Hope Bay Bible Camp | Internship

The Forma Project

[In]formed mind. [trans]formed heart. formed for life.

A seven-month internship program

for high school graduates, 18-21 years old

Within the context of camp ministry and small-town community, The Forma Project focuses on personal development

and growing your personal relationship with Christ to equip you for the next phase of your journey.

The Bible points to the unique opportunity of formation that Christ has for us:

Genesis says that humanity was formed out of the clay, in the image of God.

Luke wants his audience to know with certainty the Gospel we were informed of.

And the apostle Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in order to know God's good will.

We want each of our students to undergo powerful formation and transformation, steeped in the Scriptures and forged in a community of discipleship and camp ministry.

OVERVIEW

The Forma Project runs from mid-January to late-August,

in which up to six students will grow in their personal walk with Jesus.

Camp ministry, Christian education, Bible study, hands-on personal ministry, tangible work, and interpersonal development are all components that will foster an environment of maturing.

We've identified five aspects of the internship that will contribute to that growth:

CAMP EXPERIENCE

While it may seem obvious due to the context of this internship, we are making this an intentional element of the Forma Project. Students will receive introduction, training, and experience in several disciplines, gaining insight into the work (often behind-the-scenes) that goes into being a year-round missionary in camp ministry. This may include areas of Program, Administration, Facilities, and Kitchen.

DISCIPLESHIP

Becoming more like Jesus means being intentional with your time, investing in ways that will grow your faith and give direction for your future. In this internship the main focus is to develop your relationship with Jesus and your identity in Him. This happens when we engage each other and face hard circumstances and hard questions together.

COMMUNITY

Whenever a diverse group of individuals come to do life together in the name of Jesus, there are incredible blessings and opportunities for growth. Students will be stretched as they face joys and challenges, and even conflict, and work toward godly solutions together.

LEARNING

We all have so much to learn from Scripture, from teachers, and from each other. With a mix of in-class study, independent study, and streamed modules, students will engage with material on Christian worldview, Biblical studies, leadership, and theology. Topics and content will be taught by the Forma leadership, and occasionally supplemented by guest teachers, streamed workshops, sermons, etc.

SERVICE

Ministry to others is where the rubber meets the road in our lives of personal growth. Students will invest in lives at a local youth group and occasional guest groups, in tangible maintenance and janitorial work at Camp, in addition to unique leadership in the summer program.

Events & Special Dates

The daily and weekly schedules of The Forma Project have a lot of flex to them, but here are a few special dates to get you started:

2020:

Move-In: January 12
Program Start: January 13
1st Off-Site Break: March 30-April 3
2nd Off-Site Break: May 18-22
Practicum Start: May 25
Practicum Finish: End of summer camps [TBD]
Graduation: Following Day [TBD]
Departure: Day Following Graduation [TBD]

See the calendar below to learn about other events happening in the Hope Bay world throughout the year.

(use the arrows at the top of the calendar to view different months)

Meet The Leaders

Resident Leader
ALLISON SCHNECK

With a wealth of experience, Allison comes to us from Abbotsford, with a double-major from Columbia Bible College in 2018. A longtime friend and co-worker of the Broughtons, she spent six seasons as summer staff at a fellow One Hope Canada camp, and three of those in a program leadership position. While completing simultaneous B.A.s in Youth Work and Intercultural Studies, she was a resident leader in her dorm, was the Missional Life Chairperson, and was involved in an eight-month internship in Mexico doing church planting and working at a school for the marginalized. She is passionate about discovering and sharing more about our identity in Christ and how to live our lives in light of that.

"Taking time to establish a strong identity in Christ is an important step in growing in Christ and is often missed in the jumble of postsecondary and full-time work. I'm excited for this program because it gives people the space to discover who they are, and do that with a group of people who are wanting more of Jesus and more out of life. I'm thrilled I have the opportunity to journey with people in that.”
Internship Director
DEREK BROUGHTON

As the Program Director of HBBC, Derek has been involved in camp ministry for seventeen years, and here at Hope Bay for the past three. In 2008 he graduated from Prairie Bible College with a B.A. in Ministry, and has been program directing ever since. He has worked with Allison for several summers in central BC. Derek's heart has always been to disciple young people in their spiritual walks, and has the strong desire to see them go deep in their faith in order to pour out their God-given passion and creativity to the world.

"I'm so excited for this opportunity to bring passionate disciples of Jesus together and be an intentional part of their growth. It makes my heart glad that young people are seeking Christ in their next steps as they get ready to serve others for life."

Details

Schedules

Because of the varied nature of the camp's year-round seasons, The Forma Project’s schedule also varies greatly.

Monday to Friday are full and fairly structured, spent in learning and service. Students enjoy in-class training, hands-on camp training and camp experience, online modules, Bible studies, recreation, community events, and free time. See the ‘Events’ section for some of the important dates, and this 2019 schedule to get an idea of what a typical atypical week may look like.

