What does this “internship” entail?

The EM Summer Ministry Internship is a leadership position! With helpful training and external support from EM full-time staff, each Summer Staff team (made up of 2-4 interns) is empowered to collectively lead EM week-long mission trips. You won’t make coffee runs or sit on the sidelines watching others. You will learn and grow by doing and leading every single day. So, you can call it an “internship”, but EM Summer Staff positions come with more responsibility and opportunity than a traditional internship. For that reason, we prefer to call our EM Summer Staff positions a job, and we hope those hired see it as one too. (Hopefully, it's your most rewarding job so far!)

EM Summer Staff members will fill 1 of 3 roles within an EM Missions Community: Trip Coordinator, Construction Coordinator, or Outreach Coordinator. Collectively, you and your Leadership team will be responsible for preparing for and executing all practical aspects of running mission trips in your community, handling administrative tasks (managing weekly budgets, creating schedules, etc.), and building and deepening community partnerships and relationships.

→ READ THE FULL 2024 JOB DESCRIPTION

What are the benefits of the EM internship?

You will be amazed at what you learn and take away from your time serving—personally, spiritually, and practically. Experience Mission interns are exposed to full-time ministry and missions firsthand. If you’re considering a life path in full-time ministry or non-profit work, this experience will help you determine which aspects are a good fit for you as you balance building new relationships, details, and logistics of group management, serving others in a healthy way, and more. EM interns also gain valuable leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills by diving in and taking on the responsibility needed to make mission trips happen. You will grow as a person, as a leader, and in your capacity to love and care for others in all aspects of your life.

What will my “intern team” look like?

Each Summer Staff team consists of 3-4 interns working together within an EM Missions Community to coordinate all logistics for volunteer groups serving on week-long mission trips. EM Summer Staff members will fill 1 of 3 roles: Trip Coordinator, Construction Coordinator, or Outreach Coordinator. As a member of EM Summer Staff, you will have your own specific role and responsibilities, but will also work together on many details and tasks necessary to make trips happen each week. Each Summer Staff team is connected with a member of EM’s full-time staff (the “Community Coordinator”) who will serve as a guide and lifeline throughout the summer, available for community questions, problem-solving, and emergencies if they arise.

How does EM equip interns to succeed in this position?

We want to do everything we can to help you succeed during your internship! This starts with a two-part training for all Summer Interns. The first half is a 5-day, interactive training event in West Michigan led by EM’s full-time staff for EM Summer Staff serving in communities all across the U.S. and beyond. This week is interactive, engaging, and fun, as we share our philosophy of missions and ministry, best practices for leading service-learning trips, and work through potential pitfalls. It is also a great time to get to know your fellow interns (people who are passionate about this work like you!) and worship together as a big group.

The second half of your training happens in the field. The week before your first mission trip groups is filled with hands-on, on-site job training in the community led by the EM Community Coordinator. You will meet EM’s local partners, walk through the logistics of a typical week and learn everything you need to know to hit the ground running when your first groups arrive.

Who do EM Summer Interns report to (or reach out to for guidance)?

You will be entrusted and empowered to make your own decisions and problem-solve as a team, but you are never alone if things do not go as planned! Once your work officially starts, the EM Community Coordinator assigned to your community will check in with your team each week, helping your team debrief each experience and prepare for what’s next. Your EM contact will also be available throughout the week for community questions, problem-solving, and emergencies if they arise.

Are there additional requirements for hired EM Summer Staff members?

Full requirements are outlined on the official JOB DESCRIPTION, but it is important to note a few requirements you may not be thinking about. For the safety of all involved in EM missions programs, all Summer Interns are required to have:

• An up-to-date driver's license (valid through the end of your internship)
• Proof of medical insurance
• Current First Aid Certification
• Current CPR Certification

These can be obtained after you are hired, but must be completed before the 5-day training event in late-May.

How much will I get paid as an EM Summer Minsitry Intern?

EM Summer Staff are each paid a weekly stipend of $275/week for weeks you are leading mission trips in the community and $100/week for any off weeks with no mission teams. Additionally, all living expenses (food, lodging, transportation) will be covered while interns are serving in the community and during training weeks, and all interns will be provided with a travel stipend that covers a large portion of the cost to travel to/from training and each intern's service community ($400 for most U.S. interns, $700 for those serving in the Navajo Nation or internationally).

Interns were also given a platform and resources to fundraise additional financial support for the duration of their service with EM if you desire. (See next question!)

Am I able to fundraise any additional support?

Yes! EM Summer Staff have the opportunity to fundraise support alongside your weekly stipend. This is an opportunity to invite family and friends into serving alongside you by giving financially. To kickstart the process, you will have access to helpful fundraising resources and a personal online donation profile on the EM website. Our staff includes many experienced fundraisers who can help you get started. This is a great option if you need to make a specific amount of money each summer, but still want to pursue a meaningful internship experience instead of a 9-5 job.

Will I have to pay for anything myself during this internship?

Not very much! All living expenses (food, lodging, transportation) will be covered while you are serving in your community and during training weeks. You will only have to pay for personal items and any additional food/snacks you choose to purchase on your own.

