Inservice: Books, Movies, Topics

I am wondering if you, like me, can identify with this woman in the photo. “Please don’t tell me I have to attend one more meeting online!” But, as this pandemic rages on, looking like it will get worse before it gets better, it seems virtual connecting will be with us for quite a while.

Adapting & Learning

I have had some great connections on Zoom meetings and other times where I wanted to kick the computer screen and pull out my hair. In evaluating the meetings, I realized the “I want to pull my hair out” meetings were caused by the host not understanding how to use the program. The host also did not not take the time to explain to the participants how to navigate the program.

I must confess, I created some of those “kick the screen” moments as a host of virtual meetings, ugh!

I lead a community group at my church and since March we have been meeting virtually via Zoom. I made every mistake in the book. I was grateful we had a small, forgiving group that extended me lots of grace as I fumbled my way through all of the technology needed to meet virtually. I just jumped in without really understanding how to navigate the software or how to use it to facilitate a good meeting.

Create Something Meaningful

Whether you use Zoom or any of the other virtual meeting programs it is important as a host to learn and master how the program works. Next, it helps to communicate with and teach your participants what they need to know to make the most of the meeting(s). Not everyone is as tech savvy as you might think. I woefully over estimated my own tech abilities to the frustration of my dear community group members. As a result, I started investigating resources where I could learn how to manage the program better and use it to facilitate better meetings.

Here are a few resources for learning how to use virtual meeting programs. They all have instructional videos that can help you understand how to navigate the various programs listed. Pick the one you like the best and get very good at being a host or facilitator. Create a meaningful connection for volunteers that will make them looking for more.

What I can help you with are some ideas of how to use virtual meetings to host your in-service trainings and create meaningful connections.

You can download the ideas here.

Survey Volunteers

Survey volunteers about their needs and issues and how they would like to receive on-going education & training. Try and find out their opinion on getting training via:
- In-person training at the Center (best days & times)
- Email lessons and worksheets
- Virtual meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, etc.
You can create surveys on platforms like Google Forms that you can email to volunteers and they can respond online and send back the survey
Informal survey by asking volunteers about topics for in-service while they are at the Center
Using the survey results, decide on how often you are scheduling in-service training and the topics and publish the dates and topics a year ahead of time.
Send reminders about the scheduled in-services one-month out, one week out, and two-days before the actual in-service.

Team Building

Getting to know you icebreakers so volunteers from different shifts and positions get to know one another better
Team building interactive exercises
Sharing of personal needs and issues and prayer time for what is shared
Everybody works on a project together that would bless another ministry in your town that serves women and children.
Have a panel discussion or Q&A with board members for the volunteers to get to know them.

Seven Fundamentals & Other ETS Content

Review and take an in-depth focus into a fundamental volunteers struggle with
Pick an experiential exercise from the Leader’s Manual

Client Issues

Role-play and processing the role-plays
How to effectively make transitions for clients between the various services and different staff & volunteers in the ministry to maintain connection.
Prayer time for clients
Take a deep dive into
- Profile of A Woman with an Unplanned Pregnancy article
- Talking about abortion methods with clients
- Negative Test
- Evangelism

Everyone come prepared to discuss a difficult client.
- What was difficult about the client visit?
- What went well?
- What could you have done differently?

Books & Films

There is a list of books and films here this website
Show clips from several movies that emphasize a certain training concept and discuss the clips
Watch a controversial or pro-choice film and help your volunteers to process their thoughts and feelings and what they can learn from the film.

Post Abortion Issues

Have women who have been through you post-abortion group share their experience with the volunteers
Review the literature you have for clients and how to bring up the subject with a client and when it is appropriate
When talking about the ministry, how to be sensitive to women who might be post-abortive
Have post abortion group leaders conduct a workshop for volunteers

Legal Issues

Have a lawyer come in and talk about legal issues
Importance of confidentiality
Documentation

Statistics

Take a deep dive into your Center’s statistics with the Volunteers
- Why are statistics collected?
- What can you learn about the Center from looking at the statistics?
- Where are you this year in comparison to last year?
- How do the statistics relate to your mission statement?

Language & Culture

Importance of language in the counseling room
Understanding LGBTQ issues. Bring in a speaker from your community that can help your volunteers understand these complex issues.
How to talk about the Pregnancy Center to your social network
Black Lives Matter and how to be anti-racist – read books and articles and invite lots of discussion. Begin to look at racist thoughts, systems and language that you might not have been aware of in how your ministry is organized..
Bring in a speaker who can educate volunteers about the cultures and age-groups represented in your client base. Look for other organizations or ministries that work with this people group

Based on your feedback, next month I will explore the three in-service training options with some sample lessons plans and materials for each format.

In-person training
Email lessons and worksheets
Virtual meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, etc.

Please let me know what your volunteers struggle with and the difficulties you have with organizing and developing curriculum for in-service training in the comments below.

You can download a PDF of these ideas here.

Please God! Not another Zoom meeting!