Invest in Volunteers

“i TAFERR” Model – How to invest (i) in volunteers so that they have a life transformation experience
• Only 5% of recruited volunteers last six months in a ministry
• 47% of church volunteers feel used and abused
• 93% of all adults are not self initiators (only 7% are)
• Eph 4:11 – What does equipping the saints for the work of service look like?

Training
• If it’s worth doing, it’s worth training
• We tend to train people in what they don’t need to know
• Training has three parts; tell, show do

Affirmation
• Affirmation is noticing character not skill.
• 1000’s leave ministry every day because they never get affirmation
• Affirmation is sometimes called “volunteer pay”
• Give affirmation directly, briefly, skillfully, and face to face.

Feedback – After people serve, they should be better in every respect.
• We don’t give feedback because we are afraid people won’t come back. Three common ways:
• Bubbles – compliments aren’t bad…just mediocre
• Baseballs – hurts when it hits you, represent criticism, leaves a bruise, don’t grow, but run
• Beach balls are best. “The next time...”, absorb it, won’t hurt if it hits you, need permission first, do it in private
• Couple of don’ts… don’t do it right after, don’t do it in writing…it should be relational

Evaluation
• We don’t evaluate people, we evaluate effectiveness of teams and programs
• Three questions to ask, What should we stop doing?, Start doing?, Continue doing?

Recognition
• Only works if it done for an individual not a group
• Pick up the phone and say what you appreciate
• Tangible, real, and connects with the act of service
• Don’t give token gifts, it doesn’t work.

Reflection - help people move forward towards reflection
• If we do service without reflection, it is only volunteerism, not service.
• Understand the why I serve