7 qualities to look for in a creative volunteer

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I use volunteers for a lot of the creative projects I do.  Volunteers can actually do a number of jobs when it comes to creative work I have found. They often can serve by taking pictures, designing graphics, assisting on video shoots, acting, writing scripts and helping in post-production work. Most of the time I can accomplish much more when I utilize the help of others and at the same time provide them opportunities to learn and grow in a variety of fields. Often times volunteers cherish the idea of serving in a creative capacity because they are able to use their gifts to glorify God in a unique way.

In working with many volunteers I have found there to be 7 key qualities that I look for when working with them.

1. Do I know this person?
As bad as it sounds I always prefer to work with someone I know verses someone I don’t.  If I don’t know them I have found that having a meal together or meeting up outside of work can often facilitate a relationship where we can begin to understand where each other is at in life and begin to discuss ways to get them involved.

2. Does this person want to want to want to?
There will always be volunteers who want to help and there will always be volunteers who want to want to help, however the volunteers I look for are the ones who want to want to want to.  The volunteers who want to help are typically there are on paper, but the minute I need them to be at a meeting or actually help they are nowhere to be found.  The volunteers of the second kind who want to want to, will help if you ask them to and show up at meetings, however its not necessarily their cup of tea and may be serving out of obligation. The volunteers I love to work with are the ones who want to want to want to.  These volunteers will beat down your door to assist you and persistently seek out ways where they can create opportunities to be of assistance.

3. Is this person creative?
It can go without saying that everyone in some shape or fashion is creative, but what I’m talking about here is the idea of a “creative.”  Is this volunteer bent on the creative side and see things a little different than most?  Does this volunteer understand aesthetics and appreciate art?  Does this volunteer enjoy art and see movies and theatre?  In my opinion they don’t have to be an incredible “creative” to be a volunteer, however having that creative bent is extremely helpful.

4. Is this person flexible?
Unlike other volunteer opportunities in the church, creative work demands a lot of flexibility. Whereas choir is guaranteed to practice one night a week at a set time for x number of hours, creative work doesn’t seem to happen on such a rigid schedule.  Volunteers need to understand the nature of creative work and be able to be extremely flexible and willing to adapt to schedules and weird hours.

5. Is this person growing in their faith?
I am a firm believer that the best “Christian Artists” are ones who are seeking ways to be both a better Christian and a better Artist at the same time.  If a volunteer is not growing in their faith, the likelihood that they will fade away is great because they will lose the passion to continually pursue everything.

6. Is this person FAT (Faithful Available Teachable)?
I’m always looking for the volunteer that will be around for a while.  Occasionally I am able to use someone for a short couple of months, however the ones that I am most excited about are the ones who are in it for the long haul and have a desire to grow and serve in whatever capacity they can. The volunteers who are willing to go through online training or watch the first couple of times are the volunteers who understand its not an overnight process to be running a Steadicam.

7. Is this person responsive?
Can I get a hold of this person through email, facebook or a cell phone?  Occasionally I will email potential volunteers and never hear back from them.  I am often tempted to call them in case they didn’t get the email, however I need volunteers who are going to respond to emails and return my phone calls.

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