Summer Staff FAQs
Welcome! Here you can find answers to frequently asked questions about working as a YouthWorks Community Host. Scroll down to browse questions in each category.
Click here to learn more about YouthWorks as an organization.
About YouthWorks Summer Positions
A typical site has one Community Host Manager and at least one Community Host Coordinator. YouthWorks also hires people to fill Utility Manager and Utility Coordinator positions. Utility positions will be hired once all Community Host positions have been filled. See our Staff Positions page for more details.
All Community Hosts positions are May 21, 2026 – August 5, 2026, which includes training. Hiring preference is given to candidates who can work the entire summer.
The base stipend for new full-summer Community Host Coordinators is $3,500. Community Host Managers have a higher starting stipend. Returning staff receive a pay increase from their last YouthWorks summer.
In addition to your stipend, YouthWorks provides lodging, meals, and transportation. Costs not covered include travel to Minneapolis, MN at the beginning of the summer and travel home from Minneapolis at the end of the summer, as well as any meals eaten off-site and personal laundry costs. Because of limited summer expenses, summer staff have found that they can make a comparable summer wage to that of a mainstream summer job.
Most of our housing sites are local churches or schools where Community Hosts are permitted to stay in a specific section of the building (such as a small classroom). Community Hosts sleep in quarters separate from youth and Adult Leaders, but may share a sleeping room with Community Hosts of the same gender.
Community Hosts need to purchase an air mattress to sleep on during training and throughout the summer in their assigned community. Showers may be on-site or off-site, depending on the community. You will be able to do laundry in your community, either at your housing site or a local laundromat. Staff are responsible for covering the cost of their personal laundry.
Each week a group of approximately 65 teenagers and their Adult Leaders come to each YouthWorks community to participate in service. These groups, coming from across the country and many denominational backgrounds, arrive on Sunday afternoons and depart on Friday mornings. Community Hosts facilitate all aspects of the groups’ service experience. From breakfast until lights out, staff serve, build community, organize service projects, lead meals, network within the community, facilitate programming elements, and spend time getting to know youth and Adult Leaders. Days are full, weeks are busy, and great ministry happens within it all.
Before You Apply
Succsssful Community Hosts have an active relationship with Christ and can engage well with people from diverse cultural, denominational, theological, or political backgrounds and perspectives. They take the initiative to figure things out if they don’t know something. They’re ready to use their gifts to serve others. They’re also adaptable and can maintain a positive attitude while working in a rigorous environment. We understand that many college students and young adults have yet to build extensive job resumes, so we look for those who exhibit certain character qualities more than job experience.
We want to get to know you! Our application and hiring process is designed to learn more about your character, passions, and fit for a summer Christian ministry position.
STEP 1: APPLY!
Go to our application page here to begin!
STEP 2: DISCOVERY CALL
(For selected candidates) A Discovery Call is a 15–20-minute informal video chat or phone call to get to know you a bit more and answer any of your initial questions about YouthWorks Community Host positions.
STEP 3: INTERVIEW
(For selected candidates) Schedule a one-hour video interview to learn more about YouthWorks and share about your passions and experience.
STEP 4: YOU’RE HIRED!
If you are selected to join our 2026 summer staff team you will be notified of your offer and, after a time, your placement. Applicants who apply, interview, and accept their offers earlier are more likely to be placed in one of their preferred communities.
The application will remain open until all positions are filled. Those who apply earliest will have their first choice of position and location! Don’t wait. Apply today!
Community Hosts are needed to serve in 14 communities located across the United States and Puerto Rico. The types of communities include small town, Native American Reservation, small urban, and large urban. Check out the Community Sites to learn more about the unique personality of each community.
While filling out the application you’ll be asked for your first, second, and third community preferences. Each community requires a set number of Community Hosts, so while we cannot guarantee that you’ll be placed in your first community preference, the Hiring Team will take your preferences into consideration and communicate whether that location is available and the best fit for you.
Placement happens throughout the hiring season in rounds. Applicants who apply, interview, and are hired earlier will have a higher probability of being placed in one of their preferred communities. YouthWorks intentionally places diverse staff together to bring a variety of skill sets and experiences to each team.
At a minimum, Community Hosts must be 18 years of age and one-year post-high school or equivalent. YouthWorks policy requires that staff be 19 years or older to be eligible to drive company vehicles. Non-driver staff positions exist, but are very limited. YouthWorks also requires that staff be able to conduct various physical and strenuous tasks safely. Tasks include, but are not limited to, lifting and carrying up to 60 pounds, directing participants in meal preparation, and safely operating YouthWorks vehicles. Community Host Managers require substantial leadership, maturity, and management experience. See Staff Positions for more details.
While YouthWorks does not require a REAL ID, it is important to know that most of our staff will fly at some point during the summer (either fly to Minneapolis for training, fly from our training location to their site, or other flights that might be needed for certain positions). As of now, TSA is requiring all air travelers to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification (REAL ID or passport) to fly within the United States as of May 7, 2025. If you do not have a REAL ID or passport that you can use for travel during the summer, please talk with the Hiring Team during your interview process, as it could affect your community placement.
Click here for TSA screening guidelines.
On your Community Host application, include specific information (including dates) about any date conflict. You can also email recruiting@youthworks.com with specific questions about your availability before filling out an application. Hiring preference is given to staff who can work the entire summer.
After You're Hired
When hired, staff will get access to summer prep information on the YouthWorks Training Website. All Community Hosts spend their first days together training in Minneapolis, MN. After training, staff teams travel (using YouthWorks vehicles) to their community to continue to learn their roles and prepare their site for participants. Programming typically begins the following week.
An experienced YouthWorks staff person will be present for the first week that participants are on site to provide additional leadership and training for the team.
Yes. You will need to be Infant, Child & Adult CPR certified and First Aid certified if hired. Certification must be completed before the start of summer training. YouthWorks will reimburse you for half the cost of the class(es) if you are hired and complete the summer as staff.
We advise all hired staff to begin looking for a class as soon as possible. Visit www.redcross.org or cpr.heart.org for possible classes in your area. We recommend this online course from the Red Cross. Many schools offer certification classes as well.
Hired Community Hosts can find answers to their parents’ questions on the Training Tab of their Dashboard. If you can’t find answers to your questions there, reach out to the Hiring Team by emailing recruiting@youthworks.com (with the subject “Community Host Parent Questions”), and someone will respond within 72 hours.
International Students
YouthWorks may be a great fit for you, depending on CPT/OPT/visa requirements. If you are interested in moving forward after talking with your DSO, please continue or complete the Community Host application.