5 Tools Your Volunteers Need from You This Year

Healthy kids and youth ministries are built on the shoulders of volunteers—and most of them didn’t sign up because they felt qualified. They signed up because they care. They said “yes” because they love kids, believe in your ministry, or trusted your invitation.

But recruiting volunteers is only the first step. Once someone joins your team, a new question begins to surface: “Am I doing this right?” If we want volunteers to feel confident, supported, and excited to keep showing up, we have to earn their trust and equip them well.

That trust doesn’t come from expectations alone. It’s built through strategy, clarity, consistency, encouragement, and practical support. Volunteers need more than a role description or a quick thank-you—they need tangible tools that help them lead well and feel valued as part of the team.

Here are five tools you can offer to volunteers to build trust and help them serve kids, teenagers, and families with confidence.

1. VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK

A Volunteer Handbook answers one of the most important questions every volunteer is asking: “What exactly am I supposed to do?”

A clear, thoughtful handbook helps volunteers understand:

• Your ministry’s vision and values
• What their role looks like in real life
• What they can expect from you—and what you’re asking from them

It also provides clarity around expectations, safety policies, and how volunteers can best support kids and students. When volunteers know what’s expected and why it matters, they feel more confident and more connected to the mission.

We recommend updating your Volunteer Handbook annually and sharing it at your volunteer Kick-Off meeting or when new volunteers join the team. Keeping it current communicates something important: this role matters, and so do they.

2. VOLUNTEER GOALS

Volunteers want to make a difference—but they don’t always know what that looks like week to week. Volunteer Goals help give direction and focus, without adding pressure.

Each semester, consider creating a few simple, meaningful goals that help volunteers grow in how they lead and connect. Leave space for volunteers to add their own goals too. These might include –

• Meeting parents early in the school year
• Hosting a small group hangout or party
• Planning a service project or outreach event

When volunteers know what they’re working toward—and when those wins are celebrated—they feel encouraged, valued, and motivated to keep growing.

3. VOLUNTEER BUSINESS CARDS

Connection matters, and the first step to build relationships is to share names and make communication feel easier and more comfortable. Volunteer Business Cards are designed to make connection easier.

A simple card with a volunteer’s name, photo, the grade level they work with, and contact information so families know exactly who their kid’s leader is—and how to reach them. It removes barriers and builds trust through familiarity.

Encourage volunteers to hand out their cards regularly, especially at the start of the year, during events, or when new families join. It’s a small tool that makes a big relational difference.

4. VOLUNTEER SURVEY

A Volunteer Survey is one of the easiest ways to show your team that you care about them as people—not just helpers. It gives you insight into how your volunteers are doing and how you can support them better.

Through a short annual survey, you can learn –

• How volunteers prefer to communicate
• What encourages them
• Where they might need support or clarity

But the real impact comes in what you do next. When volunteers see you respond—remembering a coffee order, following up on a concern, or checking in personally—they feel seen and appreciated.

5. VOLUNTEER TIP VIDEOS

Volunteers don’t just need training once or twice a year—they need steady encouragement and reminders that they’re doing meaningful work.

Short, monthly Volunteer Tip Videos are a simple way to offer –

• Encouragement when serving feels hard
• Reminders of your ministry’s vision
• Practical tips for leading kids and students well

These videos don’t need to be long or polished. They just need to be consistent. Batch-recording them once or twice a year makes it a sustainable way to communicate with your volunteers .

Each of these tools helps communicate the same message to your volunteers: “You matter. We’re glad you’re here. And we want you to succeed.” Setting them up takes time, but your volunteers—and your ministry—are worth it.

And with Grow, you don’t have to build these tools from scratch. In the Grow Marketplace, you’ll find ready-to-use Volunteer Tools designed to fit your ministry and your context—editable handbooks, surveys, graphics, Volunteer Tip Videos with scripts included, and more. Whether you’re planning months ahead or looking for something you can use right away, the Marketplace makes it easy to find exactly what you need, when you need it. Grow is more than just curriculum—it’s everything you need for your ministry, for the whole year or just for next week.