YFC Canada

Registered Charity #XXXXXXXXXRR0001

ENGAGE

Youth for Christ Canada’s International Volunteer Program for young adults, ages 18-28, serving for 3-12 months with YFC ministries around the world.

Are you a Canadian between the ages of 18-28 looking for a unique opportunity to serve Jesus by volunteering internationally?

Become an ENGAGE international volunteer!

WHO WILL YOU SERVE?

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

WHERE WILL YOU GO?

ABOUT ENGAGE

ENGAGE is Youth for Christ Canada’s international volunteer program, for young adults ages 18-28. We are committed to equipping and encouraging young leaders from Canada to join with our international YFC family. As a volunteer, you will serve for 3-12 months with full-time missionaries who are part of YFC ministries around the world. As part of the ENGAGE ministry, you will receive the training and support you need for a meaningful volunteer placement.

FAQs

WHERE COULD I GO?

YFC ministries exist in 100+ countries around the world. Where you serve as a YFC Canada international volunteer depends on your skills, experience, interests, where you are drawn to, as well as current opportunities available. The ENGAGE Team will consider all of these factors and suggest a placement that is the best fit.

WHAT MIGHT MY ROLE LOOK LIKE?

There are a large variety of YFC ministries around the world, all with the ultimate goal to serve youth. Each YFC ministry has the freedom to decide what this practically looks like in their own context, and therefore the specifics of your role will depend on the ministry itself.

Each ENGAGE placement is 100% custom and individually designed for you. We will work to find a placement that suits both you and the host country entirely. Get in touch to find out more about what you could do!

Previous ENGAGE participants have: taught English in Ukraine, worked with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, run day camps in Brazil, hosted after-school programs for children in Romania, filmed videos in Cyprus, and volunteered in hospitals in The Gambia; what will you do?

WILL I BE ALONE?

While you will likely be the only volunteer from Canada in your placement, you will be joining a team! You will also have an in-country supervisor who will assist with things such as your living arrangements and volunteer tasks. Your host family, supervisor, and YFC ministry team in your placement country will be excited to have you join them. You will also have the support of the ENGAGE Team for the entire duration of your placement and will have regular contact with them.

WILL I NEED TO RAISE MONEY?

All ENGAGE participants are required to raise 100% of the financial support required for their placement. This amount will vary based on your placement country and the length of your placement. Training and resources will be provided to help you as you raise support.

A $200 non-refundable application fee is required as part of your application.

WHAT KIND OF TRAINING AND SUPPORT WILL I RECEIVE?

ENGAGE participants will have approximately 12 weeks of short online training assignments before their departure, to help them prepare for their placement. The ENGAGE Team will secure your in-country living arrangements, assist you in applying for a visa, and arrange other practical details of travel. The ENGAGE Team will continue to mentor, support, and supervise you for the duration of your placement.

IS ENGAGE ONLY FOR CANADIANS LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER OVERSEAS?

Are you interested in coming to Canada as an ENGAGE International Volunteer with YFC? We’d love to connect with you! Get in touch by emailing us at engage@yfc.ca! Please keep in mind that individuals looking to come to Canada as an international volunteer are encouraged to first be connected to a local YFC chapter in their own country.

DO I HAVE TO KNOW/LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE?

There are many countries that you can go to where English is commonly spoken and we usually recommend this for placements that are less than 6 months long. However, if you are interested in going to a country where English is not the first language, your knowledge of English is a very valuable skill that you can share with others and a great opportunity for you to learn as well. If you already speak another language (such as French or Spanish), we can also look for a placement location where this language is spoken. Is there a country you’re interested in?

DO I HAVE TO KNOW WHERE I WANT TO GO?

All you need to start is an interest in volunteering internationally with YFC! From there, starting points can be a country or a ministry (for example: “I want serve in Colombia” or “I want to volunteer with a sports ministry”), but it’s okay if you’re not quite sure. Our ENGAGE Team will help you find your perfect placement.

WHAT DOES ENGAGE DO TO BE CULTURALLY AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE?

All Youth for Christ ministries (in Canada and worldwide) have the independence and authority to create programs that are suited to the local culture and the needs of their local community. ENGAGE volunteers receive cultural awareness training and are encouraged to prioritize both listening and learning over teaching. ENGAGE volunteers become part of a team of local staff who are involved from the beginning to ensure that the placement is beneficial for all parties. The ENGAGE volunteer will have two supervisors for the duration of their placement – one from the ENGAGE team and one local YFC staff. It is our goal to build lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships between YFC ministries.

NEXT STEPS

If you are interested in learning more about the ENGAGE Program, talking to one of our team members, or want to begin the application process, please complete this form.

After we have received your Expression of Interest Form, the ENGAGE Program Coordinator will contact you. At that point, we would love to meet with you in person, by phone, or by Skype to discuss details of the program, brainstorm potential placements, and answer any of your questions.

At that time, if you decide you would like to participate in the ENGAGE program and there is an open position available, then you can begin the application process. This application process includes an extended application form, three references, a $200 non-refundable application fee, and an interview with the ENGAGE Program Coordinator. The ENGAGE Program Coordinator will provide this application form to you only after you submit this form. Submitting an application does not guarantee your acceptance into the ENGAGE program.

OUR TEAM


ASHLEY STROMENBERG
International Volunteer Programs Director

Ashley works to equip chapters, staff, and volunteers to serve well interculturally. She leads the recruitment of Canadian ENGAGE volunteers, supports chapters in developing international partnerships, and likes to see big ideas come to life. Her favourite part of ENGAGE is seeing a placement crafted around a volunteer, and seeing their perspective on God, the world, and themselves expand and evolve. In her spare time she likes to read mystery novels, bake chocolate chip cookies, hike with her husband, and play a never-ending game of fetch with her dog, Rory.

 

STEPHANIE GIESBRECHT
ENGAGE Program Coordinator

After volunteering internationally with ENGAGE herself in 2020, Steph felt led to work full time with YFC and became the ENGAGE Program Coordinator in 2022. Stephanie has a passion for cross-cultural missions, desiring for others to see the beauty of diversity in the family of God. Her passion is to see each volunteer grow, both personally and spiritually, as they learn more about who God is through experience and the study of His Word. In her free time she loves to read, travel, try out new recipes, and enjoy the great outdoors.

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