As ministry leaders, we are responsible for a team of volunteers. There are four steps we can take to help them feel successful in their role. In this episode, Sandra will share those four steps so we can support our volunteers and help them feel equipped and empowered in their ministry callings.
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Transcript:
Hi friends, this is episode 66 of Key Ministry the podcast! I’m Sandra Peoples, and today we’re talking about 4 steps for success for ministry volunteers. We often focus on the first two steps and forget how important the next two are. But caring for the volunteers in our ministry is just as important as caring for the families! So today let’s talk through these four steps for success, think about where we are in the process with our volunteers, and take any necessary steps of support.
Let’s Focus on Volunteers - 4 steps for success
Recruiting
Training
Supporting
Celebrating
Recruiting:
Word of mouth from other volunteers
Low-commitment opportunities (respite events, VBS)
Ministry visibility (Disability Ministry Sunday)
Identify & ask
Fill in around paid positions
Training:
We have policies in place for all our volunteers to follow. There are additional policies about safety and privacy specific to our students.
Shadowing
Respite nights & VBS
Supporting:
They need to know their role and how they fit into the structure of the class & overall ministry
They need to feel comfortable asking questions
They need a plan for lots of scenarios
They need to feel empowered to make quick decisions
They need appropriate tools: curriculum, buddy bags, videos, etc.
They need consistent, clear communication (we use Planning Center)
Celebrating:
Lots of specific, verbal praise
Small thank-you gifts
Team bonding
Opportunities for more training and using their gifts
Invite students/families to write thank you notes
Make them feel like part of a bigger story
I hope thinking through these steps is as helpful for you as it is for me! We often put lots of energy into recruiting and training and forget about supporting and celebrating! But our volunteers will be less likely to get burned out if we go through all four of these steps of success with them.
Remember to visit keyministry.org/podcast for the shownotes and any links that sounded helpful! Thanks for listening today! The other podcast hosts and I love hanging out with you each week. If this episode was helpful, share it with a friend in ministry! You could even make a plan to chat about ways to celebrate your volunteers in the coming months!
