SEARCH FAQs

Prior to sending an application to a location, it may be possible to communicate with a location through their public email or social media links. From their posted profile on our website, click on More on the right. Their ‘Website’ or other social media links, will be below the Needs section. Only the links the location has activated will be shown.

Once you have an active application with a location, you can communicate with this location from your Volunteer Site by clicking on the green button with the envelope beside the location’s Application Status.

No. For volunteering, YWAM is not able to help you qualify for a VISA to travel outside of your country. For some who would have difficulty obtaining a travel VISA, the best option is to volunteer within your country. If you have questions about the application process for getting a VISA, the location receiving you as a volunteer is much better equipped to help you, not the MBI office.

For most YWAM locations, the answer is no. Most locations are not set up properly to accommodate pets safely. There can be some exceptions for those travelling in their own RV’s, so be sure to make this clear when applying that you desire to bring a pet.

YES! But some locations may not be suitable for children and family accommodations are not available at all locations. While Exploring our partner locations, look for the ‘Family’ checkbox under the ‘More Search Options’ area of our Explore search page. While you are completing your online application, please remember that your spouse and any family members 18 years of age and older, will need to complete their own online application and that only one parent will include your children under 18 years.

Click here for a printable list: MBI Travel Checklist

We’d love to help you get where you’d like to go and serve. When you’re ready, feel free to Contact Us. Be sure to explore all the possibilities on our website and follow us on our YWAM Mission Builders International Facebook page. More questions? Contact the MBI Support team or call 1.406.285.8525.

Each volunteer is responsible to raise the necessary funds to travel to the ministry location they choose and pay for whatever expenses are incurred during their stay. Costs for room and board, transportation and other local costs are set by the location and not by MBI.

Note: All who work with MBI are volunteers, from those who work full time in the office to those who go on field assignments. As with all ministries of Youth With A Mission, there are no paid staff positions with MBI.

Youth With A Mission has over 1200 operating locations worldwide. Volunteers choose the region of the world in which they would like to serve and we help them find a placement in that region. Explore your options!

Note: You must be able to travel to the nation you choose on a tourist visa without any special letters of invitation, as short-term volunteers don’t usually qualify for other types of visas.

Anyone who has the heart to serve is eligible to volunteer as a mission builder! MBI places individuals, teams, singles, couples and families (those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). We also recruit volunteers from around the world. Volunteers must be willing to sign and comply with the mission’s Statement of Faith and Image Release.

YWAM campuses around the world need volunteer help in every facet of ministry life. Skilled professionals who volunteer may assist with such things as strategic planning, training leaders or teaching agricultural or business principles. More often, however, volunteers assist with more routine tasks such as auto maintenance and repair, construction, childcare, office work, kitchen and food services, sewing, painting, hospitality, grounds upkeep, general maintenance and much more.

MBI started as a grassroots movement of professionals and general laborers volunteering to help build a YWAM campus in Kona, Hawaii, in 1978. It has since grown into a coordinated international effort to match the skills of short-term volunteers with the needs of Youth With A Mission ministries around the globe.

Youth With A Mission is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups, and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM (pronounced “WHY-wham”), we unite in a common purpose to know God and to make Him known. Read more about it here.

MBI is a service-oriented ministry branch of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) dedicated to “lifting up the arms” of long-term, front-line missionaries. This is done through the help of volunteers like you, through our leadership support, strategic gatherings and member and organizational services.

Typical Issues include;

Using an unsupported browser
The MBI website and online apps will work best if you are using a supported browser. Due to the fast pace of application development, browser developers are always attempting to provide the best security and user experience. This can mean that the browser you have used successfully before, may stop working. Our site supports the following browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Safari on Mac OS
• Safari on iOS (iPhone and iPad)
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge

Verify that your username and password are entered correctly and that Caps Lock is not on. iPhones and iPads may auto-capitalize the first character of your username and password.

Please Note: Both your username and password are case-sensitive.

Cookies must be enabled
Cookies are used for login authentication. If cookies have been disabled in your browser, you will run into difficulties logging in and even using our site. Please verify that “Cookies” are enabled in your browser.

Google Chrome

1. Go to Customize and control Google Chrome (3 verticle dots) in the top right corner and click Settings.
2. Go to Privacy and security.
3. Click Cookies and other site data. Select the Allow all cookies radio button

Safari on Mac OS

1. Go to Safari -> Preferences and click Privacy.
2. Uncheck the following options:
   • Prevent cross-site tracking
   • Block all cookies

Safari on iOS (iPhone and iPad)

1. Go to Settings (app) -> Safari.
2. Under Privacy and Security, turn off the following options:
   • Prevent Cross-Site Tracking
   • Block All Cookies

Mozilla FireFox

1. Go to Application Menu in the top right corner and click Settings.
2. From the left menu, click Privacy & Security.
3. Select the Standard or Custom option. In the case of the Custom option, select Cross-site tracking cookies – includes social media cookies as a preference for Cookies.

Microsoft Edge

1. Go to Settings and more (…) in the top right corner and click Settings.
2. Click Cookies and site permissions -> Manage and delete cookies and site data. Set the following options:
   • Enable Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended).
   • Disable Block third-party cookies.

If the issue persists, contact the MBI Support team (team@missionbuilders.org).

Please ensure emails are not going to your junk or spam folders and that @missionbuilders.org is set as a safe address through your email client. Do a search for “add an email or domain to ‘enter your email client‘ safe sender list” for instructions.

All messages from our team and location personnel will be sent to your MBI Message Center, which is accessible from your Volunteer Site account. A notification message, with a link to your account, will be sent to your email address on record. Some system-generated messages will only be sent to your email address on record. These messages are confirmations and/or reminders of actions taken or that need to be taken.

If you have opted out of auto-messaging, please contact the MBI Support team to reenable auto-messages.

When you have completed your time of service, we will send you a message requesting you to leave a review of your time with the location you served. You will have the option to leave a public or private review. All volunteer reviews for locations are verified by the MBI team before posting publicly.

Alternately, logging into your Volunteer Site, you can click on Next Step or Previous Applications to see recent or previous locations you have been. For those you have not left a review for, you will see a Leave / Edit Review button.

We’d love to help you get where you’d like to go and serve. When you’re ready, feel free to Contact Us. Be sure to explore all the possibilities on our website and follow us on our YWAM Mission Builders International Facebook page. More questions? Contact the MBI Support team or call 1.406.285.8525.

Youth With A Mission has over 1200 operating locations worldwide. Volunteers choose the region of the world in which they would like to serve and we help them find a placement in that region. Explore your options!

Note: You must be able to travel to the nation you choose on a tourist visa without any special letters of invitation, as short-term volunteers don’t usually qualify for other types of visas.