The future of our Church depends greatly on our youth. St. Pope John Paul II said, “The Church entrusts to young people the task of proclaiming to the world the joy which springs from having met Christ.” The Coordinator of Youth Faith Formation ensures the middle and high school youth at St. Bernard’s Parish encounter Jesus and are formed in their Catholic faith. Under the direct guidance of the Director, the Coordinator provides opportunities for the youth to grow in knowledge of the Catholic Faith and practice, to live out the Christian life with conviction and joy, to grow spiritually in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and to serve others generously.

In order to accomplish this mission, the Coordinator will meet students where they are, engage them creatively, and provide a supportive environment that fosters both human and spiritual growth. It is impossible to achieve these ends working alone and in isolation. For this reason, the Coordinator will collaborate with the Faith Formation Team, get involved in St. Bernard’s parish, develop a core team of volunteers, and maintain excellent communication with and between the youth and their parents.

The guiding values of Faith Formation at St. Bernard’s are to characterize all of our programs and interactions with both staff and parishioners. The Coordinator of Youth Formation seeks to live these values with sincerity and professionalism:

Faith – We trust God to accomplish His work in and through us.
Hope – Having been touched deeply by the Lord, we believe He desires this same encounter for others.
Charity – Coming directly from God, charity is the selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love that God shares with the world through us.
Dignity – Each person is made in the image and likeness of God and is to be treated with respect.
Solidarity – Flowing from the dignity each person receives from God, we live as brothers and sisters by daily “bearing one another’s burdens”.

Responsibilities of the Role
• Youth Engagement & Assessment: Connects with youth to evaluate their faith formation and maintains a parish youth council for feedback.
• Core Team Recruitment & Training: Recruits, trains, and equips adult volunteers for a strong Core Team.
• Youth Formation Coordination: Collaborates with the Faith Formation team to develop and implement programs for grades 6-12.
• Relationship Building: Fosters trusting relationships with youth.
• Event & Fundraiser Organization: Plans off-campus events and fundraising activities.
• Diocesan Event Participation: Encourages youth involvement in Diocesan programs such as DCYC, JCYC, and Youth Senate.
• Parish Engagement: Attends at least one Sunday Mass at St. Bernard’s to support parish connection.
• Ongoing Formation: Engages in monthly personal faith formation, including Bible study and diocesan training.
• Communication & Promotion: Engages parents, youth, and the parish through clear communication, social media, and other parish media to promote youth activities and encourage involvement.

Expected Outcomes
While most expectations are set on an individual basis, the following are some common expected outcomes that should be included for anyone in this role.
Short-Term (1 month)
Has successfully…
a) Assessment & Planning: Meet with parish staff and current youth participants to evaluate the state of youth faith formation and determine the direction for future growth.
b) Research: Research effective youth programs both within the Diocese of Tulsa and nationally.
c) Relationship Building: Build strong working relationships with parish staff and connect with youth and their parents to foster community.
d) Software Training: Complete training on parish software to manage youth activities and events.
e) Core Team: Identify and invite adult volunteers for the Core Team leadership roles.
f) Scheduling: Establish weekly office hours and a youth event calendar, along with a broader annual schedule for larger events.
g) Communication & Marketing: Develop an effective strategy using social media and personal invitations to engage youth in events. Collaborate with the Director of Communications to plan strategies for promoting the youth ministry program.
h) Personal Formation: Research opportunities for personal faith growth to enhance leadership effectiveness in youth faith formation.

Medium-Term (3 months)
Has successfully…
a) Core Team Recruitment & Development: Identifies faith formation needs and successfully recruits volunteers to contribute their skills and talents. Builds a dedicated Core Team for youth faith formation.
b) Effective Communication: Develops a communication plan in partnership with the Director of Communication to promote youth ministry while managing a strong social media presence to engage and invite youth participation.
c) Organizational & Prioritization Skills: Independently manages high volumes of information, ensuring efficient workflow and task prioritization.
d) Staff Integration: Engages collaboratively with staff, valuing diverse roles and perspectives.
e) Youth Discipleship & Formation: Deepens understanding of discipleship, effectively teaching and fostering faith development among youth.
f) Curriculum Development & Approval: Researches, selects, and secures approval for a youth faith formation curriculum from parish leadership and the Faith Formation Team.
g) Program Planning: Designs a comprehensive faith formation calendar, incorporating service, community-building, prayer, and worship experiences.
h) Youth Engagement Goal: Sets a participation target of 30 youth in both middle and high school programs, aligning with parish size.
Long-Term (1 year)
Has successfully…
a) Youth Program Awareness: Ensures regular communication about youth activities and encourages involvement within the parish community.
b) Collaboration with Children’s Ministry: Works with Children’s Ministry leaders to create a seamless transition to Youth Ministry through relationship-building with leaders, catechists, parents, and participants.
c) Attendance Goal: Strives for 60 active participants in middle and high school programs, reflecting past efforts and growth.
d) Parish Engagement: Inspires enthusiasm for youth ministry and provides clear, accessible opportunities for youth and parents to participate.
e) Effective Communication: Maintains clear, concise communication with parents and volunteers regarding schedules and expectations.
f) Expanded Program Visibility: Increases awareness of the youth program within the St. Bernard’s parish, surrounding high schools (i.e., Jenks, Bixby, etc.) and Bishop Kelley High School.
g) Social Media Presence: Maintains an engaging and informative social media strategy to attract and connect with middle and high school youth.

Critical Requirements

Discipleship skills: Ability to meet others where they are at in their faith and accompany them to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ability to Learn: Ability to grasp new concepts and learn new processes in a short amount of time without a lot of structure or formalized knowledge transfer.
Willingness to attend annual continuing education conferences in order to stay on top of best practices.

Communication Skills: Ability to actively listen (to youth and members of the community).
Ability to develop and communicate a vision and communicate progress towards the vision.
Ability to communicate effectively in writing to the community.
Ability to present publicly to groups when needed.
(Bilingual language skill is a plus.)
Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
Coordination and Motivation: Ability to configure volunteers and resources in order to produce a desired impact.
Ability to organize, coordinate with, and motivate others.
Possesses organizational skills.
Self-starter with the ability to work independently with organizational and time management skills.
Social Media/Technology: Ability to learn and achieve proficiency in in technology when it comes to the teaching and formation of the youth.
Stays current with technology and how to use them as effective communication tools and as a means of engagement to both the children and their parents.
Ability to learn and achieve basic proficiency in technology used in the parish.
Teamwork : Ability to collaborate and share responsibilities in the creation of youth ministry deliverables.
Effectively works with others to produce high quality results and desired numbers for youth programs.
Seeks to understand others’ needs, ideas and solution alternatives.
Responds to difficult interpersonal situations with professionalism and respect.
Takes criticism of work well and incorporates feedback to improve final results.
Willingness to admit mistakes and learn from them.
Focus: Capacity to take a direction, make decisions, and maintain the direction.
Able to identify goals, actively pursue them, and help volunteers do the same.
Ability to set priorities and select activities to achieve those priorities in their order of importance.
Personal Ownership: Takes pride in work, assumes personal ownership.
Motivated by challenges and desires to improve.
Personal Formation: Has a history of faith practice.
A baptized, confirmed, practicing Catholic in union with the Church. Former parish/youth work and/or a degree in an associated field would be a plus.
Desires to grow in relationship with God.
Continually works on their own discipleship path to become more effective in their ministry.