As ministry leaders, we know how important it is to train and equip our volunteers well. One of the most effective strategies we have found is apprenticing. Whether it's a formal or informal process, having experienced leaders guide and teach new volunteers can make a world of difference in their effectiveness and growth.
Through our experience, we have found that a solid apprenticeship plan can train volunteers to about 80% of where they need to be. And with the right leadership pipeline structure in place, apprenticeship can also help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles within the ministry. In this article, we will explore the value of apprenticing in ministry, the five steps of apprenticeship, and how to create a customizable apprenticeship checklist to ensure that your volunteers are trained well.
Key Takeaways
- Apprenticing can be a highly effective strategy for training volunteers in ministry.
- The five steps of apprenticeship are: I do, you watch; I do, you help; you do, I help; you do, I watch; you do, someone else watches.
- Creating a customizable apprenticeship checklist can ensure that your volunteers are trained well and equipped to serve effectively.
The Value of Apprenticing in Ministry
At our church, we have found that apprenticeship can be one of the most effective strategies for training volunteers in ministry. Through our own experiences, we have discovered that there are many benefits to incorporating apprenticeship into our training process.
One of the biggest advantages of apprenticeship is that it allows new volunteers to learn from experienced leaders who can show them what to do and what not to do. This informal process can be effective, but we have found that formalizing the apprenticeship process can make it even more valuable. By creating a checklist and making the process repeatable, we can train volunteers more efficiently and effectively.
We have found that with a good apprenticeship plan, we can train volunteers to 80% of where they need to be. The rest of their time serving in our ministry is spent growing and improving that 80%. Apprenticeship can also be used to help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles. By intentionally apprenticing volunteers to become leaders, we can create a structure for leadership in our church.
At its core, apprenticeship can be seen as five basic steps: “I do, you watch; I do, you help and we talk; You do, I help and we talk; You do, I watch and we talk; You do, someone else watches and we talk.” By creating a simple apprenticeship plan for volunteers in our ministry, we can decide how long the apprenticeship will be and create a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn.
We have found that it is important to create a unique checklist for every volunteer role and assign items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship. Additionally, providing online on-demand content can supplement in-person training and make the process even more effective.
Overall, we have found that incorporating apprenticeship into our training process has been incredibly valuable for our ministry. By formalizing the process and creating a repeatable checklist, we can train volunteers more efficiently and effectively, and help them grow into leadership roles within our church.
Formalizing the Apprenticeship Process
At our church, we have found that formalizing the apprenticeship process for volunteers can be one of the most effective ways to train them well. When volunteers are just starting out, we believe that apprenticing is one of the best ways to train them and get them up to speed quickly.
We have found that a good onboarding apprenticeship plan can train a volunteer to about 80% of what they need to know. Of course, we all have room to grow and improve, but having a solid apprenticeship plan can help volunteers get to where they need to be faster.
At its core, an apprenticeship plan can be broken down into five basic steps: “I do, you watch; I do, you help; you do, I help; you do, I watch; you do, someone else watches.” By following these steps, volunteers can learn the necessary skills and gain the confidence they need to serve effectively.
When creating an apprenticeship plan, it's important to decide how long the apprenticeship will be. We have found that four weeks is an ideal length of time for most roles, but for some roles, such as adult small group leaders, a six-month apprenticeship may be necessary.
To make the apprenticeship process repeatable, we recommend creating a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn. This can include things like the vision of the ministry, core theological beliefs, the curriculum, and how to report incidents. By creating a unique checklist for each volunteer role and assigning items to specific weeks of the apprenticeship, volunteers can ensure that they are learning everything they need to know.
Finally, we suggest providing online on-demand content to supplement the in-person training. This can include videos on topics like safety and security policies, background checks, and other important information.
By formalizing the apprenticeship process, we have found that our volunteers are better equipped to serve and take on bigger leadership roles within our ministry. We believe that by following these steps, your church or ministry can do the same.
The 80 Percent Training Rule
At our church, we believe that apprenticing is one of the best strategies for training volunteers in ministry. We have found that when we formalize the apprenticeship process and create a checklist that is repeatable, we are able to train volunteers effectively.
