Youth Youth Co-leadership Protagonism Initiative (YCOPI)
Listen to Rosario as she reflects on her faith growth, Sandra Ramo’s key takeaway as an adult accompanier, and Fr. Robert Ianelli reflect on the transformation of his parish. These are just three videos of a full series. Check out their experience and encouraging words on our YCOPI playlist on our YouTube channel.
Our Youth Co-Leadership Protagonism Initiative
What is YCOPI?
YCOPI is an initiative of the OMY following Pope Francis’ visionary text Christus Vivit (2019) where he outlines a bold paradigm for ministry with young people emphasizing two key concepts: protagonism (allowing youth to lean into their Baptismal Call and agency as people of faith capable of effecting positive change in the world) and accompaniment (walking alongside youth in their faith journeys). YCOPI is a direct engagement of this paradigm while aligning with the missionary vision of Archbishop Nelson Pérez.
In collaboration with Goodfaith, YCOPI is designed to institute youth-led parish-wide Youth Mission Initiatives (YMI) rooted in service and justice. Building on the core tenets of Goodfaith’s long-standing research and proven ministry model in service and social justice, YCOPI provides youth delegates and their accompanying adult with the orientation, training, content, and knowledge needed for long-term ministry sustainability in the areas of service and social justice.
Our Mission
To form youth and adults in missionary discipleship, empowering young leaders to be agents of change within their faith communities.
A Two-Year Process
- 10 Sessions + Commissioning: Year 1 focuses on Discovery and Formation. Through a discernment process and in collaboration with their accompanying adults, youth delegates discover how the Spirit is calling them to serve their communities. They also receive training through peer learning cohorts using the “Pathways” corresponding curriculum and in skill sets that facilitate the design and development of their YMIs while continuing to equip adults on youth accompaniment.
Look inside part of the formation year of the first YCOPI Cohort of 2023:
- Multi-Day Overnight Service Immersion + 4 Touchpoints: Year 2 focuses on the accompaniment of youth delegates and their accompanying adults as they implement their YMIs in their communities.
YCOPI’s two-year cycle places a particular emphasis on cultivating participants’ understanding of the Eucharist as “the source and summit” of their Christian call to build the Kingdom.
YCOPI Objectives
- Equip youth to imagine and lead a YOUTH MISSION INITIATIVE (YMI)s in their respective communities. These youth delegates, in turn, engage their own communities and “spheres of influence” in whatever their chosen YMI is.
- Deepen youth delegates’ skills and spirituality through cognitive exercises (for leadership training and skill development), as well as catechetical and theological practices (for spiritual discernment and transformation).
- Empower adults through the skills of accompaniment so they can effectively walk with these youth delegates throughout the process.
What are the Results of YCOPI?
- Parishes are strengthened by empowering youth delegates to create youth-led parish missions and intergenerational engagement in their YMIs.
- Parishes produce young leaders of faith, who see themselves as agents of change.
- Young people in parishes identify their faith as motivation for the work they do, and the work they do as informing/nourishing their faith.
In Their Own Words (youth and adults)
Click here to view our video series featuring the youth, accompanying adult, and pastor of one of our YCOPI parishes.
We invite you to prayerfully consider supporting YCOPI. Your generosity makes this experience possible.
We are confident this initiative will be a transformative experience not only for its participants but their parish communities and the entire Church of Philadelphia!