Please REVIEW the following volunteer opportunities:
Commander
As the commander of Awana, you are a leader of leaders. You give oversight to the entire program including recruiting, training and mentoring of all your volunteer staff. You must be willing to participate in training for this role. Each week you open and close club and ensure a safe environment that is conducive to learning and upholds honor.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Training:
- View training videos on our leader portal
- Attend Awana conference in Bay Area in Oct (2 day)
- Organize and lead Awana Boot camp training for your leaders
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Small Group Leader
Meets with same group of kids each week at club and accompanies them to each station. The ideal ratio is one leader to five kids.
As a small group leader your focus is on building relationship with each child as you participate together in games, counsel time (where they have a Bible lesson) and handbook time. You help kids as they recite memorized scriptures and complete sections in their handbooks to earn awards. You keep attendance and follow up with your kids to keep them tracking with the program.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Sparks Director
Oversee the Sparks program at Awana which focuses on kids in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. You are in a mentoring role for your small group leaders and ensure that they all understand the program and are functioning in their intended role. You keep track of points for the Sparks teams at Game time. You are also the first line in making sure sparks is adequately staffed each week. Your direct report is the Awana commander or family ministry pastor.
Time Commitment:
- Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
- 30 minutes spent each week in leader follow up
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
T and T Director
Oversee the T and T program at Awana which focuses on kids in 3rd grade through 5th grade. You are in a mentoring role for your small group leaders and ensure that they all understand the program and are functioning in their intended role. You keep track of points for the T and T teams at Game time. You are also the first line in making sure
T and T is adequately staffed each week. Your direct report is the Awana commander or family ministry pastor.
Time Commitment:
- Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
- 30 minutes spent each week in leader follow up
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- *View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Games Director
Plans and implements games each week at club utilizing the Awana game book, game circle outdoors and the Awana games equipment. Works closely with sound tech and games staff to coordinate a fun and fair games atmosphere for as many as 40 kids at a time. Plan games for about a 20 minute window for the Sparks and Tand T groups which come at separate times. Implements a system for teams earning points through the games segment of the night. Direct report is Awana commander.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pmAt home prep/planning for games – 20-30min
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Counsel Time Teacher
Prepares and teaches a 15 minute Bible talk or lesson for either the Sparks group, T and T group or both (they are taught at different times during club) Materials and resources provided. When your teaching time is over, you transition into being a listener for handbook time. Your direct report is the director over the age group you are working with.
Time Commitment:
- Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
- At home prep/planning for lesson-30-40 min
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Listener
As a listener at Awana you are present during handbook time each week for Sparks, T and Ts or for both groups. You will be trained to understand how the handbook works and how to coach kids through it. Since each leader most likely cannot get around to each child every week, you are there to back them up and help kids get signed off in their books. You may be asked to sub if a small group leader is ill or may help run the Awana Store we have from time to time.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Records and Hospitality
This role involves greeting kids and leaders each week and assisting them with check in at our kiosks. It may also include assisting at the connect counter in registering new clubbers or selling Awana resources to parents. Once club is underway, you become the record keeper for the night at our “WooHoo! Table” and as kids complete sections in their books, they come to you to make sure it gets recorded. At the Woo Hoo Table you work closely with Lisa and also assemble awards to be given out each evening by end of club.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Set Up/ Tear down and Tech Support
In this role you show up early to assist with set up for club each week. Once club is beginning, you transition to running sound for opening ceremony, game time and closing ceremony. Once club is over you begin tear down and clean up under commander’s supervision.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 5:45pm to 8:45pm
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- Attend sound board training with pastor Drew Dowler
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Games Staff
As part of the games team you report to the Games director at club by 6:00 and begin unpacking equipment from our storage and prepping the game circle for that evening’s games. During game time you set and re-set equipment for the games, assist with instruction, help keep score and support the games director however needed. Once games are done for the night, you stay as a team clearing the games area and re-storing the equipment in the storage container. On occasion if the games director cannot be present you may be called upon to run the games.
Time Commitment: Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Training:
- Attend Awana Boot camp 2 nights leading up to season start.
- View training videos on our leader portal (church web)
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
Awana Store Keeper
You are over all sales and inventory for our Awana Club. Each week you are present at the counter to sell resources for Awana (such as vests, books, Bibles, bags) for the first half hour and last half hour of club. You track inventory and let Lisa know when orders need to be placed.
Once a quarter, you and who ever you may recruit – will plan and implement a store for kids where they can redeem their hard earned Awana bucks for prizes. They earn these bucks for finishing handbook work, saying verses, demonstrating leadership qualities, etc. It would be available to the kids during their handbook time so you would need to be present for the entire club time on those nights. Often the store is themed based on the season we are in such as Christmas or Valentines. We have a small budget for this but seek donations for these prizes as well from local vendors – You would drive this effort.
Time Commitment:
- Wednesday evenings 6:00pm to 6:30pm and 7:45-8:15pm
- Once a quarter – plan and implement store
Training: Attend one on one training with Lisa Strawhorn
Season: Sept – Nov and Jan – April (we break for Dec. and for summer)
