frequently asked questions

About Converge

Converge is a student missions mobilization platform. Converge facilitates internships for ministries and organizations around the world. Converge is a listing of internship opportunities, a course, and a social donor management system.

What is "YWAM Converge"?

YWAM Converge is the YWAM ministry location operating in Ocean City. YWAM Converge supports the Converge platform.

What is a Project?

The Project is the culminating assignment completed by the Intern during the internship. The Project will be designed and implemented to address a particular challenge or need of the host community. The Intern will also complete a Final Report detailing the Project and reflecting on it. The Project may be, but is not limited to, a video, a grant proposal, a garden, a curriculum, a dietary menu, a social services handbook, a web site, or a PR campaign.

What is a Converge Internship?

Converge Internships are opportunities listed and designed by the host.

Who is a Converge Intern?

The Intern is a participant enrolled in the Converge Course. Young people from anywhere may intern with projects serving communities in need around the world. Converge is for young people (high school graduates to post-graduates in university) from anywhere. Interns do not need to be currently enrolled in college. Many seeking internships are recent graduates.

How does one become a Mentor?

Each intern chooses a mature and experienced person, preferably with cross-cultural missions experience, to be their Mentor for the duration of the internship. The Mentor meets regularly with the Intern during the Pre-Departure Phase to reflect upon lessons, pray, and discuss and plan for logistics. This person will continue to communicate with and provide feedback for the Intern as he or she completes assignments during the Internship.

Who may Host?

The Host creates an internship opportunity using the Submit an Internship form on the Converge platform. This person hosts intern(s) throughout the Session. The Host picks up and drops off the Intern(s) at the airport or other port of entry. The Host prearranges housing, food, and local transportation (included in internship fees). The Host directs the Enculturation Phase, meets one-on-one with intern(s) weekly, and evaluates the Intern(s) during the Debriefing Phase.

Who is the Supervisor?

The individual the intern will report to during the internship session’s regularly scheduled activity. The Host is our primary contact who will be responsible for all communications, airport shuttle, Enculturation Phase, one-on-ones, and Evaluation. Intern(s) will submit a Project Proposal to the Host (in cooperation with the direct Supervisor, if applicable).

What is a Partner Organization?

An organization that one or more Hosts may represent. Soon, the Converge platform will include a Partner Organization log in and dashboard to review all of their sponsored internship opportunities. And we plan to provide partner organizations their own searchable page of sponsored internship opportunities, which they may post on their own website.

Who is a Donor?

Anyone may become a Donor. Interns may invite friends and family to donate. All donations are 100% deductible and 100% of donations on an Intern’s profile pages goes directly to that Intern’s scholarship fund after processing fees of 4.5%.

What is a Passion Area?

Passion Areas are focus areas for ministry, such as human trafficking or pure water. Hosts select Passion Areas to describe their internship opportunity. Interns may select Passion Areas to narrow their search for the ideal internship.

What are the Fields of Study?

Fields of Study are areas of study or career focus, such as Health and Medicine or Media and Journalism. Hosts select Fields of Study to describe their internship opportunity and qualify interns they seek. Interns may select Fields of Study to narrow their search for the ideal internship.

How do I obtain academic credit?

Increasingly, colleges and universities are requiring students to complete various experiential learning opportunities in order to graduate. Many students, therefore, seek academic credit for their internship experiences. While the requirements for every school and department are unique, some requirements are typical. For example, the student's academic advisor may want to approve the internship description and tasks that the student will complete. The academic advisor may want to speak with the intern's supervisor before the internship begins. The student may be required to submit a journal or written summary of his/her internship experience, or to explain project results in a final paper. The supervisor may be asked to complete and return a final evaluation form to the student's academic advisor.

About Youth With A Mission (YWAM)

Is the Converge Course like YWAM's Discipleship Training School? (DTS)

No. The Converge Course is an online course with similar content. However, YWAM's Discipleship Training School is a full twelve weeks of intensive instruction in a live-learn setting. There is no requirement for Converge participants to take the DTS before or after a Converge internship.

Are Converge Internships all serving Youth With A Mission ministries?

