FAQs Parents
Q. Why send my son or daughter on an AYS trip?
A. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to send your son or daughter on an LDS teen humanitarian expedition. AYS humanitarian trips change the lives of those served and those who serve. Service builds character and testimony.
Q. Can I accompany my son or daughter?
A. Yes. Come along as a volunteer adult coach. On every trip, we reserve space for adult male and adult female coaches. Click here for more information.
Q. Can you give me a contact for a parent who has sent their teenager on one of your expeditions?
A. Yes, we have an advisory board, comprised of past participant parents and also parents who have attended an AYS trip as an adult coach. You can find contact information for them in the About Us section. Click here for the advisory council information.
Q. How many kids and adults go on a typical AYS trip?
A. The typical trip is comprised of 10 Young Women and 6 Young Men, between the ages of 16 and 19. There is one group leader and three parent chaperons. AYS maintains a 1 adult to 5 youth ratio.
Q. How does AYS choose a trip leader?
A. Trip Leaders are recruited from within the organization. They may have attended AYS trips in the past as participants or as a trip leader trainee. Trip leaders serve in this capacity on a strictly volunteer basis. All of our trip leaders have been leaders in the YM/YW organization, hold current temple recommends and in most cases are returned missionaries. Click here for more information on our trip leaders.
Q. Will I be able to call my teen while they are out of the country?
A. Most locations where we serve don't have telephones. If you need to contact your child in case of an emergency, you may call AYS and we will contact the group leader to put you in contact with your child. AYS will send an email to the parents once the group has arrived at the departure destination and the group leader will send an email to the parents once the group has arrived in the foreign country. The group leader will also send an email about halfway through the trip to update parents, and the youth will have one opportunity about halfway through the trip to email home.
Q. Will there be someone to meet my teen when they get off the plane at the departure destination airport?
A. No. There will not be someone to meet your teen when they get off the plane at the trip departure airport (usually Los Angeles or Miami).
They will have to find their way from their arrival gate to a designated meeting place (usually the departure gate), where the trip leader or one of the adult coaches will be waiting for them. All AYS participants are given an AYS t-shirt to wear while traveling to help keep the group together. We will also provide them with the cell phone number of the leader just in case they need to call for directions.
Q. Do I need to purchase travel insurance for my teen while they are on an AYS expedition?
A. No. AYS will purchase an international travel and medical emergency policy for your child while they are out of the country. AYS will email you confirmation of that policy about a week prior to the trip departure date. You do need to have your youth covered by your own health insurance policy.
Q. Who can participate in an AYS expedition?
A. Single youth ages 16-19 who submit an online application and are accepted to the program.
Q. How long has AYS been sending LDS youth on these "mini service missions" to poverty-stricken areas?
A. Since 1999. Areas of service include: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Fiji, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Tonga, United States (Appalachia), and West Africa.
Q. How many youth participate?
A. In 2009, nearly 200 youth from throughout the U.S. and Canada traveled abroad to serve on one of nine AYS expeditions. In 2010, service projects were increased to try to meet the increasing demand from youth who want to to participate.
Q. Is an AYS expedition a site-seeing trip?
A. No. Of the typical 18-day expedition, only Saturdays are set aside for site seeing. AYS believes in immersing youth in the communities and among the people of foreign lands to help them understand the lessons of poverty and the genuine joy that comes serving those in the most extreme circumstances.