17-20 years old.
10 ½ months. Terms begin in August and end in June/July.
Service Adventure currently has six units in various communities around the United States: Albany, Oregon; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jackson, Mississippi; and Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Financial support for your term comes from a variety of sources: the agency where you will be serving, Mennonite Mission Network, and we ask your home congregation for a $3,000 donation.
Service Adventure is a wonderful experience for young adults, and it can be frightening as you venture away from family and friends. It is important you feel connected to home and with people who care about you. Because this connection is valued, you are asked to develop an advocacy team to help you stay connected to your home congregation/community.
The advocacy team consists of a few people who will offer support through encouragement and counsel, serve as a liaison between you and your home congregation, assist in raising financial support, and mobilize a prayer team.
You will receive assistance in assembling an advocacy team after you apply for Service Adventure.
There is a wide variety of positions available, from working with children to seniors, serving with Habitat for Humanity, serving people with disabilities, and working with various other social service agencies. We will work with you to find a community and placement that fits you and supports the ministries of our partner churches. If you come with a desire to serve, we’re confident we can find a position that suits your interests and abilities. We are also confident that this will be a valuable time for you as you further develop and explore your own vocation.
The community you’d like to live in, what kind of church you enjoy, what you’d like to do, and your location preferences are important. Your interests are balanced with the needs of communities and agencies. After a location is decided, you will talk with the unit leader to decide which placement is the best fit for you. The earlier you apply, the easier it is for us to find options that fit your interest.
Participants provide their own health coverage. Most participants can remain on their parents’ plan.
First, you should
complete the application! When references have responded, you will be contacted to schedule an interview either in person, by Skype, or phone. Once you have been invited to serve with Service Adventure, staff will review your preferences and determine a location. You will be contacted by the unit leader who will help you discern your fit into the community and the best placement option for you. Should you or they come to the conclusion that it is not a good fit, we will work with you to find a community that does fit.
It is best to apply before March 1. You can apply as early as September 1 and as late as June 1. The Service Adventure year begins in August.
Each Mennonite college has different requirements concerning credit given for a Service Adventure term. We recommend that you contact the college directly for more information.
There are many benefits to taking a "gap year" between high school and college. You can get more information
here.
Unit leaders live in the same house as participants. The role of the unit leader is to mentor the young adults in the household and to provide some oversight to house activities.
