You must be at least 18 years old by the time of the trip to participate. You can apply if you are 17 as long as you will be 18 when the trip starts. There is no upper age limit, but please keep in mind that our trips are meant for college-aged students, and they will be given preference during the application process. Although we love and appreciate parents, they are not allowed to accompany their children on a FOCUS Mission trip.
TRIP RESOURCES
YOUR MISSION BEGINS HERE
Helpful trips, tricks, and instructions related to every step of the process!
Everything you need to go on mission with us
From how to apply to what to pack, we’ve got you covered.
Still have questions? Contact us and we would love to help.
Applying for a trip
How to talk to a parent about mission
It is important for you and your parent(s) to be on the same page. This is a chance to address any concerns they might have and help them understand your desire to go on mission.
Applying for your trip
FOCUS strives to make reasonable accommodations for anyone desiring to participate in a FOCUS mission trip. However, FOCUS Missions cannot guarantee that our host in a given mission location is able to accommodate every situation.
Interviewing for Your Trip
The interview helps in thee ways. It helps your trip director get to know you, it provides an opportunity for you to understand the demands of the trip, and it is a chance for you to ask questions about the mission.
Completing Participant Forms
This guide gives instructions on how to upload your participant forms.
Getting Ready for Mission
Fundraising: How To
Support raising provides the finances necessary to cover all Mission Trip expenses while incorporating others into Catholic mission work.
Your Fundraising Page
This guide will teach you how to create partnerships and fund your mission trip.
Visas
The process of applying and receiving a visa can be tedious and time consuming, and like passports the earlier you can apply the better.
Final Preparation for Mission
Packing List Basics
FOCUS Missions hosts a variety of trips in diverse locations. The following list provides general recommendations that do not account for all circumstances.
Mission Clothing Tips and Tricks
We understand that mission trips can be expensive, and the thought of buying more gear for your trip may seem daunting. The good news is you shouldn’t need to purchase anything to go on mission.
Mission Safety Protocol
A brief outline of the different safety precautions FOCUS Missions takes for our trips
Frequently Asked Questions
How old do I have to be to participate in a FOCUS Mission trip?
When do the applications close?
Applications for spring break trips close on November 30th, and applications for summer trips will close on February 15th.
I don’t know how to fundraise/No one wants to give me money to go on a trip!
Every FOCUS Missions participant is trained to effectively fundraise their mission trip cost. As FOCUS Missionaries, we raise our entire salary, trusting in people’s generosity and God’s grace to provide us with our spiritual and physical needs. If you feel called to participate in a FOCUS Mission, you will have the tools and support available to fundraise for your trip. A missionary will walk with you throughout the entire fundraising process. Allowing others to support us through their financial commitments and prayers is essential to the success of FOCUS Missions!
I’m not a Catholic, can I still participate on a FOCUS Mission Trip?
FOCUS Mission Trips are designed to be effective on two fronts: we provide aid to those in most need around the world and aim at building up the faith of those who volunteer on our mission trips. The latter goal, while certainly carried out with a Catholic angle, should not discourage anyone from applying. Catholics and non-Catholics alike are invited to take part in this excellent opportunity to do as Jesus did, working with the poor and “[making] disciples of all nations.” As a volunteer, you are asked to participate in group prayer and join in on faith discussions, but you will not be forced to participate in exclusively Catholic practices (i.e. the rosary, Catholic Mass etc).
I am not a student, can I participate in a FOCUS mission?
Non-students are allowed to apply for FOCUS mission trips. However, since our organization primarily caters to college students, students will have priority in trip placements. If there is a spot available on a mission trip after all the students have been placed, non-students will then be placed on the trip.
Where can I get more information about FOCUS the organization?
More information about FOCUS can be found at focus.org.
I want to make a financial contribution to FOCUS Missions. How can I do this?
You can make a financial contribution to FOCUS Missions here.
What's included in the estimated price of a FOCUS Mission trip?
- Round-trip airfare to mission country*
- Travel insurance
- Pre-trip orientation
- Post-trip debriefing
- All food, lodging, materials, and in-country transportation
*For mission trips that take place in the United States, airfare is not included in the fundraising cost, as students are expected to secure their own transportation to domestic mission locations.
What's NOT included in the estimated price of a FOCUS Mission trip?
- Cancellation insurance
- Visa fees and associated costs
- Immunizations
- Flights / ground transportation to a given departure city
- Personal Incidentals
- Certain elective entertainment activities
FOCUS Missions strives to create the highest quality, most highly effective Catholic mission trips that exist. Funds donated in support of a mission trip are some of the most direct contributions possible for a charitable cause. For example, if we are building a certain structure, funds that are donated are brought directly with us on the trip and used to purchase from local suppliers. Likewise, we recognize that we have great responsibilities as stewards of your generosity and therefore we do our best to ensure your hard-earned funds are spent responsibly in accord with your intentions.
Are FOCUS Mission trips safe?
FOCUS Missions holds safety as a prime consideration for any mission trip that we establish. When any threats to safety are perceived our goal is to mitigate these factors to the greatest extent possible. In circumstances where we feel that a situation has developed beyond a point where we can prudently take participants, we will not hesitate to reroute or cancel a trip. Beyond extreme circumstances, here are some of the practices we have in place to mitigate risk and ensure a safe mission:
- We work very closely with pre-existing religious orders, lay ministries, our Catholic clergy who are keenly familiar with the on-the-ground realities of the environment in which we are serving.
- FOCUS Missions pays for a full-time security consulting firm to monitor all trip locations and recommend the best course of action.
- Our mission directors are put through a full course of training in Risk Mitigation practices and emergency preparedness.
- Our full-time staff members are required to be familiar with all information provided by the US Department of State and the United States Center for Disease Control prior to the trip.
- Each of our groups traveling abroad is registered with the US Department of State.
- Each student participating in mission has travel insurance coverage that includes live emergency assistance that can connect them with qualified medical professionals at home and abroad.
- Students are taken through a stateside orientation retreat that addresses specific safety considerations prior to entering a foreign environment.
Overall, we strive to meet the delicate balance between faith and prudence. Please remember that volunteering and working abroad no more guarantees a lack of security than staying at home guarantees safety. Should you have any additional specific questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at: [email protected] or 303-551-7365.
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