Youth Ministry and Volunteers
Just in case you hadn’t realised I want to state at the outset that I no longer believe in one man for woman) bands in youth ministry. Actually I am not sure if I ever believed in them but I have observed them – even been one! Life has become more complex over recent years removing any justification for lone rangers. This might also be the time to announce that I promote people above programs – advocating a relational youth ministry model.
One biblical example of volunteerism in found in Exodus 18. Moses was operating his judicial ministry as a lone ranger when his father in law [possibly motivated by concern for his daughter and grandchildren] suggested a better way. Volunteers would reduce Moses’ workload and provide a better service. Of course by volunteers I am not suggesting casual, inexperienced, untrained people.
Even though the benefits can be clearly stated there can often be a reluctance to employ them as well as a reluctance to offer ourselves to be a volunteer.
Volunteers can be a lot of work and that can cause us to avoid the effort of using them. We can possibly do the task in less time than it takes us to explain how to do it. There is also the risk that they might be more capable than us in doing a specific task that would highlight any insecurity in us. Alternatively we might assume that no one could possibly do the job `just right’ – as well as we can. Equally we might have never been trained in delegating tasks to other people and we are just not sure what to do. Near sightedness can cause us to be reluctant to let go of some part of our work.
Long-term costs of failing to use volunteers can include burnout, breakdown and loss of everything that we are currently reluctant to let go of.
Sometimes people are reluctant to volunteer as they lack confidence to the point of being afraid. These can be overcome through encouragement and training. Keep these issues in mind as you approach potential co-workers.
It is always safest to make the approach to a potential volunteer than make an announcement. You can then avoid some of the characteristics that you don’t need in your ideal volunteer e.g. people that are grown up kids or want to be chaperones or preachers.
I would like to suggest four essential characteristics and five bonus ones to look for in potential volunteers.
- Availability – kind of obvious, but if they cant make the youth night then it would be harder for them to volunteer
- Sense of calling – the motivation to be involved is critical. Ideally it needs to be God that has called them to youth work.
- They like young people – another obvious one, but if there isn’t a respect, concern and care for youth then it simply won’t work.
- Growing spiritually – it will be difficult for someone to help a young person to grow if they themselves are stagnant.
Bonus qualities would include
- Understanding of youth culture
- Good relational skills
- Heightened and developed communication skills
- A sense of humour
- Patience [the more the better]
Whenever you are planning a volunteer team ensure that you have a good balance of gender, ages, married/singles etc and ensure that you take up adequate references
Don’t let the difficulties of volunteerism put you off the consequences of lone ranger mentality will be far worse.
