SWAP: Serve With A Purpose

Are you a 14 to 25 year old high school or undergraduate student who is looking for ways to prepare for an overseas service trip? SWAP is for you!

What is SWAP?

SWAP is a program for youth and young adults who are motivated to engage with their local community, as well as prepare for a call to international service and outreach in the futre.  SWAP helps young people start early to prepare and fundraise for an experience in Christian community development in a developing country. SWAP is an excellent first step for students to impact their future and become well-prepared to pursue a life of service in broken and hurting communities around the world. 

Plan

SWAP helps volunteers start planning early. Planning includes forming a support base of people and resources. Your support base can include your whole community in meaningful, high-impact action. Family, churches, friends, and others contribute their support with prayer, donations, networking, and spiritual direction, walking with you as you serve. As a SWAP member, you will receive a personal account code with CRWRC. Your financial supporters use this code to contribute to account online. You’ll be able check the donation total in your account and progress toward reaching your financial goal. The support you raise will go towards your future service-learning trip with CRWRC. When you are ready to choose a specific trip, you can contact CRWRC to begin the placement process.

Learn

Along the way, CRWRC will provide you with materials to help you learn more about what it means to be a servant and how to best meet the needs of the suffering world today. SWAP teaches you about poverty and development so that you can develop cultural intelligence to serve purposefully and effectively alongside those you meet. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals are connected to each SWAP opportunity and are used as a resource for understanding solutions to the complexities of poverty. Every SWAP member will read an excellent resource that takes you through many issues facing volunteers today called, Serving with Eyes Wide Open, by David Livermore. A year-long set of training materials, given in monthly segments, will help prepare you to follow your calling in Christ to use your gifts where the world needs you most.

Grow 

CRWRC sees each volunteer as a missionary with a ministry calling from God. You have the opportunity to grow spiritually as a SWAP member, learning more about God and his purpose in the world. The SWAP program training helps you define your calling with spiritual growth resources that include devotionals, prayers, and scripture to guide you in your walk with God. Each SWAP member is paired with a mentor who supports, encourages, and challenges you to grow as a Christ-follower. It’s also important for each volunteer to have a relationship of support with their local church congregation so they can grow in community in their role in the larger body of Christ.

Serve

As part of SWAP, you will have the experience of serving locally and globally. Too often, our focus is on the poor overseas—giving less attention to those in need right in our own neighborhoods. As a SWAP member, you’ll get involved in volunteering in your own community before your trip abroad to help you develop purposeful serving as a way of life, not just an event. SWAP members must make a commitment to at least one year of regular volunteer service (minimum 8 hours each month) before taking a trip overseas. The training materials provided with the program help you reflect on, and make the most of, serving at home. 

 What are the benefits of SWAP?

• One year, month-to-month training program for spiritual growth, knowledge, and skill development
• An opportunity to begin building support for your future volunteer trips with online access
• A mentor relationship
• A minimum year-long volunteer partnership with a local service organization pre-departure (8 hours/month of service)
• Long-term support from sending communities and CRWRC
• Connection with local and international service opportunities relating to one of the UN’s eight
• Millennium Development Goals that interests you most

What are the SWAP Requirements?

SWAP applicants need to be:

• Ages 14 to 25
• A high school or undergraduate student
• Faithful: committed Christ-follower
• Servant Heart: strong desire to serve others with humility
• Passionate: demonstrated interest in global issues and community service
• Focused: ability to raise financial support and participate in training for this opportunity on an ongoing basis 

How can I apply?

1. Download an Application Packet

Click here to download an electronic application packet. The application requirements include:

• A completed application
• A pastor or youth leader referral letter
• A statement of Christian faith
• A five-minute video describing why you want to be a part of SWAP – be creative!

2. Connect with Your Local Church

Get in touch with your pastor and/or the missions committee at your local church for their
recommendation(s). This letter should include the answers to the following questions:

• How long has the congregation known the applicant?
• How has this applicant demonstrated their willingness to serve in their congregation and/or community?
• How does the applicant demonstrate ability to be both a “talker”—capable of good discussion— and a “doer”—capable of putting words into action?
• Will the congregation commit to walking alongside the applicant in their future volunteer position? Include action steps such as assembling a “sending team” to support the applicant in prayer, emotional life, communication, re-entry, and with time for the volunteer to address the congregation before departure and upon return.   

3. Create a Five-minute Video

Use your creativitiy to make a short video showing why you want to do SWAP. Make sure to talk about your interest in international development, community service experience, and future goals. Make the video unique to who you are! 

4. Submit an Application

 Are you interested in SWAP? Submit your electronic application online with a letter of recommendation, video, and statement of faith - anytime! 

Thank you for your interest in SWAP with CRWRC. If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to contact us: