Ok, so you’ve got the students all registered; the vans are ready to roll; paperwork is in; you’re headed to what looks to be an awesome weekend retreat with your students… but how do you make sure your adult leaders are fully equipped and set up for success?
Most of them won’t step foot on the stage, but having great leaders—and having them well prepared—is an essential part of a great weekend. It can make or break the weekend for your students. And, what I see weekend after weekend, is that the churches whose leaders are on the ball have the best results.
So, here are ten tips: ten things that will help you set up your adult leaders for a successful student retreat.
1. Get them key information in advance. The temptation might be to overwhelm them with every bit of information you’ve received from the camp you’re headed to… or to give them nothing at all. They’re smart; they’ll figure it out. But it’s important to make sure they have the right information at least a few days before the retreat. It will help them to prepare, and it will ease their minds.
You should share a map of the camp with them. Make sure they have at least a tentative schedule for the weekend… including your meeting time, travel plans and what time you expect to be back at the church after the retreat. Get them a packing list—you would not believe how many adults show up at a winter retreat without snow pants or a sleeping bag because they never got a packing list.
SpringHill Camps provides this information in their WTR Confirmation Packet on their website. You can forward the link to your leaders, or print copies and review it at an informational meeting just for leaders the week before your event.
2. Talk with them about the content of the weekend. If you have it, get them an outline of the weekend’s theme and teachings so they can be thinking about the messages that will be presented to their students. Depending on their comfort level with the topics and scriptures, they may want to do some additional study before the weekend.
3. Get them to spend time with your students before the retreat. I know it’s tough to find leaders who are available (and willing) to go away with students for a whole weekend. So, if you end up with volunteers who don’t normally spend time in your youth ministry, be sure to get them together a couple of times before your retreat.
Invite them to youth group. Have them sit in on small groups. Ask them to help facilitate games or serve snacks. Anything that gives them exposure to students before your retreat will shorten the time it takes for students to open up once they arrive and likely improve their ability to manage behavior if necessary.
4. Place them with students they know. Whenever possible, give them a group of students they have some existing relationship with. Even if they don’t know everyone, knowing a few will help.
5. Give them a lifeline (and a break). Make sure your leaders have a number they can call if they need help during the weekend… like your cell phone. If someone gets hurt, if an issue comes up they don’t know how to address, or if they just need a break… make sure they know how to get a hold of someone who can help.
Also, if there’s a number for a camp host (SpringHill provides a 24/7 number that rings to the host on duty), make sure they have that programmed into their phone too.
6. Make expectations clear. And I’m not just talking about behavioral expectations. Let them know that you expect God to work in the lives of students through them. Help them see how important it is to be on time to sessions, and to actually facilitate small group times. Communicate to them how their attitude—positive or negative—will influence the tone of their cabin group, and the entire group.
7. Do practical training on child protection. Most camps and churches have standard training that helps to protect the students, church and adult leaders from compromising situations. Be sure to cover this material. SpringHill trains all its staff and volunteers to never be alone with a camper. It’s a simple, practical rule that can never be broken for any reason.
But make sure your adult leaders also have some practical ideas for how to handle other, unforeseen circumstances… like, what to do if one camper gets sick, or if a student just needs to talk in private. Make sure they understand how to handle these situations within the church’s policies.
SpringHill provides discussion questions written each weekend by the speaker which can be used to guide a discussion. Make sure your leaders know where to find the questions, and that they don’t have to teach or have all the answers. Success for high school guys is often just talking on topic.
Mark Oestreicher has written a short, helpful guide for volunteers on how to lead great small groups. You can buy one for every leader you have, or just read it yourself and teach the concepts.
9. Have them practice sharing their story appropriately. It’s no secret that student will be more likely to open up and share their stories if the adults that are leading them are (somewhat) transparent about their own. Give your leaders permission to share about their own struggles, challenges and doubts… and how God has helped them overcome them.
Ask your leaders to think through how they might summarize God’s work in their life in two minutes and then give them a chance to practice saying it out loud… maybe during a pre-retreat meeting with other leaders. This way, you can hear it, time it, and encourage them to share it.
10. Cover them in prayer. You should pray for your adult leaders before and during the weekend. You should let them know you’re praying for them before and during the weekend. But you should also invite other members of your church (maybe there are some old ladies who are really good pray-ers) to adopt a specific leader and cover them in prayer during the weekend.
Make sure your pray-ers have the weekend schedule and content outline too so they can be praying specifically and during the right times.
Are there other things you do to make sure your leaders are fully equipped for a great youth ministry retreat? What are they? Share your comments and ideas below.