Transcript Calling on the Called:Managing Faith

Calling on the Called:
Managing Faith-Motivated Volunteers
Hannah Shanks, MSW
Send Me St. Louis
www.sendmestlouis.org - www.facebook.com/SendMeStLouis - #callingonthecalled
Session goals:
• Understand who faith-motivated
volunteers are,
• Why it is important to engage them,
• How to connect with faith motivated
volunteers and their networks, and
• Take away a handful of tips and best
practices to use in your current setting
#callingonthecalled
Who are faith-motivated volunteers?
• 77% of US adults identify as a follower of a
Christian religion. (1)
• 41% of the adult population identifies as very
religious across all forms of faith (2)
• An additional 28.3% of the adult population
identifies as moderately religious across all
forms of faith (2)
Between 69% and 77% of your volunteer base is
probably informed or motivated by their faith.
#callingonthecalled
Who are faith-motivated volunteers?
“In general, people with active religious
commitments are more likely to volunteer in
their community through nonprofits and civic
projects, regardless of whether the cause is
secular or religious.”
(Brooks, 2006) (3)
#callingonthecalled
What assets do faith-motivated
volunteers bring to the table?
• Commitment: The average length of volunteer
involvement in a program exceeds 9 years. (4)
• Desire to partner with your organization
• Willingness to learn: 60% of faith motivated
respondents reported changes in their attitudes
about the persons they served/worked with in the
community (4)
#callingonthecalled
What assets do faith-motivated
volunteers bring to the table?
Financial support & visibility:
In one study, 73% of faith-motivated volunteers’
congregations provided financial support for the
ministry and recognition for those who served (4)
#callingonthecalled
What assets do faith-motivated
volunteers bring to the table?
They back up their service with
dollars, and they bring their whole
organization with them!
#callingonthecalled
The Equipping Process
Invite
Celebrate
Reflect
Connect
Deepen
Skill
Mallory, S. 2001. The Equipping Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
#callingonthecalled
Connecting with
Faith-Motivated Volunteers
• Recruit/Invite
– Attend to language
– Tailor your message
– Appeal to their particular brand of faith
• Example: Kingdom House, St. Louis
#callingonthecalled
Remember:
You’re both in the life transformation
business.
#callingonthecalled
In their own words…
“I am less quick to jump to conclusions. I am, I hope, more
compassionate and more tolerant. I realize that people are
where they are because of a lot of different things. There is a
lot of history for each person and we typically don't have a
clue. I don't have to know all that history.
Rather than jumping to conclusions, or shooting off my mouth,
or saying the first thing that comes to my mind, all of which
are practices that have gotten me into a great deal of trouble
in the past, I hope it is making me more aware that there is so
much I don't know.” (5)
#callingonthecalled
In their own words…
Concerning a transportation volunteer for a homeless shelter:
“He (the volunteer) was astonished that in his busload of
twelve people, eight of them had jobs. They were actually
working. He dropped some of them off for their jobs. When he
came last night, he brought some work clothes for some of
them, because he thought they needed better work clothes
than they had. I don't think he would have thought that these
are people who are working before, but they truly are the
working poor. I mean, you can't survive if your take-home pay
is $5.00 an hour.” (5)
#callingonthecalled
Try it out:
Craft a short recruitment message for
one of your programs that’s targeted
at a faith community you’re aware of.
Suggestions:
• Lead with the activity
• Point to the impact
• Share a contact’s name and contact info
#callingonthecalled
Example:
Calling all book-lovers! Kids Connection 8th graders
seek story-loving Reading Guides to read along
with and listen to our budding storytellers. Most
Kids Connection readers gain 2 grade levels of
proficiency after just 3 hrs/week with their Reading
Guide – a major transformation key to their future
success. Contact Nancy Boucher at
[email protected] to get your summer
reading list!
#callingonthecalled
Managing
Faith-Motivated Volunteers
• Placement/Connect
– Interview
• Ask about “talents,” “gifts” or “spiritual gifts”
• Ask what about your work resonates with
them
– Listen to the language they use
• e.g. “teacher, exhortation, hospitality” –
these are spiritual gift watchwords
#callingonthecalled
Managing
Faith-Motivated Volunteers
• Placement
– Don’t be afraid to ask or clarify what
your volunteer means by their
language – you mean no offense!
