Youth Mission Trips

Youth Mission Trips

What are the best youth mission trips?

The best youth mission trips provide middle school and high school groups with real service opportunities alongside established local ministries, and include daily time to worship, reflect, and grow together. Experience Mission (EM) hosts 6-10 day group mission trips for youth groups of 6 or more people in communities across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Every EM youth mission trip is built around local partners who leads the work and EM field staff who support your team on site, allowing adult leaders to stay with your students and support them as they engage and serve.

As you compare youth mission trip opportunities, look for these marks of healthy service:

Established local partners - A host ministry that knows its community directs the work
Age-appropriate service - Projects and settings that fit middle school or high school students
Clear supervision - Adult-to-student ratios and a named adult leader for every team
Preparation before travel - Cross-cultural training helps students arrive as guests and learners
Time to reflect - Daily worship and debrief help students carry what they learn back home

For a deeper checklist, read what to look for in a youth group mission trip.

What youth mission trip opportunities does EM offer?

EM's group mission trips are built for church youth groups, Christian schools, and ministry teams of six or more. The page for each community lists the ages they are able to host, open weeks for teams, and the per-person cost.

Youth groups can choose between two kinds of trips:

Middle school mission trips - Communities that welcome students from 6th grade and up.
High school mission trips - Communities that welcome students from 9th grade or age 14 and up, including disaster recovery and most international trips.

Mixed groups of middle and high school students can serve together in any community that fits the youngest student on the team.

What do youth groups do on a mission trip?

Most days on an EM youth mission trip center on worksite projects or local ministry support, shaped by what each host partner asks for that week. During summer trips, teams close each day with Evening Gathering, a 30-60 minute time of worship, prayer, debrief of the day, and short devotional discussion.

Depending on the community, youth groups may serve in these areas:

Repair and disaster recovery - Home repair, construction, and rebuilding projects led by local partners
Kids ministry - Kids Club, day camps, sports, and recreation alongside local leaders
Care and support - Food programs, elderly care, and support for neighbors facing hardship
Community and church support - Hands-on help with the ongoing work of a local church or ministry

Each mission trip community page lists its focus areas, so your group can match its gifts to work already underway.

Does EM have mission trips for middle school youth groups?

Yes! Seven EM communities welcome students from 6th grade and up, in the U.S., Belize, Costa Rica, and Namibia. Middle school teams need at least one adult for every five students. See middle school mission trips for each community’s grade range, trip length, and per-person cost.

Does EM have mission trips for high school students and teens?

Yes! Every EM group mission trip welcomes high school students, and many communities serve only teams of high schoolers and adults. Disaster recovery trips start at age 14, and most international trips allow volunteers in the 9th grade and up.

High school teams can choose from all EM mission trips, including these high school-only communities:

U.S. cities - Chicago, Illinois, New York City, and Savannah, Georgia
Rural U.S. and the border - Marion, North Carolina, and Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Disaster recovery - Hurricane recovery in Jamaica
Caribbean communities - Cuba and Puerto Rico
Africa and Asia - Cape Town and Pretoria, South Africa, and Sentani, Indonesia

High school teams need at least 1 adult for every 7 students. See high school mission trips for more details about serving with older students.

How does EM keep youth mission teams safe?

EM builds safety into every youth mission trip through clear supervision, screened adult leaders, and trained field staff. Your group's adult leaders stay responsible for students throughout the week, while EM field staff and local partners guide the team on site.

Every youth team follows these safety standards:

An adult leader age 21 or older - Every team with minors must have at least one
Required ratios - 1 adult for every 7 high school students and 1 for every 5 middle school students
Background checks - Every participant age 18 and older completes one before serving under EM's background check policy
Trained field staff - EM field staff hold First Aid and CPR certification and provide stocked medical kits on site

Read EM's full Health & Safety Plan for emergency response and how EM and team leaders share responsibility.

How much does a youth mission trip cost?

Per-person costs for EM youth mission trips currently range from $475 to $599 in the U.S., $795 to $995 in Latin America and the Caribbean, $1,345 in Asia, and $1,395 to $1,595 in Africa. U.S. trips are often the most affordable choice for youth groups.