Each weekday and most weekends you will have a block of personal time set aside. Programmed events and guest groups may shift the timing blocks of free time.
Weekends are typically an unstructured time of rest for students and camp leadership. Interns have Saturdays to catch up on assignments and relax by spending solitary or social time. Reading a book, visiting the winter market and thrift store, playing disc golf, or ‘car-stopping’ to a beach are all great options. Sundays are for communal worship and rest.

Some weekends are spent facilitating guest groups or promoting Camp. Such weekends are typically followed by a day or two off ‘in lieu’ of time spent working.
Workload & Assignments

As an integral part of the team, students are given responsibilities and special projects to further the mission of this ministry. There is also some coursework associated with the learning components.
Many assignments can be completed within the classes, modules, or work blocks, but there will be some work to do in your own time, including reading, journaling, research or writing assignments, and preparation for events. The main thrust of this program is not academia, but as with any endeavour, growth comes with doing work, and we want to challenge you to think hard and work hard in all you do, as unto the Lord.
Access

Available to you here at Camp:
-Heated Accommodation
-Commercial Kitchen
-Laundry Facilities
-Quiet Workspace
-Wi-Fi (shared bandwidth) for coursework and communication
-Long-distance phoning (some restrictions)
-Sports and Games Equipment
-Communal TV & DVD Player

Please note that you will NOT have access to:

-Camp vehicles (unless meeting specific insurance and leadership requirements)

Accommodation

Accommodations are determined by leadership, taking all factors into account. The dorm-style "Quad" rooms often work well for individuals, while students of the same gender may share cabin space. All student accommodations are heated, and have modest furnishings. Twin mattresses are used in most rooms and cabins, and exceptions will be communicated well in advance.

The Dining Hall has two couch areas for relaxing, and during good weather, there are plenty of outside locations to soak in the natural surroundings.

Meals

Food is prepared mostly by the students themselves. With the help of leadership staff--especially in the beginning--interns learn how to plan menus, buy groceries, and cook for their appropriate number using our commercial kitchen. You will be invited to eat some meals with the leadership families, and will be encouraged to make connections and dine with friends outside the camp context.

Numbers

We are a small camp team, so our student numbers are intentionally small as well. By choosing a small group of interns we can be purposeful in investing in their lives as well as working to develop and implement their skills for the ministry here. Our maximum capacity is six students, but typically we've seen between one and four each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called 'The Forma Project'?

'Forma' is the Latin word for "form" and it encapsulates what we want to see in the program: disciples of Jesus formed by Christ in preparation for life. As the potter forms his clay, or the blacksmith forms his steel, so too, Christ shapes us more and more into His likeness. We call it a 'project' because we see it as an endeavour for you to invest in. This is your project of formation, and the object is you!

Will you definitely be running the internship?

As long as we have one or more accepted applicants, we will indeed be running the internship in 2020.

The application deadline is coming soon.

We will be in close communication with applicants throughout the process.

Are guests or pets allowed?

Friends or family wishing to visit should talk to the leadership well in advance. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Arrangements should not be made when they will interfere with the scheduled Forma program.

Please do not bring pets to the camp property.

What are the challenges?

For those who have only experienced Hope Bay Bible Camp in the summertime, please be aware that Camp is entirely different during the year-round months. Please be prepared for the following:

The climate is wet and cold, and there are much fewer people on site. Hope Bay becomes a place of intimacy and quiet, and while that is a blessing for some, unless effort is made to stay physically and socially active, others may feel isolated and melancholy.
One of the greatest challenges to face are interpersonal. When our experiences don’t align with our expectations (even as simple as washing one's own dishes), it’s easy to become offended, or worse, to let bitterness fester. When living together as a small community in shared space, differences are quickly evident and must also be quickly reconciled.
Some of the camp workload can be a challenge; encountering new tasks and projects to troubleshoot, and even the simple challenge of doing manual labour.
And for some, the coursework and homework will be stretching as you encounter questions you’ve never wrestled with before, as well as a heavy workload.

What church will I attend?

Students are expected to attend a weekly Christian worship service. Here at Camp we host a weekly church service. It is an informal and eclectic group of believers who come together to worship Christ and share about our experiences, insights, and challenges. While you are not required to attend this service, it will be good for you to spend time connecting with this group that makes up a significant part of the Hope Bay community. You may also want to get to know the other churches on the island: the Community Church, St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church, and St. Peter’s Anglican Parish.

What else is on Pender Island?

Our little island boasts over forty ocean access points, as well as numerous hiking trails and viewpoints. There are a number of quaint shops, cafes, artisans, and even a 27-hole disc golf course. There is even a unique ‘Car-Stop’ option for getting rides around. To find out more about the island, visit our ‘Where We Are’ page.

What should I bring?

A complete packing list will be emailed to accepted applicants, but consider these items that you may not think of:

Required:

Laptop computer to stream teaching modules and write assignments. (Browse inexpensive options).
Gmail / Google account
Bedding for a Twin mattress
Rain gear and rubber boots
Clothing for the cold, wet winter
Clothing for the hot, dry summer
Hiking boots/shoes

Optional:

Guitar or other instrument to play/practise
Pastime hobbies (eg. knitting, colouring, board games, etc.)
Umbrella
Slippers for cold floors
Personal bicycle or vehicle if you’d like freedom of transportation