Expeditions Guidelines & Policy
 
We as a mission take great care to monitor our international ministry fields, to support our missionary and national staff and to assess the risks assumed by any of our short-term service teams that might be considering travel to such places.  The following is a list of policy points that we take into consideration when determining the safety of our foreign fields as they pertain to US travelers and our willingness as a mission to sponsor official travel to these countries through the Young Life Expeditions program.

• Prior to approving travel to a particular YL International field, we will consult with the respective YL Vice President, Regional director, National director and national staff, as well as other consultants knowledgeable about that destination regarding safety and risk issues.  One of our Expeditions staff or one of the aforementioned supervisors will make a site visit to the host country and service location(s).

• We carefully review and monitor the US State Department Travel Alerts and Warnings posted on their main web site, www.travel.state.gov 

• Young Life International contracts with an international travel organization called SOS International, www.internationalsos.com , which provides emergency evacuation services for all of our full-time staff as well as for participants of our Expeditions service teams.  These services are available in the case of sudden severe political unrest or if an injured team member needs to be flown to another country (including the United States) for medical treatment.

• Expeditions teams serving on international fields will always be accompanied and chaperoned by our local staff who know the country best; the roads, places to avoid (if any), best times to travel, safest lodging facilities, etc.

• Expeditions teams will always use private or pre-arranged transportation while within their host country.  Short-term trip participants will not travel on their own while serving overseas with Young Life.  Our groups will always be picked up and returned to airports by private, trusted transportation and will always be with one or more of our local Young Life staff.

• Expeditions groups will only stay at housing/lodging facilities well-known and trusted by our US and local staff

• The Expeditions staff will always provide trip leaders contact information for the local hosting staff well ahead of the team’s trip.  The trip leader can then pass this information on to parents, friends, church or Young Life staff who might like to monitor and track the team while they are serving overseas.  Additionally, our US Expeditions coordinating staff can always be reached via email or phone throughout the duration of a team’s travel.