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The Research

In 1998, Saint Francis Seminary, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, received a grant from the Lilly Foundation for a three-year project on youth leadership development, with a focus on vocations, the call to ministry.

The project was called, "Tomorrow's Present."

The Vocations Office and the Office for Schools, Child, and Youth Ministries formed a partnership to offer three years of youth leadership programming. This initial programming provided leadership training to young people in three areas:

Training to present workshops (on Liturgy, ministry, and peacemaking)
Attendance at Youth Forums
Youth-designed leadership projects in faith formation, service, or prayer.

Research was done with young people to determine the impact of the project on their self-perception as church leaders.

The model that emerged is now called, "Transformational Ministry."

The Cycle of Transformational Ministry is fully described in the book, Changing Lives: Transformational Ministry and Today's Teens. To order that book, click here to download the printable PDF order form.

To read a basic overview of the research – learning communities, the four core experiences (action/service, learning, prayer/reflection and leadership) and the two core relationships (positive peers and skilled mentors) – click here.

Dr. Calderone-Stewart has authored 20 books and more than 50 articles.
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Youth Leadership Programming
1702 West Walnut Street
P.O. Box 05656
Milwaukee, WI 53205

(414) 545-6006 or
(414) 933-1300
info@tomorrowspresent.org