FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

For Parents.

So, Your son or daughter is thinking about Year 13?

How are you feeling about this? You might be feeling a little apprehensive, and that’s understandable. Why delay getting straight into life post school? Aren’t gap years just an expensive waste of time? We don’t think so (and we are not alone!).

Research shows that student who take a gap year before starting university perform better academically. But it’s not just about academics. Increasingly, more and more universities are encouraging students to defer their enrolments and take a gap year before commencing study.

One of the great strengths of a gap year is the chance to take a breath. There are so many options and decisions facing your child after school, and the impact these decisions have on the rest of their lives can be daunting. They feel so much pressure to get it right! Study after study reports that gap year students have greater clarity and motivation in pursuing further academic study, benefit from increased employability and better career satisfaction, as well as gain a broader perspective on life. The involvement of Year 13 mentors in your child’s life, building valuable social and spiritual capital with them, will help your child flourish into adulthood.

Don’t just take our word for it, check out the research for yourself…

“I am a great advocate of the gap year, provided that the year is well planned.  I taught in Oxford for many years, where you are responsible for a small group of students throughout their degree and get to know them very well.  The students who had taken a gap year were invariably more mature, and more ready for tertiary study, than those who had come direct from high school.  Far from losing ground, students arrive at University from a gap year better prepared to excel.”

Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The University of Sydney (14 September, 2018)

Other articles

For Ministers.

Youthworks’ Vision is to see an effective youth and children’s ministry in every church. With this in mind, Year 13 was created to serve you, the local Church, as you help guide your young people through one of the largest journeys they’ll ever face – from high school into the rest of life.

We do not create a “Year 13 Church” that takes over the role of a student’s home church, rather, we want to provide school leavers with the opportunity to take a year out of the normal school to university track, serve in their local churches and/or schools and take on the complexities of adult responsibilities as they grow in their relationship with God and others.

Discipleship for Christian maturity

We recognise that not every Year 13 student has the same level of Christian maturity, or the same character, convictions, or competency. Some are as keen as mustard to keep following Jesus and want to take every opportunity to expand the opportunities, places, and ways they can serve him and their neighbour. Some are more hesitant and genuinely wrestling with who God is and whether it’s worth continuing to follow him. Year 13 is for all Christian school leavers regardless of their current spiritual maturity! Year 13 exists to partner with you in discipling and developing them to maturity in Christ as they transition to adulthood.

Church Partnership

As part of the Year 13 program, students should be involved in their local church. At a minimum we would expect a Year 13er to be regularly attending and serving in their Church congregation, leading some kind of weekly kids or youth ministry and doing one other ministry that they might not otherwise be doing if it wasn’t for Year 13.

You might like to have your Year 13 student serve as an SRE helper, be involved in the weekly Seniors Lunch, or perhaps fulfil some of the administrative tasks at church. You can work out what is best to suit both your church and your Year 13er. The Year 13 program is not a ministry apprenticeship or even a pathway to vocational ministry. Year 13 is an opportunity to further disciple your emerging adults in a gap-year. 

The rhythm of a typical Year 13 week sees students spend 2 days on campus with Year 13. The rest of the week includes 1 day of rest and then 4 days of work/ministry - the breakdown of which will look slightly different depending on each student.

Mentoring

Mentoring is an essential part of our program and functions as a connection between Year 13 and the rest of a student’s life. Mentoring provides long term nurture and discipleship of students, which will hopefully extend far beyond Year 13. Mentors can provide a confidential sounding board during the year for students as they process the many new experiences and challenges they face in the program, within their ministry, and in life in general. Mentors should work with the students to discover areas of growth. They should provide encouragement, and challenge the students as they seek to move them in a direction of holiness and maturity.

Intergenerational Involvement

One of the consistent statistics for young people remaining engaged in their church is the quantity and quality of intergenerational relationships they have. Intentional intergenerational relationships are key to their continued discipleship into adulthood as they learning from older generations and see firsthand what it looks like to follow Jesus as an adult. The Year 13 program suggests that all students should form a relationship with one other family from church and share meal with them each week. This would create a regular space for them to see the Christian life in action outside of their own family experience. It also provides the opportunity for all the incidental conversations and moments of passing on wisdom that can be difficult to orchestrate in a program. Beyond this, and if your church has the resources, a formal mentoring relationship would provide an excellent opportunity for this to happen throughout the year as well, and hopefully beyond.

