Flower City Work Camp : Student

SERVICE AREAS

Flower City Work Camp is primarily a youth program, supported by an amazing group of adult volunteers.  Students select their preference for where they would like to serve during Work Camp when they apply online.  Students in grades 7 through 12 from a participating church are eligible to apply to attend.

Students will be placed onto teams with 3-4 adult leaders and a mix of students from different churches and grade levels who they will serve with through the week of Work Camp. We prayerfully create these teams based on age, gender, experience level and to intentionally create a mix of different churches on each site. Students should be prepared to work with students and adults that they do not know well. Students will be taught how to complete their projects and will be supervised by the adults as they do so. One spiritually mature student on each team serves as the Student Shepherd. Student Shepherds facilitate daily devotions with their work team that are written and provided to them by the FCWC adult leadership team.

Most campers will serve on either a Worksite or Agency Support team. FCWC prioritizes filling worksites before all other service areas. All students should be prepared to serve on a worksite. Students are able to indicate their preferred assignment, but the needs of the ministry will take priority when assigning service areas.

Opportunities to serve on our other teams are reserved for specific grade levels and are limited in quantity.

Students should have served at least one year on a Worksite or Agency team at previous camp years AND be in grades 10th-12th to serve in Sidewalk Club, Sports Camps (Soccer, Basketball, and Action Sports), or Student Kitchen Team.

Service Team Overviews

  • Worksite Teams – These teams travel each day to a worksite location to perform home repairs, light construction, renovation, painting and yardwork.
  • Agency Support Teams – These teams conduct service projects for other local area non-profits and serve in a myriad of ways in the community.
  • Sidewalk Clubs – These teams host mini Vacation Bible School programs by reaching out to neighborhood kids through music, drama, crafts and sports.
  • Sports Camps (Basketball, Soccer, Action) – These teams engage with neighborhood children by teaching about teamwork and competing in tournament-style play.
  • Student Kitchen Team – This team uses their hospitality skills to help prepare meals for camp, working with a camp chef.

See expanded descriptions below of each service area.

WORKSITE TEAMS

Worksite teams deploy into the city to complete light construction and home renovation projects for homeowners who are struggling to keep up with the maintenance and care of their homes.  Projects can include flooring replacement, ceiling replacement, painting, bathroom and kitchen updates or renovation, front step/deck repair, building of accessibility ramps, decluttering, yard work and more.

Teams consist of 3-4 adult volunteer Worksite Leaders and 8-10 student campers.  The work is primarily performed by the students themselves, with the support and instruction of the adults onsite.  With three dedicated workdays as part of Work Camp, the average worksite team performs a combined 264 hours of service on each home.  With labor and building materials combined, most homes receive around $10,000 in work.

Campers should bring at least two changes of work clothes that can get dirty, durable shoes or boots, work gloves, safety glasses, and several dust masks.

Campers in grades 7-12 are eligible to serve in this area.

AGENCY SUPPORT TEAMS

Agency Support teams deploy into the city to perform service projects for other non-profits, ministry organizations and other groups who also work to benefit the community.  Projects can include donation sorting, organizing, cleaning, landscaping, creating encouragement notes for assisted living residents and much more.

Teams consist of 3-4 adult volunteer Agency Support Leaders and 8-10 student campers.  The work is primarily performed by the students themselves, with the support and instruction of the adults onsite.  With three dedicated workdays as part of Work Camp, the average agency support team performs a combined 264 hours of service during the week.

The organizations supported through this ministry all do vital and valuable work in their areas for the community.  But, as with most organizations that serve, they tend to have project of their own that pile up internally as they focus on serving others outwardly.

Campers should bring work clothes that can get dirty and a pair of work gloves for the week, as well as warm clothes that protect from wind, rain and possibly snow.

Campers in grades 7-12 are eligible to serve in this area.

SIDEWALK CLUB TEAMS

Sidewalk Club teams deploy into the city to host mini-Vacation Bible School programs in neighborhood parks, recreation centers, churches, and other host venues.  The teams focus on interacting with the children in those neighborhoods through games, crafts, music and interactive lessons all designed to build relationships and share the love of Jesus!

Teams consist of 3-4 adult volunteer Sidewalk Club Leaders and 8-10 student campers.  The service is primarily performed by the students themselves, with the support and instruction of the adults onsite.  Teams canvass the neighborhoods on the first day of Work Camp to invite the kids to join them and there are three dedicated program days following that week.

While many of our Sidewalk Clubs have indoor sites, all Sidewalk Clubs spend at least part of their day outdoors and also often assist sites with physical tasks such as cleaning, yardwork, etc. Campers should bring warm, appropriate clothing that protects them from wind, rain, and possibly snow.

Campers in grades 10-12 after at least one year on Worksite or Agency are eligible to serve in this area.

SPORT CAMP TEAMS – BASKETBALL AND SOCCER

Sport Camp teams deploy into the city to conduct basketball and soccer camps at recreation centers and school facilities in the city.  Both programs are conducted in partnership with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).  The camps are designed around a tournament play model where our student campers are joined with neighborhood kids to form teams that compete throughout the week in a tournament.  When not on the court, the players rotate through different classes focused on leadership development and a bible study each day.

Teams consist of 5-6 adult volunteer Sport Camp Leaders and 8-10 student campers.  The interactions are designed to primarily between the neighborhood kids and the student campers themselves, with the support and instruction of the adults onsite.  Advertising goes up ahead of the camps and the sport camps run for three dedicated days as part of Work Camp.  Most years our teams will attract 85-100 kids from the neighborhood who attend the program.

Expect to be at an indoor facility each day.  Campers should bring athletic clothing and shoes appropriate to the sport they will be participating in.

Campers in grades 10-12 after at least one year on Worksite or Agency are eligible to serve in this area.

SPORT CAMP TEAM – ACTION SPORTS

Action Sports Camp brings together skateboarders, BMX riders, scooter riders, and inline skaters for a week of service within Rochester’s the action sports community. This camp is conducted in partnership with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Campers will have opportunities to help clean up, improve, and renovate local skateparks while learning how to engage the unique culture of the park and build authentic relationships with the people they meet there. Along the way, campers will be equipped to share their faith through practical evangelism tools like The Four, and challenged to see their passion for Action Sports not simply as a hobby, but as an opportunity to serve others and make Jesus known. Ride. Serve. Connect. Share so that the city may see Jesus! 

Campers in grades 10-12 after at least one year on Worksite or Agency are eligible to serve in this area.

STUDENT KITCHEN TEAM

Flower City Work Camp is excited to introduce a new student team where kids serve behind the scenes in the kitchen by preparing the meals that fuel camp. From prepping, to cooking, cleaning and serving, every task plays a vital role in bringing our camp community together and proving that serving others takes many forms.

Students will have a unique chance to develop practical cooking skills, practice teamwork, build confidence, and discover the joy of making a difference. We teach that serving in the kingdom of God doesn’t always mean the flashiest or most popular jobs, but sometimes the behind the scenes worker that may not get as much recognition. Whether you love to cook or are simply looking for a new way to get involved, you don’t have to swing a hammer to build something meaningful—you can build community right in the kitchen!

Campers in grades 10-12 after at least one year on Worksite or Agency are eligible to serve in this area.