Most of our staff are high school and post-secondary students who have plenty of options for how to spend their summers. We’ve posted about why they choose to serve at Mini-Yo-We in the past. But why are so many parents enthusiastic about their kids working at Camp? Here’s what some of them told us…
New to the Mini-Yo-We Team
Matthew and Erin’s son and daughter both signed up to be on staff at Mini-Yo-We for the first time this summer. Here’s why they support their kids trying something totally new:
“As our children enter the young adult stage, it is important for us to have them work in an environment that has Jesus at the centre. A place where their giftedness can be nurtured, leadership skills developed, relationship with Christ deepened and a love for serving one another strengthened. Through the application process, our confidence in Camp Mini-Yo-We grew, as we experienced kind and encouraging staff who answered questions, were flexible with job placements and genuinely cared for our kids. At a camp with such a long, rich and fruitful heritage, we feel confident that our teens will be loved, safe, and form new relationships all while having a great time.”
New to Camp and considering joining our team? Read Camp Mini-Yo-We From a Newcomer’s Perspective: Why You Should Take the Leap! written by Riley Burrows, one of our Junior Camp Site Directors for Summer 2024.
Multiple Benefits of Being on Staff
Jenn and Scott are both Mini-Yo-We alumni. They explain why they encourage their sons to serve summer after summer, even into their university years:
“We know from personal experience how formative time on staff at Mini-Yo-We can be. One of the most important factors in building a young person’s confidence is having opportunities to build their sense of agency. Camp is a place where young adults are given the room to lead. As a result, they develop confidence in their abilities. These opportunities to be trusted with real responsibility can be hard to find back home.
We learn a lot by listening and watching others, but when we teach something, we figure out what we really know and where our questions lie. Working at Camp provides opportunities to teach about Jesus. Having conversations with campers and co-leaders in Bible studies gives our young adults chances to figure out what is meaningful in the faith they may have inherited. In our experience, working at Camp is what has made faith stick.
Being a Christian in high school can be a lonely experience. While our children have school friends, their Camp friends have been anchors. The excitement to go back to living in a community that encourages silliness, that bucks common definitions of cool, that loves Jesus and provides opportunities for meaningful shared experiences has seen our kids through some difficult seasons.
When they were campers, our boys looked up to their cabin leaders. As young staff, they found role models in the lead team members. Now that they have been on staff themselves for a few seasons, they are aware of the responsibility and privilege of being role models for younger leaders. This accountability reinforces character. One of the joys of being volunteers is seeing the way they have stepped into the roles they once admired.”
Adventure Far From Home
Roy and Anna’s daughter is one of our international staff members. Last summer, she travelled more than 5,000 kilometres to be an Activity Leader at Mini-Yo-We—and she’s coming back this year! Her parents share:
“For us as parents, Canada is a long way from home, but we felt a peace knowing our daughter was in a caring environment where she was working and being developed and supported. Having the bonus of such a stunning location and all the activities she was trained in, and the opportunities this brought, has been amazing. We loved following the Camp updates on social media and spotting her in the photos and what everyone was up to! We were fortunate to visit ourselves earlier in the summer too, and love what Camp Mini-Yo-We does and offers. We’re happy she’s already signed up for next summer!”
Curious about applying to work at Mini-Yo-We from outside of Canada? Contact summerstaff@miniyowe.com for info!
On the Leadership Pathway
Monica was an LIT and summer staff member in the 1990s and has served as an adult volunteer and board member. Now her daughter is following in her footsteps:
“Working at Mini-Yo-We was a transformative experience for me: It helped shape my faith, confidence, and leadership (serving!) skills. Last year my eldest daughter did LIT. What a joy to see all that she learned through the experience, how she grew in confidence, knowing she was valued and made a difference in the lives of others. She also made good friends, spent heaps of time in nature, and can’t wait to go back this summer [as a first-time Cabin Leader]. We are thrilled.”
Brian and Sarah share their perspective having watched their son and daughter progress along MYW’s leadership pathway:
“Working at Camp Mini-Yo-We has been an exceptional summer job and ministry opportunity for our kids. They have made life-long friends, eternal impacts on campers, and have grown in their own faith, confidence, skills and abilities. Camp Mini-Yo-We invests in their staff and focuses on developing tomorrow’s leaders. The Camp environment is full of fun, faith and adventure and offers a rewarding summer employment experience. Although your kids could make more money at another summer job, Camp Mini-Yo-We inspires them to become the best version of themselves. Our kids liked being campers, but they love being on staff.”
Amy’s kids started as Junior Campers and worked their way up to serving on summer staff together. She sums it up:
“My kids are better people because of the summers they’ve spent at Camp. They’ve developed the confidence and skill to lead, the inclination to serve and a faith that is their very own. They’ve enjoyed meaningful friendships that fill their summers with fun and memories. I’m so grateful for Camp Mini-Yo-We!”
Want to learn more about Mini-Yo-We’s leadership pathway? Visit our Enterprise, Leaders in Training and Summer Staff webpages.
Apply Before It’s Too Late!
We still have a few spots left on the team for this summer. Whether you’re a parent or a prospective staff member, our hiring process is detailed in the post Summer Staff: How to Get Hired for 2024!