Our first training piece for a new volunteer is an orientation. You can see that at this link. This sets the them up for success.
After orientation, volunteers receive hands-on training in the specific area they will be serving in. They shadow one of our "rock stars" who serves in that area. What's a children's ministry rock star? You can find out more about that at this link.
What about on-going training? We hold live, on-going training 3 times a year. The first one is in February-March. The second one is in early August as we prepare for the fall. The third one is in October-November.
The live training is held during the weekend service times. We have found the best way to get people to attend a training is to have it when they are already at church. On those weekends, they serve one hour and attend the training the other hour.
I believe there are 7 key components to a successful live training experience. You can read about those at this link.
Here is the handout for the training we are doing right now. The goal of the training is to help volunteers become more effective at connecting with kids, parents, each other and God. If you'd like the teaching notes that go along with this outline, feel free to email me at dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com and I'll send them to you. Blessings.
