Youth With A Mission, also known as YWAM, is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups, and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. The common purpose is to know God and to make Him known.
Over the years, various individuals have served with YWAM but wished to maintain connections to the Mennonite church by serving as a Mennonite "mission associate," Mission associates maintain contact with their home church or other supporting Mennonites, but are supervised and employed by YWAM staff.
Since beginning in 1960, YWAM’s main focus was to get youth involved in missions. Today, the focus is still on youth, but participants range from aged 9 to 90.
They currently work in more than 1,100 locations in more than 180 countries, with a staff of more than 18,000.