hello, this is us
Our Mission
‘Kummissjoni Djoċesana Żgħażagħ Għawdex’ is the regional youth office within the Diocese of Gozo. Primarily, KDŻG aspires to lead teenagers and youth, along with their families into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, by spreading the love and truth that God made known through Jesus Christ. In addition to providing parishes in our diocese with timely resources, training youth animators, and “reaching” today’s teenagers and youth, our purpose is to foster an environment where young people within the church feel supported and engaged during the other 167 hours a week, outside of Sundays Mass. We believe all youth animators have at least four specific needs in common and so we spend our time, seeking to inspire and prepare youth animators in these four distinct areas.
How do we Achieve This
KDŻG’s evangelistic and pastoral initiatives take various forms. One can take for instance current activities such as Navis, which is a youth leader conference aimed at bringing together people working within the same ministry. Different recurring programs are also offered by KDŻG, such as ‘10K’ and ‘7S’ which are in essence two courses aiming to guide youth towards a more authentic and joyful life. To teach the faith, we provide resource books to youth leaders on a wide range of topics for their respective youth groups.
Moreover, through various teams and ministries, KDŻG also trains young leaders and provides various formation opportunities for those who wish to serve the Lord and be involved. Nonetheless, KDŻG also coordinates various events for young people, both on a diocesan level, such as the yearly ‘Christ the King’ event, but also on a parish level, by providing youth groups with different sessions that can be adopted in their yearly programs. These gatherings, as well as the numerous target group events, offer fellowship and a sense of belonging and community on a church level, to those who attend.
We believe all youth animators have at least four specific needs in common and so we spend our time seeking to inspire and prepare youth animators in these four distinct areas.
Gospel-Centred Resources and Events
Our mission is primarily preoccupied with providing youth animators with an ever-expanding offering of timely, creative and relevant biblically-based resources. We strive to tackle this with a more innovative and creative approach, that help animators point young people to Jesus. From yearly meetings to event programs and everywhere in between, we have you covered.
Training Sessions
Multiple youth animators find themselves grappling with countless challenges that youth ministry brings about, such as the difficulty of not feeling equipped and have the adequate knowledge of the gospel and other religious topics in order to preach to adolescents and youth. Being effective preachers of the Gospel is what youth animators long for in their ministries. Youth animators need to constantly develop their “craft”. In order to achieve this and we are committed to continuously help by providing animators with formation. A few ways we do this includes having a line of training books written for and by youth animators on the front lines, having a collection of tools, opinion and training articles on our blog, and holding live training workshops and conferences, such as ‘Ripple’ and ‘Navis’.
Embracing Community
Another important pillar we emphasise is Community. KDŻG strives to bring together a community of individuals who share the same ministry, as we believe that the support of a biblical community is invaluable. This is achieved through events and programs that foster for all youth animators and youth groups in our diocese. Multiple youth animators find themselves grappling with countless challenges that youth ministry brings about, such as the difficulty of not feeling equipped and have the adequate knowledge of the gospel and other religious topics in order to preach to adolescents and youth. Being effective preachers of the Gospel is what youth animators long in their ministries. Youth animators need to constantly develop their “craft” in order to achieve this and we are committed to continuously helping by providing animators with formation. A few ways we do this include having a line of training books written for and by youth workers on the front lines, having a collection of tools, opinion and training articles on our blog, and holding live training workshop and conferences, such as ‘Ripple’ and ‘Navis’.
Networking
Youth Ministry can be one of the most rewarding and life-giving careers someone can have. Animators have the opportunity to help others connect with Jesus Christ and assist them along in their journey of knowing Him in a deeper way. However, this may sometimes bring about challenges. The importance of not feeling ‘alone’ in youth ministry is often underestimated. We believe that it is of utmost importance to find people who can support us, challenge us, and understand where we are coming from as we live and breathe in the world of youth ministry. One of the places we have found this to be most helpful is through connecting with fellow youth animators.