Participant Interview Eval Form

Goals of interview questions:

Determine if the trip is a good fit for the student/the student a good fit for the trip (will they represent their school/org, Compass, and the Salvation Army in Iceland well?)

Get a feel for the student’s motivation in going (do they just want a chance to travel or are they genuinely interested in serving on a team? What do they believe about missions?)
Understand the student’s character/personality- this will help when it comes to putting the team together to know what strengths and weaknesses there are in the group and see how we can help them balance one another out (also will give us a feel for how the student will interact in a group/serving situation)
Provide an opportunity for the student to ask any clarifying questions to ensure they understand what this is about
Prior to interview: review the student’s application

Review with every applicant:

Overview of what the program will entail: expectations, accommodations, group living, serving not tourism purpose, technology fast, Table Talk & Compass Time, etc. Ask them to tell you back what they understand about the program/what they think it is about and what it will be like (this is to help prevent people showing up to the program and saying “this isn’t what I expected”)
(If applicable) Do you have any concerns about the ability to fundraise for this program? Are you aware of the need for the deposit if accepted? (Clarify deposit and fundraising due dates).  
Next steps- if all application materials are set, let them know when to expect to hear from us. If accepted, we will send forms to fill out (Student Agreement, Confirmation of Intent, Fundraising Agreement); then a link to pay deposit (clarify amount and due date). Once your deposit is in, your spot on the program will be secured. From there, we will walk you through the process of fundraising, submitting additional paperwork, and the pack list and other pertinent details for the trip.
Is your passport current for at least 6 months following travel dates? Is it a US passport? (If no to either, share this webpage with them that provides steps to apply and review the content.) Let them know they need to apply for it immediately, passports can take a few months and visas take even longer.

Do you have any questions about anything we discussed or about what to expect for the trip?

Sample questions (do as many as are appropriate given the time constraints and flow of interview):

Do you feel that you have a pretty good idea of what we will be doing on the trip or would it be helpful if I give you an overview?

I know you put this in your application, but I’d like to hear it from you face to face- can you share why you are interested in this trip?
What is your dork spot?
What would you do with a spontaneous 3 hours of free time?
Can you identify in yourself one single personality trait that is both a powerful strength of yours and simultaneously an area of weakness/growth for you?
What’s been the highlight of your college experience so far?

Think about the last time you disagreed with someone on a topic or idealistic issue. How did it go? What happened? 
What are your core values in life? 
Where do you think you will be in five years?
Why should we serve? What does that mean for you?
Snap affiliations: What do you think of when you hear the word conflict? Healing? Silence? Teamwork? Diverse? Inclusive? Emotion? Smart? Race? Sexuality? Gender? Equality? Bible? God?

What would be your hope in terms of spiritual growth on this trip? 
How would you hope to be personally impacted by your Compass experience?
Can you share about any prior experiences you’ve had either on a mission trip or traveling internationally?
When you are a part of a team, what role do you usually find yourself in?

Potential Questions Participants/Parents May Ask:

What if something happens and the students cannot participate in the program or we cancel the program?
- All funds raised are considered donations and since we are a nonprofit those donations are tax deductible and therefore non-refundable (For this reason, students should not submit donations until program is guaranteed to run, but can begin to reach out to people/prep fundraising ideas, collect checks – but don’t send them in).

Does Compass have a statement of faith? (Or, what do you teach during the theology portion?)
- Compass is a Christian organization, but we are intentionally ecumenical (inter-denominational), and therefore do not operate the way a church would. We do not have a statement of faith/doctrines. We seek to create an environment where Christian students of all backgrounds can come together and learn how to engage in healthy dialogue with one another, grow together, challenge one another, and strengthen their faith. Our hope and structure is that students coming through the program will strengthen the faith that they came with and take steps closer to Jesus. As a result of this structure, students will be exposed to others during the program who think differently/are from a different background. We are not trying to convince students of a certain ideology etc.
During the theology segment, we will do an introductory talk with the students on the topics of “what is theology” and “what is the Bible.” We will also do some culture/missions training to prepare for our Iceland trip

COVID Vaccination policy
- As of April 2023, vaccination is not required by Compass participants, but full vaccination and booster shots are strongly recommended and are required for Compass staff.