We believe that with a good onboarding apprenticeship plan, a volunteer can be trained to 80% of what they need. The rest of the time they serve in our ministry, we focus on growing that 80% to 81%, 82%, and so on. Of course, we recognize that there is no such thing as 100% and that we can all continue to grow and improve.
Apprenticeship can also be used to help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles. In fact, we have a leadership pipeline at our church that includes specific steps for apprenticeship. We believe that intentional apprenticeship is key to developing leaders within our ministry.
At its core, apprenticeship can be seen as five basic steps:
- I do, you watch, we talk
- I do, you help, we talk
- You do, I help, we talk
- You do, I watch, we talk
- You do, someone else watches, we talk
To make the apprenticeship process repeatable, we recommend creating a simple apprenticeship plan for volunteers in your ministry. Decide how long the apprenticeship will be – we find that four weeks is ideal for most roles, but for some roles like adult small group leaders, a six-month apprenticeship may be necessary.
It's important to create a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn during the apprenticeship. This checklist should include things like the vision of the ministry, core theological beliefs, the curriculum, and how to report incidents. Assign items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship, and provide online on-demand content to supplement in-person training.
By following these steps, we believe that you can create a successful apprenticeship program that will help train volunteers effectively and develop leaders within your ministry.
Leadership Pipeline Structure
At our church, we have found that apprenticing can be an effective strategy for training volunteers in ministry. We believe that formalizing the process and making it repeatable can help more volunteers become effective leaders.
Our leadership pipeline structure includes a specific step for apprenticeship. This step is designed to intentionally apprentice volunteers to become leaders. We have found that apprenticeship can be used not only to train new volunteers but also to help existing volunteers take on bigger leadership roles.
At its core, apprenticeship can be seen as five basic steps:
- “I do” – The apprentice watches the leader perform the task
- “I do, you help” – The apprentice gets involved and helps the leader
- “You do, I help” – The apprentice performs the task with the leader's assistance
- “You do” – The apprentice performs the task on their own while the leader observes
- “You do, someone else watches” – The apprentice teaches someone else how to perform the task while the leader observes and provides feedback.
We recommend creating a simple apprenticeship plan for volunteers in your ministry. Decide how long the apprenticeship will be, typically four weeks, and create a checklist of everything the new volunteer will learn.
It's essential to make the checklist unique to each volunteer role and assign items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship. Additionally, we suggest providing online on-demand content to supplement in-person training.
In conclusion, we believe that a well-designed apprenticeship plan can train volunteers to 80% of what they need to know. Apprenticeship can be used to help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles, and creating a repeatable process with a checklist can make the process more manageable.
Apprenticeship for New and Existing Volunteers
At our church, we believe that apprenticeship is one of the best strategies for training volunteers in ministry. Apprenticing enables new volunteers to learn from experienced leaders who can show them what to do and what not to do. It can be formalized into a checklist that is repeatable, making it easier for volunteers who have been serving for a while to help those who are just starting out.
We have found that apprenticeship is especially effective for new volunteers because it can train them to 80% of what they need to know. The rest of the time they serve, they can continue to grow and improve. Apprenticeship can also be used to help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles.
To implement an apprenticeship plan, we suggest using the five basic steps of apprenticeship: “I do, you watch; I do, you help and we talk; you do, I help and we talk; you do, I watch and we talk; you do, someone else watches and we talk.”
We recommend creating a simple apprenticeship plan for volunteers in your ministry, deciding on the length of the apprenticeship (we suggest four weeks for most roles), and creating a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn. The checklist should be owned by the volunteer and should include all the important information they need to know, such as the vision of the ministry, core theological beliefs, curriculum, and reporting procedures.
To make the apprenticeship plan more effective, we recommend assigning items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship and grouping them in ways that make sense. Additionally, providing online on-demand content to supplement in-person training can be a helpful bonus for volunteers.
Overall, we believe that implementing an apprenticeship plan for new and existing volunteers can be a game-changer for your ministry. It allows volunteers to learn from experienced leaders, provides a clear roadmap for training, and sets volunteers up for success in their roles.
