Stop "Burnout" - "Adopt" Your Volunteers

We've been talking about burnout the last couple days; yesterday I said, "Life brings its challenges and difficulties to all of us . . . volunteers included. When they experience these challenges and difficulties, they may feel serving overloads them and they are burned out. But, if we have a support system in place, then we can come to their aid and be a source of encouragement to them." Today I want to think about another reason volunteers may feel, "burned out" - if they lose their "connection" with their adult class.

For people to volunteer and serve in children's ministry, they typically "miss" the opportunity to be in adult classes. Some volunteers are able to serve and find ways to stay connected, but others serve and find themselves truly missing this adult interaction and connection. The ones who find they have a "void" from not being in an adult class, may end up feeling, "burned out".

While this may seem like a "problem" which you are not able to "resolve" for your volunteers; after all, they can not physically be in two places at one time . . . there is actually an answer which is quite "doable". Find adults to "adopt" your volunteers! Yes, adopt them out!

I've written about this in the past (you'll find the post at this link), but basically it works by having an adult in the adult class your volunteer would be part of if they were not serving, "adopt" the volunteer. The one who "adopts" will take notes, share prayer requests - both ways, make sure volunteers know about get-togethers and basically keep the connection strong between the volunteer and their "adult" class.

I've done this and had teachers tell me this was something which freed them to be able to serve without thinking they were "missing" something by serving! So, to stop burnout - adopt your volunteers!