Frequently Asked Questions about the Summer Missions Experience
For applications and a general overview, visit the general information page for Summer Counselors.
Should I apply?
- Are you concerned about social justice?
- Do you want to see how the gospel is gripping urban youth?
- Do you want to gain a deeper understanding of God’s passion for the poor?
- What if you worked with them, and they became your teachers?
- What if they ceased to be them and became us?
- If these questions deeply interest you and you have 9 weeks to invest this summer, then you should apply.
- You should apply to this missions experience if you want to help advance the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom specifically through learning about His commitment to all people and His desire for us to be involved in caring for them.
- How would your life change if you really knew what Lilla Watson meant when she said, "If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together?"
- Download your application today!
What will I do as an Urban Hope counselor?
- The camp has two tracks - intermediate and middle/high school.
- The camp has four primary focuses:
- career and entrepreneurial development
- economic development
- spiritual development
- leadership development
- You will spend some of your time engaging the youth in these four areas.
- At other times, the youth will put what they are learning into practice through operating their own small businesses.
- And, of course, there'll be recreation all along the way.
You and the other counselors (there are 10 positions) will spend two afternoons a week away from the campers in a time designed for personal development.
- One afternoon is set aside for reflective prayer and meeting to discuss counselor and camper issues.
- The other afternoon's focus will be training, development, and coaching for the counselors through interaction with each other, the Urban Hope leadership team, and other local Christian community development ministers and professionals.
When does the Urban Hope Summer Missions Experience take place?
- Your Summer Missions Experience will run from June 2 through August 4.
- Counselors are required to stay for the entire duration.
- The first week is an orientation for the counselors and there will be a weekend retreat mid-way through the camp.
- After the camp ends, there is a half-week debrief session.
Where will I live?
- You will live in the Walltown neighborhood in a safe home with other Urban Hope staff.
- The residential component of the missions experience is part of staff training and development; therefore, participants are required to live in Walltown.
- Local participants have the option of living in the Urban Hope staff house or in their own homes, but are strongly encouraged to participate in the residential component.
How does it all work?
- January 25 – Applications Due (Early Action Deadline)
- February - Early applicants are notified of their acceptance status
- March 8 – Applications Due (Final Deadline)
- March (end of month) – All applicants are notified of their acceptance status
- Mid-February to March - As we receive applications, chosen candidates are invited for an interview (by phone or in person). Those selected as staff will be given a fundraising orientation.
- Late February to late May – Staff engage in fundraising
- June 1 – Staff begin arriving in Durham
- June 2 – Welcome cookout for counselors
- June 3-11 – Staff Orientation
- June 14 – Camp begins
- July 30 – Camp ends
- August 2 – End of summer banquet
- August 2-3 – Staff debrief
- August 4 – Staff depart
What if I am concerned about fundraising?
There is a fundraising component:
- Counselors will raise $3,200 ($2,200 program expenses + $1000 take-home stipend).
- If you have concerns about this impacting your ability to participate, Urban Hope can work with you to explore options.
- The Navigators has an entire staff of people devoted to the area of fundraising. We are collaborating with them to come up with a reasonable fundraising strategy for our short-term missionaries.
- Please do not look at the $3,200 as a barrier, but rather an opportunity to trust God. You are not in this alone and it has been done before.
- There is a whole team of people who will help coach you as you raise your support.
- Most people raise their support from a team of friends, family, church mission boards, church members, business persons, and other interested individuals and organizations.