“I don’t feel like I’m needed anymore.” I just stood there. I was disappointed, sad, shocked and angry all at the same time. Didn’t this volunteer see that I needed him? He was feeling useless. And the reason he felt useless is because there wasn’t clarity around what needed to be done.
Volunteers will leave your ministry if there is no clarity with their role. The solution is quite simple. You need to create a job description for each of your volunteers. That means writing down:
What it is you want them to do.
What it is you want them to achieve.
When they are supposed to do each task.
Who they are to report to.
How they are supposed to get it done.
That’s what needs to go on the job description; however, you also need to make sure you can:
SUM IT UP IN A SENTENCE
Don’t create an endless list of tasks. Create more clarity and impact by summing up all that you want them to do in one sentence. It gives them the bottom line behind their purpose. It will come off simple and take away any intimidation people face when signing on for a ministry. To get started, answer the question, “What does your position exist to do?”
CREATE MEASURABLE GOALS
You want to make sure volunteers are clear on what to do. You also want to make sure they are clear on whether or not they are succeeding. Affirming feelings is important. But, you also want to give them tangible goals they can measure. Create mile markers of success. Share with them examples of what you are looking for. By tracking success, people will know they are heading in the right direction. This will build momentum.
MAKE IT FEEL PROFESSIONAL
Sometimes you need to treat your volunteers like employees to create a sense of ownership. Give them a physical job description. Write it out, post it on your website and hand it out when recruiting for potential volunteers. A tangible job description will bring clarity and confidence. A confident volunteer is an effective volunteer.
If you are not sure where to start, look for someone in your church who reviews or creates job descriptions for a living (i.e., a human resources professional). Or, you can download the two we use with our volunteers. When your volunteers see that you’ve taken the time to think out why they matter, they’ll be sure to live up to (and possibly exceed) expectations.
What are essential tasks to include in a volunteer job description? Share your thoughts.
To download a copy of a High School Small Group Leader click here.
To download a copy of a Middle School Crowd Leader click here.
