Hello, is anyone there? Do you find yourself asking this question right now? Not only, have families and students not returned in large numbers as churches have reopened doors, but volunteers have not either. In fact I am hearing stats that many churches are seeing between 5%-40% of their previous attendance and volunteers.
This is most likely due to one or two things. First, people are intentionally making personal decisions to stay home based on health and safety reasons. Second, people have slowly become more and more un-engaged as the months of covid have dragged on.
If you are a next gen. team leader there are two key components to your role. Engaging, equipping and empowering volunteers and creating age-appropriate, relevant and fun opportunities for kids and students to take next steps in their relationship with Jesus. In the past few months I have shared all sorts of ideas about creative ways to connect with your team and those you serve. You can look HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Your effectiveness with kids and families is in direct relationship to your effectiveness with volunteers.
The truth is, that your effectiveness with kids and families is in direct relationship to your effectiveness with volunteers. I learned the hard way, a long time ago, that retaining volunteers is far easier than recruiting them. How can we re-engage volunteers and families in a season where there are so many different circumstances and needs?
If one of your goals is to shift from ‘hello, is anyone there?’ to ‘hello, it is great to see you/hear from you, then this article is just for you! Let’s talk about RE-engagement for Fall 2020.
This post is part one, of a two-part series. Come back next week when the second post all about equipping and empowering, will drop. But for now, let’s answer this question…
Hello, Is Anyone There?
There are a few times during the calendar year that serve as transition times and natural training and re-engagement opportunities. Back-to-school is one of those times. If you have been wondering where everyone has gone…now is the perfect time to reset and re-engage.
Relationships are always going to be the crux of a successful team. How much a volunteer feels seen, heard, cared for and valued, even WHEN THEY AREN’T doing anything that benefits you, speaks volumes to them. So, whether your building doors have reopened or whether you are still engaging 100% in your online presence, here are 11 ideas you can use to re-engage your team and those you serve, this fall.
1. Create an online preview of the volunteer experience.
Let volunteers get a peek into the opportunities they have to serve, prior to showing up to serve. Get video clips or still photos of what is happening on your campus on Sunday mornings. (Or what is happening behind-the-scenes for your online ministry.)
Put together a short little video to share with your volunteers. If I can use I-movie, anyone can! Easy to use and FREE if you have an apple device.
While I’m thinking of it…did you know that I have a You-Tube channel that I post on regularly? I would love for you to take a quick minute and hop over and subscribe to my channel. Just click HERE.
2. Create a preview of what you offer for families.
This can/should be done both for your ONLINE options and your IN-PERSON options. Where can a parent go, what can they do, how much effort is required on their part? Think about any questions or concerns they may have that would keep them from being involved and answer those questions.
3. Give volunteers insider info.
Volunteers feel connected and like a trusted ‘part of the family’ when they get information first. If you are adding a service, moving to meeting in person, hosting a family event, let your volunteers know first! What is coming up in the life of your church this fall, that you can share with them?
4. Host a family event.
Families will settle into new routines as school resumes this fall. Host a fun ‘kick-off’ type of event that they can attend as a family and be reminded that you are still there and excited to partner with them. (I always recommend having a next step ready that you can share as well. What event, program, free giveaway, exciting series is coming next that you want them to be looking out for?
5. Inviters.
Get kids & student ministry specific inviters into the hands of volunteers and families. Be specific. What is coming up in your ministry, where can people go to find more information and how can they connect with you?
This is effective for both, in-person and online ministry. Even if you are not meeting in person, what are you planning to do/offer that you want to get the word out about? Where can families or volunteers connect with you? Print it on a postcard. Then give out those postcards to be shared with neighbors, friends, teammates.
6. Team Event.
I LOVE volunteer events. Whether it is a city-wide scavenger hunt or popsicles in the park, what is something you can offer as a special event for your volunteers? It does not have to be expensive.
I always recommend trying to offer quarterly, team-wide events. One or two events can have a training component, but at least one or two should not. You can foster a healthy team and a relationally driven culture, by creating space for volunteers to show up and just connect and engage with each other.
7. Share stories.
For a volunteer that has been un-engaged, it may be easy for them to assume they are no longer needed on your ministry team. Do you need them? (I’m guessing if ‘hello, where are you’ is something you are asking, that you DO NEED THEM.)
Share a story of a win with them and make it relevant to the team they serve on. It moves volunteers when they hear how God is moving and using the kids or student ministry team. It motivates them when they hear a reminder that when they show up and serve even more stories will be written.
If you are strictly in the online space, stories are still being written and volunteers still play a critical role. Check out this article where I share some ways that small group leaders can partner with families in this season. There is something for everyone to do to connect the next generation. Your team may just need clarity of how they can be involved this fall.
8. Monthly Ministry Newsletter – Volunteer Edition.
Write it, print it, mail it. What has happened in the last month that you can celebrate and what upcoming things can the team look forward too? (Think new volunteers, total numbers of kid’s engaged, upcoming series or Bible story focus.)
If you want to see new levels of engagement with your team, you are going to have to do some new things. (In fact, this sounds like a PERFECT opportunity to create a new volunteer role. There is likely someone on your team who would be great at this!)
The only people who are going to read email updates are the ones clicking open the emails. Unengaged volunteers are probably not reading your emails. PRINT and send communication to them to capture a bigger audience.
9. Giveaway.
What can you, give-a-way to encourage engagement? The theme parks in my areas have given away buttons and magnets to get guests to show-up. People show up for the most random things.
Can you get face masks printed with your logo and host a drive-by to give them away? A practical gift that everyone needs and that doubles as a marketing tool. (You could do this for volunteers, from staff and then from volunteers to families!) Win, win in my book.
It is inexpensive to print a business card size reminder to attach to your giveaway. Include all the ways and places they can re-engage with your team and church in this season. Include websites, service times, social media handles and upcoming events.
10. Personal, 1-on-1, phone calls.
Call everyone. Call every volunteer and every family. Get updates on their personal situation, concerns for the fall and their needs.
Love your people, well.
11. Candy-gram.
Are you aware that you can send a box of candy in the mail? The rectangular boxes you get at a movie theater or even from many dollar stores can go straight through the mail, as-is.
You can have some fun and get super creative. One way I have done this is with ‘sweet-tarts.’ (I have to buy something that won’t melt in the Florida heat.) Print labels (or hand-write on the box) ‘Kids Min is so much sweeter with you on the team.’ Or maybe ‘It will be so sweet to see you again.’
Hello, it is Great to See You Again!
It is my hope that ‘Hello, it’s great to see you/hear from you again‘ will be on repeat for you in this next season. If I can help you create a customized strategy to re-engage your team or families this fall, please reach out. You can connect with me via social media, or through the CONTACT ME form. Let me know if you implement any of these strategies and what results you get!