CentriKid

Volunteers

Recruiting the Orange Team

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When people ask me who the craziest color team is at camp, most people assume I will say the Blue 5th graders or all of those little Yellow 3rd graders. The Truth- the Orange team! Few teams are more excited for I Can’t Wait, make more noise during their cheer (even if they don’t know ALL the words), or cover me in more shaving cream during OMC. But what happens when you are having trouble finding those adults for your team?

Here are few tips to help you find the Orange Team you are looking for:

Ask them!
I know, it seems simple but this is the best place to start. When I say ask them, I don’t mean putting a slide up during the opening of the service or typing a paragraph in the bulletin. Although these can help, take some time and be very intentional about who you ask to come to camp. Share with them the impact that they can have on the kids and the amazing responsibility that they are given at camp to be a role model to these kids as the Gospel message is preached. By sharing with them that you trust them with this responsibility and the importance of this position, you will be able to find volunteers that share your excitement for sharing the Gospel with these kids in an atmosphere full of fun!
Play OMC!
After a Sunday service, have lunch with your kids, parents, and volunteers and then play a great game of OMC. Let your volunteers play and don’t forget lots of shaving cream, pool noodles, and tasks cards. This is a great way to have fun with the different people who are part of your ministry and also give them ways to interact with the kids outside of the Sunday School room or the Worship Center. At the end, don’t forget to tie it back to the Gospel!
Team Assistants!
Do you have any students in your ministry that love children? If they are a Junior in high school through college, they are able to serve as Team Assistants. Team Assistants give your students a chance to serve alongside you as a chaperone for your kids but they also get to be a part of our camp team for the week. Whether it is helping out at Recreation or Track Times, they will see a glimpse into what it is like to be a camp staffer.

We can’t wait to see you and your group leaders at camp this summer!

A Twist on Encouraging Leaders

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Many churches have an annual recognition banquet where dinner is served and a standard gift is given to all leaders. I asked my leadership team about this, and many of them felt that was a bit impersonal. Instead of having that once-a-year event where you recognize all of your leaders, why not start encouraging leaders with something brand new?

1. Get to know your leaders personally.
I have a sheet that I require my leaders to fill out when they begin to work in the kids area. It simply asks about some of their favorite things, and helps me to get to know some details about them. Check out this sample here! You may also choose to designate one night a week to have a couple of your volunteers over for dinner. It may take a whole year to have them all over, but they will surely appreciate you making the effort to get to know them.

2. Pray for your leaders.
Ask them weekly how you can be praying for them. Getting this information can be tricky because they will not all reply to your e-mail or text message, and some of your older leaders may actually require a phone call! One strategy I use is to have a check-in sheet in all of their rooms with these 3 questions: “1. What was the best part of your week? 2. What was the worst part of your week? 3. How can I be praying for you?”
The more you are praying for them and following up with them, the quicker that relationship is formed. I keep a prayer journal with a page for each worker. Also, you might send them a letter at the end of the year and remind them of the many answered prayers from the previous year!

3. Encourage your leaders with notes and small gifts.
Believe it or not, a personal card or letter goes a LONG WAY! I try to encourage at least one leader a week by sending them something in the mail. (I try to do this on Tuesday mornings and set aside 30 minutes to write as many as I can.)
Additionally, you could send a small gift. It’s simple! For example, on that info sheet, one of the questions asks the volunteer their favorite snack. I may have that food waiting in their room with a note. Many times they forgot about filling out the form and are amazed that they got their “favorite” snack!

4. Celebrate your leaders!
Instead of the standard speaker-catered dinner affair, I like to have a big party for everyone. Many times it will include tons of games and activities with prizes like gift cards and things I know my leaders like. The goal of these parties is for everyone to have a good time, get to know other workers and their families, and refocus us on doing God’s ministry! Some great venues for the party are tailgates, in a park, pool party, or even a Christmas party at your house. Getting outside the church walls is the key!

No matter what methods you use, the bottom line is that we must make out leaders feel appreciated. In order to do this we need to get to know them and encourage them in the ways that are meaningful for them. . Persistence and intentionally are keys to building a great team, whether you are leading 5 or 500 people. Encourage them and they will be your best workers!

 

About the Guest Blogger:

PhotoPass_Visiting_Epcot_7473329869Evan Dickson is the Preschool & Children’s Minister at Concord Baptist Church in Anderson, SC, and a professor of Children’s Ministry at Anderson University. He has served as a CentriKid Camp Pastor and Director. He’s been involved in kids ministry for over 15, and is passionate about communicating the gospel to kids in a creative way to help them grow in their relationship with him. He is married to his wife Liza, and they have an 8 year old son, Noah, and a 5 year old daughter, Lainey.

