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Year-Round Internships

Applicants

Project Transformation is a faith-based year-round service program for young adults who have completed at least their freshman year of college and are seeking a one-year service internship in Dallas, Texas. The interns will develop and implement after-school and summer programming for children or youth. They will also have the opportunity to participate in Project Transformation's Leadership Course each Friday, which focuses on leadership development, professional development and other specific trainings that will enrich interns' understanding of the needs and challenges of low-income communities. As a faith-based organization affiliated with the United Methodist Church, interns also have the option of taking advantage of additional program components to grow in their faith journey and explore ministry opportunities. The service experience is hands-on with other young people working in teams and connecting children from diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds with many adult volunteers; therefore, strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and motivation are important.

Year-round Service Experience

Project Transformation offers both part-time and full-time positions. Both will focus on:

  • After-school Programming
    During the school year, Project Transformation interns lead after-school programs which serve children and youth. Daily activities include homework assistance, physical recreation activities, and rotational weekly lessons, which may include nutrition education, arts and crafts, Bible lessons, or other education activities.

Full-time service also includes the following components:

  • Community Development
    Full-time individuals will develop the resources needed to provide monthly “Family Fun Nights," which occur once per month. These evening events engage the participating children, their families, the site church congregation, and other members of the community. A Family Fun Night typically includes a healthy meal, games, a performance by the children, and a time for community fellowship. Outside of the after-school program hours, the interns meet with parents of participants, make visits to area schools, meet with community leaders, and develop relationships with neighborhood leaders.
  • Summer Day Camp
    During the summer program, Project Transformation interns work in teams of 9-12 team members, while serving in an eight-week summer day camp for 70-85 elementary children and youth. Sites are located in urban churches or at local community center. Components of the program include: a one-on-one reading program, arts and crafts, music, recreational activities, and other activities in which the gifts and talents of the interns can be shared with the children. Interns have the option to participate in children/youth Bible lessons apart from their AmeriCorps service hours.
  • Career Exploration
    During the summer, interns are exposed to various vocational opportunities to be in service or ministry through guest speakers, field trips, and interactions with church leaders. Examples include visits to various United Methodist institutions, such as Methodist Health System, UMR Communications, Justice for Our Neighbors, Perkins School of Theology, Texas Methodist Foundation, Methodist Children's Home, and more.

Through our affiliation with the United Methodist Church and not as part of the AmeriCorps program, Project Transformation offers the following options to interns: 

  • Spiritual Development
    Project Transformation invests in the spiritual development of each intern, opening their eyes to the needs and opportunities for ministry. The program helps interns learn to build a community of support through worship, Bible study, and outside speakers. Interns may participate in a weekly worship session as well as short morning devotions each day before heading to the program sites. Young adults are encouraged to examine their personal beliefs through intellectual and spiritual discussions.
  • Church Involvement
    During the school year or summer, the interns may choose to participate in worship and Sunday School at their site church with their team. This is an opportunity to connect the children that attend the day camp and their families with the church family. Through regular church attendance the interns can help generate a volunteer core with the congregation members to bring continuity to programs and relationships established over the summer. Also the interns will create a link between the partner churches and the churches that host the program by recruiting volunteers to read with the children that attend the day camp, collecting supplies for the program, and sharing the stories of their experience.

Requirements

  • The successful year-round applicant will be a highly motivated and engaging individual. An interest in serving others in need as well as working with children and youth is preferred.
  • The dates for the year-round service are September 1, 2010- August 15, 2011. This includes eight months of after-school programming, 8 weeks of summer day camp, and either one week of overnight urban camp at Bridgeport Camp & Conference Center or "Adventure Week" in Dallas. School year-only part-time positions are also available with service dates of September 1, 2010 - May 15, 2011.
  • Project Transformation year-round participants that are serving on a full-time basis typically do not hold commitments outside of this experience. Many part-time interns are also currently attending school.
  • Interns participate in a training week at the beginning of each semester followed by four months of after-school programming.
  • Regularly, interns can choose to participate in a group Bible study & worship time.
  • During the summer program, the interns explore different careers in service through a dialogue with lay and ordained leadership of various partnering non-profit organizations and United Methodist institutions.
  • Throughout the year, the intern speaks to his/her site church and other area partnering groups about the service experience - this could be to a Sunday school group, the congregation, youth group, business group or other.

The time expectations can be great, but the potential for personal rewards that come from this kind of commitment are even greater. While much is expected of each intern, much is given in return in the form of love from the kids, support and fun from living in a community, and the energy that comes from making a real difference in communities that are often forgotten. You never really know how much you can receive until you truly give.

Compensation

Full-time service

$11,800 living stipend- paycheck, $5,350 education voucher (issued by AmeriCorps after completed term of service and available to be used during/after the spring semester following the year-round position), and reduced-rate housing upon availability. Also included is health insurance.

Part-time service:

September - August: $6,030 living stipend- paycheck, $2,675 education voucher (issued by AmeriCorps after completed term of service and available to be used during/after the spring semester following the year-round position), and reduced-rate housing upon availability.

Quarter-time service:

September - May: $2,900 living stipend-paycheck, $1,415 education voucher (issued by AmeriCorps after completed term of service and available to be used during/after the spring semester following the year-round position), and reduced-rate housing upon availability.

Minimum-time service:

September - May:  $2,300 living stipend-paycheck, $1,132 education voucher (issued by AmeriCorps after completing term of service and available to be used during/after the spring semester following the year-round position).

Application Procedure

Each applicant proceeds by filling out the application for year-round position, including the reference letters. After the application has been turned in, the Project Transformation office will contact the applicant for an interview.