The Young Adult Volunteer Program
What is the YAV Program? 
The India YAVs meet some friendly neighbors. From the Sudie Niesen collection.
The Young Adult Volunteer Program offers exciting opportunities in Christian service and learning for young adults (19 to 30 years of age.) The Young Adult Volunteer Program has 18 sites in the United States and abroad, and requires a commitment of one academic year. Young Adult Volunteers serve in communities of need.
The job descriptions for the volunteers depend both on the needs of our partners and the skills of the Young Adult Volunteer. In their placements, volunteers work with a church or organization as well as develop Christian community and meet regularly for prayer, Bible study and participate in vocation discernment with other Young Adult Volunteers.
Although specific activities and information are particular to each unique site, all volunteers will receive on-site orientation, work closely with mentors in the program and have an opportunity to integrate the experience at an end-of-term conference. Partial payment of outstanding student loans may be available for qualified applicants. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), you and your supporting congregation(s) and presbytery share funding of this program.
Goals of the YAV Program
The Program was developed with several goals in mind:
- To experience living in intentional Christian community — Whether or not the young adults live under the same roof, they explore what it means to be a Christian community.
- To focus on spiritual formation — Through the mentorship of site coordinators and fellow interns, young adults reflect on their experiences and explore their relationship to the church and their ministry in a broken world.
- To engage young adults in the church’s mission — The church seeks to provide opportunities for young adults to serve the church and their communities. Young adults experience and develop leadership within communities of faith. With training and support, they can provide leadership in the mission field in the Presbyterian Church and in the ecumenical church.
- To assist YAVs in vocation discernment.
- To be present in communities of need and to facilitate young adults’ engagement in communities of need.
Join the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteers Facebook group. Network with others who will be serving or already have served as YAVs. |
