Training Your Team

Training your team is crucial to a successful VBS.

Failure to properly train your volunteers will likely result in them not returning for the next year. Think about it. If they weren’t prepared and set up for success, they likely didn’t want to repeat the experience. Training your team is crucial to a successful VBS.

Train New Volunteers on Your VBS Schedule.

Don’t assume that new volunteers know how VBS works. Go over the nuances and logistics of your schedule in detail.

• Where are they supposed to be at certain times?
• What happens during the opening and closing ceremony?
• Do teachers stay with their class during crafts?
• Is there a special snack area for workers?
• What is the general flow and expectations?

I once made the mistake of throwing two new volunteers into a classroom, assuming they knew how our VBS schedule worked. I thought handing them the printout schedule with class names and signs was enough. It wasn’t. Assume that new volunteers know nothing about how your program runs. Giving too much detail is better than not equipping volunteers properly.

Train Volunteers on Expectations.

Of course, you will tell your volunteers what areas they are serving in, but take it a step further and train them on the expectations of that role. A written job description for each service area is wonderful for this, but also think about these details:

• Are volunteers required to dress up?
• Do they need to know the songs and motions in advance?
• Are they supposed to participate in games and activities?
• How do you want them to connect with kids relationally?

People like to know what is expected of them. Taking the time to train volunteers on their roles results in happier volunteers.

Train Volunteers on Safety and Security Policies.

This should be a required annual training for all volunteers.

• What are your safety and security policies?
• What do volunteers do in case of emergencies?
• What is your medication policy at VBS?
• Do volunteers know how to recognize signs of abuse?
• What steps are to be taken if abuse is suspected?
• What is the bathroom policy?

We can’t disciple children at VBS properly if they aren’t safe. Your volunteers must know how to keep kids safe.

Train Volunteers on Leading a Child to Christ.

Train all volunteers on your church’s procedures for leading a child to Christ.

If the ultimate goal of VBS is to see boys and girls become lifelong followers of Christ, are your volunteers equipped to lead a child to Christ and feel confident doing so?

Train all volunteers on your church’s procedures for leading a child to Christ. You never know when a child will be ready to make that step.

Set up Your Volunteers for Success.

Think about all of the things that a volunteer might not know or needs to know about your VBS. That’s what you need to be training them on! From the year’s theme to the rotation schedule, tornado and fire policy, dress-up days, teardown, and everything in between, their training needs to cover all these aspects.

Once you decide on the information your volunteers need, determine how they will receive this training. Perhaps this is an all-volunteer meeting, smaller meetings with individual groups, a training packet, or some combination. Your goal is to make sure all volunteers have received the training material before VBS.

Volunteers are critical to your VBS. You can’t run a VBS all by yourself. You need a team. And not just a group of warm bodies wearing matching VBS T-shirts. You need a team that understands the mission and has been equipped to lead. When you invest in training your volunteers and setting them up for success, your volunteer retention rate goes up.

People want to be a contributing part of a winning team, so don’t neglect training!