Treasure Your Volunteers . . . Do They Really Feel Treasured?

We may think we "treasure our volunteers", but our volunteers may not actually "feel" very treasured. Consider the following situations where a volunteer might not feel treasured . . . 

• When a person volunteers to be part of your Children's Ministry team, does it mean they will have all the resources and tools they need to serve effectively . . . or does it mean they will be on their own to find and purchase these things? If they have to buy the things they need in their classrooms, they may not feel very treasured.
• Do you listen - really listen to your volunteer's ideas and concerns? Are your "communications" with your volunteers really all about you communicating with them? If your communications "with" your volunteers are always "one-way" they may not feel very treasured.
• Do you make sure all areas of your Children's Ministry are adequately staffed so no volunteer feels over-stretched? If an opportunity to serve leaves your volunteer feeling "frazzled", they are not likely to feel treasured.
• Do you have a regular plan to hold your volunteers up before the church? Children's Ministry is often "invisible" - or at least out of sight of the "main" church services. If your volunteers are never held up as people who are making a real difference, they may not feel treasured.
• Do you make a point of "bragging" about your volunteers to others - within earshot of the volunteers? If they hear you sharing the amazing things which are happening in the Children's Ministry they will feel treasured!

These are just a few things to consider. What do you do to be sure your volunteers feel "treasured"?