Whether you are brand new to youth ministry, or have been on the front lines for 30 years, we are all coworkers in the vineyard of our Blessed Lord!
One of our primary roles at the Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office is to be of service to those serving young people in our archdiocese. Whatever that might look like for you, we want to be there for encouragement and support in any way we can. Our office is dedicated to helping those working in parish youth ministry and high school campus ministry develop and sustain an approach to youth ministry that works for their parish or school community.
How Can We Help?
Regardless of the number of young people involved at a parish or in a school (large or small), or the experience of a youth/campus minister (brand new or veteran), our office is committed to supporting parish youth ministry and high school campus ministry efforts any way that we can. Some ways that our office can provide support which may prove helpful to you:
Organization
Whether you’re a new youth/campus minister seeking direction on how to “start” a program at your parish/school, or a veteran in need of fresh ideas or a listening ear, we want everyone working in youth ministry to feel confident, prepared and capable. Our office can help by assisting youth/campus ministers with:
Identifying or redefining a vision and/or mission for youth ministry at your parish/school
Establishing both short-term and long-term goals for youth ministry at your parish/school
Assessing the needs of the youth in your parish/school
Developing a process for implementing new or different youth ministry programming
Building a structural organization for your youth ministry program
Job descriptions for volunteers, coordinators and program leaders
Brainstorming ideas for specific events and programs
Developing strategies for recruiting and sustaining volunteers
Training for youth and/or adult leadership
General youth ministry “best practices”
Evaluating strengths/concerns of current youth ministry efforts
Resources & Networking
At different points, every youth minister, regardless of how long you’ve been in the field, will inevitably find themselves asking practical and logistical questions like: “Do I need permission forms for this event?”, “Where can I host our upcoming retreat?”, or “What are other youth ministers doing at their parish that works?”
Our office can provide direction for many of the practical and logistical questions and challenges that often arise in youth ministry, including the following:
General programming ideas
Retreat models
Peer ministry models
Youth ministry structure models
Archdiocesan policies
Retreat planning
Retreat hosting sites
Guest speaker suggestions
Crisis management practices
Prayer resources
Fundraising
Facilitate communication between youth ministers and campus ministers from around the Archdiocese, who can provide support and share invaluable experience
Please reach out to our Associate Director for Youth Ministry, Patrick Duffey, at [email protected] or 504.227.3226 to discuss how our office might be able to support you in working towards your vision and goals for ministry at your parish or school!