You will be responsible for your own travel to EM’s training event in West Michigan and getting to/from your community of service, but EM provides each intern with a travel stipend to cover most of this cost! (See “How much will I get paid” above). You will be required to both arrange and initially pay for these expenses on your own, regardless of the stipend amount.

Am I able to receive college credit through this internship?

People have done this in the past, and it depends on the requirements of your school and your own initiative to make it happen! We are happy to fill out evaluations from schools upon request. You are responsible for contacting your academic advisor to find out the necessary requirements in order to receive credit.

Where do EM Summer Ministry Interns serve?

Experience Mission currently facilitates short-term mission trips in over 15 different communities across the U.S. and around the world. EM Summer Staff Interns primarily lead trips in the U.S. (with a few exceptions) throughout the Summer months. While communities are subject to change, we plan to send EM Summer Staff intern teams to:

• Navajo Reservation in Arizona & New Mexico
• Pikeville & Beattyville, Kentucky
• Richwood, West Virginia
• New York City
• New Haven, Connecticut
• Savannah, Georgia
• Costa Rica*
• Puerto Rico*

*Interns serving in these communities must be fluent in Spanish. When applying, please indicate your ability to speak Spanish to be considered!

How are EM interns placed in communities?

We work hard to determine the best location and team fit for each hired EM Summer Staff member. We do take the preferences indicated on your application into consideration, but the ultimate decision rests on team dynamics, necessary skills, and many other factors that play a part in our final placement decisions. We ask all applicants to be willing to serve wherever they are most needed.

How likely is it I will serve in an international location?

EM interns primarily serve in U.S. mission trip communities. There are a few exceptions (the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico) but these international positions are extremely limited and require most applicants to be fluent in Spanish. If you speak fluent Spanish, please let us know in your application!

Will my friends or family be able to visit me?

This job will require your full focus while mission trip teams are present in your community, but family and friends are welcome to visit you during an off week or on a weekend, with the approval of your EM Community Coordinator. We expect EM Summer Staff to understand that having outside visitors may not be the best for your hosts, your staff team, or the community where you are serving. So, we simply ask that you be respectful and ask ahead of time if this is something you are considering.

When does the EM Summer Ministry Internship start?

All EM interns start in late May, with a 5-day training event in West Michigan. Some intern teams leave directly from training to begin their time of service. Other teams have a 3-4 week break after training before beginning their work in the field.

How long is the internship commitment?

All hired Summer Leadership Staff can expect to serve for 6-11 weeks, from late May to early August. If you have a strong preference for how long you would like to serve, please let us know on your application!

What does a typical week look like for EM Summer Interns?

Each week leading a mission trip team will start with preparation for the upcoming week (shopping for groceries and construction materials, planning work and outreach projects, etc.) beginning on Friday or Saturday and culminating in the volunteer teams’ arrival and orientation on Sunday evening. Once teams arrive, EM Summer Staff are responsible for almost every detail involving missions volunteers—work and service projects, connections with local Christian ministries, daily schedule, meals, morning devotionals, evening debrief, and more. Monday through Thursday each week are “typical” days, with breakfast and devotional time in the mornings, service or outreach projects and some learning opportunities during the bulk of the day, and dinner and debriefing in the evening. Most mission trips end after breakfast on Friday morning.

This can make for full days! But over and over, we have also seen how people who are willing to genuinely engage with partners, volunteers, and community members find a lot of joy and life amidst the busy schedule! Life-long bonds can form over the course of a whole summer in one place.

Do interns have any weeks off during the summer?

Hired interns will serve anywhere from 6-11 weeks during the summer. We don’t traditionally build in extended periods of time off, aside from weekends and a few hours throughout the week. However, there may be weeks in the middle of the summer when no volunteer groups have signed up to serve in your community. During these weeks, EM interns are encoureaged to stay in their community, using their time to rest, experience more of the culture and life of their community, and connect deeper with local partners and community members. This time is so valuable in making your summer successful! (NOTE: All interns will be paid $100/week on off weeks, compared to $275/week when leading volunteers.)

If there are dates during the summer when you are unavailable due to a prior commitment, please make this clear on your application and during the interview process. Time off for these types of commitments can be requested, but may not always be granted.

What is the core mission of Experience Mission?

In an ever-changing world, we want to love God and love our neighbors. We believe God is at work in all people and cultures. We desire to be creative connectors across diverse and historical divides, participating in God's work of reconciliation, justice, affirmation, and hope. EM invites groups and individuals from all different backgrounds to participate in the work of loving their neighbors around the world, serving as equal parts connector, partner, and encourager.

→ EM’S MISSION & VALUES

What do EM trips look like?

We firmly believe the people we serve on mission trips are not our “mission project.” They are valuable creations of God with so much to offer. While it may be obvious that change needs to happen in certain communities, we believe change needs to happen in each of us as well. EM's approach to missions seeks to enter into these service and learning experiences in a healthy way. We believe there is a better way than forcing change or imposing our thinking, values, and beliefs on others.

→ EM’S APPROACH TO MISSIONS

What denomination is EM a part of?

Experience Mission is an inter-denominational Christian organization and is not directly affiliated with any specific denomination. Participants from all denominations are welcome on our service-learning mission trips. Our statement of faith, how we share the gospel, and how we engage people of different faiths can be viewed HERE.