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Forming
a Care Team Ministry – 6 Steps for How to Get Started
If you think that your organization might be interested
in creating a Care Team Ministry program, you should consider the following:
- First, confirm support from the organization’s
senior management. At a church/synagogue this will be the pastoral leadership/rabbi.
At a senior residence this would likely be the director or nurse supervisor.
It is also useful to have an idea of the number of individuals who will
likely be served by this program/ministry.
- Second, determine who will be the staff person to whom
the Care Team Ministry program will be reporting/responsible. If there
is another program that uses volunteers extensively, check with this
person about how the Care Team Ministry will interact with the other
volunteer-based ministry/program.
- Third, select the Care Team Ministry Coordinator. This
position may be filled by a volunteer or a staff person. Consider the
time commitment required to get the program up and running, and for
recruiting, training, and monitoring volunteers on an ongoing basis.
Be realistic about program growth and expectations. Concentrate on forming
one team at a time.
- Fourth, determine the flow of referrals and follow-up
communication. How will referrals come into the program? What is the
turn-around between the initial phone call and the Care Team being arranged?
Determine how each step in the process will be handled and where communication
with others in the organization will be needed.
- Fifth, determine how the program will be announced in
the organization and to the public. Create a program brochure, announcement,
web listing, and other marketing and communication vehicles. Distribute
communication materials & announce the program at appropriate venues.
- Sixth, select the first senior/family for whom a Care
Team will be formed, and form a team around the targeted need of this
person/family. The experience of setting up the Team for this first
Care Recipient will help “iron out the kinks” in the program/process.
After this experience, the Care Team Ministry coordinator should meet
with the pastor or other staff to discuss how the process worked and
what modifications could be made, if any are needed.
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