The recent allegations of lewd conduct by a Saddleback Church youth leader is yet another example of how child abuse in America is an issue of concern.
Stories about child abuse of minors seems to be a regular topic on the evening news with one disturbing allegation after another.
Churches are no exception to these accusations and should take steps to create a safe place for their children and youth. Read the Full Article →
Many churches rely heavily on volunteer labor because they don’t have the resources to pay staff for all of the work that needs to be done.
Effective management of this valuable labor force is critical to an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission.
Churches need to have systems and processes in place to oversee and manage volunteers to ensure two things: 1. Read the Full Article →
Effective volunteer management involves good communication and coordination of job duties.
Like employees, it is important for volunteers to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and given the training and tools to perform job tasks.
A well-run volunteer program will include a streamlined process to recruit, place and train volunteers in a role that best matches their personality, interests and skill-set. Read the Full Article →
I recently had a manicure and pedicure by a delightful woman.
We will call her Rachel to protect her anonymity.
When Rachel learned what I did for a living she shared an interesting story with me.
Rachel tearfully shared that she had been fired as a children’s ministry volunteer because of a picture that she was tagged in that was posted on Facebook. Read the Full Article →
Church volunteers are the labor engine of a church and without them most churches would not be able to support the services they provide.
Volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to sustain the functions of the church and need to be managed well to ensure continued loyalty.
Volunteer oversight requires flexibility, patience and creativity in planning and scheduling.
Managing church volunteers can be challenging because they are volunteers – free labor! Read the Full Article →
What would the church do without volunteers! They provide free labor that churches depend on.
The secret to recruiting and retaining great volunteers, is to keep them engaged.
Volunteer engagement requires a strategy that is based on the organizations’ ability to make them feel like what they do adds value, helps fulfill the mission and that they make a difference.
Organizations that do a good job of engaging their volunteers find that the volunteers are excited about what they do and give more than is asked of them. Read the Full Article →
Planning events to thank and show appreciation to volunteers can be fun and rewarding.
The trick is to be organized in the planning and strategic in the delivery.
Whether you are planning a training event, an appreciation dinner, new volunteer orientation or a volunteer recruitment fair – the planning model should be the same and include the same basic elements.
Successful organizations understand the value of listening to the feedback of their customers. In the non-profit world one of the main customer groups are the volunteers.
Volunteers give of their time and provide free labor because they care about the organization and have a passion for its vision and mission.
Keeping volunteers engaged ensures maintaining a long term relationship. One way to engage them is to provide an opportunity for them to offer feedback about their experience. Read the Full Article →
The beauty of a church community is the abundance of committed people who have an interest in helping the church achieve its vision and mission.
Volunteers are the engine of the church because they donate the man-hours to ensure everything gets done. And many people use the volunteer experience to get to know other members in the church community.
Creating a well-run volunteer management program can help ensure a great experience for those volunteers.
Read the Full Article →I recently had someone ask me how often they should run criminal background checks on volunteers.
Every volunteer should go through a thorough background screening as part of their volunteer application process and rechecked every couple of years.
Gone are the days when background checks were only done on people who work with children. It is important to know the criminal background of every volunteer in your church. Read the Full Article →
