FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes! If you'd like to come and serve with us for a length of 3 weeks to 3 months, you can apply to come as "Support Staff". This is a way to come and serve our local day to day ministries for a shorter period. We also have 2 week, yearly, city outreach into Paris called "Paris Je t'Aime" that many people come for. This is a more "missions trip"-like outreach that anyone can join easily, whether you've done YWAM before or not.

YWAM functions as a support for many different ministries and partners. We work alongside several churches in the city, as well as the global YWAM network of bases in France and all over the world, and other missional organizations.

We go out every Wednesday for evangelism into the city and different local ministries like feeding programs and prayer and worship over Paris.

Our application process is first come, first serve. So we ask that you submit all the appropriate forms, references, and fees, before we can look at the application as a whole and to see if it can be accepted. The sooner you complete the process, the faster we will get back to you!

Every application fee goes towards our overall administration costs, including printing, website payments, online processing costs, and more. Each application is required to pay the fee in order to be completed.

The costs for each program are listed on their specific webpage. These fees cover food (three meals a day), housing (including duvet, sheets, a pillow, and one towel), WiFi, and school fees. The Outreach Phase fees vary depending on outreach location and will be announced a few weeks into the school. However, it generally costs between 2,500-3,500€. These fees cover transport to and from the outreach location(s), any necessary visas, food, accommodation (bedding is not always included), and daily ministry-related costs.

We accept people who have graduated from highschool (or the equivalent). Generally this is 18 years old, but we are open to those slightly younger. If this is the case, please contact us so we might learn more about your situation.

DTS is for anyone who desires to grow in their personal relationship with God. DTS is for people from all walks of life and all ages. Generally, DTS is a place for people who want to grow, be challenged, and discipled.Youth With a Mission is an international, interdenominational mission with a high value placed on the individual, families, hospitality, and reaching all. DTS is for everyone, from everywhere! Here at YWAM Paris Connect, or YPC, our DTS’s usually consist of people from 17-30 years old, singles and families alike. However, if you want more information on what it looks like to be a family in DTS, please email or call for a more thorough conversation!

Each week of our training schools has a theme or topic such as God’s Nature and Character, Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Missions, and Relationships. We aim to know God, including His ways, how He works and operates, and exploring the example Jesus set before us. As the University of the Nations, we operate in a live-learn environment. While we learn in a formal environment, we also live together and learn from each other in the context of community. Our desire is that everyone who does DTS will not just learn about God but fall more in love with who He is and, as a natural overflow of this knowledge, desire to make him known through word and action!

Your week will be full! You will have formal and informal learning throughout the day, corporate events as a whole campus, school time together, practical work times, small groups, and one-on-one processing for each student. What you are learning in class you will be processing and applying to your life as you go. Weekends will generally be free for you to enjoy friends and the city, along with the occasional group outing or rotating weekend chores.

Our DTS’s & second-level schools are six months long. As a mission, we desire to know God and make Him know. In line with these two values, the first three months of the school, called “lecture phase”, are focused on growing with God on campus (in Paris) through lectures and community living. The second three months of the school, called “outreach phase”, are focused on making God know by going to other nations and practically applying what we have learned. The lecture phase is 11 weeks; the outreach phase is 12 weeks. Seminars are typically closer to three weeks.

Yes. DTS is 6 months long and consists of a lecture phase and outreach application. Successful completion of the outreach phase of your school is REQUIRED for all DTS’s and most further accredited training within YWAM in order to graduate.

