NCC Kids Volunteer Manual (updated 10/2018)

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table of Conte nts 5

Thank You

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Maximize your Investment

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Ages & Stages

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Roles & Leadership Positions

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Large & Small Group

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Commitment

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Safety & Security

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NCC Policies

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than k you ...for expressing interest in working with the kids at National Community Church! We have a deep passion and commitment to partner with parents and pass on faith to the next generation, and we are excited that you want to join us in that purpose!

NCC Kids is more than just childcare. Through discipleship, we are committed to raising up the next generation of believers. It is our desire that each child who is a part of NCC Kids will grow to be fully devoted followers of Christ with a passion for His Word, excitement about his church, and a commitment to serving His people.

We are thrilled to offer you the opportunity to be involved in the Lord’s work in our kids’ lives. It is truly a privilege but, of course, also a responsibility. Our ministry has some important guidelines that we follow in the interest of protecting and making the proper investment in our kids.

We hope that you will join our NCC Kids team in sharing your faith in Christ with our kids! We look forward to getting to know you!

Sincerely, NCC’s Family Ministry Team

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We want to maximize the time we get with kids each week by making our time with them memorable and fun! It is our hope and prayer that kids will develop a passion and an interest for God’s Word as they grow in relationship with Him. As we do this, we believe that each kid will be excited about being part of God’s church and coming back each week.

Partnering with parents is so important, because what happens on Sundays alone isn’t going to be enough when it comes to developing each child’s faith. We desire to help parents continue the teaching at home by giving them cues as to what we did in church. We hope to be intentional in building relationships with families and kids by connecting with them throughout the week.

Studies show that about 60% of kids who grow up in church walk away from their faith after graduation, but if a child has one meaningful relationship with someone other than mom and dad who shows them an authentic faith in Jesus, that child is much more likely to develop their own relationship with Jesus!

You have the opportunity to be that person by investing in a meaningful relationship with them.

Children are a part of the church and we want to make sure that they discover God’s heart for people through serving and caring for others! God has wired each of us with unique talents, gifts, and abilities and we want children to walk confidently knowing that they can influence the world around them. We encourage kids and families to find a cause to champion, participate in service projects, and be on mission in their communities every day.

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ages s tages Birth 23 Months

ncc kids - babies Babies is our nursery for children from birth through 23 months. It is where we get to care for the littlest ones, creating a safe and inviting environment by welcoming families and lovingly watching over their children.

ncc kids 24 Months - 5 Years

Preschool is for kids ages two years through five years old. When children turn 24 months, they move up to the Preschool class (from Babies). These young kids are exploring their world with wonder and coming to their first understanding that God made them and loves them.

ncc kids K - 5th Grade

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Elementary is for kids in Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Questions are sometimes non-stop with this crew, but thankfully you don’t have to have all the answers! They are investigating their world and discovering who they are!

We work to actively engage their hearts, minds and souls through large group fun, small group depth, and more!

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leadership Kids Director The NCC Kids Director leads, directs, supports, and oversees Babies, Preschool and Elementary at your campus. The Kids Director is in communication with the Campus Pastor and provides training, resources, and support to all leaders and volunteers.

Leads Our Leads oversee the learning environment for their respective age group. They ensure consistency from week to week by assisting with preparation for the weekend service, scheduling volunteers and encouraging excellence in their age groups.

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Host

Small Group Leader

Hosts lead the large group

Small Group Leaders build

time for their respective age group (juniors or elementary).

They create a fun and engaging environment, give announcements, lead the worship songs and introduce the Bible Story.

relationships with eight to ten kids by guiding them through activities that connect to the Bible story. They lead the kids in prayer and discussion as they share personal stories of God’s faithfulness, investing and building relationships with kids outside of Sunday morning.

Babies Volunteer

Junior Volunteer

Nursery Volunteers provide care for our littlest ones from birth through 23 months. They create a safe and inviting environment by welcoming families and lovingly watching over their children.

These minors serve in various capacities on our teams. They have reference checks in place but do not serve to meet ratio numbers. Their position serves as a training ground for future involvement in the ministry.

Family Connect

Parent Representative

Our Family Connect team manages check-in and checkout while communicating with parents any important information. The Family Connect is a consistent face each week and is necessary in maintaining safety and security for our kids and families.

The Parent Representative builds community by connecting families to one another this is done through planning formal and informal events and plugging new families into the community.

