#8 Functioning on a Team
Youth ministry is not solo ministry; it is a piece of the larger structure of the congregation. Volunteers and staff should be aware of the chain of communication for programming decisions, building multigenerational community, pastoral care, and safety and liability.
There are many reasons adults should not work solo including safety policies, the risk of burnout, and the power collaboration brings. A youth ministry team should include the religious professionals of the congregation who act as supervisors, youth leaders and parents. Volunteers and staff in youth ministry work for the mission and vision (PDF) of the congregation. When staff and volunteers in youth ministry are part of a team with the religious professionals, the minister, the religious educator and the rest of the church, youth ministry thrives. Without teamwork, volunteers and staff can easily burn out.
Part of being a team is mentoring and being mentored. No one can perfect every competency. This is why we mentor one another. We mentor others in areas where we've learned something, and accept mentorship from others in the areas in which we are growing.
Training: Working As a Team
Teamwork is the concentration of the final section of the Youth Ministry Training Series, which is a customizable workshop featuring activities that delve into Competency #8: The Ability to Work as a Team. Using case studies and discussions rooted in your own experiences and goals for your congregation’s youth ministry, this workshop delves into topics such as supervision and support of youth advisors, overall youth advising qualities and development opportunities, and systems theory. This session is intended to be used at the end of your youth ministry training series, whatever shape that takes for you, and comes full circle by asking participants to reflect over the competencies as a whole and their opportunities for growth using them as a guide.
Download the Functioning on a Team workshop as a Word Doc or PDF.