By Alison Pope
Associate Director, Office of Evangelization and Catechesis

I think most adults could agree that we want vibrant, effective youth ministry programs at our parish. Our reasoning behind the why of the program may vary — we want a safe place for young people to hang out, we want opportunities for young people to grow in faith, we don’t want our children to make the same mistakes we did when we were teens — but we all recognize that quality youth ministry is important for our young people and for the larger Church community.

Some may ask, “What makes effective, quality youth ministry?” Again, the answers here are varied based on the community and the needs of the young people in that community. However, there are a few things that can help us to move towards better youth ministry in general.

Now, the disclaimer: there is no magic bullet or a single program or resource that will give us the results we want. It will depend on our community, the needs of the young people, and the congregational culture.

First, we must consider the words we use. Words have power and make an impact. At times, that impact may be different than we intend. One case where this is true that many do not realize is when we use the term “youth group.”

The word “group” is exclusive, even by its definition. A group only contains those people or things that are already classed or considered together. When we use the term “youth group,” we are already excluding those who are not currently part of the established group. This can make young people feel like they are not welcome or that they do not belong. I would presume that is not the message anybody involved in youth ministry wants to send to the young people in our communities.

One simple way to be more welcoming is to simply change some of the language we use. Instead of using the term youth group, you could simply call it youth ministry. Some parishes even choose to come up with a name or acronym to identify the group. It is a simple change that can make an impact on the teens searching for a place to belong.

Another downfall of the “youth group” model is that it often only focuses on the social aspect of ministry and is not comprehensive. If we look at the document from the USCCB, “Renewing the Vision,” it tells us that youth ministry should be comprised of eight components: advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, and prayer and worship. Comprehensive youth ministry makes sure that we are somehow incorporating all these components in our ministry over the year.

In order to have an effective and comprehensive youth ministry program, we must have youth ministry leaders that exhibit certain qualities. Some of these desired qualities include: provides competent leadership, models faith, mentors faith life, develops teams, knows youth and youth culture, and establishes effective relationships.

How do we know if our youth ministry is effective? Some will simply point to numbers and how many young people attend an event. That is not always the best indication, especially in ministry. Rather, we should be looking at how well it invites participation and helps grow the faith of those involved. Some qualities to look for in an effective vibrant youth ministry program include: establishes a caring environment, develops quality relationships, focuses on Jesus and the Catholic faith, considers life issues of the young people, uses many approaches, and is well-organized and planned.

Regardless of the resources we use or program we implement, we must remember that what is important is listening to the young people. Not so we can give them advice or direction, but simply to hear about their joys, struggles, doubts, dreams, and needs. We must seek to simply see the youth as they are, not as the culture judges them or as we wish them to be. Our job is not to put Jesus in their hearts, it is to help them realize he is already there.