What is an AO! Assistant Trip Leader?

AO! Assistant Trip Leaders are AO! participants that have been invited into a special role. Their job will be to support the AO! Trip Leaders in their goal of providing a spiritually rich environment that capitalizes on planned adventures for God’s glory in the hearts of fellow participants and leaders alike. Assistant Trip Leaders’ primary responsibility is to support the group leaders as needed, with a special focus on mentoring and encouraging the young men and women alongside them in their personal walk with Christ. Spiritual maturity, a servant’s heart, and a desire to pray are crucial aspects of someone aspiring to serve in this capacity.

How do I become an AO! Assistant Trip Leader?

Assistant Trip Leaders must be at least 16 years of age by the time of their planned trip, preferably previous AO! attendees (potential exceptions for former WSS summer staff), have a desire to grow as a prayer warrior, and be spiritually mature. As an Assistant Trip Leader, you will undoubtedly be blessed by the fellowship, adventures, and devotions, but in this role, we ask for the focus to shift from receiving to giving. If you have a heart to give, encourage, mentor, and walk alongside fellow AO!ers for a week under the tutelage of peer leadership, then this role is for you. Finally, you need to have received a direct invitation from the WSS Youth Programs manager.

How is being an AO! Assistant Trip Leader different from being an AO! participant?

Early arrival!! AO! Trip Leaders have a lot of physical work to do in preparation for each week of camp. As an Assistant TL, you will be asked to arrive by Friday afternoon. The ideal arrival time is 3pm, giving you the opportunity to help complete final tasks for the coming week, as well as a dedicated evening of prayer and worship in spiritual preparation for arrival day. You will receive special devotional material leading up to your week of AO! with an emphasis on prayer, specifically for your fellow participants. Receive mentorship from the current Trip Leaders. This is a fantastic way to get your feet wet as a leader in the Allegheny Outback! program. If you have any desire to serve as a Trip Leader for a summer, this is the best way to start the process!

What happened to AO! Extreme and AO! Advanced?!

The role of AO! Assistant Trip Leaders is designed to meet the overlapping needs of campers and the AO! program alike. Over the years, multiple variations of “special” AO! programs have come and gone due to fluctuations in attendance, but the desire remains to give previous AO! participants something new and challenging. Simultaneously, we acknowledge that full vans make for the best trips, but a ratio of 15 participants to 3 leaders presents its own challenges. AO! Assistant Trip Leaders will be able to step into the gap, bringing the leader-led ratio down to 5:13, multiplying our capacity to see Christ glorified in every conversation along the journey.