Updates from NCYC Leaders’ Update Email
March 20, 2023
Hello Dear Friends,
Last week, NFCYM hosted a webinar about NCYC. Here’s what I learned (I know this is a lot, but please read all the way through. There’s some very important information regarding possible financial aid opportunities close to the end:
Keynote Speakers
NCYC is getting ready to formally announce their keynote speakers, but we got a sneak peak! NCYC will welcome Brian Butler, Sr. Jude Andrew, and VaLimar Jensen to the main stage.
Brian Butler is the executive director and co-founder of Echo Community, which cultivates chastity and authentic masculinity and femininity with teens, young adults and families via the lens of St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Brian has authored several books and programs, including “YOU: Life, Love & Theology of the Body.” Brian has also worked with Ascension Press and is a presenter in their Chosen Confirmation program.
Sister Jude Andrew, OP, has been a member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist for over 10 years, where she serves as a speaker and teacher. She grew up at a Dominican parish in Portland, Oregon before entering the community.
ValLimar Jensen is no stranger to the NCYC main stage. She is a highly regarded singer, composer, recording artist, storyteller, and inspirational speaker. She’s an experienced college professor, a leader of worship and prayer, and a workshop presenter. She sings a broad range of styles from traditional to contemporary, with collections that include; You Gotta Move, Anointing, Psalms from the Soul, Give God the Glory, and Spirit & Soul.
Breakout Sessions
In 2021, due to Covid restrictions, breakout sessions were limited to large mega sessions. The thought behind that move was that there was, at a time, the possible need to have the speakers move instead of the participants. While that wasn’t the case, they still had to stick to a set number of breakout sessions that participants could rotate through. There were only a few smaller breakout sessions.
This year, it sounds like the bigger mega sessions are going to happen again, but this time there will be a greater variety. Instead of four, there will be 5-7. They are planning breakout sessions just for adults as well. They are still finalizing the content for breakout sessions.
Floor Seating
This is always a question when it comes to NCYC. “Will our group be able to sit close to the stage during the sessions in Lucas Oil?” Before 2021, floor seating was first come first serve. Often, teens would rush to be close to the stage when musicians were playing. In 2021, due to Covid, that was stopped. NCYC organizers distributed wristbands somewhat at random to groups and people were not able to rush the stage.
It sounds like this year will be similar to 2021 with only people with wristbands able to sit on the floor. They are looking for a more systematic way to give people the opportunity to sit on floor level, but they will not know what that system could look like until they know how many people will be attending, probably around September or October.
Covid Restrictions?
In 2021 the world was still at the height of the Covid pandemic. Local health officials had required masks to be worn inside. NCYC organizers also asked for either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test prior to participating in NCYC.
This year, unless local health officials say otherwise, masks will not be required and there will not be a need for a proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.
That being said, like all other things, if someone is sick they should stay home and get well.
Permission and Release Forms
When it comes to paperwork, there has always been two sets of releases needed to be signed by all participants and the guardians of youth participants. One permission form came from the Diocese. The other releases came from NCYC organizers. Prior to 2021, all of this was done via paper. The diocese would collect paper releases from participants and physically mail them to the organizers.
In 2021, all of that paperwork was moved online. NCYC organizers utilized Permission Clicks as a way to digitally and safely collect forms. The Diocese was also able to use Permission Clicks as a way to send out our own paperwork.
This year, NCYC organizers will once again use Permission Clicks to collect releases online. The only difference is that NCYC organizers will the the ones who will send out their releases. This is why we ask for guardian’s email addresses. Releases will be sent out to the participant’s guardians via email address. I’ll be able to see/receive updates on who has or has not completed their forms.
I will be doing the same for diocesan permission forms, only I won’t have access to Permission Clicks. I will be using JotForm (if your teens participated in DYC, NCYC 2021, or Christ Alive, they will have already used JotForm). You as the group leader will also get a copy of your participants’ permission forms.
If one of your participants does not have access to the internet, we can help with paper forms. You can also have the guardians use a computer at the parish to complete permission forms.
Forms will distributed in September/October.
Safe Environment
Like all events with youth, a top priority is their safety. All adults attending NCYC need to have undergo safe environment training as set by their diocese. For the diocese of Gary, that’s Virtus training done through the parish.
As more people register, we will start doing a safe environment audit to make sure your adults are trained and in compliance with diocesan standards. You can help by making sure your adults are save environment trained as you register them. Talk to your parish’s safe environment coordinator for more information and to check if they are already trained. If you need help, let me know.
Some frequently asked questions around NCYC and safe environment:
- Do parents need to be Virtus trained? Yes. Parents also need to be Virtus trained if they are going to be in contact with other teens.
- I have a college aged student coming to help. Do they need to be Virtus trained? Yes. Anyone 18 years old and out of high school is considered an adult and needs to follow diocesan safe environment policies. Anyone under 21 cannot be considered an official chaperone, but they can assist.
- I will have high school participants who are 18. Do they have to be Virtus trained? No. They are not considered adults in this context. Their guardians will still need to sign their permission forms.
If possible, please have all of your adults Virtus trained by November 1. When I gather our credentials at NCYC, I will have to sign an affidavit saying that all of our adults are compliant with our diocesan safe environment policies.
Food
There were a few updates about food. As a general rule, participants will not be stopped by security guards if they have food in their personal bag, such as sandwich, a banana, or granola bars. The issue comes from groups bringing into the convention center large coolers, stacks of pizza, or a huge order of Jimmy Johns sandwiches. It’s never allowed in Lucas Oil or the Convention Center. But your snacks are ok.
There probably won’t be food trucks downtown. There is a very good possibility that there will be construction of a new hotel going on while we are there, which could restrict some streets that would usually have food trucks.
The Diocese of Gary has offered Missionary Discipleship grants to help parishes with their synod goals. Many parishes have asked for grants to help them send their youth to NCYC and have been approved. You just have to make sure you can connect NCYC attendance with Missionary Discipleship or your synod goals. While the deadline date is past, you can still try to apply. I don’t have the forms to apply though. You need to talk to your pastor. Grants can be up to $5000.
There are also some fundraising guides on our NCYC website.
