Back-bone Ministry
The foundation every other ministry stands on.
Without this, nothing else runs.
What Back-bone Ministry Is
The campus runs seven days a week with over 100 staff, plus students, ministry teams, and guests coming and going. Three meals a day, government relationships that need consistent, careful attention, and a campus that does not maintain itself.
None of our ministries (including the kids’ programs, the schools, the church planting, and the outreach) could function for a single week without the people who keep this place running.
These back-bone ministries are more than behind-the-scenes work. They are the foundation everything else stands on.
When you join Operations, you are not supporting the mission from a distance. You are directly enabling dozens of people to do the work God has called them to, and that is a significant ministry.
Where you could serve
Operations is made up of six teams. Each one does something essential.
Office
Administration, legal compliance, finance, and government relations. This team keeps the organization lawful, transparent, and structurally sound. You will develop real skills in areas like accounting, administration, and navigating NGO regulations in Cambodia.
Kitchen
Three meals a day, every day except Saturday, for over 100 people. The kitchen team manages food budgets, stays on top of what is happening on campus, and makes sure everyone is fed well. This is one of the most tangible expressions of care on campus.
Housing
Staff, students, mission teams, and guests all need somewhere to stay. This team manages the campus dormitories and makes sure everyone who arrives feels warm, welcome, and comfortable.
Gateway
The first point of contact for visiting volunteers and YWAM teams. Gateway coordinates logistics, communicates expectations, and supports teams while they are on campus. This role suits people who are relational and enjoy welcoming others.
Community Life
This team organises campus events, games, and helps coordinate gatherings that bring people together. Community does not just happen. Someone has to build it.
Maintenance
When something breaks, this team fixes it. They keep the campus facilities running: plumbing, electrical, buildings, and equipment. Practical skills are welcome and developed here.
Foundation to Other Ministries
From the beginning, the church treated practical care as essential to its mission, not secondary to it. In Acts 6, the apostles appointed faithful leaders specifically to ensure meals were prepared, resources were stewarded, and no one was forgotten. We hold the same conviction here.
Without a functioning campus, none of the other ministries survive. The teachers, the church planters, the outreach workers, all of them depend on people choosing to serve in operational ministries.
Since 2006, what has sustained this base is not only the ministers and teachers and evangelists. It is the people who chose to serve in back-bone ministry with full conviction.
The people who ensure a meal on every table, every visa processed, every student has a bed,
Are the people who ensure we impact this generation in this nation.
Being Willing Is Enough
Skills
Most people who join Operations have at least one moment before they arrive where they wonder whether they are actually capable of what the role requires. That is normal, and it is not a reason to hold back.
You will not be thrown in alone. You will be shown what the role requires and supported until you are ready to handle it yourself. What we cannot teach is willingness. That has to come with you.
You do not need to arrive with specific skills. You need to arrive willing to learn and committed to the work. That said, if you have skills in accounting, finance, administration, law, plumbing, electrical work, hospitality, or event coordination, they will be put to use.
What You Will Gain
Each team develops different transferable skills. Office staff often grow in administration, financial management, and navigating government relationships. Maintenance staff learn building and facility skills. Kitchen and Housing staff grow in logistics, budgeting, and care for people. These are real skills that travel with you.
Join our team
Operations is where you go if you understand that ministry goes beyond a stage or a pulpit. If you want to serve in a way that holds everything else up we invite you to join us.
Applications are open now. If this is for you, connect with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need specific qualifications or skills to join Operations?
No. The most important thing is that you have completed a DTS and that you come with genuine commitment to the work. Practical skills are welcome and will be used, but they are not a requirement. You will have the opportunity to develop skills here.
I have done my DTS somewhere else. Can I still apply for Operations here?
Yes. We welcome DTS graduates from other YWAM bases. You will go through the standard staff application process and the team will help you understand what joining looks like from where you are.
Is Operations really ministry, or is it just admin work?
Every person on this campus, whether they are teaching English to Cambodian students, planting churches, or managing the campus finances, is here because they believe Cambodia can be transformed in one generation. Operations makes it possible for all of them to do that work. Without food, without housing, without legal compliance, without a functioning campus, none of the other ministries survive. That is not a support role. That is a load-bearing one. We take it seriously and we want people who will too.
What Visa do I need?
Do not get a tourist visa.
In order to comply with local laws, please get an Ordinary Visa, also known as a Business Visa.
This will allow you to volunteer and is the only visa that is possible to extend.
What should I pack?
Essentials
- Bible (please bring a physical one if you can)
- Passport and important documents
- Prescription medication
- Toiletries
- Towel
- Underwear and other daily basics
- Clothing
Please keep in mind the hotter weather, ministry settings, and local culture when packing.
- Long pants for class, ministry, and church
- Breathable shirts
- T-shirts and a few nicer tops / button-ups
- Longer shorts for sports, work duties, or casual settings
- Dresses or skirts below the knee (for women)
- Sweater, hoodie, or light jacket
- Sneakers
- Flip-flops / sandals
- Raincoat
Daily Life
- Backpack or day bag
- Reusable water bottle
- Notebook / journal
- Laptop or device (if you have one)
- Chargers / adapters
- Small umbrella
- Health & Personal Care
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Feminine hygiene products
- Small first aid kit (optional)
** Most things can be bought here if needed, so bring what you know will help you settle in well.**
(Please note that most clothing sizes are tailored for Asia.)
My family does not understand why I would pay to serve rather than earn a salary. How do I explain this?
Many staff have walked this same path. They have had conversations with their families about this. Some families understood while others took longer to understand.
If you want to talk to someone who has been through it, reach out and we will connect you with someone who can speak honestly about their experience. Email us at info@uofnbattambang.com
What are the staff fees?
Our goal is to make missions accessible to everyone, so we use a tiered pricing structure to keep staffing costs affordable for all wanting to serve. Fees cover housing, food, and operations.
Cambodia’s relatively low cost of living, especially compared to Western countries, means your support goes further here than in many other mission contexts.
Connect with us for a quote based on your context.
How do I raise my staff contribution?
Most staff raise their support through personal donors, home churches, and family. It takes planning and it is a normal part of YWAM life worldwide. We do not have a formal fundraising program, but others who have done it are happy to share what worked for them.
Email us at info@uofnbattambang.com