Mir Pace Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a faith-based organization? Mir Pace is a Catholic volunteer service organization. We welcome and embrace high school students without regard to race, religion or nationality. We work primarily in collaboration with the Missionary of Charity family of Fathers and Sisters (founded by Bl. Mother Teresa) and also with other local and international aid organizations, each of whom are integral parts of their communities. They have offered the most trustworthy and readily accessible doorway into the lives of the people who need the services we provide. Our faith affiliation has been an essential part of building trust and common ground within those communities through which our teen volunteers are a source of light and hope in those communities.
What sets you apart form other international travel organizations? Mir Pace is unique in that we provide a pure and complete service and immersion experience for high school students. We do not build in cultural excursions or other “tourist” activities. Moreover, teen volunteers are not accompanied by a parent or guardian in order that they may have a more unguarded, independent, life-changing growth experience.
How do you pick the locations? Locations are identified in collaboration with our host representatives. To best utilize Mir Pace’s resources, Mir Pace targets areas where other aid agencies and groups are not present and where populations have truly been abandoned. The levels of need, access to basic human necessities, and safety for our volunteers are our primary considerations.
Do the kids need special skills? Mir Pace doesn't ask that students have a special skill or even prior experience in international travel, aid, or development work. The projects to which we send our students require exceptional volunteers possessing a desire to help rebuild lives with a selfless regard for the welfare of others. Mir Pace conducts mandatory orientation sessions that educate students culturally, as well as in the project work that they will be involved.
Are the chaperones CORIed? Yes. Superior leadership is a critical component of all Mir Pace student volunteer programs. Mir Pace leaders are CORIed, are certified in CPR and First Aid, and have extensive experience working with youth and with the relevant host representatives. Moreover, all leaders have participated in Mir Pace's own intensive training program.
How much does it cost? In-country costs remain fairly consistent, but the total cost of each trip is dependent upon the cost of air travel at the time of booking. The total trip cost includes air travel, ground transportation, accommodations, and all meals. We can provide an estimated total cost based upon the prior year. Once airfares are determined, the total trip cost is posted on the country web page.
Why are your programs so inexpensive? In an effort to bring our programs to as many young people as possible, we work to ensure that the cost of each trip is affordable and attainable through fundraising, without compromising the quality of our programs. We are able to keep our costs low because we do not stay in "high end" hotels, eat at restaurants, etc. Because of the level of poverty and the remoteness of the areas in which we work, we stay in homes that usually have electricity and running water, yet very often require us to sleep on floors and bathe out of buckets of cold water. On average, our high school student volunteers come from families of modest income levels and we ask each participating student to raise his/her own program costs. We strongly believe that student fundraising plays a vital role because it promotes teamwork, ownership of the fundraising project, and ensures that students recognize and share the aspirations of Mir Pace.
How do you keep the group safe? The safety and security of our high school student volunteers is our highest priority. We are in constant communication with our in-country hosts, we monitor closely local news agencies, and we register with the American Embassies in order that they know where we are, what we are doing, and for how long. In addition, every group is led by highly trained adult leaders, most of whom have five or more years leading Mir Pace mission trips.
Can I reach my son or daughter while on the trip? Communication depends upon our location, but is usually very limited. The Group Leader carries a cell or satellite phone and our teens are asked to call home immediately upon arrival and just before departing the host country. Parents are provided with the contact information for our Group Leader, as well as our host(s).
How do you know what the teens are getting from the program? Post-trip, our teens are asked to submit statements that express the impact our program had on them. Their comments are then evaluated in order to help us improve future programs. Additionally, we provide our volunteers with a post-trip evaluation/assessment form. We also keep in contact with our volunteers in order to learn what they are doing, service wise, which they can attribute directly back to their experience with Mir Pace. The results have been humbling.
Do you have fundraisers? Mir Pace’s sole source of funding is from the generosity of individual donors. Additionally, students often conduct fundraising events in order to raise funds for both their travel and the organization. 100 percent of donations received go directly to benefit those communities where we serve.
What sets you apart form other international travel organizations? Mir Pace is unique in that we provide a pure and complete service and immersion experience for high school students. We do not build in cultural excursions or other “tourist” activities. Moreover, teen volunteers are not accompanied by a parent or guardian in order that they may have a more unguarded, independent, life-changing growth experience.
How do you pick the locations? Locations are identified in collaboration with our host representatives. To best utilize Mir Pace’s resources, Mir Pace targets areas where other aid agencies and groups are not present and where populations have truly been abandoned. The levels of need, access to basic human necessities, and safety for our volunteers are our primary considerations.
Do the kids need special skills? Mir Pace doesn't ask that students have a special skill or even prior experience in international travel, aid, or development work. The projects to which we send our students require exceptional volunteers possessing a desire to help rebuild lives with a selfless regard for the welfare of others. Mir Pace conducts mandatory orientation sessions that educate students culturally, as well as in the project work that they will be involved.
Are the chaperones CORIed? Yes. Superior leadership is a critical component of all Mir Pace student volunteer programs. Mir Pace leaders are CORIed, are certified in CPR and First Aid, and have extensive experience working with youth and with the relevant host representatives. Moreover, all leaders have participated in Mir Pace's own intensive training program.
How much does it cost? In-country costs remain fairly consistent, but the total cost of each trip is dependent upon the cost of air travel at the time of booking. The total trip cost includes air travel, ground transportation, accommodations, and all meals. We can provide an estimated total cost based upon the prior year. Once airfares are determined, the total trip cost is posted on the country web page.
Why are your programs so inexpensive? In an effort to bring our programs to as many young people as possible, we work to ensure that the cost of each trip is affordable and attainable through fundraising, without compromising the quality of our programs. We are able to keep our costs low because we do not stay in "high end" hotels, eat at restaurants, etc. Because of the level of poverty and the remoteness of the areas in which we work, we stay in homes that usually have electricity and running water, yet very often require us to sleep on floors and bathe out of buckets of cold water. On average, our high school student volunteers come from families of modest income levels and we ask each participating student to raise his/her own program costs. We strongly believe that student fundraising plays a vital role because it promotes teamwork, ownership of the fundraising project, and ensures that students recognize and share the aspirations of Mir Pace.
How do you keep the group safe? The safety and security of our high school student volunteers is our highest priority. We are in constant communication with our in-country hosts, we monitor closely local news agencies, and we register with the American Embassies in order that they know where we are, what we are doing, and for how long. In addition, every group is led by highly trained adult leaders, most of whom have five or more years leading Mir Pace mission trips.
Can I reach my son or daughter while on the trip? Communication depends upon our location, but is usually very limited. The Group Leader carries a cell or satellite phone and our teens are asked to call home immediately upon arrival and just before departing the host country. Parents are provided with the contact information for our Group Leader, as well as our host(s).
How do you know what the teens are getting from the program? Post-trip, our teens are asked to submit statements that express the impact our program had on them. Their comments are then evaluated in order to help us improve future programs. Additionally, we provide our volunteers with a post-trip evaluation/assessment form. We also keep in contact with our volunteers in order to learn what they are doing, service wise, which they can attribute directly back to their experience with Mir Pace. The results have been humbling.
Do you have fundraisers? Mir Pace’s sole source of funding is from the generosity of individual donors. Additionally, students often conduct fundraising events in order to raise funds for both their travel and the organization. 100 percent of donations received go directly to benefit those communities where we serve.
