EXPECTATIONS, REQUIREMENTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

 

HOPE’s summer extreme experience internship is a rigorous Christian service program. The hours, days and weeks are long, the tasks are arduous and the program is strenuous and demanding.  Interns and Student-leaders receive support and encouragement from HOPE’s leadership, missionary staff, one another, volunteers, partners, residents within the community that we serve, as well as from family and friends back home and members of their home church.

 

The Summer Extreme Experience begins in May or June (to be tailored around the ending of the semester for each individual intern and ends about the middle of August (scheduled around return date for each intern).  Conclusion will be preceded by a community end-of-program evaluation and celebration.

 

Interns are expected to always be polite Christian servants that remain faithful, available and teachable.  We expect the interns to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22,23).  Interns are expected to maintain a beatitudinal approach through their duties, relationships and personal lives as they serve in humility. 

 

Accommodations are simple and minimal and meal choices are limited.  While there is a strong support network in place, as an intern, you will be fully responsible for your success in the program. Specifically, you will be expected to subscribe to the following:

 

The Basics

 

• Comply with HOPE’s Handbook and Standards of Conduct.

• Participate in all required elements of HOPE’s program including:

• Regular assignments and other duties are required

• All staff events (devotional, training, team building, recreational, fellowship, retreats, etc.)

• Actively participate in the public events (worship, celebration, fellowship, devotional, prayer and ministry) of THE SANCTUARY OF HOPE; unless otherwise engaged with ministry or excused by your departmental director

• General housekeeping along with routine facility and grounds maintenance and upkeep will be the responsibilities of Interns

• Community service projects

• Regular outreach events

• HOPE sponsored trainings

• Partner events

• Project debriefs

• Community events

• Any other mandatory events as determined by HOPE’s leadership

• Refrain from the use of all substances (including all forms of tobacco, alcohol, legal recreational drugs, illegal drugs and abusing prescribed or over the counter drugs).

• Submit to random drug testing if required by HOPE’s senior staff.

• Promote your safety, the safety of your teammates and the safety of those that we serve.

• Serve in high stress environments.

 

The summer extreme experience will also require the intern to serve in various environments to meet human need (directly or indirectly) and will include significant contact with the population that we serve. Interns are required to:

 

• Respect all people regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or nationality, creed, ability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs. No form of bullying or harassment, sexual or otherwise, will be tolerated. For the sake of community dynamics, romantic or sexual relationships between or involving interns are prohibited.

• Commit to uphold and participate in the protection of minors and vulnerable adults from any form of abuse by abiding by all HOPE directives regarding the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. Any incidence of abuse must be reported immediately to HOPE’s leadership who in turn will report it to the child protection officials and to the program director.

 

Ministry Related

 

• Deploy to any location and/or project approved by HOPE’s leadership.

• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to sudden and unexpected changes to your service and/or living environments.

• The individual volunteer member agrees to participate in all events, which are basic and necessary components of the program.

• Complete ministry assignments that may vary greatly, to include tasks completed in our summer program, warehouse, soup kitchen, urban outreach center, various outreach sites, office settings, as well as manual labor completed in remote outdoor locations.

• Serve beyond traditional hours, usually including weekends and nights.

• Operate equipment and property of HOPE, partnering organizations, and members of the community with appropriate training and supervision and without endangering oneself or others or causing any damage to property.

• Demonstrate professionalism, compassion, politeness and patience with project sponsors, community members, teammates, partners, leaders and HOPE staff. Professionalism includes:

• Following lawful orders, direction and instruction from supervisory personnel and all leadership.

• Communicating through the existing chain of command.

• Serving cooperatively and collaboratively.

• Demonstrating patience, empathy and courtesy.

• Giving and receiving feedback constructively and communicating effectively.

• Maintaining appropriate personal appearance and hygiene.

• Being respectful in all forms of communication.

• Being on time.

• Giving a good-faith effort at all times.

 

Fitness To Serve

 

Demonstrate basic self-management skills, including, but not limited to, adequate sleep, nutrition and hydration, as well as maintaining good fitness and hygiene.

• Independently manage and take all prescribed medications.

• Perform physical activities such as rearranging work areas, setting-up for public events, loading trucks, lawn work, construction and repair work, tree planting, removal of invasive plant species, etc.

