, low rate for each child.

Have the older children in charge of one or two children for the night and allow them to “baby-sit”. This is a great way to not only raise money but also help parents with a night off and your students with networking for weekend babysitting jobs. Be sure to inform the community around you of your fundraiser and what the money is being used for.

Youth Group Icebreakers

Youth group icebreakers are a great way to set the tone for a day of fun and interacting with new people. Icebreakers create a sense of community and build common ground between people that may have never met before. Remember when planning icebreakers to choose something that everyone will have to participate in. Choose games that require each person to participate to avoid wallflowers sinking into the background. Have leaders participate as well to create a sense of fun and comradery.

Easy Step By Step Instructions

• Set a specific goal for fundraising. Include all costs and expenses that may come up.
• Have students in your youth group brainstorm ideas for fundraising. If they are invested in the idea, they are more likely to be invested in the result.
• Advertise fundraising events in your community. The more people that come, the more successful your event will be.
• Divide students into planning groups to help plan the event and the fundraising.
• During the field trip, start the day with an icebreaker to get students ready to interact with one another.
• Have a clear time frame of when you will arrive, leave, etc. Give yourself enough time to really stick to your time frame.

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

Plan for the unexpected. The more well prepared you are the smoother the trip will be and the more fun everyone will have.

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How to Have a Real Italian Experience

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Never has this statement borne more truth than when you are actually planning a trip to Rome –or anywhere else in Italy for that matter. Travel in Italy can be entertaining and majestic, but traveling with a tourist outlook will leave much of Italy hidden from view. To truly experience all that Italy has to offer, you must work to be as an authentic visitor rather than a simple observer.

Learn the Language

Your first step in having an authentic Italian experience is to learn the language. While you don’t have to speak fluently, having a basic vocabulary and understanding others will open countless doors as well as invite more respect from locals. Italian language schools or online courses can help give you the foundation you need in the language.

Enjoy the Customs

Every country has its own unique customs and rituals. The Star Spangled Banner at the ballpark can bring an American to tears, but what do Italians enjoy? Find out and then join in! Participate in the Running of the Bulls if you dare. Stomp grapes at harvest time. Stay up late and drink wine with friends. Eat course after course of rich foods at every meal. Do as the locals do!

Extend Your Stay

You can’t experience more than just a handful of Italian experiences in a few days or even a week. Extend your stay to a month and rent a villa or stay in a small hotel or bed and breakfast sort of establishment while you are visiting. Large hotels or resorts can distance you from the Italy you’re trying to experience. The longer you stay in one area, the more adept you will become in local cuisine and culture making you as close to a real visiting Italian as possible.

Go Local

Finally, when the opportunity presents itself, go local. Throw away your guidebooks and stay off the internet. Ask the locals what sights are worth seeing and then follow through. Report back to your travel planner at the end of the day with glowing reviews and get suggestions for additional destinations. How often have you been to the tourist attractions near your home? Only the locals know the real Italy, but most won’t share their knowledge without you asking and showing a genuine respect for their opinions.

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