No. YWAM is one of many Converge partners. Converge partners are organizations with individuals willing to host interns. Although the Converge platform was developed by highly experienced Youth With A Mission staff, we do not require Converge Hosts to be YWAMers. However, every Host must be a professed Christian with a strong recommendation by one of the 20,000 active YWAM staff members around the world.

About the Converge Course

The Converge Course is a five phase course on Blackboard, including

Predeparture Phase
Enculturation Phase
Assessment Phase
Project Phase
Debriefing Phase

What is the Predeparture Phase?

The Predeparture Phase of the Converge Course begins 60 days before each Internship Session begins. A predeparture orientation is required for all enrolled Converge Interns. The predeparture orientation includes 50 short videos arranged in 10 lessons with response assignments.

What is the Enculturation Phase?

The Enculturation Phase begins when the Host meets the Intern at the airport (or other port of entry) when the Internship actually begins. Enculturation is typically a three-day period of briefing by the Host to help the Intern(s) get settled into their new surroundings. Interns will be introduced to public transportation (if appropriate) and local services (such as bank, shopping, and medical facilities). The Host provides an overview of the history, the community, the mission, and the current operations, schedule and staff members of the organization or ministry with which the Intern will work. During this phase, the Intern will complete the Community Mapping exercise.

What is the Community Mapping exercise?

The Community Mapping Exercise is is a tool that can aid your efforts in learning the needs of a community and the opportunities that may present themselves through careful observation. Additionally, it is a learning activity that helps you discover the goals of the organization you are serving as well as career opportunities in their community. Community mapping can be a geographical mapping of a target community (concrete mapping) or an abstract mapping of assets or services within a target community (abstract mapping). Either way, it is a contextualized teaching and learning (CTL) approach that can acquaint teachers with the target community’s culture, resources, transition assets, and needs.

What is the Assessment Phase?

The Assessment Phase begins when the Intern is assigned a regular schedule for their internship. During the Assessment Phase Interns assess the needs of the community or organization through formal assignments (Interview Activity and related research) and informal times with the Host, coworkers, and community members. Interns listen, ask open-ended questions, survey, observe, and map the community to craft a proposal for their Project.

What is the Project Phase?

The Project Phase begins when the Host (and supervisor, if appropriate) agree to the Intern's proposal for their Project. The Project is the capstone assignment of the Converge internship; it is their unique contribution which they will complete before their internship ends. Interns will draw on what they have learned about culture, relationships, and community context.

What is the Debriefing Phase?

The Debriefing Phase is the final few days of the Converge Session. It is the time for the Intern(s) to evaluate their Host, their Mentor and the Converge platform. Hosts and Mentors will also be invited to perform a brief evaluation of the Intern(s) and the Converge platform. The primary activity during Debriefing is the Intern's final One-on-One interview with their Host before they depart for home and their Mentor when they return home. Interns will submit copies of their Project to their Host, their Mentor and to the Converge offices.

About Insurance

Who is responsible for purchasing insurance?

You are responsible to purchase traveller's insurance. Usually, you will already have insurance coverage through your parents, or through your college or university.

Do you hold current and adequate domestic and foreign liability insurance?

All participants are expected to obtain travel emergency insurance. If you do not have your own insurance coverage, you may choose the Volunteer Card available through a link on the Converge site. Go here to learn more.

About work hours

How may hours are we expected to work per week? Do I work five days a week?

The Converge Course Pre-Departure Lessons may be completed in four weeks in about 2-3 hours/week. The hours of work while at the internship location depend on the Host. You may ask your Host about your typical schedule when you reach out for an online meeting during your Pre-Departure Lessons. You will be provided a regular schedule when you arrive. Some interns work 40-hour weeks, but this is not always the case. During your free time, you will work on your Final Project Assignment.

About Hosts

How do I find Interns?

Here are some suggestions for finding Interns:

If you have not done so already, submit your Internship on the Create an Internship application.
After you are accepted and your Internship is posted on the Converge site, distribute your internship opportunity page through your social network.

