Basics for Adult Volunteers - Believers Church

BC Kids: Why We Exist?

We help kids grow near and like Jesus by encouraging and equipping the leaders in their life.

Meet the Team: We’re Here to Serve, Support, and Equip You

Zack Ripley, Director, 209-918-1512, [email protected]
Holly Krebs, Asst. Director, [email protected], 918-955-5765
Tirzah Smith, Sunday Welcome Desk Asst.
Jennifer Day, Scheduling Assistant

Program Overview

BC Littles Program

Class 1. Nursery

We disciple kids ages: 0 – 12 Months
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: Once per month
Every Sunday, we have: 1 Adult Leader and 1-2 Adult/Older Teen Helpers
We meet in: Room 109
Area Description: Every Sunday, you get to represent the loving, safe arms of Father God to the youngest members of our church family and partner with families in the early discipleship of children. You provide care, attention, snacks, play, prayer, and a worshipful environment.

Class 2. One’s Class

We disciple kids ages: 1-years-old
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: Once per month
Every Sunday, we have: 1 Adult Leader and 2 Adult/Teen Helpers
We meet in: Room 108
Area Description: Through play, prayer, music, and a simple lesson, every Sunday you get to help families set the early foundation of discipleship for our youngest toddlers by building in them a strong foundation of intimacy and how and who to trust.

Class 3. Two’s Class

We disciple kids ages: 2-years-old
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: Once per month
Every Sunday, we have: 1 Adult Leader and 2 Adult/Teen Helpers
We meet in: Room 105
Area Description: Through play, prayer, music, and a simple lesson, every Sunday you build on their first 2 years of discipleship to establish truths and experiences about God and life with God as they grow in trust and love.

Class 4. Three’s Class

We disciple kids ages: 3-years-old
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: 1 month on and 3 months off (repeats 3 times/year)
Every Sunday, we have: 1 Adult Leader and 2 Adult/Teen Helpers
We meet in: Room 104
Area Description: As the final class before our toddlers move into a more formal learning environment, you continue their experience of having prayerful and safe followers of Jesus guide them and demonstrate God’s love through play, prayer, music, and a simple lesson.

Little Explorers Program

We disciple kids ages: 4-years-old through PreK
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: Once per month
Every Sunday, we have: 1 Adult Leader and 2 Adult/Teen Helpers
We meet in: Room 103
Area Description: This room helps our preschool-age children grow in an experiential knowledge of God’s story through the Scriptures and also helps them acclimate to the BC Explorers environment they’ll move-up into after this class. You’ll connect the story of God and disciple children through different rotations in the room that all circle around a main Bible story and Bible Point for the day. Stations range from Bible Adventure and Creations Station to Adventure games.

BC Explorers Program

We disciple kids ages: Kindergarten – 4th Grade
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: Once per month
Every Sunday, we have: 4 Crew Guides (ages 16+), 4 Crew Helpers (Ages 11+), an Opening Quest Leader, Media Assistant, Bible Discovery Room Leader, Creation Stations Leader, Adventure Games Leader
We meet in: The Chapel, Room 102, and Room 106
Area Description: This is a rotation-based discipleship environment for kids designed to help kids grow in friendship with Jesus, each other, and the leaders in their life as they explore the depths of who God is through Scripture, prayer, worship, and play. Kids begin their journey in the Chapel for Opening Quest where they experience the day’s main Bible Point and worship the Lord. Then they travel in “Crews” of the same age with a Crew Guide and Crew Helper through 4 Stations: Bible Discovery Room, Adventure Games, Creation Station, and Crew Connect. They end the morning with a time of prayer and leave home with a weekly “Family Quest.”

Hands on the Nations

We disciple kids ages: Kindergarten – 4th Grade
Our volunteer disciple-makers serve: On months with 5 Sundays (typically on the 5th Sunday of those months)
Every Hands on the Nations, we have: 4 Passport Leaders (ages 16+), 4 Passport Helpers (Ages 11+), guest missionaries, a Media Assistant, Passport Control Leader, and Various Transit Point Leaders.
We meet in: The Chapel, Room 102, and Room 106
Area Description: Like BC Explorers, this is a rotation-based discipleship environment for kids. However, this program is specifically designed to help kids gain exposure to God’s heart for the nations through the stories and experiences of guest missionaries. Kids begin their journey in the Chapel for a time with the missionaries then travel in age-based “passport groups” through different transit points like culture, prayer, and food.

