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Baylor Missions + Student Organizations Leader Handbook

(updated 2016)

Section 1: Table of Contents

Welcome Letter…………………...……………...…..…………. 3Purpose of Baylor Missions……………………………….....4Learning Goals………………………………………………….….4Learning Outcomes…………………………………….………..4Guiding Principles…………………………………….………….5Expectations for Student Org Mission Trips

For International Trips….………………………..6-7 For Domestic Trips……………………………...…..7-8

Role of Baylor Missions ………………………….……………9The Non-Negotiables...… ………………………….…………10Role of Faculty/Staff Leaders.. ……………………...11-12Role of Student Leaders…………………………….……….13

Baylor Missions + Student Organizations Leader Handbook: Section ONE: Expectations pg. 2

Dear Student Leaders and Faculty/Staff Leaders,

We are honored to partner with you to create an once-in-a-lifetime missions experience for your organization! We do not take it for granted that you will sacrifice time, energy, and resources to take on this endeavor. Our team at Baylor Missions commits to you to do the same.

In the weeks and months ahead we will have many opportunities to plan, pray, and prepare together. We encourage you to take full advantage of those opportunities and all available resources from Baylor Missions. One valuable resource is this team leader’s manual. We have combined our collective knowledge and experience with outside sources to provide you with a “go to” guide as you plan and implement your trip.

For all questions, concerns, or ideas that are not included in this manual, please feel free to contact our staff. We are here to serve you as we all serve our students. We want you to be successful and empowered.

Please know that we are praying for you as you prepare and lead students on this life-changing adventure. It is our hope that the students on your team not only enjoy the experience, but also discover a sense of vocation and calling as they see first-hand how they can use their skills and passions to serve around world.

Blessings,

Holly TateAssistant Director for Baylor Global Missions

Carole MeriwetherAssistant Director for Baylor Urban and Domestic Missions


The Purpose of Baylor Missions is to shape Baylor's faithful

engagement with Waco and the world by creating intentional opportunities to integrate faith, learning, and service within a broad Christian worldview.

As part of the Office of Spiritual Life at Baylor University, Our Mission is to nurture theological depth, spiritual wholeness, and missional living in the students, staff, and faculty at Baylor University by offering integrated formational programming, transformative missional experiences, competent pastoral care, and worship that is responsive to the Christian Tradition and sensitive to the culture.

Learning Goals:Baylor Missions seeks to educate students about vocation as mission, Christian responsibility, and the practice of intentionality. We help students:

Practice intentionality within the context of their mission experiences.

Apply the practice of Christian responsibility to their mission experiences.

Discuss the concept of vocation as calling.

Global Missions Learning Outcomes:We want those who participate any BU Missions team to…

Practice respect for differences within our community Articulate how you have seen God at work and how you can

participate Describe how you can use your skills and passions, in the future,

to impact the world.


Guiding PrinciplesAt BU Missions, we believe that we can participate in God’s Kingdom work through our work, by both finding situations that utilize our specific skills as well as living out the Christian life everyday in the classroom, workplace and community, wherever that may be.

As we consider mission projects, global partners, student leaders and team leaders, we use the following principles to guide our decisions:

1. Discipline-Specific Missions We focus primarily on a discipline-specific approach to missions

as it helps our students understand how they can use their specific strengths and passions in service of Christ and the world.

2. Global Partners We work in relationship with global partners, those individuals

or organizations in country that help lead the way to meet the needs of their community.

3. Long-Term Commitment We will commit 3-5 years of sending short-term teams to a

specific location or to address a particular issue (i.e. an engineering team that builds a hydro-generator in Honduras or a social work team that focuses on anti-human trafficking efforts).

4. Reciprocity It has been argued that those who participate in short-term

missions receive more benefit than they give. It is our goal to create a shared experience where everyone benefits. It is our intent to learn from other cultures and share with them our knowledge, resources and care.

5. Reflection/Integration We believe it is our responsibility to insure that all students have

an outlet for reflection on their experience. It is our hope that through this reflection process, we are helping our students integrate this experience into their daily lives.