 

Appreciating Volunteers

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Discussing appreciating volunteers is like discussing spiritual growth. Yes, I can say I am growing spiritually, but of course there is room for improvement. To be effective in your appreciate of others you need to be a lifetime learner of people and processes. Lance Howerton is one leader I try to follow in his ability to show appreciation to others. One of the first lessons Lance taught me was a quote from Howard Schwartz, owner of Starbucks, “catch someone doing something right.” This resonated with me and has sent me on a journey to learn more about appreciating others. Below are some of the thoughts I have considered.

Here are some thoughts from How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie.

  • “The expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back.” Simply said, just smile. Often times we get involved in elaborate schemes to demonstrate our appreciate of folks, which is perfectly fine. However we should never compromise a friendly demeanor.
  • “Firestone said, ‘I have never found that pay and pay alone would either bring together or hold good people. I think it was the game itself.” Here Carnegie is speaking of giving your volunteers a challenge. You show you value them by raising your expectations and demonstrating your trust in them.
  • “Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise” Going overboard with your appreciation does not fit in a box. It doesn’t require gifts or long letters, but it is important to communicate your appreciation with no corners cut.

Lance pointed me to Lee Cockerell’s book, Creating Magic. What amazing about Cockerell’s his book is strategic to grow Disney was to show appreciation to his partners, or in Disney’s language his cast members. Chapter 5 of Creating Magic is about making people your brand. I encourage you to read this book for a fresh and inspiring philosophy on adding value to others.

If you are looking to have specific action steps and need some help with thoughts on how to implement a plan. Check out this blog post on 10 ways to appreciate your volunteers and 3 ways to make your volunteers feel like a million bucks. When reflecting on my leadership journey I always want to evaluate how I show my appreciate to others. I hope you take a moment this day or week to see where you can grow in this area of your leadership.

Children Teaching Other Children

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Kid Reading BibleThis summer at camp, one of the staffers on our team said “we are children teaching other children.” Since then I have tried to examine my role in ministry as well as a follower of Christ. As a camp pastor, I was seen as a spiritual leader, but the truth is, whether you have been in ministry for a few weeks or you collect doctorates in theology, you are still a child in Christ and there is so much more we can learn.

Read Matthew 18:1-5

Jesus says that it is the ones who humble themselves as children who will be the greatest in Heaven. As a follower of Christ, our eyes are open everyday to a deeper understanding of who God is. We continue to learn, we continue to grow, and through all of it we become even more humble as we see more of His power.

Has a child ever come up to you when they were scared or tired and reached up asking you to hold them? The humility that they have to say, “I can’t do this anymore,” or “I need your help,” is the same attitude that we need to approach God. As leaders or teachers, we need to rely on God every day to carry us through the situations that we cannot navigate ourselves. Colossians 1:16 reminds us that it is through God’s amazing power that everything is created through Him and for Him. However, we are still His children and it is that same power that is at work in us everyday.

Take a moment today and pray that as you minister to children or love a family, that you will be as a child, humbled in knowing that God is the center of our faith and that it is only through His gifts and mercy that we are able to be able to show people his glory.

5 Ways to Provide a Safe Place for Kids

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At CentriKid Camps, we promise to provide a safe place for kids physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Parents and kids ministry leaders place a high value on knowing their kids are well taken care of at camp, so we check the recreation fields for pot-holes, we call roll when kids change activities, and every staffer is screened and thoroughly trained. We are serious about safety. At CentriKid, we would make it our number one priority except that sharing the Gospel is why we do what we do.

Here are 5 ways your church can make sure you provide a safe place for kids.

1 – Background check the staff and volunteers. This wasn’t always a common practice, but in this day and age it is negligent not to. Don’t assume anything. Its not offensive, its essential.

2 – Interview your volunteers. This step shouldn’t be viewed as a hurdle or a way to eliminate people, but it can help you as a leader know your volunteers better know your team and determine where they can best fit in your ministry. Bonus: when someone is out sick or you have special events coming up, you can better cover your ministry roles by knowing the various skills and experiences your volunteers have to offer.

3 – Plan for an emergency. Emergencies are unannounced, but you can go ahead and be ready. Have someone on-site at all times who is first-aid certified. Consider providing a first-aid station for minor bumps and scrapes. In the event of a fire or larger event, train volunteers to know the safest ways out of the facility. Revisit these protocols periodically.

4 – Have a sign-in and sign-out procedure. Create a procedure for this and stick to it. The regular attenders may roll their eyes and feel that its an inconvenience at times, but this can be a huge issue for guests at your church. If your ministry hopes to attract new families, this is a great way to provide peace-of-mind for parents visiting your church.

5 – Be alert and be involved. As the leader who shepherds the kids ministry area, you have the awesome opportunity to minister to children, but you also bear the responsibility of watching over them. Without always seeming suspicious, you can stay on guard for things that seem out of place. Be involved with kids, parents, and volunteers as a guide for what is safe and appropriate while under the care of your ministry.

Of all places, the church must provide a safe place for kids. Be proactive about safety measures. Your ministry can flourish as you handle the Gospel effectively and as you earn the trust of parents. We don’t get the opportunity to minister to kids without the trust and approval of the parents.