How did we get here?

A glimpse of our 56 year story

Youth With a Mission began with a God-given vision. Waves of young people from everywhere, bringing the Gospel of Jesus to everywhere. For the past fifty-six years, YWAM Lausanne has stewarded this vision and trained thousands of young people for Global missions.

Over these years, we have seen two major sets of waves. The first 25 years of pioneering YWAM Lausanne and YWAM, and the second 25 years of re-pioneering.  

In 2021, we entered the third swell since our founding. We expanded our campus to be able to host 250 staff and students. We sensed the Lord preparing us for his vision that will lead us into the next wave of 25 years of missional engagement. Each set of 25 years has proven to be at pivotal moments, inaugurated by major pioneering shifts requiring innovation and faith.  

Thus, our present season is not unlike the ones before us. Much has been accomplished, yet there is a fresh sense of holding fast to the Word of the LORD and obediently pioneering new pathways for global missions. Each subsequent generation, while holding the same vision, must arise to new pioneering efforts to see God’s word move forward into the nations.

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Arise in faith

Where are we headed

Just as Loren Cunningham pioneered and later re-pioneered YWAM Lausanne, the core vision has always remained the same: to establish a campus rooted in an apostolic, missional learning community—where young people encounter God, step into their calling, and are equipped to bring the Gospel to the nations.

We are deeply grateful for how the Lord has positioned us in this season. Today, we train hundreds of students each year, send out outreach teams across the globe every quarter, and continue to strengthen our long-term work in North Africa. At the same time, we’ve embraced a renewed vision for our own city—expanding local evangelism and mercy ministries throughout Lausanne.

Now, several of our original iconic buildings are in need of key renovation projects to continue to usefully serve as a central part of our campus and into the next 25 years. They serve as the training and administrative centres of our ministry. Developing them to a standard of excellence is our aim and critical for the continued vitality of YWAM Lausanne.  This is a challenge that is set before us to embrace with faith.

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Project Details

Campus Development project in 2025-2026

As we launch into this new season for YWAM Lausanne, God is asking us to arise in our faith like many in the Biblical Narrative and in our YWAM story and trust God. As we prayed and sought the Lord concerning our campus development needs, we received confirmation that we are to have faith for 1 million Francs to be raised in 2025 for this purpose. We aim to begin these projects by the fourth quarter of 2025 and complete them by the end of 2026.

The buildings that need renovation are outlined in the image below. The Cloz Melez building is used for central long-term housing for school leaders and staff. Our Annex building serves as the administrative center for the campus and is the backbone of all our operational services, programs, and mission mobilization efforts.  To have this building up to standard with dramatically increase our effectiveness.  These two buildings have not been renovated during the 56 years that YWAM has owned them. 

• Renovation of three apartments (studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom)
• Roof replacment
• Facade restoration
• Upgrades to internal services (plumbing, electrical, etc.)

Annex Renovation (Administrative centre)

Budget: CHF 330,000

• Renovation of office spaces
• Roof replacement
• Facade restoration
• Upgrades to internal services (plumbing, electrical, etc.)

Chalet Renovations (Training Facility)

Budget: CHF 150,000

• 10 bathroom  renovations
• Ground floor facade restoration
• Main classroom ceiling

Loan Repayment:

 Budget: CHF 120,000

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We humbly and prayerfully ask you to consider partnering with us and continuing to be a part of the next chapter of God’s story at YWAM Lausanne.

To make a tax-deductible donation, you can use the appropriate giving links below. Where promoted, please indicate that it is of YWAM Lausanne’s “Campus Development Project”

Swiss & USA, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands. (Tax-Deductible)

Canadian (Tax-Deductible)

General Giving 

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