2022 Youth Worker Well-Being Report

Recent data collected by The Youth Cartel and Jeremiah Project suggests more than four out of ten youth workers are considering moving on, or have moved on in the past two years. This suggests that what Barna’s recent pastor poll showed is likely also true of youth workers: Youth workers are currently in crisis and at risk of burnout.

In November of 2021, Barna research published the results of a Pastor’s Well-Being Survey. Their summary paragraph reads:

Recent data collected from Barna’s pastor poll indicate that U.S. pastors are currently in crisis and at risk of burnout. Notably, in 2021 alone, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of pastors who are thinking about quitting ministry entirely.

Upon seeing these results, Todd Freneaux, Executive Director of Jeremiah Project, contacted Mark Oestreicher of The Youth Cartel with the idea of partnering on a similar study, but of full-time youth workers. Marko had a sense, from his interactions with youth workers, that the levels of burn-out and weariness would be mirrored or even greater among youth workers.

480 people completed the survey (we asked that they were either currently employed full time as a youth worker, or had been at some point in the prior two years). All responses were self-reported.

If you would like to read the complete report, CLICK HERE to request your copy.