This summer, over 4,500 young people will attend Catholic Youth Summer Camp (CYSC) to be awakened, empowered, and equipped to Live the Adventure of the Catholic faith. We provide a world-class program and an environment of authentic encounter with Jesus.
Read below to learn more about our four staffs for CYSC. If you would like to learn more about our full-time missionary program at Damascus, head to damascus.net/mission.
(Senior in High School – Young Adult)
A CYSC Service Staff member gives up a summer to create a truly irresistible environment of encounter. They display a servant’s heart by being behind the scenes, building and maintaining a place for Jesus to change hearts. This is a great opportunity for young adults to step into missionary service and hospitality, and it is a great opportunity for incoming seniors to get a taste of mission at CYSC. This will not be a mission for all, but for those called, it will be an incredible time of personal formation, service, and growth. A daily schedule consists of a holy hour, cleaning the facilities, time of intercession, and teaching campers how to pray through prayer lab.
(High School Graduate – Young Adult)
A CYSC Counseling Staff member intentionally walks with and deeply invests in a new group of campers each week. They facilitate daily encounters with Jesus as a model, mentor, and guide through intentional conversation, small group facilitation, and daily accompaniment throughout the week. To equip them better in their call at camp and beyond, a CYSC counselor will be trained in pastoral skills, discipleship, and prayer ministry. A daily schedule consists of daily prayer, activity rotations, lake time, our evening programming “Club”, and small group discussions.
(High School Graduate – Young Adult)
A CYSC Program Staff member has the task to carry out the mission of CYSC through establishing an environment of encounter through world-class programming. The Program Staff creates a contagiously joyful environment every day, utilizing high adventure activities, skits and dramas, technology, and music to invite campers into an encounter with Jesus. They lead campers through daily prayer labs and prayer ministry to foster relationship with the same Jesus they encounter. Each Program Staff member is trained in evangelization, crowd leadership, and drama/skit ministry.
(High School Graduate – Young Adult)
A CYSC Media Staff member captures what the Lord is doing, and they share it with the world to glorify the Lord in a given moment. They step into the New Evangelization through social media, photography, videography, and graphic design. They spend their day doing everything from capturing camper moments at high adventure activities to sharing with the Church powerful moments of life-changing encounter with Jesus.
Counseling Staff, Program Staff, and Media Staff applicants must have completed their senior year of high school by June 2021. Service Staff applicants must have completed their junior year of high school by June 2021.
In short, yes and no. For most, your missionary work begins before campers arrive. Every member of CYSC’s missionary staff is required to raise $1,500 of missionary support and is afforded the opportunity to raise up to $2,500. This is an opportunity to evangelize others by allowing them to assist you in the mission to which the Lord has called you. Specific, hands-on training will be provided in order to help you attain your goal. Under certain circumstances, some may choose to volunteer over the summer, which does does not require missionary support.
A payment of either $1,250 or $2,250, as well as room and board, is provided to all missionaries. (The individuals who elect to volunteer in their time of service are the only exception, and they receive only the room and board component.)
If you are, or will be, 18 during your service with CYSC, you must 1) obtain an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCI) background check or a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check (if you have not lived in Ohio for the last 5 years (consecutively)) and 2) participate in a Protecting God’s Children / Virtus training session prior to beginning your service with CYSC (per Damascus Policies and Guidelines).
To obtain and schedule a BCI/FBI Background Check: Please see a local fingerprinting company, such as Fast Fingerprints. You must inform them that you are with the “Columbus Catholic Diocese; with attention to Regina Quinn.”
To find scheduled PGC / Virtus training dates and locations and to register online, please visit: www.virtus.org
If you have questions regarding this process, email mission@damascus.net.
October 15th – Missionary Applications Open
January 15th – Missionary Applications Close
Interview Dates TBD
February 28th – Missionary Team Announced
March 7th – Decisions Due
March 28th 6-8pm – Mission Support Raising Training