#callingonthecalled
Managing
Faith-Motivated Volunteers
• Training/Deepen Knowledge
– Ask if any of their previous service
experiences translate into their current
volunteer role
– Explain some of the underlying issues that
make your services vital. (e.g. if you serve in
a food desert, explain why after school meal
volunteers are so important.)
#callingonthecalled
Managing
Faith-Motivated Volunteers
• Supervision/Reflection
– Offer opportunities for reflection
– Ask what’s different
– Ask what’s challenged them
– Find out how you can support them
Additional resources: Ignatian Volunteer
Corps
#callingonthecalled
Managing Faith-Motivated
Volunteers
• Recognition/Celebration
– Write a letter to the leader of their faith
community
– Use materials that reflect their faith
expression (e.g. a quote from scripture)
– If many volunteers come from the
same faith community, arrange a visit
to share their impact and say thanks
#callingonthecalled
Managing Faith-Motivated
Volunteers
And now, for a new “R”…
• Replication
Ask your volunteer to help you get your
foot in the door with their faith
community.
#callingonthecalled
Pause and Reflect
• Which of the suggested practices could I
implement tomorrow?
• Which do I want to implement first/ would benefit
my volunteers most?
• Which do I have questions/need more
information about?
• List 3 small things to do once you’re back in the
office Monday morning
(e.g. review recruitment messages, schedule a
meeting with a volunteer, Google 2 nearby faith
communities)
#callingonthecalled
Sticky Situations
Proselytizing – the elephant in the room
During orientation:
• Be up front about what your program’s goals and
obligations are
• Educate your volunteer about federal, state, or
agency policies
• Answer questions openly and honestly
#callingonthecalled
Sticky Situations
Politics – the other elephant/donkey in the
room
• Faith communities are variegated in their political
affiliation
• It’s okay to educate your volunteers about
policies that effect your clientele – for good or ill
• Don’t make assumptions – and remind your
volunteers to do the same
#callingonthecalled
Sticky Situations
Short-term missions
• Help your volunteers understand the context of
your work
– E.g. Have them take a tour of the neighborhood, share
a meal with those you serve, or another activity that
helps them understand the issues your folks deal with
on a regular basis
• Again, educate your volunteers (deepen
knowledge/skill)
• Offer a closing reflection time for your volunteer
groups and invite them to reflect together.
#callingonthecalled
Sticky Situations
Background Checks
• Some denominations/faith communities
have built-in risk management measures.
– E.g. United Methodist Safe Sanctuaries,
Christian Reformed Church Safe Church,
• Consider what training/risk management
measures your agency would accept as
equal to your current screening
procedures
#callingonthecalled
Top Takeaways
• Use language that resonates with your faith audience
(e.g. instead of volunteer, use servant, partner, mentor,
teacher, friend)
• Set clear boundaries and explain why they are in place
• Send a note commending the volunteer’s work to the
leader of their faith community
• During supervision & reflection, ask if they feel
strengthened or challenged in their faith by their service
with your organization.
• Make it clear that their expressions and explorations of
faith are ok – and that others’ expressions and explorations
are ok as well
#callingonthecalled
Benefits of working with
faith-motivated volunteers:
•
•
•
•
Replicating relationships
Access to additional resources
Organizational Partnerships
Mutual Benefit
You both move closer to your goal of
transforming lives for the better
#callingonthecalled
Q& A
#callingonthecalled
Contact Me!
Hannah Shanks, MSW
Event & Communications Coordinator
Send Me St. Louis
[email protected]
Facebook.com/SendMeSTL
Sendmestlouis.org
#callingonthecalled
Works Cited:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Gallup, December 24, 2012. In U.S., 77% identify as Christian.
Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/159548/identifychristian.aspx, May 23, 2013.
Gallup, February 16, 2013. Religious Americans Enjoy Higher
Wellbeing. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/152723/ReligiousAmericans-Enjoy-Higher-Wellbeing.aspx
Brooks, A. 2006. Who really cares: America’s charity divide. New York:
Basic Books.
Baylor University, 2006. The role of faith in the service of Christian
volunteers. Prepared for the Faith and Service Technical Education
Network. p.4
#callingonthecalled
Enter to Win $400 Gift Card
Your feedback is very important to us. Be one of the
first 250 people to submit a workshop survey at the
conclusion of each workshop block and enter to win
your choice of a $400 Hewlett-Packard gift card or 2014
Conference registration. One prompt respondent will
be randomly selected for each of the five workshop
blocks. Visit a Digital Lounge now and log into the
Conference registration website to submit your
workshop survey.
#callingonthecalled