Overnight Activities
Overnight stays present unique risks to youth and staff. They often involve changing clothes, groups of both genders, and different ages in a more intimate atmosphere than usual, more unstructured activities, and increased supervision demands for staff.
Supervision Guidelines:
a. All overnight activities must be documented and approved in writing by the Executive Director.
b. The ED should appoint a “lead” staff to supervise the overnight activity. A meeting with all staff is conducted to discuss the unique risks of overnight trips, unique elements of the specific overnight trip and to review the specific policies and procedures.
c. Provide parents with written information about the overnight activity. All parents must sign a permission slip for their youth to attend the overnight.
d. Determine the appropriate staff-to-youth ratios before the event and schedule staff accordingly.
e. Meetings with the group should be hosted in open and observable areas; meetings should not be hosted in staff or youth rooms.
Overnights at the Facility:
a. Lock ins or overnights at YMCA facilities (excluding resident camp property) are not permitted through YMCA programs or Rental Groups
Overnights Away from the Facility:
a. Each participant must be assigned an individual sleeping space, and hotel rooms should house no fewer than three participants.
b. Overnight stays at private homes or non-traditional lodging such as: - VRBO -Airbnb - Rental houses - Cabins - Trailers or campers or Any temporary residence not classified as a hotel are prohibited.
c. No coach, staff member, volunteer, or other Applicable Adult may share a hotel room or sleeping arrangement with a minor athlete or program participant.
d. Adult athletes/program participants (18+) may share a room with a minor athlete/participant from the same competition or program category only with written parent/legal guardian permission for that specific trip.
e. Athletes/participants must be assigned rooms according to:
a. Same sex
b. Same age grouping
c. Same competition or program category
f. Athletes/participants must stay in their assigned rooms unless permission is granted by the Program supervisor.
g. Only hotels with interior hallways will be used.
h. Physical boundaries at the off-site location must be clearly defined and explained to the youth.
i. Assign each staff to a specific group of youth to supervise. Each staff member should then maintain a role sheet that lists all of the youth in his or her group.
j. Head counts and roll checks should be conducted routinely throughout the stay.
k. When performing room checks, staff should always go in pairs.
l. If in a cabin type setting with 4 or more participants, the staff should be placed in bunks to maximize supervision around the cabin and in a way that decreases the chances of youth sneaking out (such as by the door).
m. No changing of clothing should take place in open or community spaces.
n. All staff are to be on duty in the halls or cabins at night until an hour after lights out and all rooms are quiet.
o. All programs governed by USA Safesport will adhere to the Safesport Minor Athlete Travel & Hotel Policies located in the Safesport MAAPP.
Index: M16