Expectations for Student Organization Mission Trips (from Student Activities’ Student Org Handbook)Student organizations wishing to provide a mission trip (either domestic or international) opportunity to their members are required to partner with Baylor Missions and follow the guidelines below.

For international mission trips:o Meet with Baylor Missions to set trip objectives, and select dates and

global partners that are the best fit for your team's skills and passions in locations worldwide

to set up initial meeting with Baylor Missions, contact [email protected] or stop by the Bobo Spiritual Life Center.

o Submit on Online Event Registration Form with Student Activities https://orgsync.com/login/baylor-university no later than October 1.

o Each international team requires TWO Baylor Faculty Leaders (full time Baylor faculty/staff) to commit to going on the trip with them, prior to filling out the proposal. One leader can be a graduate student. If co-ed team, prefer to have both genders represented by leadership

These sponsors do not have to be your organization’s advisors. These two Faculty Leaders will have their trips paid for by F/S

leadership grants from Baylor Missions All Faculty Leaders must be interviewed and approved by Baylor

Missions and have the permission of their direct supervisor to go on the trip.

Faculty Leaders must attend mandatory Team Leader Orientation, Budget/Financial and Risk Management Trainings.

o Submit official Student Org Mission Trip Proposal and supporting risk management documents to Baylor Missions no later than October 1. Proposal must be digitally approved by Baylor Missions, Student Activities, Center for Global Education, and VP for Student Life in order to move forward with recruitment.

Proposal template can be found here: http://www.baylor.edu/missions/studentorgs

o After trip has started the approval process, student leaders and Faculty Leaders will work directly with Baylor Missions to coordinate ALL logistics (ie. tickets, accommodations, visas, etc.), financial management, ministry efforts, and mission trip objectives.

All trips will be held to budget and deadlines set by the university to make payments and pay outstanding invoices for trip


http://www.baylor.edu/missions/studentorgs

https://orgsync.com/login/baylor-university

mailto:[email protected]

All contracts and financial commitments on behalf of team must be pre-approved by BUMissions. Students and F/S leaders cannot sign any contracts or commitments on behalf of the University.

All trips must follow timeline and deadlines set by Baylor Missions for application deadlines, material submissions, and payment deadlines

o Student Organizations will utilize “BearsAbroad” the online application system to manage applications and paperwork and financial deadlines

o All team members and Faculty Leaders are required to attend an orientation (ie. BU Missions Summit) provided by BU Missions prior to departure. Dates are non-negotiable, make sure you’re entire team can be present.

o Student leaders and Faculty Leaders will be required to attend monthly risk management, cross-cultural, and spiritual formation workshops

o Leaders will submit final itinerary to BUMissions no less than 35 days prior to departure.

o Comply with all policies, procedures, and codes of conduct as set by Baylor Missions, Student Activities, Center for Global Engagement and Risk Management.

For domestic mission trips:o Meet with Baylor Missions: to set trip objectives, and select dates and

community partners that are the best fit for your team's skills and passions stateside.

to set up initial meeting with Baylor Missions, contact [email protected] or stop by the Bobo Spiritual Life Center.

o Submit on Online Event Registration Form with Student Activities https://orgsync.com/login/baylor-university for the trip no less than three months prior to the departure date.

o Each domestic team requires only one Baylor Missions approved Faculty Leader to commit to going on the trip with them, confirmed prior to starting the proposal.

Sponsor does not have to be your organization’s advisor. The sponsor will have their trip paid for by F/S leadership grants

from Baylor Missions Faculty Leader must be interviewed and approved by Baylor

Missions and have the permission of their direct supervisor to go on the trip.

Faculty Leader must attend mandatory Team Leader Orientation, Budget/Financial and Risk Management Trainings.


https://orgsync.com/login/baylor-university

mailto:[email protected]

o Submissions of official Student Org Mission Trip Proposal to Baylor Missions are accepted on a rotating schedule. If you miss this deadline for the time of year you’re requesting, contact Baylor Missions for Proposal must be digitally approved by Baylor Missions, Student Activities, and VP for Student Life in order to move forward with recruitment.

