iCare

Below are three helpful and easy ways to care for those in your ministry.  If you value them and want to retain them then caring for them is wildly important.

 1.  Remember Special Days

The easiest special day to remember in your youth leaders' or students' lives is their birthday.  Facebook has been a great tool for this.  Which will mostly only be helpful for your leaders as teens are getting less and less likely to have their own Facebook page.  I have my students fill out registration information for our youth group which includes their birthday.  I use that database to celebrate their birthdays every month.  I give them a card and a treat.  If you don't have your leaders' birthdays in your calendar, stalk them on Facebook and find it so you can cheer them on on their special day in only a way that you can celebrate them.  But maybe they have other special days too.  Maybe a close friend or relative has passed away.  Just you knowing that and remembering it and saying something about it would be huge!

2.  Be Present in Their Lives

One the biggest ways a youth leader can be present in their teens' lives is to show up at their extracurricular events.  If I find out one of my students is involved in something with their school or community, I always tell them that if they get me their calendar then I will try to at least make one event.  I can't be at them all, but recognizing that I care about what they're into goes a long way.  The same is true for your volunteers.  However, it will be less likely that they have extracurricular activities going on, but if they do, show up.  One of the volunteers in my ministry had an anniversary celebration for her job that was open to the community.  My son and I went and had lunch that was given to us for free!  That was a side benefit that I did not expect.  But I know it was appreciated that we took the time to care about what's going on in her personal life.

3.  Say "Thank You" Often

Often times I am tempted to give my leaders a gift for helping out in our youth ministry.  Although that would be a nice gesture, I think what they really enjoy is just my recognition that they did something and I noticed and took the time to say "thanks."  A gift won't be turned away I am sure, but just a simple "thank you" is just as sweet.  Think of times when you volunteered or helped out somewhere and the leader didn't say "thanks."  How did that make you feel?  Put yourself in your volunteers shoes and see what you would like from you if you were them.  Do you have teens helping out in your ministry as well?  Thank them.  

What gets appreciated gets repeated

 I don't know who said that, but I have heard it (or something similar) somewhere and it's not original with me.  If you want you teenagers serving in your ministry, then show them you appreciate them so it gets repeated by them and others.

I have failed at each one of these three many, many times.  Just ask the girl who I forgot her birthday two years in a row.  But I strive to care for those entrusted to my care.  When I get it right, things go so much better!  How do you care for those in your ministry?  I'd love to hear your ideas.