Episode 175: Empowering Volunteers Q&A with Jon Birkmire

In this episode, Jon Birkmire explains how their NextGen ministry has thrived and developed by empowering volunteers to lead in high capacity leadership roles, allowing them to lead like staff. This is the fifth part of a six-session series from an online event called Volunteer Bootcamp, hosted by Ministry Boost.

Jon Birkmire

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Volunteer Bootcamp

Get access to the full Volunteer Bootcamp sessions and notes here.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

Volunteer Bootcamp Webinar

Model for Empowering Volunteers

Empowered Ministry Model

• Volunteer Directors & Volunteer Coaches/Producers
  • Staff oversee ministry areas, but Volunteer Directors oversee the different experiences underneath the director's leadership
• Volunteer Director = Manager
• Volunteer Coach = Assistant Manager
• Producers = Experiential Specialists
• *These roles and language are “transferable” from different ministry areas
• Each role needs specific job descriptions that reinforce empowerment
• Look for high-capacity leaders to raise up to a new level of leadership

Ask the question, what are the things that are taking up a majority of your time that you are not good at?

A.D.A.P.T.

• ASK – make the ask of the person you want to be on your team; give job description and onboard them
• DOWNLOAD – give them all the information they need to succeed
• APPRENTICE – strategy is as follows
  • 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
• PREPARE and TURN LOOSE
  • There is nothing worse than delegating ownership to someone and then you constantly follow them around; let them lead

Action Items

1. Create a new org chart
2. Write job descriptions
3. Empower 1 leader

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