We need two main types of volunteers. Those who can help on a regular basis (disciplers) and those who can only help occasionally but are vital for retreats and large events (supporters). Both types of volunteers must complete our volunteer application, Virtus training, a volunteer select application, and child services background check. We will provide and help with completing all paperwork!

Here is a Q & A about becoming a volunteer with SMYG. It's also available in a word doc.
The volunteer application is available here.

So You Wanna Work with Youth?!!!

You must be crazy! …which is actually probably a good pre-requisite to work with SMYG. What we have assembled here is a type of Q&A sheet that we feel will give you a better sense of what the SMYG is about, and the expectations that go along with being a youth minister.

Q1: What would you say makes a good youth minister?

The answer to this question may be very different than you think. While having experience working with youth, such as being a teacher, counselor, etc. can be helpful, it is not the best indicator of a good youth minister. The single indicator that helps the most in being an effective youth leader is that you are striving to improve your own relationship with Jesus Christ, and are seeking to become more Christ-like in your day-to-day actions. We never fully “arrive” in our Faith… it is always growing. Having a passion to deepen our own Faith experience (through regular daily prayer, Scripture study, frequenting the Sacraments, Christian reading, personal retreats, etc.) allows God to mold us into the instruments He intended us to be, thus creating an effective Christian role model. We cannot give these youth what we do not have ourselves, and we cannot expect them to tread into new territories without us leading the way. Ideally you should be active in an age-appropriate faith group (Spirit and Truth, YACHT, small faith community, etc.) before/while working with the youth group. While we definitely grow through helping with youth group, it’s important to go into youth ministry with the goal of helping the kids. We grow with them, but we also need our own faith communities.

Q2: As a youth minister, what I do when I am “off-duty” does not matter, so long as there are no youth around, right?

Nope… when you accept a position as a youth minister, you accept the fact that you are a role model 24/7. Being a role model includes being human and imperfect… however, there is a difference between slipping into an area of sin out of weakness or a mistake, and perpetuating an act which the Church defines as sinful; trying to justify or rationalize the act in the process. We have learned that the areas of sin our leaders struggle with quickly become areas that our youth struggle with, whether the youth know about that leader’s behavior or not. These youth look up to the leaders, and by being in a position of leadership, we (those in the current leadership) are affirming to the parents of these youth that you are a trustworthy and faithful leader.

Q3: How would you describe the style of Youth Ministry SMYG uses?

We call it “Dynamic Orthodoxy!” Orthodox because we stay true to the teachings of the Catholic Church in matters of Faith and Morals; not preaching our own agenda or beliefs which are contrary to the Church. Dynamic because we have a blast doing it! Our youth love to sing and praise God with enthusiasm. One word used to describe the Holy Spirit in Apostolic times comes from the same root as “dynamite”… that’s how we view the Holy Spirit, and this style of ministry fits with Pope John Paul II’s call to the “New Evangelization.”

Q4: What if I don’t agree with everything the Catholic Church teaches?

There is a difference between not being personally sure about an area of Church Teaching, and teaching your own version of truth to the youth. Though we have a number of youth in our group that are non-Catholic, we stay true to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Parents depend on the fact that if they are bringing their youth to a Catholic Youth group, they are going to receive Catholic Christian teaching. Society does enough in providing our youth with mixed and confusing messages… SMYG needs to be a place where they are given the undiluted Truth… and guess what? It keeps ‘em coming back!

Q5: What sorts of things does SMYG do?

It probably would be easier to list what we don’t do! Activities in SMYG range from social (like Ultimate Frisbee, end of the year parties, beach trips, Busch Gardens, etc…) to evangelical (mission trips and service projects) to deeply spiritual (Steubenville youth rally, retreats, and Youth Masses). Of course, there are also the meetings four times a month, which often have a little of each.

Q6: I’m kind of shy and don’t know much about Church teaching… I don’t suppose I would be of any help…

Of course you would! Having a passion for God, His Church, and our youth are the only requirements to be an effective youth minister. All of us who are involved are on different points of our Faith Journey, and all of us have different gifts to share. Don’t sell yourself short!

Q7: What kind of time commitment are you asking?

There are basically two types of adult leaders for SMYG. One is a Discipler – this person attends the majority of SMYG functions and serves in the capacity of mentor to our youth. This commitment probably averages 5 – 8 hours a week of your time. The other position is a Supporter – this person either helps at one or two more special events, or has a background role which they fill for SMYG (like sending out birthday cards to youth, and such). For both Disciplers and Supporters, prayer is one of the most important aspects of working with youth ministry. If you can commit to an hour in prayer in the Adoration Chapel, you’re probably doing the biggest possible service to SMYG. We ask a year commitment for both Supporters and Disciplers.

Q8: What process do I go through to become part of the adult leadership in SMYG?

If what you’ve read here seems okay to you, and hasn’t scared you off:

• Pray!
• Request and complete an application and submit it to Ashley.
• Complete Virtus training and submit a copy of your certificate along with the Child Protective Services Form, Volunteer Select Application, and Driver Information Sheet.
• Once all your paperwork is together, meet with Ashley (ideally with one or two of the other adult youth ministers) so that you can ask questions and share ideas.
• Assuming all is completed and approved, Father Facura has the final ratification of everyone who works with the youth.
• For the first few months, you’ll be helping out with regular group activities until you get to know the other adults and youth and we get to know you better.
• After two or three months, you’ll be able to go on road trips/retreats with SMYG as appropriate. This is to ensure that the parents have full confidence in our ministry team when we take kids traveling!
• Within two years, complete the Pathways program (approximately 15-20 hours of study about the Catholic faith – all materials are provided by the diocese).

If for some reason after all this you are still interested, then we really get going! We realize this process may seem a bit intensive, but we do not feel one can be too thorough in selecting people who will be in positions of influence with our youth.

We look forward to the possibility of serving our Awesome God with You!