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There are two unique segments that make up our NCC Kids experience. It’s not just to fill the time, but to help create excitement about relationship with God through worship and Bible stories, and then to follow up with intentional relationships through small group. We know that sometimes it can be intimidating to be in a smaller group with kids but, trust us, if you invest in the same group of kids consistently, over time, you will develop deep and meaningful relationships.

“The best way for kids to know they are loved by God is for them to be loved by someone who loves God” - Reggie Joiner

Large Group should be a fun and engaging environment to learn more about God!

Large Group creates opportunity for us to share our excitement to learn more about God!

Large Group is where the Bible Story and theme are first presented!

Engage in an exciting way and introduce content for small group conversations.

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Small Groups, when meeting consistently, set the stage for deep and meaningful relationships.

Small Group activities & conversations help translate the Bible to kids’ lives today.

Small Groups allow leaders to share personal stories of God’s faithfulness with kids!

Translate the Bible Lesson through consistent relationship, activities & application.

Each one of us is a part of God’s BIG story. We want to capture the hearts and imaginations of kids and show them that God is passionate about them. They are a part of his story, too!

We are confident that kids will want to come back if there is someone who cares for them, shows up CONSISTENTLY and knows them INDIVIDUALLY.

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Working with our kids is such a huge investment and we believe strongly that passing our faith on to the next generation isn’t to be taken lightly. Because of this, we ask you to commit to several things when you join the team.

We ask that you commit for at least one semester. Children develop attachments to their leaders so it is always our hope that new teammates will join with the intention of working with the kids for a longer period of time.

If your circumstances change and you need to step down from our ministry, we ask you give us at least one-month notice. We need this time to fill your spot on the schedule and train a new person to take your place.

For Preschool and Elementary, we ask that you commit to serving minimum of twice per month. At locations with more than one service, it is our goal that small group leaders would serve weekly. We find it most effective in building relationships if you commit to serving consistently with the kids.

Remember, relationships matter most!

We know that things come up. If you find that you cannot be there for a Sunday that you are scheduled, please work to find a replacement immediately. Whatever you do, don’t wait until the last minute! The safety of the kids and the excellence of their church experience depends on you.

First, contact other volunteers to see if someone will switch with you or take your place. Every effort should be made to find a replacement at least one week in advance. If you are sick on a Sunday morning, call your Kids Director as soon as possible so that other arrangements can be make.

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Safety is a top priority in NCC Kids. We want to create a safe place for kids to be excited about God’s Word, and for parents to feel confident when they entrust their kids to our care.

We do several things to make sure our kids and volunteers are safe.

Here are just a few: • Every volunteer submits an application and agrees to a background check and reference check in order to serve in NCC Kids.

• To protect our kids and our volunteers, we require that two adults always be present for NCC Kids, so that no child is ever alone with an adult. NCC adheres to the following ratio requirements. This policy was set according to DC and Virginia state guidelines. Multi-age grouping is permissible in which case the ratio for the youngest child in the group applies.

Infants (birth to 15 months) Toddlers (16-23 months) Two to Four Year Olds Five Years+ (School Age)

1:4 1:5 1:8 1:15

• Whether your location is large or small, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of following check-in and check-out protocols, and only dismissing children to parents that have the matching name badges to the children (name badges, stickers, etc.). Parents are entrusting us with their kids and looking for cues that we take their safety seriously.

• There is an emergency plan at each location. Make sure you are familiar with the plan and prepared to implement it.

If kids are safe physically, emotionally, and spiritually, then NCC Kids can be a place where kids and volunteers flourish!

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NCC Policies Protecting minors is our utmost priority. We take measures as a church, and within each ministry, to protect all children. It is essential that all policies be observed absolutely.

Application, References, and Background Check Any individual working with minors on behalf of NCC must submit and application with references. The application will be reviewed, references requested, and a background check completed. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Never Alone Policy No minor in our care is ever allowed to be alone with an adult. We adhere to a two-adult policy, ensuring that two adults are present with every minor at all times. This reduces the risk of harm and also reduces the risk of misunderstandings or false accusations.

Bathroom Policy For security and safety purposes, we do not take kids to the bathroom, no exceptions.

Reporting If you hear a child mention anything that causes concern, notify an NCC staff member immediately (same day).

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Definition of Abuse Child abuse is defined by both federal and state law. According to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the term sexual abuse includes: The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct...

Or The rape, and in cases of caretaker or interfamilial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

National Community Church is strongly opposed to any sexual misconduct or abuse of minors and will hold violators responsible to the fullest extent of the law.

kids@theaterchurch.com theaterchurch.com

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