What we look for in a Young Adult Volunteer
YAV love at an orientation. Photo by Simon Park
Meet the current Young Adult Volunteers (2012-2013).
- Volunteers should exhibit crosscultural sensitivity and a creativity and willingness to work with diverse communities.
- A basic understanding of the historical and contemporary religious, political and cultural realities of their site is expected.
- Volunteers should be mature, adaptable and independent. The ability to deal with uncertainty, ambiguity and contradiction is a plus, as are patience, persistence, initiative, good listening skills, a sense of humor and a desire to simply “be” with people and with God. Volunteers should demonstrate flexibility that will be needed to respond to unique situations and circumstances.
- Volunteers should have the ability to articulate their faith. Some sites, due to the nature of the cultural understanding of Christianity, ask for volunteers who are able to express their faith publicly.
- Some sites will require certain language skills or the willingness to learn a new language. In other cases, additional language skills are helpful, but not necessary.
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Comments
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Naomi--for the most part, the program is only for U.S. citizens or permanent residents. However, if you are able to secure your own visa and travel to the United States, then you could potentially serve at one of our 9 U.S. sites. A young woman from Belfast will be serving in Nashville this year.
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Is this programme only open to United States residents?
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Kelly Ann--sites in India, Kenya, Guatemala and Korea all have positions working in formal education. Opportunities in education are also available through national sites, through tutoring of all ages.
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What teaching positions/opportunities are available through YAV?
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Katie--certainly a YAV can be an ordained minister. A few candidates have taken positions as YAV as their first call.