If you are seeking university students, go to the offices of career services at colleges or universities from which you would like to recruit students. Then, distribute your internship opportunity to faculty within the departments from which you seek to recruit students.

Promote your internship opportunities among your current employees and encourage referrals.
Post your internship description on your organization's website, in your newsletter, or in your local newspaper.

What is suitable work for an intern?

As many functions as can be found among your current employees can be potential internship opportunities. An intern might contribute to the engineering or design of your products. An intern might assist with accounting, marketing, or business strategy. An intern may even develop your new company website. Students of every area of study are looking for professional experience through an internship.

Are the rules for terminating interns the same as full-time employees?

In most cases, the same laws apply. It is advised that you seek legal counsel for further information and specific requirements.

If I like an intern, can I be assured of having that intern return during his/her next internship rotation?

Often, your organization may find an intern you would like to accept again for a future session. Some suggestions might include:

Extend an internship opportunity by setting up consecutive sessions.
Extend an offer for a future internship opportunity at the conclusion of the internship experience-if the student's internship experience with your organization was a positive one, he/she will probably jump at the chance to return!

What is a Dashboard?

Dashboards are secure access set up pages for the Converge platform for Interns, Hosts, and Donors. (Soon: Partner Organizations will have a dashboard).

Intern Dashboard

Current accepted Interns have secure access to:

Quick information about their internship sessions.
Ability to edit their public facing personal profile page with photos, personal bio, public contact information, Course log in User & Password.
Where Interns post the name and email of their chosen Mentor, and Review balance due on Internship Fees.

Host Dashboard

Current Hosts will have secure access to:

Quick information about their internship sessions, including approval status and deadline for Intern applications.
Number of Intern applications waiting for approval and number approved.
Update personal information, including photo.

Donor Dashboard

Donors will have secure access to:

Quick review of donations and Intern designations or other designations made with donations.

Are these paid internships?

No. You are expected to raise the funds necessary to participate. However, the Host may subsidize much of the cost of the Student's Field Fees (room & board).

In choosing an Internship opportunity, total costs will be an important consideration. Internship Fees are set by the Host. Travel expense will vary depending on your point of origin. Therefore, your choice of Internship will vary significantly. After you apply, you should begin shopping immediately for travel options. Your total expense for your internship experience will include Converge Course Registration Fee, Internship Fees, Travel and Personal Expenses. Once you determine your total budget, you may begin raising funds for your internship.

What is the Registration Fee?

The Registration Fee is the only fee paid directly to Converge is $25USD. That fee must be paid to access the Converge Course. It is due no later than 60 days before the Session begins, which is the date the Predeparture Course begins.

What are Internship Fees?

The Internship Fees are set by the Host for Room/Board, Airport Shuttles, and Local Transportation to and from Internship location. Internship Fees DO NOT INCLUDE airfare (or other transport), airport tax, visas, or personal expenses during the internship.

About Sessions

When do internships typically begin? How long do they last?

Converge project fellowships (sometimes called "internships") typically follow the starting and ending dates of an academic semester. Internships can be full or part-time, and can take place during a semester or extended break. Many students will try to schedule their classes on campus so that they leave blocks of time in their schedule for their internships.

When should I need to start searching and applying?

There are no official deadlines for you to begin your internship search, but the sooner you begin, the more likely you will be approved by the Internship Session of your choice.

Sessions

Note: Enrollment in the Converge Course (pre-departure phase) begins 60 days prior to the Session.

Session 1 (3 weeks begins 1st Monday of Jan)
Session 2 (6 weeks begins 1st Monday of Jan)
Session 3 (10 weeks begins 3rd Monday of Jan)
Session 4 (12 weeks begins 3rd Monday of Jan)
Session 5 (8 weeks begins 1st Monday of Feb)
Session 6 (12 weeks begins 1st Monday in Feb)
Session 7 (8 weeks begins 1st Monday in March)
Session 8 (12 weeks begins 1st Monday in June)
Session 9 (8 weeks begins 1st Monday in June)
Session 10 (8 weeks begins 1st Monday in July)
Session 11 (10 weeks begins 2nd Monday in September)
Session 12 (12 weeks begins 2nd Monday in September)