How could we continue to reach kids for Christ without the ongoing help of volunteers? They are the ones who are on the front lines of our ministry. They invest time, talents, gifts, and their hearts into the lives of children. That's why it's important to value and treasure the people who have been chosen to share their lives with children. The purposeful support and encouragement of your volunteers builds solid teams and genuine trust. Be generous with the care you give them. Here are some suggestions for ways to support and encourage your volunteers:

• Provide an avenue of feedback, so volunteers have a way of communicating with decision-makers. You can do that by gathering volunteers together before or after the program to give feedback, share highlights and challenges, and pray for the kids and each other.



• Thank, praise, and celebrate! Everyone needs to feel appreciated, loved, cherished, and needed. Verbal "thank you's," thank you notes, small gifts or candy, photos of remembrance, banners of recognition, and bulletin or newsletter appreciation messages are all ways of making these very important volunteers feel special.



• Be willing to release people from the ministry if they do not love what they are doing. Choose to love your volunteers beyond the ministry's needs and desire God's best for them. If a volunteer is having a hard time in his or her serving capacity, meet with that volunteer and discuss whether or not he or she still feels called to that area of service. If not, help that volunteer find a new place to serve, rather than battling a problem that may turn a child away or push the volunteer to quit.



• Help volunteers feel welcome. Provide everyone with a nametag to wear at all times. Let volunteers know they are being prayed for and cared for. Remember to give every volunteer the name of someone to contact if they have any questions, concerns, or problems that need to be addressed.



• Familiarize volunteers with the goals, values, and vision for the ministry. Volunteers will feel more comfortable knowing how their portion of service fits into the big picture of the program. It will help volunteers feel their jobs are important, and it will bring everyone on board with what the ministry is trying to do.



• Be sure you inform leaders about how the program works, why it works, and the reason you chose the curriculum your ministry uses.



• Provide specialty training to volunteers in each area of service. Time is valuable, so don't waste it by making every volunteer sit through a long training session that covers everything from how registration works to building your Large Group Programming area to how to relate to kids! Group your volunteers into major divisions, and provide a special training session designed just for them. These groups of volunteers could possibly form Small Groups and continue to develop relationships throughout the year.



• Provide leadership and direction that is specific to each major area of responsibility. Provide the Administrator, Large Group Teacher, and Small Group/Team Time Leaders with a specific list of goals, responsibilities, and expectations. If you have a budget, be sure to inform them of this, too! Be certain that all volunteers understand exactly what they are to do, and by when they are expected to do it. Provide some time for answering questions, addressing concerns, and listening to feedback!



• Help volunteers get connected as a team by providing brainstorming meetings, problem-solving sessions, or by starting each week with a brief prayer session.



• Spend 10 minutes together debriefing each week how things went during the ministry hour. Make changes as a team to increase your effectiveness. Thank each person for his or her willingness to serve and play a part in that day's adventure.



• Consider making one month a "Volunteer Appreciation Month." This month might be a time in your ministry season when there is a need for encouragement and support. Celebrate with special treats each week, a ministry banquet, or thank you posters or cards for parents and kids to sign for the volunteers.

Copyright © 2005 Promiseland.

Read more from 'Volunteers'

Words Kids Need to Hear To Help Them Be Who God Made Them to Be by David Staal If you could choose just seven statements to share with children, what would they be? Each chapter in this compelling book focuses on a single statement elementary-age kids need to hear from parents, children's workers, and other close adults. These seven statements are simple to share, yet guaranteed to profoundly impact children. They are: I believe in you. You can count on me. I treasure you. I'm sorry, please forgive me. Because. No. I love you. will educate, equip, and motivate parents and children's ministry teams to carefully choose words that building up kids' hearts, to say them frequently, and to do so in creative ways. What children hear from trusted adults significantly influences their self-image, their current relationships, and future relationships—including that all-important relationship with God.