KARIS KIDS: NEW VOLUNTEER SERVING INFORMATION
Team Member Roles
Elementary (K-5th)
Classroom Team: builds relationships and manages time in the classroom setting.
Teaching Team: teaches the Bible creatively in a large-group setting.
Preschool (ages 3-5)
Classroom Team: builds relationships and manages time in the classroom setting, weaving in the Gospel message, based on attention spans.
Nursery & Toddler
Care for and nurture young children, sharing Jesus’ love in an age-appropriate manner (which usually means holding babies, comforting sad kiddos, and dancing to praise music with toddlers)!
Love Program (Special Needs)
Serves as a buddy for a child with special needs.
Welcome and Registration Team
Greets families, helps with registration, and serves as “air traffic control” for a Sunday morning. This position requires someone with management skills and a large capacity for quick thinking!
Special Ops
These special roles are tailored based on individual abilities and availability. The role could range from setting up craft activities to restocking classrooms to organizing lessons and handouts. These tasks, while unseen on Sunday morning, play a huge role in the success of Karis Kids.
Journey To Join the Karis Kids Team
STEP 1: Pursue Karis Membership
Complete the membership process.
STEP 2: Complete Online Forms
Complete the application and background check.
STEP 3: Team Assignment
You will be placed on a team and learn some of the classroom details.
STEP 4: Intro
Come meet with us, tour the classroom, and ask questions.
STEP 5: Download Scheduling Software
Accept invitation to PCO Services, sign in, and download the Church Center App.
STEP 6: Volunteer!
FAQs
Q: Do I need to be a member to serve in Karis Kids?
A: Yes, we require membership to serve with children in our Karis Kids program. Even though this may slow the process of serving in Karis Kids, we believe that it is important to have committed members caring for our children. However, we have behind-the-scenes roles that you would be able to help with during your membership process! Please ask for more details if you are interested in helping in our “special-ops” department.
Q: Do I need to fill out an application and background check?
A: Yes, both are required in order to serve in Karis Kids. We will need you to fill out the online forms and complete a background check before we can place you on a team. See the front for a QR code to our online application.
Q: Do I need to be trained and attend an Intro?
A: Yes, our new volunteer Intro is required in order for us to share our facility, our guidelines, and our goals with you. This is a time for you to see the space and ask any questions you have. Intro visits last about thirty minutes and are done by appointment before or after a Gathering.
Q: Can I request to serve with someone?
A: We will do our best to accommodate anything that allows you to feel most comfortable. However, per our abuse prevention policy, we do not allow related family members to serve in the same classroom alone without a third adult volunteer present.
Q: Can I serve in a classroom my child attends?
A: Yes, you can serve in the same classroom your child attends. Please make that preference known during your training and intro session.
Q: What does a Karis Kids commitment look like?
A: Since serving in Karis Kids means that you miss the opportunity to be in the Gathering, our goal is for every Karis Kids volunteer to serve no more than one Sunday a month. There are special circumstances, such as months with five Sundays, where a volunteer may serve twice, but outside of a special circumstance, all volunteers serve in Karis Kids no more than one time per month.
Q: Can I ask off on Sundays that I am not available to serve?
A: Yes, each month we ask for “blockout” requests. If you use the scheduling software to block out dates you are unable to serve, we are happy to accommodate your schedule. Once the schedule is made, we ask that you find a sub if you are unable to fulfill your scheduled date.
Q: How old do I need to be in order to serve?
A: If you are in 6th grade or above, you can serve with your parents or a trusted mentor when they serve on one of the Karis Kids teams. Eventually, if you become an experienced Karis Kids volunteer, you can serve without a parent or trusted mentor, on a case-by-case basis. Upon a youth volunteer's 18th birthday, they must begin the process required for adult applicants.