Background Checks

Before serving in a class, we require background checks for all of our team members ages 18 years and older. This is all done electronically through the email your provide. You will receive and email with a link. Click the link to access the form and complete the background check. These are good for 3 years. For questions, contact Zack.

Name Tags

Name Tag: It’s important that parents know that you are an approved BC Kids volunteer. When you arrive, first check in at a BC Kids kiosk and receive your name tag. You must wear this the entire time you are serving.

Guidelines for All Classrooms

These guidelines exist to create safe and loving environments for our kids while protecting you from compromising situations.

ALWAYS leave the lights turned ON.
Nursery, Walkers, Toddlers, 2’s, 3’s, & 4’s/5’s doors need to be latched.
No children over the age of 3 should sit on a worker’s lap.
Power in numbers! Never be alone with a child.
Women MUST handle all bathroom issues. BC Kids staff can help if needed. If no one is available, ask a teacher from a different room. (See the BC KIDS BATHROOM POLICY for more details)

Parents/Guardians with a security badge may be permitted to enter a classroom if you feel it’s best for the child (e.g. a baby is upset, a new toddler is adjusting to the room, help with a coat). Adults MUST have a security sticker to enter. If you are unsure, ask a BC Kids Staff. Carefully monitor and make sure that they do not interact with other children.

Physical Touch Guidelines

All children need physical touch. The question at the heart of these guidelines is not “is physical touch bad?” but “What physical touch is appropriate and by whom?”
Inappropriate Physical Touch Between Children and Workers

Absolutely no physical contact is allowed anywhere on a child’s body between their knees and their shoulders, especially chest/breasts, genitals, and buttocks.
No children over the age of 3 can sit on a worker’s lap. If a child sits on a worker’s lap, the worker can gently move the child to his or her side. Reference Guideline #4 for help on this.
No kissing or frontal hugs.

Appropriate Physical Touch Between Children and Workers

Consensual high fives, fist bumps, hand on a shoulder, pat on head, feet/knee bumps.
Side hugs if a child initiates. A worker’s hands must remain on the child’s shoulder. The worker must quickly squeeze and aim to be first to release.

What to do if a child initiates inappropriate physical touch with a helper.

First, this will happen, so don’t freak out. Children are learning healthy boundaries, and every moment is a teaching moment.

Remember that a child could potentially have adult or teenage influencers around them in other contexts that could be potential predators (e.g. neighbors, coaches, teachers, even family members). Therefore, everytime a child initiates inappropriate touch with a worker, it’s a teaching moment. When this happens, here’s a helpful phrase to use and adapt:

“[Inappropriate physical touch]* is for mamas and dads only, but we can do [Appropriate physical touch] instead. Is that okay with you?”

Example: Kisses are for mamas and dadas only, but we can do a fist bump instead. Is that okay with you?

*Note: If a child’s behavior towards a worker or another child is sexual or abusive in nature, a ministry leader must be notified so he or she can discern if Mandatory Resporting is needed as a course of action.

Overview of Daily Schedule

9:30-10:00: Prep, Pray and Parent Connection (3 P’s)
10:00-10:30: Connection Time
10:30-12:00: Lesson Time, Snack Time, Bathroom Time, Play Time
Pickup and After: Check Out and Check In

A Day in the Life: Remember the 3 Rhythms

Rhythm 1: It’s important to get your morning off to a great start! This means arriving to class 30 minutes early to check in and get your nametag, eat breakfast, grab your classroom cube, grab additional toys/activities, connect and pray with your team, get familiar with the curriculum, and prepare the classroom. Breakfast and cubes are in the BC Kids workroom. Toy bins are in the Playroom.
Rhythm 2: This is your time with the kids. From “the most important 30 seconds” to connection time and the lesson, this is the heart of why you serve. Be present, enjoy the inconveniences, and partner with Jesus in raising disciples.
Rhythm 3: Once all kids have been picked up by an authorized parent or guardian, spend 15 minutes as a team cleaning/sanitizing the room, throwing out trash, and putting used toys and curriculum in the Playroom to be sanitized.