Further information and resources will be available at one of our Supervisor and Mentor Information Events held at the start of each Year 13 year.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at year13@youthworks.net or on (02) 8093 3412.

General FAQ’s

  • Not at all. A third of Year 13 students come from Baptists, Presbyterians, and Independent churches. Please assure your parents and your Pastor that Year 13 is for all Christian young people who are keen to be missional disciples of Jesus. Your home church will actually see more of you than ever!

  • Applications are always open and close when all positions are filled.

  • Yes! Open days take place at several points throughout the year. See our Events page for upcoming Open Days/Nights.

  • The Year 13 program is designed for students who finished Year 12 in November and start Year 13 four months later. We do not usually accept ‘Year 14’ students, but under some circumstances we are happy to make an exception. Please contact us to discuss. If you finished Year 12 two or more years ago, you may instead like to apply for the two-year diploma course in children’s and youth ministry at Youthworks College.

  • No. Year 13 is still available to students who left school before completing their HSC (for example, at the end of Year 10), or for some other reason did not complete the formal qualifications of the HSC or its equivalent.

  • All the research and results show that the first year out of school is the best time to invest in your Christian character and growth.

  • Yes. Year 13 is a gap year program. In regard to University deferment, it is important to check carefully with each institution what their deferment policy is for a Gap Year. If you encounter any difficulties in this process contact us on (02) 8093 3412 or email year13@youthworks.net for assistance.

  • The application interview sounds scary, but it isn’t! We simply want to get to know you and find out whether you follow Jesus and are keen to participate in the program. These are the three key elements. We will pray with you and, under God attempt, to establish whether Year 13 is right for you.

  • Yes. We want to make sure that we are making the right decision by offering you a place in Year 13. Plus, your ministry placement with your home church will be a critical part of the year. So, we want to know that your minister is on board with this, too.

  • Quality outcomes require quantity time and input. Therefore, beyond the basic costs of program items, mission, meals, accommodation and tuition the fees pay for the availability of quality, professional staff to be available for discipleship in a residential setting.

  • As it says in the Terms and Conditions, the deposit amount is $1,100. This will be refundable if you withdraw depending on how close we are to the start of the program.

    Following a successful first two years, Year 13 expanded by developing the Block mode: a way for regional and country students to participate in the program while continuing to serve in their local church. 

    Year 13 was able to establish and build upon existing ministry relationships in Fiji, and now returns each year to the same churches and organisations, working alongside them in seeking fresh ministry opportunities. Each year Year 13 students both strengthen and contribute in new and unique ways to the larger relationship between Year 13 and the Fijian church.

Following a successful first two years, Year 13 expanded by developing the Block mode: a way for regional and country students to participate in the program while continuing to serve in their local church. 

Year 13 was able to establish and build upon existing ministry relationships in Fiji, and now returns each year to the same churches and organisations, working alongside them in seeking fresh ministry opportunities. Each year Year 13 students both strengthen and contribute in new and unique ways to the larger relationship between Year 13 and the Fijian church.

Transport & Accommodation

  • Yes! We can put you in contact with a local church where you can potentially serve in ministry at the church or a local school. These churches may be able to provide assistance in local billeting within reach of Loftus. You will also have time for part-time work to help with living expenses.

  • Yes, all students are expected to stay overnight during term time. This is an important part of the community experience.

  • If you don’t own a car or have a license, don’t worry! The Year 13 campus is within walking distance from Loftus train station, and you may make friends you can carpool with. Not having a car or a license will not impact on your ability to fully participate in Year 13.

Church, School and Part-Time Work

  • Yes. Changing churches is a major adjustment, and we encourage you to stay in the familiar environment of your home church while completing Year 13. However, if there is a special reason this is not possible for you, we will consider your application. If you decide you’d like to move to Sydney for the year, we can help you find a great church to commit to for the year.

