Here's a question...

I received a question regarding rooming in a hotel at a student minsitry event so I thought I'd share....

Q: I'm contacting some of the other bigger churches to ask a question on how you organize rooms on retreats when it comes to hotel rooms. Recently we had a concern from two parents about one of our last trips. One was worried if there was no adult in the room who would keep someone from bullying her son. The other parents concern was she didn't want an adult sleeping in the same room as her middle school son. Do you put only students in a room together or do you put students and one adult? And what is your ultimate reasons behind your decision?

A: I have run events for both Junior High and High School Students using hotels. For Junior High we would always have an adult in each room. I request 2 Queen beds (4 students) and then usually provide an air mattress for the leader. For High School events I have had a leader overseeing 2 rooms, usually with an adjoining door if possible but this isn’t my ideal. Usually the co-leader would look after the additional room.

We have used hotel suites before that have a bedroom with 2 Queens and then a pullout in the living room which separates leaders/students. All our leaders have been cleared and fingerprinted by DoJ and interviewed by our staff before they are approved to be leaders in our ministry.

In my previous church in the UK we wouldn’t put adults and children together but I also wouldn’t have used a hotel unless I could have exclusive use of it (or at least the entire floor). Unfortunately you have to gauge your culture and then defend your decision.

Any other thoughts?