Next Step Ministries

Hospitality Leader

January - August 2019 • Lorain, OH

What I liked

I love the people I met, and I loved seeing how much work we could accomplish together.

What I wish was different

The most difficult part was that I had to miss the last three weeks of classes to begin training in late May. This isn’t a problem for most students, but it was for me since my college is on a trimester schedule. However, my professors and Next Step were helpful and accommodating to make this transition more manageable.

Advice

Being organized during the beginning of the summer is important to build efficient habits that will save time and money. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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Construction Site Supervisor

May - August 2019 • Colorado Springs, CO

What I liked

I loved being on a team with 9 other people my age and working in Colorado. It was awesome leading work sites and definitely helped me decide that doing something with Construction was something I wanted to do. Very hands-on experience and very rewarding seeing projects come together. The cool thing about Next Step is that they're a nonprofit organization, so all of our construction projects were for home owners that didn't have enough money to afford new things. And we also got to do work for various businesses who were trying to help out the community. You definitely feel like you've made a difference.

What I wish was different

The only thing that I maybe wish was different would be to have a little more free time. The whole summer you are working every day of the week except Saturday and there aren't many breaks. Half of the day is spent on construction sites and then the rest of the day we all go back and have a worship program for the volunteers that week. And then on weekends we were getting materials for the next week. But I loved staying busy and had a great time doing it.

Advice

Have a lot of energy and a willingness to work hard with your team. Its a fantastic internship so just be open to getting out of your shell and have a want to learn. Your team will become some of your best friends and you'll definitely end the summer a different person for the better. They also have other positions available besides just construction positions. So if you wanted to gain some leadership experience then this is a great internship for that as well.

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Emcee

May - August 2019 • Madison, WI

What I liked

Great atmosphere for leadership growth. Lots of fun while being challenging in all the right ways.

What I wish was different

Advice

You have to be fully committed, but it is totally worth it.

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Construction Supervisor

May - August 2019 • Pine Ridge, SD

What I liked

The community of the company. The ability to use what I have been taught in the real world. Gaining residential construction experience, so I am able to relate to future trade contractors. Also getting experience in the supervisor role.

What I wish was different

Advice

This internship helps you gain supervisor experience and hands-on building experience. It also helps you learn some estimating.

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Construction Supervisor

May - August 2019 • Clendenin, WV

What I liked

I was able to serve the community in Clendenin via supervising kids doing construction. It was amazing. I love Clendenin!

What I wish was different

Not much honestly it was a fantastic experience.

Advice

Follow your passions and you will truly never work a day in your life. I can attest to that.

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Construction Project Manager

May - August 2019 • Colorado Springs, CO

What I liked

The experience is unlike any other. Next Step offers interns the ability to really grow as individuals through a variety of different avenues. Being trained for a week or so then having to complete your job responsibly and well is something not everyone is capable of but it is something Next Step strives to empower its employees to do. I was given a lot of resources to steward throughout the summer, while building relationships, maintaining quality, and serving well all to ultimately benefit the people of Colorado Springs.

What I wish was different

Having slightly more time for rest would have been helpful, we worked basically from 6:30 am until 11:00 at night, which can make a person pretty exhausted. Including time for rest is essential for this type of work.

Advice

If you want an internship that will grow you in a ton of different ways, Next Step is the way to go. This experience will stretch you in many ways, but the experience you will gain is so incredible. The people you get to work with throughout the summer are also well worth the lack of sleep you may experience.

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Worship Leader

May - August 2018 • Pine Ridge, SD

What I liked

It was an amazing experience. The ability to work with youth from churches all over the country, but also be a part of the Lakota native community for the entire summer, was unique and irreplaceable. The work was hard, and it was extremely rewarding.

What I wish was different

I wouldn’t change anything.

Advice

Be prepared for little sleep, hard emotional experiences, and to know God’s love in a new way.

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Team Leader

May - August 2018 • Houston, TX

What I liked

The community of Houston, Texas was everything and more. As Team Leader I had the opportunity to lead a team of 8-10 Summer Staff members and oversee nine-one week long mission trips. Together, with over 950 student/adult volunteers, we worked on rebuilding communities that were devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Our service projects focused on effective community development and were interdependent economically, socially, and spiritually by design. By listening and focusing on a community’s assets and issues, our team was able to invest in these communities as well as provide a hand up, not a hand out.

What I wish was different

Nothing. The experience was fantastic and I was able to serve alongside so many students and adults from all over the country as well as Canada.

Advice

Going into the role of Team Leader was exciting but know that the community will change your life for the better. We may have made a positive impact in the community but the community has impacted my life in ways that I never thought would have been possible.

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