The Ambassador Program
Ambassadors are people with a heart for listening and presence. Are you a community member who feels called to bring compassion, curiosity, and care into the streets and public spaces of San Francisco? You might be the next SFNM Ambassador!
As an Ambassador, you’ll serve alongside Night Ministers, learning practical skills in spiritual care, listening, and compassionate presence. This is real-world formation in how to show up for others without agenda, without judgment, and with genuine attention.
What We’re About
San Francisco Night Ministry is a multi-faith spiritual care program.
We ask our Ambassadors to be:
• Grounded in their own spirituality or faith
• Open and ready to meet people of all beliefs (or none)
We never proselytize, and we welcome everyone — care-seekers and caregivers alike — exactly as they are.
Program Overview
Commitment: 5 months (100 volunteer hours)
Cohort size: 3–5 Ambassadors per season
Your 100 hours include:
• 12 hours of educational sessions
• 18 hours of guided training
• 70 hours of providing spiritual care on the streets
Training combines classroom learning, fieldwork, and a personal special project tailored to your interests, discussed and approved in collaboration with Director of Night Ministry Services, Shelly Webb.
You’ll learn from Night Ministry’s spiritual care professionals, gaining foundational chaplaincy skills and discovering the sacred in everyday encounters. Once you've completed your educational sessions and guided training, you will be able to freely serve. This is a highly collaborative position that you can co-create alonside Director of Night Ministries Shelly Webb, and the SFNM team.
Applying
We build each cohort intentionally to ensure a strong, supportive learning environment. Applicants accepted into the program are asked to sign a commitment agreement to support completion of the program.
Who is this program for?
Whether you are:
• Discerning a call to ministry
• Exploring chaplaincy
• Hoping to grow as a compassionate human being
• Or planning to use these hours toward certification or CPE credit (let us know, if this is the case)
…the Ambassador Program offers a powerful, hands-on learning experience in community spiritual care on the streets of San Francisco.
Are you ready?
Ambassador Training Syllabus
A five-month formation in compassionate presence
Each Ambassador cohort participates in five core training sessions and a personalized project. These sessions combine practical skills, spiritual reflection, and field-based learning led by our Night Ministry team.
Orientation:
SF Night Ministry history and onboarding
Led by Trent Thornley, Executive Director, and/or Shelly Webb, Director of Night Ministry
Street Ministry:
Safety and the ministry of presence
Led by Night Ministers
SFNM Neighborhoods:
Routes, tips, and logistics
Led by Shelly Webb
Deep Listening and Verbatims:
Skill-building and reflection practice
Led by Shelly Webb and Trent Thornley
Community Chaplaincy:
What is spiritual care?
Led by Shelly Webb
In addition:
Each Ambassador will take on a special project tailored to their interests and gifts.
Schedule:
Next Cohort TBA