"…that which is already due (those in need) should be offered (as a right) not as a gift of charity."- St. John Chrysostom
BENEFITS TO CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS
- Engage youth who might not participate in traditional youth ministry
- Reduce staff workload for coordinating and planning service activities
- Satisfy service requirements for Confirmation programs, schools or other advanced educational opportunities
BENEFITS TO YOUTH PARTICIPANTS
- Involve youth in direct service to those in need
- Equip youth to grow in their personal relationship with Christ and His Church
- Create awareness of the causes of injustice and inequity
- Develop social skills by helping young people discover their personal gifts, abilities and talents
- Increase self-esteem and moral reasoning ability to build leadership skills
- Promote Gospel values in their lifestyles and choices
- Motivate them to see a world view where change is made one person at a time
- Create in them a lifelong love of serving others
Through uServe, Fiat Ventures will organize and implement a program consisting of the following types of events:
Service Days are events that are completed in one day or part of a day. Examples of Service Days include delivering clothes to the impoverished, visiting the infirmed, corresponding with the imprisoned, serving at a soup kitchen or providing a birthday party for homeless youth. Parishes can also combine multiple Service Days with retreat or summer camp type elements, into a weeklong parish based Service Camp.
Service Projects are seasonal or special events that take place on the organization's campus as a one-time event or over the course of a few days or weeks. Service Projects include Adopt-a-Family for Thanksgiving or Christmas, care packages and letters to soldiers serving overseas, fundraising for relief efforts after natural disasters and preparing sustainable meals or toiletry kits for use by homeless shelters. These can be one-time events or ongoing initiatives.
Service Trips are off-location journeys to needy communities. Partnering with organizations such as Catholic Heart Work Camp and Justice Works, service trips can be collaborative or parish specific. Depending upon the nature of the trip, youth volunteers may help repair homes, plant crops or upgrade infrastructure.
Program Offerings
uServe is offered at two different program levels- Coordination Level and Access Level. In each case, Fiat Ventures and our staff of ministry professionals runs the event.
Coordination Level:
At the Coordination Level, events are run and set up by Fiat Ventures and coordinated with minimal administrative involvement from the organization's staff. Fiat Ventures will work closely with the organization to formulate a robust communication plan that will maximize participation, will manage registration and will recruit and communicate with chaperones and other volunteers.
Access Level:
At the Access Level, events are run and set up by Fiat Ventures but all coordination, communication and administrative tasks at the "parish level" are left to the organization's staff.
Sample Program 1
- 4 Service Projects
- 6 Service Days
- 1 Service Trip
- 1 Summer Service Camp
Coordination Level Pricing
$7,500- $9,500
Access Level Pricing
$5,700 - $7,700
Sample Program 2
- 2 Service Projects
- 4 Service Days
- 1 Service Trip
Coordination Level Pricing
$4,300 - $5,300
Access Level Pricing
$3,250 - $4,250
The above are offered as samples only. Fiat Ventures works with the organization to provide a tailor made program, customized to maximize the organization's resources and provide the highest ministry impact. The compensation sampled above is for the services of Fiat Ventures only. In addition, the costs of the events will be borne by the organization or the participants, at the organization's discretion.
HOW DOES USERVE WORK?
Catholic organizations partner with Fiat Ventures to connect with youth through the activities described above. Fiat Ventures' professional ministry staff will coordinate, attend and run service events and incorporate the organization's existing resources for support. Fiat Ventures' unique model for intergenerational cooperation creates a dynamic, sustainable environment of trust, cooperation and teamwork.