Resources e-letter 17:2 - April 2017
The latest e-letter gives news of two new sets of Training Notes just uploaded. TN99, Social media+ guidelines, is designed to help churches just getting to grips with social media and digital communication. TN100, Why some offer, why some don't, gives 12 reasons why people volunteer in churches and another 12 why some do not.
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NEW: ‘Social media+ guidelines’
Social media are mainstream in the world but not yet in many churches. Some are wary of the inherent dangers so these notes present best practice guidelines that any church could use as a starting point for the production of their own set.
The notes include a short introduction to social media and associated means of communication such as email, blogs and texting and then suggest a simple set of guidelines under the following headings.
- Scope
- Responsibility of all church members
- Young people and vulnerable adults
- Parental permission for young people’s work
- Use of particular social media with young people (Facebook, Twitter, Other)
- Skype and young people
- Emails to young people
- Texting and mobile use with young people
Larger churches may already have detailed guidelines in place. These are designed for those just starting off on the use of social media platforms and related means of communication.
Social media+ guidelines is now available at TN99 on the Training Notes page of the website. As with all items on the page it may be downloaded or printed out without charge (for up to 30 copies).
NEW: ‘Why some offer, why some don’t’
This set of Training Notes comes from the first section of a typical training event on working with volunteers. It is helpful to recognise just why people do volunteer in churches, not always for the best reasons, and why they do not, where the fault may often lie with the church rather than the individual. Twelve reasons are given in both lists.
People may offer to serve because they long to put their faith into practice or because they are wired to meet needs. But for some it may be because they find it hard to say ‘No’ or because they desire power.
People may not offer to serve because they are shattered by the pressures of life, they fear increasing legislation (such as in Safeguarding), they are aware of lack of support, or they are frightened of failure.
The full lists and explanations are in TN100 on the Training Notes page of the website. Yes, we’ve made it to a century for the Training Notes! All are indexed and available on the website.
Area Training day bookings for Church Administrators
If you have administrators in any form on your church staff, and are within travelling distance of Birmingham, St Albans and Guildford, please ensure they are booked in for the appropriate Area Training Day in May. Details on the UCAN events page of the website Please make these events known to any Administrators on your church staff.
Similar days are being planned for Nottingham in July and Belfast in the autumn, with other venues to follow in 2018 (likely to be Edinburgh/Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Kent area, Bristol/Bath, Southampton, Plymouth, Hexham).
Thank you for your interest in the Resources section of my website and with my warmest good wishes