At ProjectYM, we invest in the ADULTS who are making a difference in the lives of young people...
Because their ministry matters.
We believe that youth ministry is one of the most urgent and high-impact missions in the Church today.
We also believe that it’s unsustainable without strong, supported leaders. The data backs that up.
According to Springtide Research, 24% of young people who don’t have a trusted adult mentor outside their home say they never feel like their life has meaning or purpose. That’s one in four. In a generation facing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and isolation, that’s a heartbreaking and dangerous statistic.
But there’s hope.
When just one caring adult outside the home is added into that young person’s life, that number drops from 24% to just 6%. 24 + 1 = 6 That’s not just a clever formula—it’s a powerful reality.
When we equip and support strong, healthy youth ministry leaders, we’re not just making disciples—we’re saving lives.
THE PROBLEM
The Church has thousands of youth ministry leaders on the frontlines of ministry. Most are deeply committed and passionate about serving teens...
But far too many are burning out, dropping out, or never reaching their full potential.
Why? Because they feel alone, isolated, and unsupported.
Over the past decade, we’ve worked with thousands of youth ministry leaders across the country, and a clear pattern has emerged:
The longer a youth minister stays at one parish, the stronger that youth ministry program becomes.
The #1 reason youth ministers leave is a lack of support.
If we want to build stronger youth ministry programs (and reach more teens with the Gospel), we need to focus on leader longevity and leader well-being.
OUR SOLUTION
We exist to keep youth ministry leaders in ministry – and to make sure they are healthy and effective, so they can walk with young people toward a deeper relationship with Christ.
Our most effective strategy is surprisingly simple: We create spaces where youth ministry leaders feel known, supported, and surrounded by a community that understands what they’re going through.
That happens most powerfully in small, in-person gatherings – 4-day immersive events where youth ministers step away from the chaos of daily ministry and step into a space of collaboration, renewal, and connection.
These gatherings are more than just training events. They are catalytic environments where:
– Leaders find solutions to their ministry challenges – They dream big and design new strategies – They gain practical tools they can take back to their parishes
But most importantly...
– They build relationships that will sustain them long after the event ends.
When a youth minister leaves a ProjectYM event, they’re not just more equipped—they’re less alone.
They walk away as part of a committed support network that will journey with them through the inevitable ups and downs of ministry.
That support system is a game changer—because it keeps leaders in the game years longer. And the longer a leader stays, the more teens they reach, the deeper the discipleship becomes, and the more lives are transformed.
A quick look at how we invest in those adults who are making a difference in the lives of young people...
The Largest Community of Catholic Youth Ministers
In Thrive you can talk about ministry with other people who get it Problem solve, celebrate wins, and brainstorm ideas with other Catholic youth ministry leaders.
Every September, youth ministers from across the country gather in Chattanooga, TN for four days of collaboration, fun, and community that we call Thriveanooga.
There’s no keynotes or lectures at Thriveanooga, instead we spend the week brainstorming, problem solving, and creating together.
We built Thriveanooga from the ground up to be a unique experience like nothing else you've ever been to!
We've created a customizable, downloadable, in-person confirmation retreat resource using session content that has been shared with over 15,000 Catholic teenagers!
Plus there's a fully online version if your students can't attend in person.
