Training volunteers is a crucial part of your ministry. Volunteers give and give and give. It's important to invest in them, so they can be equipped and empowered to help lead the ministry.
Initial training should be done when people are joining your team. That may look like an orientation class and then hands-on training in the area they will be serving in. An effective way to do this is to let them shadow a seasoned volunteer for a few weeks.
The orientation training should be the 30,000 feet-view that covers vision, core values, safety and security and the big picture of the ministry.
The next part of training should be hands-on training in the new volunteer's area of service. They should shadow a veteran volunteer for a few weeks depending on the position. This should includes learning specific policies, programming and purpose for that part of your children's ministry.
Ongoing training is critical as well. Bringing your entire volunteer team together and investing in them is crucial if you want to see your team continue to grow and develop.
A great way to do this is through live, online training, especially since COVID-19 has hindered many ministries from meeting for in-person training. This enables you to bring in outside speakers who can help you develop your team at a fraction of the cost it would take to bring them in for face-to-face training.
I do believe bringing in someone to do training and motivation for your team live and in person is the best option. But doing training online is also a viable option that can make a big impact as well.
Bringing someone in who will reinforce your vision can make a huge impact. It makes a big difference for your volunteers to hear from an outsider who reinforces what you are saying to your team.
I offer online volunteer training for only $99. It includes a one-hour live training with note handouts, 45 minutes of teaching and 15 minutes of Q & A. Here are a few options you can use this for:
Gather your team at church and skype or zoom in a live online training with me.
I can record a specific training for you, and then you can send it to your entire team to watch on-demand at home.
Do a live session with Zoom, and you can bring your team together online for a live training.
I work with churches and let them speak into the topic they want for the training. You know your team better than anyone, and you should have a big part in what the training topic will be for your team.
In my trainings, I bring encouragement, motivation and practical steps to help grow your ministry.
Are online, virtual trainings here to stay? I believe they are. COVID-19 has definitely impacted in-person training. Many of the conferences I am speaking at this year have moved online, and I believe it will be a trend that will continue, perhaps even after we get COVID-19 under control.
We are blessed to have technology available that can help us effectively do training, even in the current situation we find ourselves. 
For the original article, visit relevantchildrensministry.com.
Dale Hudson has been in children's ministry for over 30 years. He has helped build some of the largest and fastest growing children's ministries and churches in the nation. At Christ Fellowship in South Florida, he helped the church grow from 12,000 to over 28,000 people attending each weekend. In eight years there, he built a volunteer team of over 2,600 that ministered to thousands of kids each weekend.
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Dr. Mark Rutland's
National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)
The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!
FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.
Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.
