Who we are? ¿Quienes somos?
The body of Christ is represented in two peanut butter sandwiches eaten in a dusty yard, on the job with Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona. The cup of God's love can be seen in a cup of coffee shared with the roasters at Cafe Justo in Agua Prieta, Mexico.

About the Program

The Presbyterian Church (USA) Young Adult Volunteer Program provides an opportunity for young adults, age 19-30, to serve alongside local partners in communities around the world. YAVs respond to poverty, violence and injustice, sharing the gospel in word and deed. Volunteers practice simple living in intentional community, and explore spiritual growth, social justice, and vocational discernment throughout their year of service. 
The Tucson Borderlands site is open to any person of faith or good will who has a desire to walk in solidarity with our partners and experience the joys and challenges of life in a diverse community.

​The Tucson Borderlands site began in the spring of 2002, and has hosted more than 75 volunteers from across the United States, South Korea, and Mexico. Volunteers serve in Tucson or on the U.S. / Mexico border with the churches and non-profit agencies who are our community partners. Since 2002, YAVs have spent more than 91,720 hours in mission in Southern Arizona!

What's different about the Tucson site?

  • Biking! Tucson YAVs use bicycles as their main mode of transportation. This keeps us close to our community, is better for the Earth, and helps us live simply (cars are expensive!). Not sure biking is for you? Let's talk -- we can figure out what will work. 
  • Binational Partnership! Tucson is only 70 miles from the U.S./Mexico border. Each year, some YAVs are placed with Frontera de Cristo, a binational border ministry of the PC(USA) that works in the Mexican town of Agua Prieta. This partnership means that YAVs in Tucson share community with people who are living and working in Mexico. We're the only national YAV site with this kind of international partnership.
  • Bocational Discernment! (Okay, it's actually vocational  discernment, but we have this "B" theme going...) YAVs in Tucson spend some of their community time each month in a facilitated vocational discernment session, learning spiritual practices and reflection tools for discernment. Tucson Borderlands YAVs are also connected with a discernment partner from the local community to offer another chance to reflect and be supported as an individual.
Want to be a YAV?
Know someone who wants to be a YAV? 
Want to learn more?