The trip cost covers lodging, meals, work project materials, support for local partners, and EM field staff, plus in-country transportation on international trips. Budget separately for travel to and from the community, adult background checks, and any international entry or exit fees.

Many youth groups raise part of their trip cost together. EM's Mission Trip Fundraising Guide offers ideas for students and leaders, and the registration and payment policy explains deposits and payment dates.

Are there U.S. mission trips for youth groups?

Yes! EM hosts youth groups in rural and urban communities across the United States. Domestic trips need no passports, cost less to travel to, and often allow shorter travel days for students.

Youth teams on U.S. trips serve alongside local partners such as Sunshine Gospel Ministries in Chicago, The Salvation Army in New York City, Old Savannah City Mission in Georgia, Pikeville Presbyterian Church in Kentucky, Ark of Highland Lakes in Central Texas, and Border Perspective in the Rio Grande Valley.

Are there international mission trips for youth groups?

Yes! EM hosts youth groups in Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, as well as South Africa, Namibia, and Indonesia. Most international communities welcome high school students, and Belize, Costa Rica, and Namibia also welcome middle school students.

Youth teams serve alongside partners such as Family of God Church and Pastor Nelzon Guillen in Belize, Victor and Sara Mayorga-Molina in Costa Rica, and The Family Church and Pastor Jose Garcia in Puerto Rico. Every student needs a passport for trips outside the U.S. and its territories; U.S. citizens do not need a passport for Puerto Rico.

How do you plan a youth group mission trip?

Most youth leaders plan a mission trip 6-12 months ahead, especially for summer weeks. The leader of your group handles registration, and EM support staff help along the way.

Planning a youth mission trip with EM follows these steps:

Choose a community - Match age range, dates, service focus, and cost to your group
Reserve your week - Submit an interest form to learn more before registering your team online
Recruit adult leaders - Meet the required ratios, with at least one leader age 21 or older
Complete background checks - Every participant 18 and older, confirmed by the team leader in your online MyMission account
Prepare your students - EM's cross-cultural training is optional but strongly recommended!
Fundraise and travel - Raise support as a team and plan travel to the community

EM's complete guide on how to plan a mission trip walks youth leaders through each step in detail!

What is EM's approach to a youth mission trip?

We believe how a youth group serves matters as much as what you accomplish. EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles encourage every team to come with humility, curiosity, and respect, entering a community as guests rather than tourists.

For students, that means putting people over projects. Genuine relationships with neighbors and local partners matter more than finishing a task, because every person has innate dignity, bearing the image of God. Teams trust that God is already present in each community before they arrive and humbly join what God is already doing.

Read all 7 principles on EM's Approach to Missions

Youth Mission Trips FAQs

When do youth mission trips take place?

Most EM youth mission trips run during summer, with some communities open during spring break and other times of year. Each trip page lists its open weeks, so you can compare all EM communities against your group's calendar.

How long is a youth mission trip?

EM group mission trips last 6-10 days. That length fits most summer calendars and gives students enough time to build relationships and settle into the rhythm of a community.

Can a teenager go on a mission trip without a youth group?

EM group mission trips require a team of at least six people, and EM is unable to place individual students on another team. Students can ask their church, school, or a group of families to form a team. After high school, young adults can apply individually to IMMERSION or a Gap Year program.

How many people do we need for a youth mission trip?

Most EM communities host teams of six or more, and some international communities require a larger team. Each trip page lists its minimum group size.

Do students need special skills to go on a mission trip?

No. Students need a willingness to listen, learn, and serve where the host community asks. Local partners direct the work, and EM field staff guide your team on site.

Can Catholic youth groups go on an EM mission trip?

Yes! While EM is not a Catholic organization, we are an interdenominational Christian organization, and youth groups from many church traditions and backgrounds serve on EM trips, including groups from Catholic parishes and schools.

Find a youth mission trip for your group!

Explore 2027 youth mission trips and find a community that fits your group's dates, size, and grade range! Browse youth group mission trips to compare communities, service focus, and per-person cost.

Written and reviewed by Experience Mission Staff - Updated: October 2026