It’s spring–time to refill those volunteer vacancies. What’s your strategy for filling those spots with excited, faithful volunteers? Bringing in new faces can feel like a full time job and it can require a bit of skill and patience. Why not make it fun? This year, approach your challenge with a few new tactics.
Now recruiting friends! Birds of a feather flock together. People love doing things with friends, including volunteers. Invite “besties” in your church or community to work together in your children’s ministry. Let friends work the snack bar together or lead the kids in craft time. Now that’s a smart idea.
Can you do anything on this list? People don’t volunteer because they are afraid of what they’ll be asked to do. Take the mystery out of volunteering. Create a punch list of tasks a typical volunteer would be asked to do. Even if you can’t enlist a full time volunteer, you might get some help working crucial tasks.
Offer flex time. Businesses allow some of their talent pool to work from home, why not you? Can your volunteer assemble craft kits at the kitchen table or create a newsletter in her spare time? Sure she can! Think about how a willing volunteer can contribute off site.
Give volunteers new names. Instead of posting a “help wanted” sign in your church bulletin, post a “creative person” or “shopper needed” instead. Some people like cruising the aisles of the dollar store for prizes and object lesson supplies. People tend to glance over labels like “volunteer” but “creative individual?” Hmm…I’d look twice.
Ask for help brainstorming ideas for kids ministry. Hold an informal meeting and ask attendees to share some teaching ideas. Even if they don’t want to teach, people are more likely to help with an idea that they introduced. (However, that’s not everyone.)
Take your talent search outside the church. Unless your church frowns on outside help, you could search for help outside the church. Where’s a good place to look? Look for parents who attend your outreach events. You could volunteer yourself for a community event and tap into a whole new network of volunteers. The possibilities are endless–and fun.
With just a little outside of the box thinking, you can get the volunteers you need. Read more from Mimi by following her blog at Tools for Kids Church.
Fun Ways to Find New Ministry Volunteers
