Volunteer, where you receive as much as you give
While summer staff are hired to serve through the full summer, summer volunteers give two weeks or more of their time to help support Fort’s ministry. Students, families, individuals, and retired couples are common members of our summer volunteer teams serving at Family Camps, Youth Camps, and Summer Getaways.
The Details
We ask that you review these guidelines and expectations to be sure that serving is a good fit. These guidelines are for you, and for Fort – we want you to have a good experience serving, and we need to run camp well to impact lives for eternity! These guidelines ensure both happen well.
Who are we looking for?
Students / Young Adults (15-21 years old), Adults (22+), and Families are welcome to serve as Summer Volunteers. Students/young adults commit to a minimum of 2 weeks and up to 8 weeks of their summer serving at Fort! Adults 22+ and family volunteers can opt to serve for just one week. There is no cost to volunteer and room and board is provided.
General Qualifications for All Volunteers
- Faith in Jesus Christ and a desire to grow closer to God
- Desire to impact other people for the Kingdom of God
- Will embrace and live out Fort’s values
- Ability to work hard and flexibility to accommodate changes
- Must be 15 years or older (family expectations listed below)
Work & Time Off
Typically, volunteers work 8-10 hours a day – depending on the area(s) you’re assigned to serve you may work all the hours together (i.e. from 7-3 Kitchen) or your day may be broken-up into smaller shifts throughout the day (i.e. from 6:45-8am, 10:30-11am, 1:30-5:30pm Coffee Shop).
Days off will vary depending on the length you are scheduled to serve.
When off duty, volunteers are encouraged to participate in all that camp has to offer! We ask that you be mindful of campers and allow them to have priority when using a space or participating in an activity.
Housing & Accommodations
Room and board is provided for you at no cost as a volunteer.
- Summer Staff and Student / Young Adult Volunteers (15-21) are housed in bunk-style cabins grouped by gender. These cabins include twin-size beds and a communal bathroom/shower.
- Families are housed together. Most family/adult housing has a bathroom/shower, but if not, they are within a short walking distance to the main bathroom facility (The Moonbeam).
All-camp quiet begins at 10pm for campers, staff, and volunteers. There is a curfew in place for volunteers under 18 years old. Resident Assistants (R.A.) live alongside the Student / Young Adult Volunteers to provide relational support and supervision.
Family Expectations
Thank you for considering serving at Fort as a family. It’s a joy to watch families connecting and serving – all while making kingdom impact! We can usually accommodate one family to serve per retreat. Meeting the requirements below allows for the weekend to be a win for your family and a win for Fort. Please reach out with questions or to check availability for a specific weekend.
-We require your family to have 2 people that are 15 years or older that can serve all shifts in the area you are assigned.
-We require that at least 50% of your family serve full shifts. For example – if you are a family of 5 (2 parents, 3 kids) at least 3 of you able to work a full volunteer schedule each day.
Service Areas
Volunteers fulfill the vital role of supporting the leader of each area in executing their responsibilities. Additional or differentiating qualifications and responsibilities for volunteers are listed below. Please understand that you may serve across multiple areas during your time here and that some positions will be asked to play a dual role to support other teams (ex: coffee shop volunteers will also support the children’s ministry program). While we do our best to accommodate your desired serving area, specific positions are not guaranteed.
| Service Areas | Job Duties & Additional Requirements |
|---|---|
| Accommodations | Assist in the cleaning and care of the dining hall, housing, and gathering facilities across camp. |
| Assistant Counselor | Assist the lead counselors in caring for campers during youth camps. Must be at least 16 years of age; 18 or older preferred. |
| CampGrounds (Coffee Shop) | Create delicious drinks for campers and manage the cash register. Must be at least 16 years of age; 18 or older preferred. May also be asked to serve in Children’s Ministry. |
| Canteen | Scoop and serve ice cream treats and manage merchandise and the cash register. May also be asked to serve in Children’s Ministry. |
| Children’s Ministry | Assist the lead teachers during Bible lessons. Will be asked to support another team in addition to Children’s Ministry. |
| Craft Shop | Help campers complete arts and crafts projects. May also be asked to serve in Children’s Ministry. |
| Dish Crew | Support the dish crew leaders in cleaning and organizing cooking equipment and utensils. |
| Kitchen | Assist the head cooks in preparing delicious Fort meals. Must be at least 16 years or older. |
| Lifeguard | Supervise open swim and boating activities at the waterfront. Must be at least 16 years or older. Current ARC, YMCA, USLA, or Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Training, including CPR for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid & AED. May also be asked to serve in Children’s Ministry. |
| Maintenance | Keep our camp looking great by helping with waste management and in completing landscaping projects. |
| Nature Center | Assist the nature center instructors in preparing classes, teaching lessons, and taking care of the animals. |
| Nurse | Serves as the onsite medical professional during week-long youth camps. Lives in a cabin attached to the infirmary. Must EMR certified. |
| Riflery | Assist the riflery head in teaching campers basic shooting skills and maintaining all equipment at the range. Must have a valid hunter’s safety license. Must be at least 18 years or older. |
| Stables | Work alongside other wranglers to maintain the stables facilities, prepare campers for trail rides and assist in animal care. Must be able to mount/dismount a horse, without assistance from any person or device, be able to lift 35 lbs. to a horse’s back (saddle), and reach up to 7 ft (to bridle a horse); enjoys physical labor. 13-14 year olds may serve as a Stable Hand while living with a parent/guardian (contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Shannon Lenox at shannonlenox@fortwilderenss.com for more details). |
