June 2011
Prepared by the Lasallian Youth Ministry Coordinator
James Camden
Goals of Lasallian Youth Ministry Activities
Faith development:
To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today
Service opportunities:
To draw young people into responsible participation in the life of a Lasallian school and volunteer
opportunities beyond the school
Community experience:
To foster the personal and spiritual growth of each young person
Focus Areas of Lasallian Youth Ministry
Providing opportunities for growth in:
Community Life
Catechesis/Evangelisation
Leadership Development
Justice and Service
Prayer and Worship
Pastoral Care
Lasallian Youth Ministry Coordinator
Lasallian Youth Ministers
Lasallian “Share the Mission” Volunteers
Lasallian Youth Leaders
Lasallian Youth Leader
Lasallian Volunteer
Share the Mission
Volunteer
Lasallian
Youth
Minister
• Senior student of a Lasallian
school who volunteers to be
trained as a positive Christian role
model to younger students. They
are effectively 'big brothers and
sisters' who facilitate retreats,
social justice initiatives and
Lasallian formation within the
school.
• Post-school Lasallian who volunteers for
short term immersion programs, youth
ministry events, school-based mentoring
programs and assists Lasallian Youth
Ministers on retreats and leadership training
within Lasallian schools. These volunteers
pay their own expenses and receive no
compensation.
They may often come
together for sharing and formation evenings.
• Full-time volunteer who lives in a Lasallian Volunteer or
Brothers Community for ten months. They are attached
to a Lasallian school and work in association to identify
and meet the needs of marginalised and disadvantaged
youth in their local area. They receive a small stipend
each week.
• Part-time paid employee of the District responsible for the
development of youth ministry initiatives in selected Lasallian
schools. They also coordinate post school activities in their local
area and come together to form the Lasallian Youth Ministry Team
for District events designed for mission, leadership training,
association and formation.
Lasallian Youth Ministers
Lasallian Youth Ministers are part-time-paid employees of the District and are responsible for
animating the faith development of young people in our Lasallian tradition.
Their ministry is predominantly within their ‘base school’ but approximately 20% of their time is spent
assisting in schools without a Lasallian Youth Minister or on a team initiative.
Their role involves coordinating the Lasallian Youth Leaders (LYL’s) Program, school retreats and
reflection days, and creating new and innovative experiences of faith, service and community for
young people.
They have a responsibility to engage and connect Lasallian Volunteers (former students) to assist in
the ‘youth ministry life’ of their base school when possible.
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IN SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Lasallian Youth Leaders
(LYL’s)
LYL’s are positive Christian role models in the school community in the areas of faith, service and
community with a particular focus on the junior students of the school. They assist with reflection
days and class visits on various topics and participate in a number of social justice activities.
Their membership is by choice and they participate in a training day. These young people are the
target audience of youth ministry in schools.
1200
Services available to
Lasallian Schools
Many Lasallian schools use the services of other youth ministry organisations that are available for
particular year levels. They are often over priced, difficult to book, and provide leaders and facilitators
who will never again have contact with the students of our schools. Lasallian Youth Ministry offers an
alternative to this by providing retreats and reflection days that use ‘Lasallian Volunteers’ – usually
former students of the school. This is also a great initiative to provide Lasallian Volunteers with an
opportunity to further their youth ministry skills.
50
Lasallian
Volunteers
1000
students
Lasallian Encounter
Days/Afternoons/Weekends
These are leadership days/afternoons/weekends that bring together Lasallian Youth Leaders from
clusters of schools within regions. The time is spent furthering skills as leaders and adding to their
knowledge of De La Salle. The students particularly hone their skills on working with junior students.
Attracts
approximately
60 LYL’s each
event
District Lasallian Leadership Seminar
(Australia, New Zealand & PNG)
The school leaders of each Lasallian school come together for 5 days to explore and share in their
Lasallian heritage, leadership from a Lasallian and gospel perspective and to feel and develop a
greater sense of Lasallian community.
70 attend
from 23
schools
Lasallian Youth Gatherings
Young Lasallians from the District gather every 2 years for guest speakers, presentations, prayer,
community activities, and an outreach project. Within the 3 separate regions smaller gatherings are
held on a more regular basis.
The true nature and purpose of the gathering is to share our Lasallian experiences in faith, service &
community. They are held in different cities each time.
Attracts approx
100
participants
each event
POST SCHOOL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
Share the Mission
‘Share the Mission’ is a volunteer program of Lasallian Youth Ministry and the De La Salle Brothers in
the District of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
‘Share the Mission’ provides committed and talented volunteers to Lasallian works for a period of nine
months, full-time, and creatively provides an avenue for volunteers to serve, grow, change their own
life, and the lives of others who are marginalised in any way.
‘Share the Mission’ is an opportunity to be formally associated for the Lasallian mission whilst
connected to a Brother’s Community for inspiration and discipleship. This unique ministry is about
building and strengthening Lasallian relationships in order to bring young people closer to God.
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Camp LaSalle
Adelaide, Melbourne, New Zealand, Sydney, Queensland
This is a camp provided to disadvantaged junior students of Lasallian schools each year. Schools are
encouraged to find young people who may have struggled during the year in any way or form whether
it be school, home life or socially.
Lasallian Volunteers are sought from the local area to provide leadership
and mentoring to the young people present.
Follow up programs mean that this relationship is ongoing.
Attracts 120
young people
each year
Attracts 80
Lasallian
Volunteers
each year
Balgo Hills Summer Camps,
Western Australia
Balgo is an Aboriginal community, 900kms north-west of Alice Springs, just inside the WA boarder. The
local school is conducted by the De La Salle Brothers.
A 2 week program for young Lasallians runs twice a year during the Summer holidays to provide
activities for the local young people.
Lasallian Volunteers are sourced from Lasallian schools.
Attracts
approximately
20 Lasallian
Volunteers
each year
PNG Youth Ministry Road Show
This is a 12 day program where Lasallian Volunteers are challenged to serve and deliver leadership
training and Lasallian formation to young people in the four schools of Port Moresby.
Volunteers in the program deepen the impact of the Lasallian mission in PNG whilst developing their
awareness and understanding of what it means to be Lasallian in a developing country.
The Lasallian Volunteers complete the trip by facilitating the PNG Lasallian Leadership Seminar for 180
prefects in the region.
Attracts
approximately 6
Lasallian
Volunteers each
year
www.lasallianyouthministry.org.au