Caving with children and young people can be a highly rewarding and enjoyable experience. However, if done improperly, this type of activity can turn into an emotional and financial nightmare. This website contains information that will help adult youth group leaders and cave trip leaders plan and execute the best and safest trip possible.

Take your time and explore all of the information within this website. Look at the pages that have been designed for other organized youth groups as well as the ones for the group to which you belong. There may be some information that pertains to special circumstances that you may encounter. Another organization may have a method of dealing with a situation that you may find useful.

If you are a youth group leader with little or no caving experience, you are highly encouraged to find an experienced caver to lead you and your group into a cave. However, be aware that not all experienced cavers are safe cavers. Please read the information that is offered in all the brochures published by the NSS before allowing anybody to lead your group into a cave. Read the caving accident reports to learn about what has gone wrong in caves.

Consider taking your group to a wild cave trip in a show cave before venturing off into a truly wild cave. Often these tours will satisfy the "caving urge" of many in your group and this is an easy way to arrange a caving trip. Several show caves have badge and patch activities that teach about speleology and geology. Find this information on the Wild Cave Tours and Sightseeing Trips button.

White Nose Syndrome is devastating colonies of bats in the northeastern part of the United States and is spreading. Please read the information we are linking to learn how you can help prevent the possible spread of this disease that is killing off populations of bats.

The NSS Regional Coordinator Program centers group of volunteers who assist youth group leaders, cavers and grottos in developing appropriate caving programs.They do not guide youth groups into caves as part of this program, though some do this on an individual basis. They act as a local resource and may answer questions to help direct youth groups to better and safer caving information. This is a new program. More volunteer Regional Coordinators may be added in the future.

Regional Coordinators receive hundreds of requests each year from youth groups. To help the Regional Coordinators keep track of your request, please enter the following into the subject line of each e-mail you send: YGLC, Organization (initials are preferable), Unit Number, Activity Date. YGLC stands for Youth Groups Liaison Committee and including this helps sort youth group requests from personal e-mail.

For example, if you are the leader of Boy Scout Troop 431 and you would like a cave conservation presentation on March 15, 2006, please enter the information in the subject line to read: YGLC, BSA, 431, 3/15/06

If you lead a youth group that does not have a unit number, or if you do not have a date in mind, please leave these spaces blank. For example, if you are the leader of a youth group called Adventure Kids that has no national or regional affiliation, and you don't have a date or activity in mind, please write in the subject line: YGLC, AK

Consider contacting the Regional Coordinator for your area.