Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
You’re a volunteer at an organization working with young children. After your shift one week, you read an article about mandated reporting. You have heard about this, but you aren’t sure if it applies to you. On the one hand, it seems like the right thing to do. But it also seems a little intimidating. […]
Read More >>Monday, July 22nd, 2024
An incident has happened at your organization between a volunteer and a young child. You don’t know the details, but you have heard some people speculating about it. Your organization has not said anything official about it that you know of. As you are leaving your volunteer shift one day, a member of the media […]
Read More >>Monday, July 22nd, 2024
The amount of information we consume every day through all channels of communication often makes it difficult to distinguish between what is important and what can be added to a stack of unread paperwork. Like a lot of other documents, policies can be overlooked. People sometimes skim a policy or sign it without reading. In […]
Read More >>Monday, April 22nd, 2024
A member of your congregation really wants to start volunteering with teenagers but has been slow to finish her abuse prevention training and because of a technicality, her background check has not come back yet. There is an event a few days away, and she comes to you asking for an exception so she can […]
Read More >>Monday, April 22nd, 2024
Ten dollars does not go far these days. You can barely get a fast-food meal for that amount. And yet, some churches and organizations spend that same price, or less, on a background check, expecting it to provide an acceptable measure of safety and peace of mind. When in reality, the bargain you thought you […]
Read More >>Friday, January 26th, 2024
Imagine this scenario: You are the payroll manager at a medium-sized church. In addition to your work there, you also fill in as a volunteer with the youth program. You learned about mandatory reporting from your abuse prevention training, but you still aren’t sure whether it applies to you. What do you do? It’s important […]
Read More >>Friday, January 26th, 2024
For many, the start of a new year means making resolutions. More sleep, a more balanced diet, more exercise, travel, you name it. The possibilities are endless. This mindset can be a very positive start to the new year and set you on the right course. As an individual, you may have already mapped out […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2023
What would you do? It’s Trunk or Treat time at your small church and you are busy lining up cars in anticipation of children in costumes walking around and playing games with congregation members. Most of the cars are registered for the event, but someone you don’t recognize lines up their car at the end […]
Read More >>Wednesday, October 25th, 2023
When thinking about health, people often think about blood pressure, heart disease and other physical conditions. But that’s not a whole picture of a person’s health. Mental health, which includes a person’s emotional, psychological and social well-being, is important for people of all ages—and just as essential as taking care of our physical selves. According […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2023
On the playground one day as you are volunteering, you overhear a young girl tell her friend that she has an important secret with Uncle John, a friend of her dad’s. There is something about the way she says it that gives you pause. On the one hand, it could be a surprise party for […]
Read More >>Tuesday, July 25th, 2023
1. Educate yourself on the area you will be traveling. If it’s a mission across town but to an area you’ve never been, map it out ahead of time. Ask others who previously have served in that area about relevant details such as where to park and areas or routes to avoid. For an international […]
Read More >>Monday, May 22nd, 2023
1. Start early. If you are already thinking about volunteers, you are a step ahead. Even though spring has sprung, your church or organization may have the bulk of its activities in summer and fall months. It’s never too early to start looking. 2. Talk with your current volunteers. With volunteers, there is always a […]
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