NEW policies for 2009 WELS International Youth Rally
Please review these NEW policies for the 2009 WELS International Youth Rally. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Piggy-backing
For the 2009 rally, “piggybacking” with another group (adding teens to your group from another congregation that does not have its own adult leaders) will not be allowed. A teen or teens attending the 2009 rally must be accompanied by an adult from their own congregation who will take responsibility for them in loco parentis. This change is being instituted for the following reasons:
- Though probably not intended by those involved and sometimes regardless of the pre-rally assurances given, past rallies have found “piggybacked” teens unsupervised, overlooked, left out, or ignored by the groups with whom they piggybacked. This creates liability issues, hurt feelings, and a less than optimum rally experience for all involved.
- It is realistic to expect that individual congregations who have a teen or teens desiring to attend the rally would, as part of their congregational ministry to them, provide the best, safest, most meaningful experience for them by sending an adult chaperone from the congregation who knows and cares for the teens personally and can help them maximize their rally participation.
Youth Leaders-in-Training
For past rallies, group leaders were required to be at least 21 years old. Individuals out of high school but younger than age 21 were allowed to come as “leaders-in-training.” Experience has shown, however, that older teen “leaders-in-training” seem to participate more like teens than leaders, and that teen participants seem to treat the “leaders-in-training” more like peers. In consultation with WELS legal representatives about group leader minimum age, it was suggested that while leaders need not be 21, they probably should not still be teens. Therefore, for the 2009 rally, group leaders must be at least 20 years old and the “leaders-in-training” option will be eliminated.
Youth Commitment
Your youth must commit to registering and attending the rally before the Contact Youth Leader completes preregistration. No substitutions (except for reasons noted below under Refunds) and no additions will be allowed once the Contact Youth Leader has completed preregistration. The WELS International Youth Rally is a special opportunity for youth to gather in worship, fellowship, service, education, and recreation with perhaps one of the largest groups of WELS Christians ever in their lives. Registered participants are expected to make a firm commitment to attending that will only be broken for extreme or unavoidable reasons.
Refunds
Refunds will be allowed (less $100 service fee), but only for the following reasons:
- Participant illness or injury that prevents attendance
- Death or family emergency
Note: Work conflicts, changes of mind, family vacation plans, and “better opportunities” will not be accepted as reasons for refund. You will simply forfeit your spot (see Youth Commitment section above).