GIVEN Catholic Young Women’s Leadership Program
The GIVEN Leadership Program is designed to assist young adult Catholic women (ages 21 – 35) with a heart for mission and an aptitude for leadership identify their particular gifts and find practical pathways to put them in the service of the Gospel. Acceptance to a GIVEN cohort includes a week at The Leadership Forum, followed by a year of one-on-one accompaniment with a GIVEN-trained mentor in support of leadership development and implementation of a personal Action Plan.
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Who can attend the GIVEN Forum and receive mentorship?
Young adult Catholic women, ages 21-35, seeking leadership training, faith formation, and mentoring to better understand and pursue their particular mission and vocation.
The Catholic Young Women’s Leadership Forum
The GIVEN Leadership Forum is a weeklong formative event that, in part, launches each cohort’s journey. In the months leading up to the Forum, participants and mentors take part in leadership formation, opportunities to meet one another, and ongoing support. These early encounters help build community and prepare everyone for a transformative week together.
Before the Forum participants engage in:
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Formation sessions that introduce GIVEN themes and prepare hearts and minds for the experience.
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Opportunities to meet one another and begin building relationships within the cohort.
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Meetings with Action Plan Strategists made up of women in the GIVEN Network for Action Plan support and refinement.
At the Forum, participants can expect:
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Talks, panels, and leadership sessions led by lay and religious Catholic women leaders.
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Opportunities for prayer, the sacraments, and spiritual direction
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Networking with peers and leading Catholic women who will inspire and equip them to live out their unique call from God.
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Identification of your particular gifts and strengths
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Support and guidance to implement an
After the Forum
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Participants continue their journey through one-on-one mentorship for one year.
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With the guidance of their mentor and the support of the GIVEN Network, they grow in leadership and take concrete steps to bring their Action Plans to life.
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Alumnae stay connected through ongoing resources, gatherings, and a nationwide sisterhood of Catholic women leaders.
Why Participate in the GIVEN Leadership Program?
As a participant, you will:
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Receive personal mentorship from an established Catholic woman who will walk with you for one year.
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Gain practical leadership formation through keynotes, leadership sessions, and small groups at the Forum.
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Develop an Action Plan—a concrete initiative to put your gifts in service of the Church and the world.
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Build lifelong friendships and join a vibrant network of Catholic women leaders across the country.
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Grow in the integration of your faith, interpersonal relationships, professional life, and vocation.
When is the next Forum?
The next GIVEN Forum will take place at the Catholic University of America from June 24-28, 2026. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our mailing list for the latest Forum updates, including application deadlines for young adults, mentors, and volunteers.
By subscribing, you’ll also receive updates on regional events (including GIVEN Gatherings & retreats) that will take place across the U.S.
Learn more about the 2026 GIVEN Catholic Young Women’s Leadership Forum
What do past participants say about the GIVEN Leadership Program?
“There were so many examples of women in the Church living vibrantly through different vocations. As a single woman with a career in business, being present at GIVEN opened my eyes to see that God can do anything with your ‘Yes’ if you give it to Him.”
“I had been discerning a vocation to the religious life for a few years before attending GIVEN, and although not expecting it at all, it was at GIVEN that God clearly called me to Himself. I went to the forum simply looking for leadership skills and networking opportunities with other Catholic women, and I left joyfully accepting God’s call to be totally His. I am now applying to a religious order!”
“GIVEN helped me to reexamine what I always felt was a tension between the vocation of a wife and mother with professional aspirations. It helped me to understand better the many fruitful ways that women live out their vocations in an integrated way.”