Applications open: October 1st
Priority Application Deadline for Leadership Roles: January 1st
Project Transformation’s summer of service experience for young adults offers hands-on opportunities to build mutually enriching relationships with underserved children and youth, live in intentional community, experience cultural and socio-economic diversity, and explore various careers in ministry and service.
Applicants must have completed one year of college or be at least 19 years old, and must be U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or legal permanent resident alien of the United States to serve.
Competitive applicants for the Summer Program will:
Be highly motivated, self-starters
Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills
Enjoy working with children and/or youth
Be open-minded
Have a desire to love and serve others
Be dedicated to living in community with other young adults in a structured environment.
There are five primary components to the Project Transformation experience:
Day Camp
During the summer program, Project Transformation PT Corps Members work in teams to implement an eight-week summer day camp for 70 to 85 elementary children and youth. Sites are located in churches in the heart of low-income communities. Components of the program include: a one-on-one reading program, arts enrichment, recreational activities, and other activities in which the gifts and talents of the PT Corps Members can share with the children. Young adults have the option to participate in children/youth Bible lessons apart from their AmeriCorps service hours.
Community Living
An integral component of Project Transformation’s summer of service is the opportunity to live in intentional community throughout the summer. Young adults live on the campuses of Southern Methodist University and Austin College with their peers, while experiencing daily life in a diverse, loving community. Young adults are encouraged to participate in social activities and build relationships with other members of the community.
Ministry Exploration and Vocational Discernment
Each Friday, young adults are exposed to various vocational opportunities in service or ministry through guest speakers, field trips, and interactions with lay and ordained church leaders.
Through our affiliation with the United Methodist Church and not as part of the AmeriCorps program, Project Transformation offers the following options to interns:
Spiritual Development
Project Transformation invests in the spiritual development of each intern, opening their eyes to the needs and opportunities for ministry. The program emphasizes the importance of community through worship, Bible study, and guest speakers. The interns may participate in weekly worship as well as other spiritual formation activities. Young adults are encouraged to examine their personal beliefs through intellectual and spiritual discussions.
Church Involvement
On week, young adults may choose to participate in worship at their site church with their team. This is an opportunity to connect the church family to the program and its families so that sustainable relationships are established during the summer. Beyond this, young adults connect partner churches with the program by recruiting volunteers to read with the children that attend the day camp, collecting supplies for the program, and sharing the stories of their experience.
Specifics
The dates for this service experience are the last week of May through the first week of August. This includes one week of pre-program training, eight weeks of day camp, and either one week of overnight Urban camp at Bridgeport Camp & Conference Center or “Adventure Week” with elementary students in Dallas.
In many ways working with Project Transformation in the summer program exceeds participating in a summer job and crosses into a summer life. The time expectations can be great, but the potential for personal rewards that come from this kind of commitment are even greater. While much is expected of each young adult leader, much is given in return in the form of love from the kids, support and fun from living in a community, and the energy created by exploring your own personal potential to impact the world around you.
Time Off
Friday afternoon-Sunday morning each weekend.
Compensation
$3,900.00 living stipend- paycheck, $1,678.57 education voucher (issued by AmeriCorps after completed term of service), and room and board.
Application Procedure
Proceed by filling out and turning in the Application for Summer Service, including 3 references who know you well. (EX: past employers, professors, teachers, pastors, etc.). References will receive an email from Project Transformation asking them to complete a short online form for you. Applications should be submitted by January 15th.
After the completed application has been submitted, the Project Transformation office will contact the applicant to set up an interview.