The Most Important 30 Seconds: Check-In and Check-Out

The small window you have with parents at drop-off and pick-up can be some of the most valuable moments for you to make an impact on their family. Greet every child and parent. Introduce yourself if you do not know the family. Ask them how they’re doing. Be sensitive to their needs. And make an effort to connect with them and encourage them.

Check-In Procedures

Have 1 teacher present at the front door doing the following:

Greeting the family with a loving smile and introducing yourself.
Encouraging parents to have their child use the restroom before class as we’re trying to reduce restroom time during class.
Ensuring that each child has a printed name tag from our sign-in system. If a family/child arrives without their name tag, please direct them to our manned sign-in station at the main BC Kids table (right outside the Toddler room in the Preschool hallway).
Writing the child’s first and last name on the class roster AND on a go-home bag.

Making note of any allergies or medical needs that a parent tells you or that’s listed on their badge. For babies and toddlers, label any diaper bag, bottle, etc., and ask about any feeding instructions and preferences (e.g. can they eat the Cheerios in the Nursery?)

Have 1 teacher in the classroom assisting children with the following:

Washing their hands/using hand sanitizer
Getting them settled.
Inviting them to an activity.

Check-Out Procedures

One teacher will stand at the door and engage and sign-out one parent/family at a time.
One teacher will remain in the classroom and assist each child at a time.
The teacher at the door will:

Greet each family.
Check their security sticker. When a parent returns to pick up their child, they MUST have a security sticker. If a parent does NOT have a security badge, you can NOT release them to that person. There is no exception to this policy even if you know the family. Instead send that parent to the Welcome Desk for Zack or Holly to write them a pink temporary security badge (1 per child). This will include a director’s signature, today’s date, the security number, and child’s name. They will bring that back to you. Please collect this and keep with your roster for Zack to review.
Initial next to the child’s name. You do not need to take the security sticker because they only receive 1 per family (unless it’s a pink temporary security badge).
Encourage the parent/family to grab the child’s take-home materials.
Once all children are gone, follow the Classroom Cleaning processes.

Calling a Parent/Guardian

There are several reasons that you might need to contact a parent. Some reasons include: injury, excessive crying for more than 10 minutes, change of clothes needed, or excessive and repeated behavioral challenges.
If you think it’s time to contact a parent, please contact Zack or Holly by text. We also check the classrooms periodically.
When you contact us, we will need the child’s name and security number on their name tag so we can page the parent.

Being the Eyes and Ears of BC

Pastoral Care Issues: The BC Kids team has the privilege of interacting with most families at BC. Occasionally, situations will arise that would benefit from intentional pastoral care. Life events are pastoral care news (e.g. new babies, illness, pregnancies, moving, care for aging parents, loss of job, new job, etc.). BC has systems in place to help care for people, and we LOVE to connect people to those resources. In crisis situations, we are also rich in resources that can help families. Knowing is half the battle. Please communicate any pastoral care issues to Zack or Holly immediately.
Supplies or Room Care Needs: Aside from cleaning the room after class, we need your help in identifying needs within the classroom. Whenever you see a need (e.g. supplies are low, maintenance request, cleaning request, etc.), please complete a “Supplies or Room Care Need” card in your Classroom Cube and place it on your classroom clipboard.

Clean Up and Close Classroom

After the last child is picked up, please do the following:

Wipe toys, counter, changing table, door and cabinet handles, chairs and tables with disinfectant spray and micro-cloth.
Gather trash and take to the janitor’s closet.
Place used micro-cloth in the hamper in the janitor’s closet.
Seal snacks and pour out unused water.
If necessary, add a note to a “Supplies or Room Care Need” card and place it on your classroom clipboard.
Return all supplies to their correct locations.