Thank you for your interest in supporting our mission by being a volunteer or a mission builder

YWAM Châtel welcomes mission builders (volunteers) for many different tasks become part of our community and participate in our daily activities. It can be for a minimum of 2 weeks up to 90 days.

Serving as a mission builder will introduce you to a mission lifestyle and will give you the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and nations.

There are a variety of areas in which to serve. Some of the skills that we could use would be media (photography, writing for social media, ect), maintenance and construction, cooking, housekeeping, hospitality, gardening, and mechanics, etc.

Guidelines for Mission Builders

University of the Nations (U of N) is a ministry of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), a missionary organization whose goal is to know God and to make Him known. As a community we have embraced the YWAM values stated here and by joining us in Châtel you agree to live by those same standards. Our desire is that the lifestyle—living, learning and working together—will support this goal. The base and grounds are a smoke and drug free place. Alcohol is allowed in modest quantities in staff apartments only. Exceptions can be agreed upon with the leadership. We trust you’ll experience a combination of godliness and naturalness that will be refreshing.  

We are legally not allowed to give free room and board as a volunteer status doesn't exist in Switzerland. Accommodation and meals are therefore offered on a donation basis. To give an idea, a single room for resident staff with full board works out at 450SF per month

Location

YWAM Châtel is a small community, located between Geneva and Lausanne, overlooking the lake and the Alps. The village of Châtel is a cluster of homes situated in the countryside, which invites you to take long walks and enjoy the beautiful nature and scenery. The next town (Rolle) is less than a 10 min drive away and there you will have access to stores and will be able to enjoy the water promenade. Public transportation from Châtel is a 20min walk away from the base, but we do provide a weekly run to the store and to the Sunday service.

Housing

We live as a “community” and seek as much as possible to preserve a family atmosphere. Couples will have a private room. Singles can expect to be in a single room or a double room with one other person. Bathrooms are on the same floor. Family housing is limited and therefore we can receive only one or two families with children.

Schedule

You will come as a guest to our community where you will be included into our daily living as well as have time to yourself to meditate and explore. On a typical day, you will have around 4-6 hours of community service besides the times of community worship, intercession, etc. Of course, some free days for sightseeing around the country can be discussed as part of your time here. Also, most weekends are free for resting, exploring, and attending a church.

As a community we have weekly meetings everyone is expected to attend:

8:30 Monday morning worship

19:30 Tuesday evening 'Community Meeting'

Wednesday prayer and fasting (individual 1 hour sign up slots for Chapel)

8:30 Thursday morning Intercession

8:30 Friday morning Bible study

Insurance

Medical Insurance that covers you in Switzerland is required for all people coming to Châtel. It’s your responsibility to arrange medical cover before your arrival. Please provide a copy of your health insurance card with your application. If your insurance won't cover you in Switzerland, we can recommend Tamara Pinillos, one of our staff, who will be able to arrange insurance, tailored to your needs.

If you are interested in serving at our base, you will need to complete the Mission builders application and two references. (Please give the reference to a spiritual leader or to a friend who knows you well). Once we receive your application and the reference, we will process your application and respond to your request as soon as possible.

We are looking forward to hearing from you and to the possibility of working together with you. May God bless you and direct your steps.