• Pass a background security check from Virginia State Patrol Department  

 

Team Related

 

Share a living space with other members that may offer little to no privacy. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Residing in rustic living conditions such as camping or sleeping on the floor in close quarters.

• Sharing a bathroom with other team members.

• Participating in the upkeep of the shared living space.

• Having no or very limited access to technology (cell phones, computers, internet, etc.).

• Residing in accommodations where restrictions such as a curfew may be in place based upon the requirements of the facility.

• Being assigned to live with sponsoring families within our community or with partners from he suburbs.

 

Adjusting to limited meal options that may require interns to:

 

• Supplement dietary demands.

• Share with leadership unmet dietary needs

• Exchange food with others during meal times

• Broaden your taste to include more types of available food

• Become creative in procumbent of desired foods for personal consumption

 

 Personal Responsibilities

 

• Express your needs and preferences so your teammates and leadership are aware of them, while at the same time understanding what you want may not be possible and putting the team’s best interests ahead of your own.

• Develop respectful relationships with other people from diverse backgrounds, respect differing opinions, and contribute to a welcoming culturally sensitive environment for all.

• Engage in effective conflict resolution and problem solving with teammates, team leaders, HOPE staff, community members, partners, those that we serve and project sponsors.

• Manage your emotions (e.g. frustration, anger, sadness, etc.) constructively and in a way that does not impede your or others ability to accomplish to pursue and accomplish HOPE’s mission.

• Do not allow your issues, challenges and problems to interfere with the peace and wellbeing of others.

• Arrange for needed days off with ministry leadership, two weeks in advance (where possible) and in consideration of the ministry’s needs.

• Interns are encouraged to celebrate the fourth of July with the community, but may leave to spend the holiday with his/her family, at his/her own expense, must coordinate with the program director, and not miss any ministry time.

• The intern agrees in the spirit of an option for solidarity with the poor, and in opting for living a simple life with others, to limit individual personal travel during the period of service.  Typical travel would be to family emergencies or weddings of immediate family members.  All travel is the responsibility of the intern or his/her family.  Occasions such as school or job interviews may become necessary and are the financial responsibility of the individual.

• Visits to interns by friends and families are valued and appreciated aspects of the Summer Extreme Experience. Family and friends are welcomed and invited to join the interns by volunteering in HOPE’s programs. Understanding that accommodations within the ministry are limited, visiting volunteers are encouraged to bring sleeping bags, linens, towels and other personal items and can sleep on a roll up mat (that will have to be removed and secured daily) at the Sanctuary of Hope.  Also, HOPE has a very affordable rate at a nice hotel in the suburbs, less than ten miles from the ministry site. Leadership can provide more information.

• If any intern or student leader leaves the program early or is asked to leave the program due to a breach of the agreement with HOPE all travel expenses home will be his/her responsibility.

 

Interns' Financial Responsibility

 

• Travel expenses to and from HOPE’s principle site (3516 Winchester Drive, Portsmouth, VA 23707).

• To pay any personal income taxes incurred, including those due to employment prior to or following the program.

• Interns will spend time during orientation with HOPE’s Leadership to discuss how to use their influence to raise funds for his/her stipend and expenses and receive regular coaching throughout the summer.

• To receiving training on how to use his/her influence to assist with raising funds for HOPE’s summer program for poor children.  The Interns will spend a limited amount of time and energy raising funds to support HOPE’s ministry among the poor.

• Any personal travel or other expenses other than outlined in this presentation.

• Should the intern or student leader engage in fund raising or seek sponsorship for personal support he/she must not accept anymore than what would be the equivalent of 1300.00 a month to maintain an income consistent with those living in poverty within our community.

 

 Interns Can Expect

 

• An orientation to begin the Summer of Service.

• Regular one-on-one meetings with leadership.

• To be valued and given an opportunity to present ideas and implement approved programs

• Regular opportunity to engage lay or clergy leaders.

• An in house retreat experience for the interns to reflect on, evaluate, and celebrate their work and their life together,

• Opportunities to be ministered to and participate with churches within their own tradition in the immediate region.

• End of summer formal evaluation, transcript of experience and training and certificate of internship

• Formal training opportunities.

• Opportunity to provide feedback and program evaluation.