General Information
Staff
All ServiceworX staff members have undergone comprehensive training in ministry to youth and young adults as well as Virtus certification and background checks. A strict ratio of 1 staff member to every 6 participants is maintained at all times during the program.
Service Sites
Participants will spend a good part of the day at service sites in their local communities. Past service sites have included soup kitchens, low-income nursing homes, low-income day care facilities and food pantries. Participants are under the supervision of ServiceworX staff members at all times during their workday at the service sites.
Transportation
Participants are transported to and from the work sites in rental cars operated solely by ServiceworX staff members. Seatbelts are available for every participant and must be worn at all times.
Arrival and Departure
Given its impact on the entire program, late arrivals at the beginning of the day and early departures at the end of the day are strongly discouraged. Drop off & pick up times are covered in the Model Schedule section below. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must accompany participants into the building for drop off/sign in and pick up/sign out.
Typical Schedule
ServiceworX begins on a Sunday evening when the students arrive at the host parish/school at 4:00pm. Participants will report to a pre-determined meeting location within the parish/school and parents must accompany their children for sign-in everyday.
Sunday evening is an opportunity for the staff and participants to meet, get to know each other and talk about what the week ahead will bring. It is also a chance for parents to ask any remaining questions they might have regarding the upcoming week. It will be an evening of great Youth Ministry fun, including pizza for dinner, and will wrap up at 8:00pm. Parents must come in to sign their children out at the end of each program day.
For Monday through Thursday the schedule will look very similar to this:
9:00 AM - Arrive at St. Charles
9:15 AM - Morning Prayer & Reflection
9:30 AM - Depart for Service Sites
9:45 AM - Begin Service at Sites
12:30 PM - Back to St. Charles
**Participants must bring their own lunch Mon. – Thurs.**
1:00 PM - Lunch & Free Time
2:15 PM - Community Building Activities
3:00 PM - Afternoon Discussion & Youth Ministry Activities
4:15 PM - Closing Prayer
4:30 PM - Depart for Home
The Friday schedule remains the same except for the celebration of the Liturgy and an evening activity ending by 7:30 PM. Though each week is different, some include a trip off-site on Friday evening. The staff attempts to schedule the Liturgy at a time when parents can join their children though that is not always possible. Dinner will be provided on Friday evening.
Medications
If a participant needs to take medication(s) during their time at ServiceworX the participant must bring the medication(s) in clearly marked/labeled containers. On a separate sheet of paper parents must provide concise directions that include the names of medications, the required dosage and an intake schedule. Please note that a failure to indicate, in writing, all prescription and non-prescription medications a youth participant is currently taking may result in dismissal from the program.
Electronics/Phones
Cell phones, P.D.A. devices, MP3 (and related media) are strongly discouraged. If participants are insistent upon bringing these devices, the following guidelines must be observed. Youth participants are free to contact their parents/guardians at any time, however are encouraged to limit any phone usage to a period following lunch (and ONLY for the purposes of contacting parents/guardians). Parents can contact their children at any time. The location of phones, including those of staff and host sites will be provided for emergency purposes. All student cell phones will be collected and held by staff for the duration of the daily program. The policy regarding phones is necessary to prevent the constant usage of phones and text messaging and for the safety of the participants. The same policy applies for P.D.A. devices, personal listening devices (i.e. IPod), gaming devices and laptop computers. PLEASE NOTE: This policy provides for students to contact their parents/guardians at all times and is in conformity with safety standards for youth ministry and educational programs.
Clothing and Footwear
Given agency regulations and community expectations it is absolutely necessary that students bring the proper attire for service sites and host parishes/schools. Modest clothing is required of all participants at all sites at all times. This applies to both boys and girls and includes: knee (or near knee) length shorts, tee shirts with sleeves (rather than tank tops, bell shirts, etc.), and appropriate images or texts on clothing (no lewd images or coarse language). Participants are encouraged to pack enough clothing in case they wish to change after working at their service site and upon return to their host site (though this is most often unnecessary). Regarding work clothes: given the variety of work youth participants may be doing (from daycare to light construction) they may be expected to wear pants or jeans to your site. All sites require closed toed shoes (sneakers or boots). Sandals and open toed shoes can be worn upon return to the parish/school at the conclusion of the workday. Youth not in the proper attire will be sent home.