Getting volunteers for kids ministry is like asking people to donate a kidney. Everyone thinks kids are adorable until you ask them to spend an hour with twelve of them hopped up on animal crackers and fruit punch.
Been trying to staff our children's program for years. It's exhausting.
Ask Actual People Not Everyone
Those bulletin announcements are useless. "We need children's ministry volunteers" makes people study their bulletins really hard and avoid eye contact.
Walk up to Maria after church. "You're amazing with kids. Would you help us Sunday mornings?" Different response entirely.
People want to feel picked, not like you're grabbing anyone with a pulse. Even though honestly sometimes you are.
Spent months putting desperate pleas in newsletters. Got nobody. Asked five specific people face to face. Three said yes.
Start Small or They'll Run
Don't ask people to commit their whole lives to screaming children. That's terrifying.
"Could you help with our Christmas party?" Way less scary than "Join our ministry team forever."
Jennifer started helping with one craft day. Now she runs our whole elementary program. But she would've sprinted away if I'd asked her to do that first.
People need to test drive chaos before they buy it.
Never Leave New People Alone
Throwing someone new into a room full of kids by themselves is mean. They'll never come back.
When Mark started, I stuck him with Steve who's been dealing with kids since dinosaurs roamed. Mark didn't panic and Steve got backup.
New volunteers are convinced they'll break something or someone. Having backup helps.
Plus old volunteers are tired of doing everything themselves anyway.
Make It Social
Some people help because they love kids. Others help because they want friends. Both work.
Started monthly volunteer dinners. Now people come as much for community as ministry.
Lisa joined because her friend Amy was already helping. Now they coordinate everything together and their families hang out.
Church is lonely sometimes. If volunteering fixes that, great.
Work Around Real Lives
Not everyone can do every Sunday. People have jobs, divorced parent weekends, need breaks from chaos.
We rotate teams now. Blue team first Sunday, red team second Sunday, whatever keeps people sane.
Mike can only help twice a month because of travel. That's fine. Twice beats never.
Stop guilting people for having lives outside church. Makes them quit faster.
Actually Show Them Stuff
Don't point toward a classroom and hope for the best. Teach them things.
Where are supplies? What happens when kids fight? How does our check-in work?
Had someone quit after one week because nobody told her what to do when two kids started hitting each other with pool noodles. She felt lost and embarrassed.
Twenty minutes of training prevents disasters.
Thank People Loudly
Say thank you in front of everyone. Put pictures in newsletters. Make them feel important.
People like being noticed for good stuff. Basic human need.
Also makes others think "Maybe I could do that." Public thanks recruits more people.
Just don't be weird about it. Nobody wants spotlight embarrassment.
Address the Fear
People don't volunteer because they're scared. Scared of kids, scared of messing up, scared of being trapped.
I tell people "Kids can be overwhelming but you won't be alone and we'll show you everything first."
Some think you need special degrees to work with kids. You don't. Just care and show up.
Talk about fears instead of pretending they don't exist.
Don't Make It Hard
Simple forms. Don't require background checks for one-time events. Don't make people jump through hoops.
More complicated equals more people changing their minds.
Someone wanted to help with fall festival but our process took three weeks. They helped with something else instead.
Remove dumb barriers.
Use Parents
Parents are easiest because they're invested. Their kids are already there.
Ask the mom who's always early if she wants to help with registration. Ask the dad who jokes with kids if he wants to run games.
They're already involved. Just need someone to ask.
Some parents feel guilty dropping kids and leaving anyway. Volunteering fixes guilt.
Stuff I've Learned
People want to help but don't know how. Make it easy to try.
Don't guilt people. Nobody wants to help because they feel bad.
Start with people who already like kids. Easier sell.
Be specific. "We need help" gets ignored. "We need someone to lead songs for ten minutes" gets responses.
Follow up with interested people. They might need a push.
Thank constantly. No pay means more appreciation
