A wise man once said "if you find a good person, hire them - you can worry about what they'll do later"

What I'd like to get across in this lesson is that you can always make room for a good person. Another way of putting that is that there should always be a way to accommodate a good leader in your program.

Some examples of what I am talking about include

• good leaders with limited time
• good teachers who hate the outdoors
• great administrators with poor people skills
• competent accountants who dislike children
• good pastors who relate badly to children
• ideas people with no time

The list goes on - but you have caught what I mean here. People whom you might initially not have a place for in your program because they don't have the right "commitment levels" or appropriate "people skills". These people are have a valuable contribution to make to your program - solving staffing issues for you - if you can package the role for them.

Let's take the leader who would be great - but doesn't have enough time to help out regularly. What can be done for them? How about inviting them to a camp as an activities co-ordinator, or agree with them to come three weeks in a row and teach map reading skills. Build a role for the, Give them the satisfaction of helping, serving - and changing the world. Pretty soon you'll find them agreeable, dependable and wanting to take a larger role.

The examples above of accountants who don't get on with kids - is an easy solve. They can do your books and offer advice without having to be near the kids. Why does there have to be an "ideal" leader? Why not use people as their skills and time allow?

In my program at Blaxland I use people like this. We have access to a number of very competent leaders who are too busy for regular commitment. They have been used for short, sharp bursts - in teaching first aid, mapping, hiking, abseiling (rapelling) etc.

The secret is in using what you have.
Making them feel they are making a valuable contribution to your team.
Giving them a sense of security and significance.
Allowing them the privilege of working with you to change the world!

To quickly go through the list above

• good teachers who hate the outdoors
• have them take program periods (classes) on various topics
• great administrators with poor people skills
• use their skills to program your year, allocate resources etc
• competent accountants who dislike children
• we spoke about this before - let them do the books
• good pastors who relate badly to children
• have them pastor your leaders, supporting and inputting into their lives
• ideas people with no time
• take these people out for lunch. Pump their brains. A GOOD investment. Then follow up with them to let them know what came of their ideas.

CONCLUSION

Use the resources you have available to you by tailoring a role to match the skills and the personality of the volunteer concerned. Don't keep passing useful people by just waiting for Mr. Perfect Leader to come along. Chances are he won't.