HELPING CATHOLIC YOUTH MINISTERS THRIVE
We started ProjectYM for one simple reason: because we love youth ministers. And we are passionate about equipping those youth workers for success!
Find out more about how we help Catholic youth ministers thrive.
No Help To Anyone
Mass is always a struggle for us. It’s just the phase of life we are in right now. With four little ones ages 6 and under who have been over-exposed to screens and live in an instant gratification world, asking them to participate in Mass for one hour each week seems...
Getting Your Teens FIRED UP!
Nothing can zap your energy quite like walking into the youth room and seeing the teens just sitting there on their phones, bored out of their minds. Here is how to get YOUR teens fired up! Know Your Why (and share it!) Make sure you know why your ministry exists, but...
Run a Trivia Night Fundraiser
Finally a fundraiser you'll actually WANT to do – plus you can raise thousands of dollars for your organization in just one night! The best part is people will have so much fun they’ll be asking when you’re doing it again.
Getting Your Pastor FIRED UP!
Getting your Pastor excited about the youth program might seem challenging, but it is vital to the success of your ministry! Here is how to get your Pastor fired up about your ministry: Pray! First, and most importantly, PRAY! Make it a priority to pray, not just for...
Getting Parents FIRED UP!
No not YOUR parents (although that is great too.) Here is how to get the parents of teens in your ministry FIRED UP! Know Your Why Why does your ministry exist? What is the goal of your ministry? Be intentional about sharing the vision with parents. They need to see...
Daily Catholic Images for Your Instagram
What if you could easily post images with verses pulled from the daily readings? Use them to spark conversation and increase engagement on all of your social media platforms.
Get Your Volunteers FIRED UP!
It's summer! And although your ministry has probably simmered down a bit and you have some room to breathe, this is also the time to start looking to the year ahead and setting your ministry up for success. Which is why we are talking all about getting FIRED UP in...
3 Easy Ways to Building Relationships With Your Teens
A couple weeks ago, we were wrapping up Thrive Friday for June and I was thinking about future professional development topics and volunteer training resource ideas. Suddenly, a strange realization hit me. We spend a lot of time talking and teaching about the...
Having “The Talk” With Your Teens
Most of the time our youth group meetings are a bit of a blur without a lot of opportunity for tons of one on one time. Every now and then I have a conversation with my teens that has an impact on me, if not on them. A few years ago during small groups is one such...
Why am I a Youth Minister, Again?
I was pretty sure, that day, that I wanted to quit more than I ever had wanted to before. The youth had done just about everything in their power to irritate me, ignore the topic for the week, and be distracted through our prayer time. Our goal that day had been to...
Rethinking How We Plan
When we schedule time for “no agenda” elements and invite our teens into conversation and activities, we can model how to live the joy of the Gospel authentically in the ordinary occasions of everyday life, not just during praise & worship or small group time.
More Than Just Catholic Beard Balm
Though Catholic Balm Co is the creator of the original Catholic beard balm, they've got tons of other Catholic inspired products for anyone with skin, lips, or (yes) beards. Plus every purchase you make funds the ministry of ProjectYM.
How to Spot Red Flags in Prospective Volunteers
How do you spot the wrong person for the job?
How to Minister to Elementary AND Middle School
When I first started working with middle schoolers, other youth ministers were quick to give me praise. “Oh, you work with middle school? God bless you!” “It takes such a special person to work with that age!” “I could never do that. You must be some kind of saint!”...
Equipping Teens to be Faithful Young Adults
Having been involved in both youth and young adult ministry, I’ve had a lot of time and opportunity to observe the “young adult problem” in the Church, from multiple angles. For many reasons, young adults get lost in the shuffle, particularly so if they are not in the...
Guilt-Free Ways to Get Out of the Office
Having trouble leaving the office at a decent hour? Not taking a day or two off a week? Finding yourself saying over and over again, “Sure I’m free”? Most youth ministers struggle to work any kind of regular hours. If you don’t have the self discipline to set regular...
You NEED a Personal Retreat and Here’s How to Have One
We all need it. Here’s how to make it actually happen. A personal retreat is a necessity for anyone giving their heart in ministry. Let’s talk more about what that looks like, why it’s worth taking, and how to structure it. What is a personal retreat? A personal...
Be Authentic And Embrace Your Scars
I did the scariest thing I’ve ever done with youth in the spring of 2002. It completely changed everything about how I ministered to the youth from that moment forward. I was afraid it would backfire on me. I was afraid I would be incredibly hurt. What happened made...