Headspace
Hit pause. Go deep.
Being a young person of deep faith is challenging.
Setting aside a year to build your foundation in God is more critical than it’s ever been.
This is the time to Hit Pause and Go Deep.
What is Headspace?
Headspace is a year-long missional discipleship intensive with a 17-year history, designed to equip young adults for lives of serving and loving God.
It’s about diving into God’s mission and discovering your unique place within it. It’s a space to wrestle with your questions, dig deep into Scripture, and discover the richness of our shared faith.
Our goal is young people
equipped to love God
and live for his kingdom
Your Headspace year is split into three phases
Phase 1
(7 months)
Join the Headspace cohort in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Lectures, learning experiences, missional encounters, spiritual formation. Plenty of opportunities to immediately apply what you’re learning.
Phase 2
(2 months)
Join a grass-roots team in Asia for two months, partnering deeply with locals to express and expand the Kingdom of God in practical ways. A true long-term experience of short-term mission.
Phase 3
(1 month)
Put it all together by debriefing your year with an eye to the future, reflecting on all God has done in you. We’ll also check in with you the year after as you take strides towards your calling.
2025 calendar
Some of these details are still being finalised
Orientation: February 8-11
February 8: Interns start arriving at the Headspace House
February 9: Welcome dinner and evening with Headspace Staff and GC3 Director
Feb 10-11: Orientation to the Headspace House and Christchurch
First Trimester: February 12 - April 21
Topics: God’s character and nature, Healthy spirituality, Story of Scripture, Today’s world, Breadth of mission, Identity and humans as the image of God, Strengths and personality, Basics of theology, and Bible study.
February 12-15: Retreat
February 21-22* : Outreach event
April 14-21: Easter Camp (Set up and camp help)
April 22-27: Holiday break
Second Trimester: April 28 - June 27
Topics: Vocation and calling, Emotionally healthy spirituality, Leadership, Evangelism, Bi-culturalism, Formation and contemporary idols, Personal spirituality, Listening and coaching skills, ‘Helping without hurting’, Reflective practice, Cultural competency, and World religions.
April 28-30: Mini-retreat
June*: Marae visit
June 30–July 13: Mid-year holiday break
Third Trimester: July 14 - November 1
Topics before overseas mission encounter: Church in the world, Mission in practice, Focused cultural competency and overseas prep, Spirituality for mission, Navigating transitions.
Topics after overseas mission encounter: Debriefing the Mission Encounter, Mission and Evangelism in the post-Christian world, Vocation and Calling Applied, wrap-up and processing of the Headspace year.
July 14-16: Mini-retreat/mid-winter Christmas
August 9– October 4*: Overseas Mission Encounter (Asia*)
October 6-10: Mini-retreat/Debriefing the Mission Encounter
November 1: Graduation
* exact details or dates to be confirmed
I'm curious, and would like to know more
The Headspace kaupapa
Our model balances the transformation of mind and heart, practical life and ministry skills, and meaningful engagement with others. We take the Bible seriously, encouraging students to think critically and wrestle openly with Scripture and why it matters for life today.
Our purpose is to shape people who embody the Great Commission of Matthew 28, who are well-versed in the “everything” that Jesus taught, and who are disciple-makers who express their faith in every part of their lives.
Our community culture promotes unconditional love and mutual respect, fostering openness in each person’s faith journey. Shared rhythms, spiritual practices and missional engagement make this a true experience of what belonging as part of God’s people can be like.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.
Our approach to learning is holistic, balancing content with facilitated processing and focused encounters. We believe that constantly pausing to ask what God is saying and how we’re responding is a key to meaningful learning, and that debriefing with curiosity (rather than guilt or shame) enables that learning to sink in deep. The goal isn’t just full heads, but transformed lives!
Our classroom time is integrated with experiences of local mission. And we’ll venture beyond our shores for a two-month cross-cultural partnership, working alongside local believers on the front lines in Asia.
Our ultimate goal is for each intern to finish with a deeper understanding and love for God, alongside a lived understanding of “all-of-life as mission.”
Hit pause on life’s rush. Set aside a year
and go deeper in your relationship with God
Who it's for?
Young adults aged 18 to 25 who are keen to spend a year wrestling with the big questions: Who is God? Who am I? What has God created me for? What is God calling me to do?
Your early adult years are a unique season of life, with so many doors open in front of you. You have the chance to set yourself up for a life of fruitfulness, of calling, of purpose – which is precisely why setting aside a year to dig deep now is so helpful.
You need space to explore your sense of calling, identity, mission – issues which actually become bigger, not smaller, as you mature in age and stage. That’s why we’re committed to making the Headspace experience rewarding (and challenging) regardless of the precise stage you find yourself in.
I'm interested in signing up
Some more details
Location
We’ll spend the bulk of our time in Ōtautahi Christchurch living together as part of the intentional Headspace community. But we’ll also venture beyond our shores for a two-month cross-cultural experience in Asia, working alongside local believers on the front lines of God’s Kingdom work.
Dates
February to November 2025*
We’ll start the week of 10 February 2025. Interns will be able to move into the Headspace House from 8 February.
We plan to have a short break after Easter and a longer break in the middle of the year. Graduation will be on the weekend of 1 November.
*Dates is still to be confirmed
Cost
$14600* This includes the course fees, accommodation and food, and the two-month overseas mission trip. We encourage you to chat with your Church, family and friends about possibilities for prayer and financial support while you set a year aside to grow as a follower of Christ. Time for 12-16 hours a week part-time job is built into the programme.
*The 2025 pricing is still to be confirmed.
We'd love to chat with you about any questions you have
Headspace is part of GC3
At GC3 (Global Connections), we’re convinced that investing in the next generation of believers is vital for our young people, our churches, and God’s kingdom globally.