Proposal template can be found here: http://www.baylor.edu/missions/studentorgs

o After trip has started the approval process, student leaders and Faculty Leaders will work directly with Baylor Missions to coordinate ALL logistics (ie. transportation, accommodations, etc.), financial management, ministry efforts, and mission trip objectives.

All trips will be held to budget and deadlines set by the university to make payments and pay outstanding invoices for trip

All contracts and financial commitments on behalf of team must be pre-approved by BUMissions. Students and F/S leaders cannot sign any contracts or commitments on behalf of the University.

All trips must follow timeline and deadlines set by Baylor Missions for application deadlines, material submissions, and payment deadlines

o Student Organizations will utilize “BearsAbroad” the online application system to manage applications and paperwork and financial deadlines

o All team members and Faculty Leaders are required to attend an orientation (ie. BU Missions Summit) provided by BU Missions prior to departure. Dates are non-negotiable, make sure you’re entire team can be present.

o Student leaders and Faculty Leaders will be required to attend monthly risk management, cross-cultural, and spiritual formation workshops

o Leaders will submit final itinerary and domestic travel forms to BUMissions no less than 35 days prior to departure.

o Comply with all policies, procedures, and codes of conduct as set by Baylor Missions, Student Activities, and Risk Management.


http://www.baylor.edu/missions/studentorgs

The Role of BU MissionsAs you have read the list of expectations and responsibilities, please know that it is the desire of BU Missions to support, guide and serve you, the team leader, as you create and execute these experiences.

BU Missions will:

- Identify and approve all mission projects according to our guiding principles

- Obtain approval for trips according to Baylor travel policy- Approve all team leaders- Set up the Bearsabroad application site (Baylor’s international travel

database) https://bearsabroad.baylor.edu- Work with team leaders to plan positive mission experiences- Publicize and provide general recruitment for all teams- Be responsible for all financial decisions AND contractual agreements - Plan all logistics: travel, housing, food, transportation, etc. In some

cases the team leader, because of his/her experience in this location, may be more hands-on with planning logistics.

- Inform every student of Baylor’s cell phone policy for international travel

- Provide support and resources for team building, fundraising, itinerary planning, etc.

- Communicate all deadlines, policies and procedures as clearly as possible

- Provide cultural and spiritual orientation for all participants- Provide information to students and leaders about required and

recommended vaccines- Provide administrative support in country to allow team leaders

freedom to lead their groups (when applicable)- Offer help in planning debriefing activities upon return

This list is thorough, but certainly not exhaustive. Some items may not always be applicable based upon the needs and environment of any given leader, team or country.


https://bearsabroad.baylor.edu/

The Non-Negotiables BU Missions collaborates with many constituencies in planning trips. It is necessary to establish policies and procedures that will streamline the process and allow us to use our resources and staff in the best and most efficient manner possible. Because of the desire to be good stewards of the resources available and to be consistent with every staff member, faculty and student involved, the following is a list of non-negotiables. In order to participate in a BU mission trip, all teams, must be willing to comply with these items:

1. BU Missions will set budget meeting with faculty/staff and student leaders to determine the overall trip cost. BU missions works with each team leader to determine the trip cost through a budget approval process. Please do not quote a cost to students unless it has been confirmed through our office. We cannot honor non-approved quotes.

2. Our office approves all travel arrangements. These include but are not limited to: contracts, airline tickets, buses, cars, rail tickets, hotels, housing, and food. Our office is receptive to recommendations made by team leaders but these recommendations need to be submitted to our office no later than October 1st. Baylor Mission Trips are GROUP TRAVEL experiences. Any extenuating circumstances that require travel outside of the group must be submitted in writing and approved by Baylor Missions

3. Fundraising policies are set by Baylor University. We provide the faculty/staff leader with regular reports of all funds that have been given or paid toward their students or team.

4. Team meetings are a vital part of our missions program as they allow the team to bond. Plan your project, but also form a plan to prepare your students mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for this venture. We encourage regular meetings. During busy times that may not be feasible, so we encourage you to at least be in contact by email and to meet with them once a month.