The Five Steps of Apprenticeship
At its core, apprenticeship can be seen as a process that involves five basic steps. The first step is “I do, you watch, we talk.” This is a simple step where the apprentice observes the mentor and they discuss what is being done.
The second step is “I do, you help, we talk.” In this step, the apprentice starts to get involved and participate in the task, with the mentor's guidance. They then discuss the process and any questions that may arise.
The third step is “You do, I help, we talk.” This is the point where the roles are switched, and the apprentice takes the lead while the mentor provides assistance and feedback.
The fourth step is “You do, I watch, we talk.” At this stage, the apprentice performs the task independently while the mentor observes and provides feedback afterward.
The fifth and final step is “You do, someone else watches, we talk.” This is where the apprentice passes on their knowledge to someone else, and the mentor provides guidance and feedback.
To make the apprenticeship process more repeatable and efficient, it is essential to create a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn. This checklist should include everything from the vision of the ministry to the curriculum, reporting incidents, and who to contact in case of issues.
It is also important to assign items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship. This will help ensure that the apprentice learns everything they need to know in a structured and organized manner.
Finally, providing online on-demand content to supplement in-person training can be a helpful bonus. This allows the apprentice to learn at their own pace and reinforces what they have learned during in-person training sessions.
Overall, by following these five steps and creating a checklist, an apprenticeship plan can be an effective way to train volunteers in your church or ministry.
Determining the Length of Apprenticeship
At our church, we have found that creating a formal apprenticeship plan can be one of the best ways to train volunteers effectively. But how long should an apprenticeship last?
We believe that the length of an apprenticeship should be determined by the specific role and responsibilities of the volunteer. For example, a small group leader in our church undergoes a six-month apprenticeship because we need to observe them closely to ensure they are a good fit for the role and the culture of our church.
However, for other roles such as Guest Services, Kids Ministry, Student Ministry, and Worship Arts, we have found that a four-week apprenticeship is ideal. In some cases, we call it “four serves” because volunteers in these roles may only serve once a month but for all services that weekend.
It's important to note that the length of the apprenticeship is not the only factor in training volunteers effectively. We also recommend creating a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn during the apprenticeship. This checklist should be unique to each volunteer role and should be assigned to specific weeks of the apprenticeship.
Additionally, we suggest providing online on-demand content to supplement in-person training. This can include videos on policies, safety, and security, as well as background checks and other requirements for serving.
By determining the appropriate length of apprenticeship and providing a detailed checklist and online resources, we can train volunteers to be 80% proficient in their roles. This allows them to begin serving effectively and continue to grow and improve over time.
Creating an Apprenticeship Checklist
At our church, we believe that apprenticeship can be one of the best strategies for training volunteers in ministry. We have found that it is helpful to formalize the process and create a checklist that can be repeatable for every new volunteer.
We have seen that a solid apprenticeship plan can train a volunteer to 80% of what they need to know. This means that the rest of the time they serve in our ministry, we are just growing that 80% to 81%, 82%, and so on.
To create an effective apprenticeship plan, we follow five basic steps. First, we demonstrate how to do the task. Second, we do the task together. Third, we allow the volunteer to do the task with our assistance. Fourth, we observe the volunteer doing the task independently and provide feedback. Finally, we encourage the volunteer to teach someone else how to do the task.
When creating an apprenticeship plan for new volunteers, we suggest deciding on the length of the apprenticeship. At our church, we have found that four weeks is ideal for most roles, but some roles may require longer apprenticeships. For example, our adult small group leaders go through a six-month apprenticeship because we need to observe them for a longer period to ensure they are a culture fit for our church.
It is also important to create a unique checklist for each volunteer role. The checklist should include everything the new volunteer needs to learn, such as the ministry's vision, core theological beliefs, curriculum, and incident reporting procedures. We suggest assigning checklist items to specific weeks of the apprenticeship.
To supplement in-person training, we recommend providing online on-demand content that aligns with the apprenticeship checklist. This can include videos on safety and security policies, background check requirements, and other important information.