Everything that you can bring to lectures can be used on outreach. Things that are not brought can also be bought here at second hand stores or sport shops, etc. So, if you are uncertain about if you should bring something, you may choose to leave it behind and get it here if needed. Please note that we cannot guarantee that there will be space to store things while you are on outreach, so you may have to bring everything you brought with you on outreach. Please plan accordingly and pack lightly! Suggested Packing List: Passport (Make sure it is valid longer than 6 months from the end of the school to which you are applying) Bible Journal Pens or pencils 7-10 Shirts: Bring one that you would not mind getting dirty. 2-4 shorts (depending on the season) 3-4 pairs of pants (depending on the season) 8-10 pairs of socks 7-10 undergarments 1 rain jacket 2-3 sweatshirts/sweaters 1 bathing suit 1-2 athletic outfit (for workouts or sports) 2-3 church-appropriate outfits/formal wear for graduation, church, and celebrations! (Churches in outreach nations may require more formal attire than western cultures, including dresses below the knees, formal shoes, no jeans, etc.) - Men: button-up shirt, nice pants, optional tie - Women: dress, nice shirts/skirts Shoes: Make sure to include a nice pair of shoes (to go with your nice outfit), as well as active shoes, sandals, and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Winter jacket (for fall and winter schools) Hat or sunglasses Travel Towel (great for outreach) Small sleeping bag (for outreach) 50-70 litre hiking backpack Water bottle Toiletries Packing for Outreach Phase: We do not recommend bringing any valuables as they would be at greater risk of theft or damage during outreach. Eg. Laptops, nice jewellery, etc. And, as mentioned above, we cannot provide storage for it while you are on outreach. Aim to bring things that can be used for both lecture phase and outreach phase. There are stores in France that also sell all these items if you do not bring them with you. Packing cubes to store all your items helps to stay organised and pack small.

Yes. Health insurance for the entire length of your stay is required before any visit, and before applying for any visa. In France, there are generally no entry requirements around immunizations, but you can double check with your local embassy website. For outreach locations, however, there may be medical information that would advise/require some type of immunizations, depending on where you go. The most common ones we see are the Yellow Fever immunisation and malaria tablets. We strongly suggest being up to date with travel vaccinations as prescribed by your country of residence and required by your travel insurance.

The answer depends on the school you are applying to and your nationality. Many people who apply for DTS are eligible for a 90-day visa-free stay in the Schengen area (this area includes most of Europe). You can check your eligibility here: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/web/france-visas/ai-je-besoin-d-un-visa Some schools will have outreach phases within the Schengen area and therefore require you to have a visa to attend the DTS, as your stay in Europe would exceed 90 days. Other schools will focus outside of the Schengen area for outreach, giving more freedom to arrive without a visa. Please contact us to know if you will need a visa for the particular school you’re applying to.

While it can be helpful in navigating the city and having conversations with locals, speaking French is not necessary in order to attend a school at YPC. The primary language spoken on campus is English as we are an international mission and English is a common language.

YES! You will need a passport that is valid for the full six months of your school, with an extra 6 months after the completion of your school. Your passport needs to be valid for one full year from the starting date of the school you are applying for.

Yes, you can. However, we do have a requirement of staying a minimum of 4 nights. We have an application form that you can fill out on the "Visit Us" page. Then each request will be responded to and given clarity on the availability we have here.

Certainly! Just give us a heads up through email to hospo@ywamparisconnect.com that you are coming to inquire about joining an upcoming DTS. That way, we can best help you if you need to stay, and perhaps, give you a bit of a tour of how things run.

We would love that! They can come at any time that works best with the schedule and lifestyle of YPC. Usually, weekends would be great, because you may be busy and unable to fully embrace the fact that they came to visit you in Paris during a weekday. Definitely email the Hospitality Team ahead of time, because there are limited availability of beds, and they will need to apply for their stay. Even for a day visit, it’s great to give the base some notice beforehand.

We live together in a community. As a base, we have a few different properties where students live, including directly on campus or within a 15-minute walk. All of our accommodation is dormitory style (similar to summer camp). The campus is located in Aubervilliers, which is a suburb located about a 40-minute metro ride north of central Paris. This is considered to be a more impoverished neighbourhood, and that creates a lot of ministry opportunities for us as a missions base. That being said, we still use wisdom and caution when navigating our area, including rules like not walking alone after dark.

Currently, we have around 45 full time volunteers on staff, and every quarter we have a number of students, guests, and other participants coming through the campus. So on average there are usually around 60-90 people around campus serving. We're continuing to grow every year!

We do our best to accommodate all food allergies, but we cook on a large scale and we ask for at least a week's notice if you're coming and have food allergies. We also would need to know how severe the allergy is. We aim to be able to cook meals for everyone on campus though, and will do our very best.

If you are a guest or visitor, your schedule is free to plan as you want! Paris is a great and central location to visit other destinations around Europe. If you are coming as a student, support staff, or staff, your schedule will be busy during the week. Weekends are free, but there's also sometimes scheduled events or work depending on what you're here for. There's definitely room for a discussion around this with your leaders!