2025 Diocesan WorkCamp

WorkCamp 2025 is scheduled for June 21 – 27, 2025 in Shenandoah County, VA. 

Teen Registration for WorkCamp 2025 is now closed. Email us about getting on the waitlist. We are still in need of volunteers – fill out the application below.

Applications for Summer 2026 will open in November. 

The Diocese of Arlington invites all current high schoolers in grades 9–12 to join us this summer at WorkCamp! 

1. 1. Make sure you’re registered for the 2024 – 2025 year of Youth Ministry at Nativity. All teens must be registered for Life Teen before applying to attend WorkCamp. You can fill out our free, online form here.
   2. Next, fill out our Nativity WorkCamp Application by January 20, 2025.  (For late registrations, please contact wc@nativityburke.org). Please carefully review the WorkCamp formation schedule before registering.  Attendance is required at all meetings, and a $50 nonrefundable fee per teen participant will be charged upon registration. Teens will need a parent to fill out the form with them.
   3. The final step is registering your child on the Diocesan WorkCamp portal. Our team will reach out to you with instructions on how to register.

*Participation in this program is dependent on the number of volunteers our parish can recruit.*

Please do not let costs deter you from participating in this transformative experience! By bringing our friends, family, and Nativity parishioners into the WorkCamp mission, we partner with our community to raise the funds to cover a majority of the registration costs for each participant. In recent years, we have fundraised enough to cover the full $575 fee for each teen. If, however, we do not meet our fundraising goal, final payments will be due April 1, 2025. Regardless, the cost for our adult volunteers will be fully covered by our group fundraising efforts.

All meetings are required.

*Interest Meeting* (Not mandatory but encouraged): Sunday, November 17 from 4:00 – 4:45 p.m.

Formation:  Sunday, January 26, 2025 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. (The Well)
Service: Sunday, February 09, 2025 | 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. (Offsite with No Hands But Yours Homeless Ministry, includes Sunday Mass)
Donation & Blessing Weekend:  February 22 – 23, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass required; sign up for 3 more Masses throughout the weekend
Formation:  Sunday, March 16, 2025 | 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Soup Supper:  Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Fellowship:  Tuesday, April 1, 2025 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Potluck Dinner and Adoration
Tool Day:  Sunday, May 4, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Final Meeting:  June 8, 2025 | 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. (The Well) One parent must attend
WorkCamp:  Saturday, June 21 – Friday, June 27, 2025
Witness Weekend:  June 28-29, 2025 – Each teen will share a brief testimony at one of the Masses that weekend.

Additional Requirement: Attend one Life Teen | Sundays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. – see full schedule here

This week-long Diocesan service program relies on parishes making a community effort. There are many ways you can join us on this experience—take a look below to see how you can help!

• • Adult Crew Leader: Adults 25+ available on site for the whole week. You will supervise five teens on a work site during the day—doing relational ministry with the teens while maintaining the safety of the work site.
  • Contractors: Adults 21+ with basic home repair and maintenance skills. You do not need to be a licensed contractor in the professional senese. You can choose to be a main contractor or an assistant, and you will be placed on a project based on your level of proficiency. You will lead the onsite project with five teens and the Adult Crew Leader, and you must be available for the full week (or Monday – Thursday at a minimum).
  • Homebase: For adults at least 2 years out of high school who like to work on the behind the scenes tasks. These volunteers will assist with setup & strike at the beginning and end of the week. They typically help with the logistics of WorkCamp: organizing morning Mass, setting up nightly Program, video team, visit project sites, run errands, brew tons of coffee, organize ice coolers, post-dinner games, praying with teens, sorting crew lunches, and more. Spend one day with us or all week – you choose based on your availability. Volunteers who can stay all week are preferred.
  • Nurses: Be on site the week of WorkCamp as a nurse (must provide proof of certification). Spend one day with us or all week – you choose based on your availability.
  • Tool Coordinator: Organize the parish tool collection in the weeks leading up to WorkCamp, label tools, and transport them to/from WorkCamp.
  • WorkCamp Security: Join us at WorkCamp one afternoon/evening to supervise the teens while our adults take showers. You have the option of staying with our group for that evening’s Program. We are typically assigned the Tuesday during the week of WorkCamp, and you would need to be available for your shift from 2:15 – 7:30 p.m. Our security crew will carpool from Nativity around 12:00 p.m. on the day we are assigned.
  • Lunches: Make PB&J and cheese sandwiches at Nativity the week of WorkCamp, typically that Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Many hands make light work. This is a great way for families to get involved!
  • Graduate WorkCamp: For those who graduated high school in 2024, we have the “Graduate WorkCamp Program.” Those interested may complete the application here. The Diocese will select approximately 12 applicants to participate. It is important that those applying carefully read the eligibility requirements described in the online application.

Volunteers can fill out the Nativity application as well. On the form, you will have the option to select which volunteer roles interest you. If you are unsure, let us know and we can put you in contact with past volunteers to provide more perspective on what each role entails.

I’m a rising 8th grader. Can I participate in WorkCamp? Unfortunately no, WorkCamp is only for current 9th-12th graders.

Can I arrive late or leave early from WorkCamp? No, you must be available for the full camp. No exceptions are made for late arrivals or early departures.

What are the costs associated with WorkCamp? The Diocese charges $575 per participant (youth & adult crew leader). Adding in van costs, tool day supplies, food, etc., total costs typically reach about $700 per participant. We will fundraise through a variety of ways to bring that cost down. First, teens must apply to attend WorkCamp with Nativity. This includes a $50 nonrefundable deposit which will be put toward the full registration fee. Our goal is to raise the remaining $525 per teen and any additional costs so parents do not have any other out of pocket costs. As a courtesy, Nativity will cover the costs of all adult volunteers. Final payments will vary based on the success of our fundraising efforts. If we do not reach our goal, the remaining balance (after applying fundraising) will be due around April. Most years, we reach our fundraising goals and parents only have to pay the $50 deposit.

What other costs should I budget for? All WorkCampers (teens and adult crew leaders) need work boots, a personal tool kit, a cot, and a sleeping bag. These fees are not included in the Diocesan registration fee, so parents should plan accordingly.

What does a typical day look like at WorkCamp? On Saturday, parishes travel to Homebase and the teens meet their crews. Sunday is a team-building day. Monday through Thursday, crews are on their work sites from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. When crews arrive back to Homebase, everyone showers, eats dinner, and has some free time for games and fellowship. Each evening, we have Program (games, inspirational speakers, music, etc.), followed by parish discussions. Plus, we begin each day with daily Mass. Friday is a celebration with all the residents we served, and we will arrive back at Nativity around 4:00 p.m.

Will I be paired with my friends on the worksite? No, each crew is made up of 5-6 teens who are each from different parishes. This gives teens the opportunity to start fresh and make new friends. You will have time to connect with your Nativity friends when you’re at Homebase (meals, Program, parish discussions, etc.)