Beldon Clark from Chesapeake, Virginia, wanted to be a counselor at the Youth Strength Conference. Because when he was attending FSY when he was younger, he had a “wonderful” counselor who helped him feel the love of Jesus Christ.
So when Clark returned from his ministry with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he applied to become a counselor at FSY, starting in the summer of 2025 and slated to become an assistant coordinator in the summer of 2026.
“I love the gospel, I love our Savior Jesus Christ, and I want others to have that experience with Christ,” Clark said. “They can come to know the Lord personally, not in the same way as me, but in a similar way. So I wanted to help young people do that.”
FSY is designed for youth ages 14 and older to apply the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. The five-day conference will feature devotions, classes, and activities. It also promotes faith, personal growth, and social connection. Additionally, almost all of our staff members are young people.
More male counselors and wellness coordinators are needed, regardless of gender, at FSY conferences to be held in the U.S. and Canada this summer. A “My Mission” email from the church invites young single adults to find out more at FSYCounselor.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Employment at FSY is “more than just a job,” the recruitment website states. Working at FSY is a resume builder who develops interpersonal skills and professional leadership experience in a gospel-centered environment. “Lead and mentor youth as you build a testimony of Jesus Christ and them,” the site says.
Taylor Alva, from Bluffdale, Utah, worked as a wellness coordinator for the past year.
“Every day was different,” she said. “Your job was so specific to the circumstances that occurred that day that you never knew what was going to happen.”
This summer, Alba will be working again at FSY as a Wellness Coordinator.
“As wellness coordinators, we have the responsibility of looking after everyone’s physical health, but we also get to help with their mental health, and I love that,” she said.
What potential applicants should know
Applicants must have a current temple recommend and be 19 years of age or older by June 1, 2026.
They must be available for a minimum of four weeks during the FSY conference this summer. In the United States, these dates are May 24th to August 24th. In Canada, it runs from June 29th to August 8th. 14.
One year of FSY experience is preferred to become an Assistant Coordinator and Wellness Coordinator, while two years of FSY experience is preferred to become a Sessions Coordinator. If you have medical training, please apply for the Wellness Coordinator position.
In-person and online training will be required in May and June, and will be conducted in Utah for U.S. staff and Calgary, Alberta for Canadian staff.
Weekly pay ranges from $800 to $1,100 in the United States and $1,089 to $1,498 in Canada. Staff are provided with housing and meals during their work week, as well as transportation allowances.
Why work at FSY?
Alba said she feels more prepared for her future in the medical field because of her experience as a wellness coordinator at FSY.
She saw their courage and smiles as she helped young people who were injured or sick. One girl who was feeling homesick and stressed from being away from home improved after Alba and her counselor comforted her, prayed with her, and made sure she was healthy.
Alba said every day was different and she developed close friendships with other staff members.
“One of my favorite lessons is that God loves all of His children,” she said, adding, “If anyone is thinking of applying to be a Wellness Coordinator, I would definitely say yes because it was one of the best experiences of my life. I often think back to that time.”
Clark said he never expected such a loving community to exist at FSY or that other staff members would become his closest friends.
In addition to being a job, Clark said the experience was life-changing, bringing him closer to Jesus Christ and helping many people have a more personal experience with the Savior.
In this way, serving at FSY was like fulfilling a mission for him.
“In your mission, you teach people about Christ and, in most cases, help them make their first contact with the Savior and our Heavenly Father,” Clark said. “At FSY, you are helping young people have that same experience. They may know many gospel principles, but they haven’t had many one-on-one experiences with the Savior. So you are helping them have a life-changing experience.”