By creating an apprenticeship checklist, we can ensure that our volunteers receive consistent and effective training, leading to a more successful ministry.
Week-by-Week Apprenticeship Breakdown
At our church, we believe that apprenticeship is one of the best ways to train volunteers. Apprenticeship allows new volunteers to learn from experienced leaders who can show them what to do and what not to do. We have found that a formalized apprenticeship process can be even more effective, as it provides a repeatable checklist for training volunteers.
We have seen that a good onboarding apprenticeship plan can train volunteers to about 80% of what they need to know. The rest of the time they serve in our ministry, we focus on growing that 80% to 81%, 82%, and so on.
Apprenticeship can also be used to help volunteers take on bigger leadership roles. In fact, we have a specific step in our leadership pipeline called “apprentice” that is designed to intentionally apprentice volunteers to become leaders.
At its core, apprenticeship can be seen as five basic steps:
- I do, you watch, we talk
- I do, you help, we talk
- You do, I help, we talk
- You do, I watch, we talk
- You do, someone else watches, we talk
To create a simple apprenticeship plan for volunteers in your ministry, decide how long the apprenticeship will be. We have found that four weeks is ideal for most roles, but for some roles like adult small group leaders, a six-month apprenticeship may be necessary.
It is also important to create a checklist for everything the new volunteer will learn during the apprenticeship. This checklist should include everything from the vision of the ministry to the curriculum, to reporting incidents. We recommend assigning items on the checklist to specific weeks of the apprenticeship.
To supplement the in-person training, we also provide online on-demand content for volunteers to watch. This allows them to learn at their own pace and reinforces what they have learned during the apprenticeship.
By following these steps, you can create a repeatable and effective apprenticeship plan for volunteers in your ministry.
Customizing Checklists for Different Roles
At our church, we believe that apprenticing is one of the best ways to train volunteers. It allows new volunteers to learn from experienced leaders and get a feel for the ministry. We've found that by formalizing the apprenticeship process and creating checklists, we can make it a repeatable process that can be customized for different roles.
We recommend creating a unique checklist for each volunteer role. This ensures that each volunteer is learning the specific skills and knowledge they need for their role. For example, the checklist for a small group leader would be different from the checklist for a worship arts volunteer.
When creating the checklist, we suggest assigning items to each week of the apprenticeship. For example, in a four-week apprenticeship, you could assign eight items for week one, five items for week two, and so on. This helps to break down the training into manageable chunks and ensures that the volunteer is learning everything they need to know.
To supplement the in-person training, we recommend providing online on-demand content. This could include videos, articles, or other resources that volunteers can access at their own pace. For example, if you're covering safety and security in week one of the apprenticeship, you could ask volunteers to watch a video on demand before the in-person training session.
By customizing checklists for different roles, assigning items to each week of the apprenticeship, and providing online on-demand content, you can create a comprehensive and effective training program for your volunteers. We've found that this approach can help to train volunteers to 80% of where they need to be, leaving room for growth and improvement as they serve in the ministry.
Supplementing Apprenticeship with Online Content
At our church, we have found that supplementing our apprenticeship program with online content has been a great way to enhance the training experience for our volunteers. While apprenticeship is one of the best ways to train new volunteers, we have found that incorporating online content has helped us to create a more structured and repeatable process.
Our apprenticeship program is designed to be a checklist that is completed over a period of four weeks. During this time, we assign specific items on the checklist to each week of the apprenticeship. This helps to ensure that our volunteers are learning everything they need to know in a structured and organized way.
To supplement our in-person training, we provide online on-demand content that our volunteers can access at any time. This content is designed to supplement the in-person training and provide additional information and resources that our volunteers can use to enhance their skills.
For example, during the first week of our apprenticeship program, we cover topics such as safety and security policies. To supplement this training, we provide our volunteers with a video on-demand that covers the same topics in more detail. This allows our volunteers to learn at their own pace and review the material as many times as they need to fully understand the concepts.
By supplementing our apprenticeship program with online content, we have been able to create a more comprehensive training experience for our volunteers. This has not only helped us to train our volunteers more effectively but has also helped us to retain more volunteers over the long term.
