Certification standards give evidence of a profession’s focus and activities and the values to which it is committed; designate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes it deems desirable or necessary for effective functioning as a practitioner of the profession; and may be used as educational criteria in a process of formation and assessment criteria in a process of certification. The national standards are a result of a collaboration between several national organizations: the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL), the National Association of Parish Musicians (NPM), Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC), and the National Association of Lay Ministers (NALM).