SUPPORT STAFFGeneral JOB DESCRIPTION
Each DOOR Support Staff person serves with other DOOR staff to organize and carry out the DOOR “Discover” Program. The Discover component of DOOR is a weekend and week-long urban service learning trip for groups intended to teach participants about the city and the people who live there.
This is intended to be a general description—duties can be shifted according to the skills and interests that each staff person brings to the program. Weekends can occur anytime throughout the year. The Spring season runs any where from mid-February to mid-May. The summer program runs for a three-month period from late May to mid-August. Specific dates are determined by the individual City's schedule and program and can be learned from the City Director.
Before applying you should read DOOR's Philosophy of Ministry. Support staff are the people who help make this vision possible. They lead and work alongside the participants at the various partner agencies. They lead during group reflection times and help plan, lead and participate in group worship.The Discern program will consist of these components:
1. Application, including references, interview and acceptance
2. Selection Criteria
3. Orientation period, including training, instruction, experiential learning, and group bonding
4. Continuous program and meaningful work
5. Intentional Reflection times and discussion, both group and individual
6. End of service retreat
7. Transition/ Closing processing
Candidates for this position must meet the following qualifications:
1. Demonstrate a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
2. Interest in serving others, learning about urban issues, group processing of experiences.
3. Respect for people from different backgrounds who may have very different beliefs.
4. Open to working varied hours; evenings and early mornings.
5. Display responsibility and maturity in peer relationships and in accepting work assignments.
6. Be honest and open in communicating issues, whether personal or group related that could negatively affect DOOR’s program.
7. Desire to work with junior high and high school age youth as well as adults.
Job Description
Help facilitate service/learning experiences for youth groups that come to Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Hollywood, Miami, or San Antonio for a weekend or week at a time. This includes welcoming groups, befriending them, encouraging them as they have new and often shocking experiences, and helping them to enjoy and process their week in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, San Antonio, or Hollywood. Engage in reflection by reading assignments, discussing as a group and spending individual time in prayer and reflection.
Orientation:
Staff are expected to participate in the orientation. (Dates vary according to city). This may include; First Aid training, getting acquainted with the metro area, meeting agency coordinators, book discussions, prayer together, reviewing DOOR policies, and preparing worship and reflection times.
Daily tasks include:
1. Helping with meal preparation and grocery shopping as needed.
2. Participating in, and helping to lead the group orientation, worship, and reflection sessions.
3. Driving and/or guiding groups to and from work sites throughout the metro area. Introducing groups to work site coordinators.
4. Working with DOOR groups at the different work sites. Assisting with leadership and oversight at work sites providing continuity and insure that the experience and quality of work is satisfactory.
5. Provide feedback, criticism, new ideas, etc. to help with the continued evaluation of the program.
Other:1. Sunday afternoons (3:00 PM – until the groups arrive) will be set aside for prayer and facility preparation. All staff are required to attend.
2. Time will be set aside for spiritual direction and reflection. Reflection is done in a group and individual setting for the staff during the summer. All are required to engage. Some cities employ a spiritual director.
3. In some locations, staff reside in the same facility as participants. Staff who stay at the facility are responsible for doing a security check each evening of the week.
WHAT KIND OF GROUPS WILL YOU BE WORKING WITH? The DOOR program is designed for participants from high-school age on up and is open to all denominations (we do see some junior high participants as well). We ask that one adult sponsor accompany every five youth who make up the group. We can accommodate groups of 60 to 75 total participants. In any given week, smaller groups are often participating with other small groups, a practice that allows participants from different places and denominations to share the experience.
WHAT DO THE GROUPS DO? A typical DOOR week begins upon arrival Sunday evening and ends with departure on Friday noon. A one to two hour orientation/logistics session Sunday evening helps prepare everyone for the week.
Groups will be divided into work/meal teams of 4-6 participants, including one adult leader. Meal teams are responsible for preparation and clean-up of group meals (food, menus, instructions are provided and a DOOR staff person is on hand for reference). Participants will stay with the same team for the week, spending each day at a different service assignment. However, due to the nature of some assignments, there are cases where we will ask the same work team to stay at a site for more than one day. Our goal is that all participants will have a variety of experiences that they can then share with each other. In general support staff will work with 1-3 agencies throughout the summer.
Examples of service assignments are: preparing and serving meals at a soup kitchen; helping with children whose moms may be living on the streets; lawn and building maintenance for seniors; stocking shelves in food banks; sorting donated clothing; touring a homeless shelter; meeting with groups working for change in the city; working in an urban garden; conversing and singing with senior citizens; picking vegetables with migrants.
Weekends Schedule: Weekends are often customized. Schedules will vary depending upon groups, dates, themes, service experiences.
WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE? (The schedule varies slightly according to each city)
Sunday: 3:00 PM Meet & prepare for group(s) arrival.Monday - Thursday: 6:25 AM Make sure meal team is getting out of bed
6:00 PM Group(s) arrive. Settling in, introductions, orientation, and planning go until about 9:30 PM. (These times can and do change if group(s) arrive late.)
6:40 AM Breakfast Preparation & Lunch Preparation
7:00 AM Breakfast / Early departures
7:30 AM Staff Meeting (some cities hold this at night instead)
7:45 AM Finish Packing Lunches / Clean Up
8:10 AM Send off—prayer and/or devotions
2:00 - 7:00 PM Return to Church
5:00 PM Supper Preparation
6:00 PM Supper / Clean Up
7:00 PM Evening Activity (Monday, Tuesday & Thursday)
11:00 PM Lights Out
Evening sessions include worship, presentations, and group reflection. Thursday evening is our closing time of reflection, processing what we have seen, felt, and learned during the course of the week. This is perhaps the most important time of the week. Issues raised are addressed in light of our calling as Christians to love others and to respond to those in need.
SPECIAL NOTES
STAFF FREE TIME: A summer at DOOR will demand most of your time. Although we work hard to provide for “off time” for each staff member, this is not a guarantee. Occasionally situations arise which will cut into your “off time”.WEDNESDAY: No formal reflection time is scheduled on Wednesday evening. DOOR does not provide supper on this evening so most groups choose to eat out and spend the evening on the town (Please keep in mind that some work teams may not be finished with their assignment until early evening).
THURSDAY: Thursday evening is set aside for a time together designed to help participants reflect on and process what they have seen, felt, and learned during the course of each day. We usually have a picnic in a park that overlooks the city skyline and end with a time of reflection and communion. This is perhaps the most important time of the week. The issues that are raised are addressed in light of our calling as Christians to love others and to respond to those in need. The schedule is basically the same as Monday through Wednesday, except for evening reflection activities.
FRIDAY: Get up and breakfast schedule is the same. In some cities, we spend the morning attending a presentation. Staff help with lunch preparation during the morning presentation. Groups leave after lunch. Other cities just have the groups help with cleaning the church instead of a presentation. All cities have groups help clean. After the groups leave we do any necessary shopping for the next week.
If you're interested in serving this summer, click on the Discern menu for the applications. If you are a college aged young adult and have not served before use the "as a college student" application. You will also need to submit three references as well. Applications may be submitted at any time but apply as early as possible for the city of your first choice. Application Deadline is April 1.
If you are local to the city in which you are applying, please use this localapplication.
If you are not a resident of the city in which you are applying, use this traditionalapplication.
If you are returning and have served previously with DOOR Discern use this basicapplication.
If you are a high school student in the Atlanta area, DOOR Atlanta has a special opportunity for you to serve this summer. Email Marie for your application.
Here is video made up of interviews of former summer staff with advice to new applicants.