A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is someone who spends or has spent part of their childhood growing up in a culture different from that of their parents. For example, a child may grow up in a Dutch family while living with their family in another country. As a result, a TCK is exposed to two or sometimes several cultures from an early age. This may also be the case when parents come from different countries or when a family lives in several different countries. Growing up between these different cultural worlds, a child develops what can be described as their own ‘third culture’. This is where the term Third Culture Kid (TCK) comes from. InToMission supports families who live and work in mission and cross-cultural contexts. We provide support, training and advice for parents and TCKs, as well as for churches, home support teams, mission organisations and other organisations, and professionals who support families before, during and after a mission assignment.
Preparing for mission together as a family
Are you preparing to serve abroad as a family? Then Family2Mission is for you.
This preparation programme helps your whole family get ready for living and working in another culture, with attention to both parents and children.
Together, we explore what the mission assignment means for each family member and how you can prepare well as a family for this new season. The programme can begin before departure and, if desired, continue while you are on the field.
Walking alongside your family during your mission assignment
During your mission assignment, we are here to continue walking alongside you as a family. Living and working in another culture brings many enriching experiences, but it can also raise new questions and challenges for both parents and children. Through Family in Mission, we provide support for parents as well as Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Together, we explore themes such as identity, parenting, education, relationships, transition and growing up between cultures. We listen, think things through with you and offer practical tools tailored to your family and the season you are in. In this way, we support the whole family, helping each family member continue to live and work in another culture with health, resilience and confidence.
Growing up between different cultures can continue to shape you, even as a young adult or later in life.
Did you grow up abroad or between different cultures? You may look back on that time with many positive memories, while also noticing that those experiences still influence who you are, where you feel at home, your relationships or the choices you make. InToMission offers personal support and debriefing for Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs). Together, we reflect on your story and explore themes such as identity, belonging, loss and saying goodbye, relationships, faith, and the impact of growing up between cultures. This creates space to better understand your experiences, give them a place in your story, and discover what you want to carry with you into the season of life you are in now.
Taking time to reflect during home leave
Home leave can be a valuable opportunity to pause and reflect. Through the Family Check-in, we take time together as a family to look back on the past season and consider how each family member is doing. During this two-day programme, we listen to your story, explore where you are as a family and reflect together on what you have experienced. We focus on themes that may be relevant to your family, such as transition, cultural differences, culture shock, parenting, education and your children’s development. Where helpful, we offer practical tools and advice tailored to your situation. Together, we explore what is going well, where challenges may lie, and what attention or support could be helpful as you move into the next phase of your mission assignment.
Every family member experiences a mission assignment in their own way
After spending a period of time on the field, it can be valuable to intentionally pause as a family and reflect on all that you have experienced. During a Family Debriefing, we take time to look back on the positive moments, challenges, changes and losses that each family member has experienced. Each family member is given space to share their own story. By reflecting together and giving experiences a place, mutual understanding can grow and there is space to process what has happened and look ahead to the next season with confidence. Would you like to know more about the possibilities of a Family Debriefing? Visit www.itmdebriefing.nl or contact us to arrange a no-obligation introductory meeting.
Training and advice for churches, foundations, organisations, schools and professionals
Do you work with mission families or Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and would you like to deepen your understanding of their experiences and needs? InToMission provides training, workshops and advice for churches, foundations, organisations, schools and professionals who support mission and crosscultural families. We offer practical tools and professional insights into topics such as TCK development, growing up between cultures, transition, re-entry and supporting families throughout the different stages of a mission assignment. As an independent partner, we are also available to think alongside you about policy, support and the further development of TCK care within your organisation. Together, we help create an environment in which mission families and Third Culture Kids feel seen, understood and supported as they grow and thrive, wherever in the world they may be.
Would your family benefit from personal support or a family debriefing, or do you have questions about the development of one of your children? Are you a Third Culture Kid (TCK) looking for someone to talk with about your experiences? We would be glad to meet you, listen to your story and explore how we can support you. Feel free to get in touch with us.