  • No. For students considering a ministry placement with a School you are welcome to apply anywhere. However, we do find that those students who continue with their own school for a ministry placement alongside Year 13 manage the year with less complications due to the trust that is already established. While we are usually made aware of which schools are looking for a Year 13 student applications to schools are made direct to each school separate to Year 13.

  • Under normal circumstances, Year 13 students are not regarded as ‘employees’ of their church or school. You are undertaking a ministry placement, so you should think of yourself as a work-experience student. There are lots of issues around being considered an ‘employee’, so we don’t encourage churches or schools to provide Year 13 students with a formal salary or pay. That said, we strongly encourage churches and schools to support Year 13 students as much as they are able. We find many churches and schools generously contribute towards their student’s tuition and training, depending on their needs. We also strongly encourage churches and schools to assist and support students in their Fiji fundraising efforts.

  • Yes! Year 13 has put in place agreements with the Anglican Schools Corporation (ASC) to help students secure part-time paid internships in education.

    If successful these 2 day per week placements could more than cover your Year 13 fees for the year, will match in with the Year 13 program and church ministry and better still, will form a potential paid career path into teaching in the long term. The ASC offers suitable Year 13 interns a scholarship toward the cost of their post-Year 13 university studies, which could be worth as much as 50% of your HECS debt.

    Simply apply to Year 13 as normal and request information about our education internship program. We are collaborating with other large Christian employers about increasing the range of internships on offer for Year 13 students, so keep checking back here for updates.

  • We think you should! Year 13 is delighted to offer its students many opportunities for jobs with Christian employers across hospitality, office management and residential care.  Each role has been designed to complement your discipleship gap year with Year 13 allowing time for ministry in your local church or school AND cover your Year 13 program fees.

    All the details, including how to apply for one of these jobs, are here

    Even if you don’t need the money, we still think that the world of work is an essential part of your Year 13 experience (and your life!), so we encourage all students to find some form of part-time work. If you will be receiving little or no financial support from church or family, we suggest you work one or two days per week. You might work during term breaks, and in the months before and after completing Year 13.

    All the details, including how to apply for one of these jobs, are here

  • We think you’ll find one day off is enough downtime, provided you also build in time for recreation during your week. You’ll get time off between terms, as well as before and after Fiji mission. But if you find the demands of your ministry placement, work and study become too difficult, you can negotiate an additional day off.

Miscellaneous

  • The key difference is deep discipleship provided by the residential program and the mentoring. We are not about academics or qualifications. We include them as tools to deliver targeted discipleship growth in specific areas.

  • There are many differences but let’s limit it to five:

    1. Year 13 students are doing discipleship as their primary course for the year. The university student’s discipleship is attempted in their spare time.

    2. Year 13 students are residential with their peers. The sheer amount of time spent together with the same goals in mind creates a community synergy that cannot be replicated at university.

    3. Year 13 students have clear and constant access to the Year 13 senior staff throughout the year. At university you’ll often find it’s only the MTS trainees who have open access to the Christian group’s senior staff and best disciplers.

    4. Year 13 students will be focused, supervised and encouraged in their Christian growth, Bible knowledge and ministry skills for a minimum of 15 hours a week. Most uni student will spend 3-5 hours on their Christian growth alongside MTS trainees and their peers.

    5. The most significant Christian growth for uni students each year reportedly occurs during Mid Year Conference – a 4.5 day residential in the mid-semester break. Year 13 students enjoy the equivalent of 17 Mid Year Conferences across the year!

  • Spending your life in vocational ministry is a great way to serve and love God’s Church! But going straight from high school into full-time ministry training is almost never a good idea. We strongly recommend you do Year 13 first to grow and develop in your maturity before beginning ministry training. Because Year 13 is a discipleship gap year it’s perfect for Christian school leavers – even those intending to enter vocational ministry in the future.

  • Yes! Please email year13@youthworks.net or phone us on (02) 8093 3412 to ask for as many as you need.

  • Yes! Please email year13@youthworks.net or phone us on (02) 8093 3412 to discuss.