In addition to the ACU students that serve as our summer camp staff, we also offer volunteer opportunities for many of our camps.
Who can volunteer?
We seek volunteers who love the Lord, love young people and are energetic and creative in living out their faith. Our supervision goal is to maintain a 1:5 adult to camper ratio in all of our camp activities, so that each of our campers receives the kind of influence and attention that challenges and affirms them.
To serve as a volunteer, you must be 21 or older. Junior volunteers (under 21) are accepted on a limited basis and must serve under the supervision of an adult youth worker. Priority is given to adult volunteers who are attending with campers from their youth group, but you do not have to have campers attending to volunteer. In addition to full-time youth ministers, many of our volunteers are former campers, former camp staff, ACU alumni and parents who enjoy working with youth.
All volunteers are required to provide personal references and will be further screened with a background check. ACU Leadership Camps reserves the right to decline any applicant on the basis of camp need, priority, references or background check.
What does a volunteer do?
The volunteer experience is different at each of 
our camps but always involves serving as a responsible Christ-honoring mentor and guide for campers.
Learning To Lead: Our 4th – 6th grade campers are divided into “color” groups of 15 students. (Each group of campers and volunteers is assigned a color: red, orange, yellow, etc. to aid in community-building). Learning to Lead teaching teams consist of 3 volunteers (1:5 ratio of adults to campers), with one typically serving as the leader of the team and the others assisting. As a volunteer, you will work with your team members to lead the color group Bible study times in the morning (curriculum provided), evening prayer time and, join in on other daily camp activities.
Housing, meals, and a camp t-shirt are provided at no cost to each volunteer.
MPulse: Our 7th – 9th grade campers are divided into “color” groups of 16-20 students. (Each group of campers and volunteers is assigned a color: red, orange, yellow, etc. to aid in community-building). MPulse teaching teams consist of 4 volunteers (1:5 ratio of adults to campers), with one typically serving as the leader of the team and the others assisting. As a volunteer, you will work with your team to lead the color group Bible study time, (once a day-curriculum provided), and an evening prayer time. Teaching teams also eat lunch with their group, guide them through large and small group activities, and participate with them in worship.
Housing, meals, and a camp t-shirt are provided at no cost to each volunteer.
Kadesh: Our 9th grade – college freshmen campers are divided into small groups of 8-10 students. This small group forms a new temporary community for the week of camp that is led by 2 co-leaders, one male and one female. These volunteers partner together to lead their small group through the daily Bible studies, service projects and special activities of the week.
Kadesh is an intense experience for both the camper and the group leader. It is not for the faint of heart or spirit. The experience of leading a Kadesh group asks leaders to sacrifice, to prepare themselves with prayer, time in the Word and self-examination; to put aside personal needs for the sake of the group,and to fully invest a week in mentoring their group of high school students. Kadesh days are long…8 am until midnight most day…but the spiritual rewards are great!
Housing, meals, and a camp t-shirt are provided at no cost to each volunteer.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What about my own children?
- I am the parent of a camper
Every year a number of parents serve as volunteers, since they are actively involved in their youth ministries at home. We welcome parents as volunteers. Any parent volunteer will be assigned to a different camper group than the one to which their child is assigned.
- I am the primary care-giver for children who are too young to attend camp
In some instances, a parent wishes to volunteer but has primary care responsibilities for their own children who are too young for camp. We recommend that a volunteer make every attempt to provide another option for pre-camp-aged children (spend the week at a grandparent’s or favorite cousins’) since our focus is on camper-aged youth. However, if no other option exists Leadership Camps will provide child care for the times during the day/evening when volunteers are working with their camper groups.
All pre-campers must be registered by their parents and complete all pertinent information regarding their care on or before May 1. A fee of $25. will be charged for each pre-camper registered into child care. This fee is to help offset the supervision costs; additional funds may be requested during the week to cover activities off-campus activities.
Note: The child care fee will be waived for KidQuest campers whose parents are serving as volunteers at Kadesh.
What details do I need to know to get started?
Your first step is to complete the online application.
Once you have been confirmed to volunteer for a week of camp you will receive additional information with details about preparation for camp including curriculum, teaching teams, what to bring, check-in, etc.
For planning purposes: Check-in for Volunteers is on Sunday between 3-5 in Barret Hall. After you check-in and settle into your room, all volunteers will meet with their Camp Director for dinner and instructions to launch the week!
If you have more questions about volunteering please call 1.888.266.CAMP.
