Youth Adventures
YWAM Youth Adventures is a 10-day program designed to engage your high school group or youth group in service and volunteerism. The dynamic program starts at our training campus in Townsville where your team will undergo four days of hands-on training before we take you on outreach in communities in North Queensland or Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Youth Adventures is the ultimate service-based learning opportunity for young people. We do all the work for your school or youth group so you can do the mission!
Training
The goal of the training is to equip your team as they learn more about themselves and prepare for outreach. Training includes:
- Teaching from experienced speakers
- Team building
- Leadership development
- Hands-on outreach preparation
- Cultural orientation
Outreach
After the training, we take you and your team on a six day outreach to your chosen outreach location in either North Queensland or Papua New Guinea. Once there, we will work together alongside trusted local contacts.
Your outreach could include activities such as:
Children’s Programs
Hands-On Projects
Relationship Building
Intercultural Experiences
Outreach Locations
You will have the option to choose from the following outreach locations in North Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Cost and Dates
Program fees cover accommodation, food, resources for both training and outreach, and program merchandise. Travel to and from Townsville is not included.
North Queensland
Four days of training at the YWAM Townsville City Campus.
Six days of outreach in either Charters Towers, Palm Island, or Yarrabah.
Cost: $670 per person (includes travel to and from your outreach location)
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Four days training at the YWAM Townsville City Campus.
Six to ten days of outreach in Port Moresby.
Cost: From $1,750 per person (includes flights to and from Townsville to Port Moresby)
Dates
If you are interested in participating in Youth Adventures, simply let us know your preferred dates and we will do our best to accommodate your team during your chosen time frame.
Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
What is YWAM’s experience with sending teams on field activities?
In the 27 years that YWAM Townsville has operated, it has earned considerable recognition in North Queensland and Papua New Guinea. YWAM Townsville sends dozens of land-based teams up to PNG and throughout Australia each year.
YWAM Medical Ships Australia & Papua New Guinea partners with the National Department of Health and spends up to 10 months of the year delivering free health services and training to some of the most remote villages in Papua New Guinea.
What should my group size be?
There is no limit on how big a group is for training but for each outreach location, there is a maximum group size. Generally, big groups participate in training together and then separate into multiple teams for outreach. The smallest a group can be is six participants and two adults.
Do the participants have to be Christian?
No, YWAM Youth Adventures is available to anyone who wants to give a helping hand and develop personally. Often we have non-Christians in the group and they still find the ten days meaningful and impacting.
How many leaders do I need to send with my group?
It is required to have a ratio of at least one leader to every five minors, with a minimum of two leaders per outreach location.
Why do you ask leaders to come along?
It is a privilege to help coach youth through life! One of the greatest places to do this is outside of the normal environment. YWAM gives opportunity to relate to each other and to grow as a team so that once you return home, you are able to share memories and continue to foster the development that has happened during outreach.
What is your child protection policy?
Every YWAM volunteer and staff member must hold a current Queensland Blue Card (Police Check) and have undergone a child protection policy briefing. Every adult that participates in the program is requested to have a police check prior to arrival and must adhere to YWAM’s Working with Minors protocol. Our full child protection policy can be made available upon request.
Is travel insurance included?
Fees include limited coverage under a group travel policy. This policy includes limited coverage for overseas medical expenses, emergency assistance, and evacuation. We make no representation with respect to the adequacy of this policy and recommend that each participant consider their own insurance requirements to ensure each participant’s personal circumstances and requirements are met. The coverage under the group travel policy does not provide cover for loss of income in the case of injury or sickness suffered on outreach.
How are flights booked?
The cost for your outreach includes flights to outreach and any additional travel while in Papua New Guinea, except when participating in outreach on the ship. You will need to book your own travel to and from the ship. Flights are booked four weeks prior to the program start date, once the fees have been paid. Late payments may result in the cancellation of your outreach.
What is the role of Youth Adventures staff?
Each team is led by at least one experienced YWAM staff member that has had exposure to leading outreaches in multiple situations. The YWAM staff are there to help organise the logistics of your trip.
When coming with a group, who is responsible for the group?
As part of joining Youth Adventures, there is a joint duty of care. You as a group leader still maintain your normal (as per your organisation’s policy and procedures) level of duty of care for those participants joining the trip. On top of this YWAM Townsville takes on an extra duty of care for everyone on the trip (group leaders and participants and YWAM staff and students). Group leaders will be briefed on safety precautions on arrival to training and the outreach destination.
