Professional Development

Introduction

National Certifications Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers (book cover)The NFCYM's Certification and Accreditation Commission has developed the resources to assist youth ministry leaders to assess and develop their competence in ministry using the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers.

These competency-based standards were developed by the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM), the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL), and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) and approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation in April 2003.

The USCCB CCA is located at:

3211 South Lake Drive, Suite #317
St. Francis, WI 53235-3702
414.486.0139 : 414.489.0006 (fax)
E-mail: info@usccbcca.org

Academic Opportunities

Review the listing of academic programs throughout the country which offer educational credentials at all levels: Bachelor's degrees and Master's degrees with concentrations in youth ministry, Certificate Programs in Youth Ministry, and degree programs in Pastoral or other ministry designations with course content in youth ministry studies.

Resources

Purpose of the Resources
  • Educate youth ministry leaders about the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers and how to use them for their professional growth and certification
  • Provide tools for youth ministry leaders, other lay ecclesial ministers, pastors, etc., to assess in their dioceses or regions the formation opportunities and resources and their program curriculum and content in light of the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers
Resource Type

Web pages for each of the following categories of resouces have been prepared:

  • Articles to explain competency-based standards, their impact on lay ecclesial ministry, employing the standards to assess one’s ministerial competence, and using the standards in conjunction with a code of ethics.
  • Image of books and computer; tools for professional development.Documents to assist all youth ministry leaders in implementing the National Certification Standards; including the NFCYM Code of Ethics for Youth Ministry Leaders and a Synopsis of the National Certification Standards.
  • Assessment Tools to assist youth ministry leaders, other lay ecclesial ministers, pastors, etc., in evaluating in their dioceses and regions the formation opportunities and resources and their program curriculum and content in light of how they help participants move toward meeting the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers.
  • Resource Organization links to assist youth ministry leaders and other lay ecclesial ministers in utilizing National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers to assess and develop competence as a youth ministry leader or other lay ecclesial minister.

Lay Ecclesial Ministry Sympsium

The Lay Ecclesial Ministry Symposium was held July 3-August 3, 2007 at St. John's in Collegeville, Minnesota in order to create national recommendations to advance lay ecclesial ministry in the United States. NFCYM was represented by more thantwenty diocesan leaders, staff, and collaborating members who joined nearly 200 participants at this historic event. Four areas of recommendations were generated: