Every year, thousands of teenagers gather in the Blue Mountains for KYCK, four huge weekends of Bible teaching, worship, fun and discipleship. For many youth ministries, it’s one of the biggest moments of the year.

Whether you’re taking a group for the first time or looking to refine your KYCK rhythm, here is a practical guide based on lessons learned from visiting youth groups, supporting leaders, and observing what actually helps groups thrive.

1. Prepare well before you leave
2. Recruiting your team: Leaders and youth
3. If you’re combining with another church
4. Where to stay and how to get there
5. Building your budget
6. Fundraising and church engagement
7. Preparing your youth before camp
8. Make the most of the journey
9. The weekend breakdown
10. After KYCK: Capture the momentum

1. Prepare well before you leave

Use the official KYCK resources

KYCK provides high-quality promo tools to get your group and your church excited. Use them early and often.

• Promo video
• PowerPoint/slide images
• Flyers
• Posters
• Social media graphics

You can find them all at: kyck.org.au/resources 

And if you want to explore past talks, get your leaders onto the KCC One App.

2. Recruiting your team: Leaders and youth

Getting the right people on the ‘bus’ is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

Think about leader ratios

Find the sweet spot between safety, discipleship, and sustainability. Ask:

• How many experienced leaders do we need?
• How many first-timers can we support?
• Who at church would benefit from spending a whole weekend with the youth?
  

Think socially

KYCK can be overwhelming. Try to ensure every young person is attending with at least one friend, so no one feels like the odd one out.

3. If you’re combining with another church

This is increasingly common, and often wonderful, but it requires clarity.

• Agree early on logistics, expectations, curfews, sleeping arrangements, and discipline processes.
• If a youth from Church A needs correction, should leaders from Church B step in? Decide before camp.

Clear communication upfront = less stress later.

4. Where to stay and how to get there

Leaders often underestimate how much the accommodation and transport shape the weekend.

Transport options

• Carpooling (fun, cheap, relational)
• Hiring a mini-bus or coach (simple, centralised)
• Public transport to the mountains and shuttle (less common, but possible)

Accommodation options

• KCC accommodation
• Offsite houses or churches
• Scout halls / community centres
• Airbnb-style rentals
• Camping (for the brave!)

Balance cost, convenience, and supervision. If offsite, build travel time into your schedule across the weekend.

5. Building your budget

A typical KYCK budget includes:

• Transport
• Accommodation
• KYCK tickets
• Food
• Merchandise (optional, but your youth will ask!)
• Fun/incidental expenses to build community
• A small buffer for breakages

Good budgeting also creates opportunities for church-wide support and prayer.

6. Fundraising and church engagement

Fundraising is more than money. It is an opportunity to bring your whole church into the mission. Here are some ideas:

• Bake stalls
• Car washes
• Sponsored challenges
• Parents’ night out
• After-church BBQ

It also trains your youth in teamwork, communication, and ministry skills.

7. Preparing your youth before camp

For many teenagers, KYCK is:

• Their first time in a huge gathering
• Their first weekend away from parents
• Their first youth camp ever

Show videos, explain the venue layout, talk about noise levels, crowds, and what sessions look like. Reducing anxiety increases discipleship opportunity.

8. Make the most of the journey

The trip up the mountain is prime relational time. Here are some deas:

• KYCK playlist or youth group playlist
• Car-chats about hopes for the weekend
• Car games
• Prayer together

Pro tip: Blaxland McDonalds is likely to be very busy.. Choose something closer to home, or a pizza shop further up the mountains and call ahead.

9. The weekend breakdown

Friday Night

• Plan your arrival time carefully. Traffic is often bad on a Friday afternoon/evening.
• Decide where you’ll gather afterwards.
  • KYCK is now promoting the use of KYCK STYKS, poster-sized banners/signs with your youth group’s name on it, to identify a meeting place for your group and help the shorter members keep track of where everyone is. Get a responsible person to hold the STYK, and instruct everyone to stay near, around or behind it. 
• Have a plan for getting from the session to your accommodation smoothly.
• Encourage youth to get enough sleep. Rest on night one makes Saturday far easier to manage.

Saturday Morning

• Breakfast is the engine room: simple, fast, filling.
• Arrive early to get good seats.
• This is a great time to visit the merch tent.

Saturday Afternoon

KYCK usually runs an all-in competition (touch footy, soccer, ultimate frisbee, the activity changes each year). Decide early if you’ll enter or choose your own adventure:

• Free time
• Scavenger hunt
• Visit Katoomba
• A bushwalk from Scenic World to the Three Sisters
• Treats at a local ice cream shop

Saturday Evening

• Will you eat onsite at the KCC Plaza BBQ?
• Will you help serve food?
• Or eat at your accommodation and head back?

Saturday night is the evangelistic talk. Be ready:

• Some youth may want to stay behind afterwards to chat or pray.
• Some leaders may volunteer on the KYCK decision team.
• Have a plan for getting the whole group home safely.
• You can debrief Saturday night, or wait until Sunday morning when the emotions settle. Either is fine, choose what fits your group.
• Encourage youth to wind down for sleep after the session: calm leader presence, screens off, quiet activities, and a clear lights-out routine.
• Prioritise drivers’ rest, they’ll need it for Sunday morning.

Sunday

• Check breakfast supplies, milk and bread often sell out locally.
• Head to the morning session together, ensuring all bags are packed if you need to vacate accommodation.
• Encourage youth to continue good sleep habits where possible to stay alert for the final sessions.
• Plan lunch and the return trip. Leura will be very busy, so consider another stop.
• If close to Sydney, a short activity on the way home can help youth decompress after a big weekend.
  

10. After KYCK: Capture the momentum

Don’t let the weekend fade into memory.

Ideas:

• Interview youth at church services.
• Share photos or a highlight video.
• Thank the congregation if they helped fundraise.
• Have leaders follow up spiritually with youth during the week.
• Run a special youth-night KYCK recap with testimonies.

This reinforces learning and helps your whole church see how God is at work.