5. Supplies and Project funds are built into individual trip costs. If your team requires more funds than this allotment, it is up to the team to raise those funds. Contact the Assistant Dean for Spiritual Life for more information.

6. All faculty/staff and student leaders are required to actively participate in BU Missions team leader orientation and online training courses, Approval, BUMissions Summit, Budget Training, Cash Advance Meeting ,and TER Submission


7. Attendance at spring break or summer BU Missions Summit (orientation) is required for every trip participant AND team leaders.

The Role of a Faculty/Staff LeaderThis list is thorough, but certainly not exhaustive.

In General, Faculty/Staff Leaders:- Desire to see students discover a sense of vocation as mission- Are committed to the philosophy and vision of BU Missions as a part of

the mission of Baylor.- Are an integral part of the planning process and mission experience

Specifically, Faculty/Staff Leaders:- Work with BU Missions and student leaders to determine the emphasis

of their specific team- Are knowledgeable of the various policies and procedures for trip

planningo All mission trip policies and procedures, as well as trip leader

resources such as a team leader manual, timelines, planning tools, and submission materials are now available at www.baylor.edu/missions /leaders

- Work with BU Missions leadership to submit official mission trip proposal through BearQuest

- Work with student leaders to recruit, interview and approve students- Attend regular team meetings and prayer times with team- Prepare students as a team for the mission experience- Insure your team members are keeping up with deadlines (paperwork

and financial documentation)- Communicate financial information with individual team members as

needed- Work with student leaders to formulate an itinerary and budget for the

in country experience- Actively participate in BUMissions team leader workshops and online

training courses- Support and challenge students before, during, and after the trip - Follow and enforce Baylor Code of Conduct and BU Missions’

expectations- Encourage and participate in debriefing activities with the students

upon return


http://www.baylor.edu/missions/leaders

Important Things to Know:- Every team leader must be approved by the Assistant Dean for

Spiritual Life and Missions, and have permission from their direct supervisor.

- A minimum of 10 students is required for each team. Smaller teams will have to be approved by the Assistant Dean for Spiritual Life and Missions.

- The trip cost for faculty/staff leaders is covered by BU Missions leadership grant- excluding passport, personal items, and immunizations or medical expenses.

Things to Consider:- Have you talked with your family and considered other personal or

professional commitments before deciding to go?- Have you talked with your department? Will you have to take time off

to participate?o For Student Life staff! Upon approval of the trip, Student Life staff

members with leadership or organizational responsibility for the mission trip may receive paid leave for the time spent away from campus leading the trip. This will typically be limited to ten working days. Under special circumstances, paid leave beyond ten working days may be allowed during traditionally slow work periods. If the nature of a trip should necessitate a longer time away, a staff member may request to use paid personal leave or time off without pay. Any special circumstances must receive approval from immediate supervisor and from the appropriate Dean in Student Life.


The Role of a Student LeaderThis list is thorough, but certainly not exhaustive.

In General, Student Leaders:- Desire to see you and your peers discover a sense of vocation as

mission- Are committed to the philosophy and vision of BU Missions as a part of

the mission of Baylor- Actively collaborate with the faculty/staff leader and BU Missions in

the planning process

Specifically, Student Leaders:- Must attend required Student Org Leader Trainings- Recruit faculty/staff leader (2 for International, 1 for Domestic)- Will be knowledgeable of the various policies and procedures for trip

planningo All mission trip policies and procedures, as well as trip leader

resources such as a team leader manual, timelines, planning tools, and submission materials are now available at www.baylor.edu/missions /leaders

- Follow and enforce Baylor Code of Conduct and BU Missions’ expectations

- Work with faculty/staff leader to submit trip proposal through BearQuest

- Prepare students as a team for the missions experience through planning, advertising, and attending regular team meetings and prayer times for trip participants

- Insure student team members are keeping up with deadlines set by BU Missions

- Formulate an itinerary with the faculty/staff leader for the in country experience

- Support and challenge students before, during, and after the trip - Plan and participate in debriefing activities with your team upon

return


http://www.baylor.edu/missions/leaders

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