Treat Your Volunteers Like Your Small Group
A short, practical guide from a youth pastor on caring for volunteer teams so they stay energized and supported.
Useful takeaways from this story.
Keep a brief record of each volunteer’s interests and activities to connect personally and make recognition easier.
Lead spiritually by praying for volunteers, asking for prayer requests, and following up on specific needs.
The useful part
Speaking of, you have taken your team through The National day of Volunteer Youth Ministry Training, right? The best advice I've got for you is to treat your volunteer team like your own small group. What are the things that you suggest your volunteers do for your students on the weekly basis?
How it works
- Communicate and check-in Show interest in their hobbies and activities Pray for them regularly Communicating and Check-in One of the easiest things you can do is send your volunteers a text message after...
- Show interest in their hobbies and activities You might be surprised to hear this, but adult volunteers are people too!
- If they talk about something that's happening on a specific date, follow up when you're praying.
- Ronald Ronald Long has been a youth pastor for 16 years and loves watching students grow in their faith.
What to take from it
Because they're volunteering under you, you're their spiritual leader. Ask them if there was anything YOU could've done to make their night better. Just checking in like this will help your volunteers feel supported and connected to you.
Example or evidence
- Send them encouraging verses and remind them we're caring for them just like they're caring for students.
- Your volunteers have jobs, families, hobbies, and things they do outside of volunteering for you and the youth group.
- If you have a note on your phone with every volunteer on it, make sure you keep a list of their interests and activities close at hand.
- It also makes for giving them a Christmas present or recognition gift super easy down the road.
Details worth keeping
It can be the day after so that you're not texting them. They'll feel like they're getting taken care of. This helps volunteers feel seen and cared for in big ways!
Related coverage
- Youthministry360: Youth ministry doesn't work without people.
- Parkrun: Every volunteer helps make parkrun a welcoming place.
- Recruitingheadlines: Volunteers is now open!
- Youthministry360: You've seen the moment before: a student lingers after the youth group, the room is louder than usual, or something's on their mind.
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