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From Chaos to Confidence: The Power of Proactive Volunteer Training
Jessica texts me 10:30 PM night before VBS "umm what am I supposed to do tomorrow exactly? I know crafts but how many kids? What supplies? WHERE IS EVERYTHING???"
Staring at phone in dark thinking oh crap.
Spent three weeks planning every detail but somehow never told anyone what they're actually supposed to DO with my brilliant plans.
Monday morning hits like slow motion disaster. Sarah asking where craft supplies are. Tom has no clue which kids belong to him. Mike wandering around trying to set up games looking completely lost.
I'm running around like hair's on fire trying to explain everything while kids arriving and parents asking questions and nothing's ready and my eye starting to twitch.
That's when learned volunteer training isn't optional. It's what keeps your event from being total chaos people talk about for years.
Used to send email with schedule and call it training. Like giving someone car keys saying "figure it out."
Now we sit down few weeks before and actually talk through stuff. Not just "you're doing crafts" but "what happens when kid has allergic reaction?" "Where's first aid kit?" "What if someone's being completely nuts?"
Basic questions that seem obvious until you're standing there panicking.
Show people where stuff actually is. Don't assume they know. "Supplies are in closet" doesn't help when there's six closets and none labeled properly.
Had volunteer spend half hour looking for paper towels because I moved them and forgot to mention it. She getting increasingly frantic while kids waited for cleanup.
Another one set up entire activity in dark because couldn't find light switch.
For big events do practice session with just volunteers. Sounds silly but catch so many problems. Mike found out his game took forever. Sarah realized needed way more supplies.
Better discovering this during practice than with twenty real kids staring at you.
Make emergency sheet with who's in charge where first aid is what to do if kid gets hurt. Tape it somewhere obvious.
For ministry leaders discovering that preparation prevents panic, volunteers learning confidence comes from knowing what to expect, anyone tired of throwing people in deep end hoping they figure it out.
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By KidsMinistry.BlogJessica texts me 10:30 PM night before VBS "umm what am I supposed to do tomorrow exactly? I know crafts but how many kids? What supplies? WHERE IS EVERYTHING???"
Staring at phone in dark thinking oh crap.
Spent three weeks planning every detail but somehow never told anyone what they're actually supposed to DO with my brilliant plans.
Monday morning hits like slow motion disaster. Sarah asking where craft supplies are. Tom has no clue which kids belong to him. Mike wandering around trying to set up games looking completely lost.
I'm running around like hair's on fire trying to explain everything while kids arriving and parents asking questions and nothing's ready and my eye starting to twitch.
That's when learned volunteer training isn't optional. It's what keeps your event from being total chaos people talk about for years.
Used to send email with schedule and call it training. Like giving someone car keys saying "figure it out."
Now we sit down few weeks before and actually talk through stuff. Not just "you're doing crafts" but "what happens when kid has allergic reaction?" "Where's first aid kit?" "What if someone's being completely nuts?"
Basic questions that seem obvious until you're standing there panicking.
Show people where stuff actually is. Don't assume they know. "Supplies are in closet" doesn't help when there's six closets and none labeled properly.
Had volunteer spend half hour looking for paper towels because I moved them and forgot to mention it. She getting increasingly frantic while kids waited for cleanup.
Another one set up entire activity in dark because couldn't find light switch.
For big events do practice session with just volunteers. Sounds silly but catch so many problems. Mike found out his game took forever. Sarah realized needed way more supplies.
Better discovering this during practice than with twenty real kids staring at you.
Make emergency sheet with who's in charge where first aid is what to do if kid gets hurt. Tape it somewhere obvious.
For ministry leaders discovering that preparation prevents panic, volunteers learning confidence comes from knowing what to expect, anyone tired of throwing people in deep end hoping they figure it out.