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100 tips for staff

Here are around 100 (more and less important) tips and features for members of staff!

There are certainly many books for staff members with lots of tips. I took the book of all books and pulled out some tips, which were mainly written by Paul to his staff or community principles. There are also a few remarks which are contained in the epistle in the Book of Revelations. There are really all facets of youth work included which youth workers have gone through: joy, sorrow, worry, despair, helplessness, recommendations what to do in certain situations, knock backs, defeats, "not everything that shines is gold", "more illusion than reality", qualities of a member of staff and who may become a staff member and when etc.
We can learn a lot from the community and missionary work of Paul.

There are however a lot of tips included which are written just for you as a staff member. You are a member of staff and maybe you are a young member of staff. Everything has run smoothly up until now. There have hardly been any problems with the group. However suddenly things have changed and you don’t really know why. You are desperate and helpless and cannot explain the changes. Paul had to go through these experiences as well. He had met lots of people and communities on his travels. What had started as off well with some took a turn for the worst. He says a lot about it. There are things which we cannot change so it does not make any sense to worry about them. A few things should give you courage and help you see things from a different point of view.

Last of all there are also a few pieces of advice which do not deal with you and your group but just you. Paul reports on some staff members who he does not see to be fit for the job and says that they spread harm or act out of egoistical motives. Your qualities are asked! Your faith! It is not a question of how you seem to be or how you pretend to be but it is a question of what you look like deep inside. You can only perform Christian youth work with faith in God otherwise it would not be Christian youth work, but just youth work. Be true to yourself and be self critical. Where is something going wrong? What could be run better?

It is not a case of making the things mentioned here scared - as if to say “it will be done like this and in no other way". Members of staff who have not been cloned are all different. Everyone has different skills, talents and personalities. The 12 closest staff members to Jesus Christ, the 12 disciples, were as different as you can get. Jesus had called up his disciples from all different levels of society and with different sociological profiles. What were these disciples like? Quick-tempered, desperate, slanderous, sometimes big-headed, debating, betraying, decisive, determined ... do you recognise this? It is no different today. The circle of staff is often as different as it can be. Different experiences, points of view, thoughts, with different opinions, whether when dealing with the type of youth work, the proclamation or opinions on sexuality. However if we all have the same target, as Jesus would wish, then all of those thing play an unimportant role.

What are the factors of success in (Christian) youth work?
Interesting - really! I think that can be discussed at the next staff meeting. What would Jesus say to you nowadays? What would Paul write to you today? How is it in your staff circle? What works well and what runs poorly? Which compromises do you make and why? What brings you forwards and what is useless? Where is your time wasted and where is your time used with a specific goal in mind?

If you do not come from a youth work background you are obviously welcome to read through the text as well. Some things will be relevant for you too and maybe it will be helpful. If you want to know more, maybe you should read the bible. That has never done anyone any harm and you can really gain some experience in co-operation, leadership, optimal use of resources and correct behaviour. The tips are free, a give away, simply free of charge. What you can make of it is up to you.

Go to Tip 1 - 11

100 tips for staff

Suggestions for implementation of the contents in a staff circle

The 100 tips are not in any specific order based on rank. The staff circle should bring the tips into an order of merit which makes sense for their own staff circle. They should also try to group the tips.
Over several evenings the relevant parts of the bible are extracted and the most important tips for members of staff are worked on. Maybe more tips will also emerge. Maybe you will find parts of the bible which are even more relevant.

Summary of the core statements

Be a whole Chrisitian!
Do not do things by half as a Christian and as a staff member!
Be a role model – live as a role model!
Stick together and work together!
Reckon with knock backs and disappointments!

Bible references used

1.Corinthians 9,22-27
1.Corinthians 10,31
1.Corinthians 16,13-16
Corinthians 12
2.Corinthians 3,4-5
2.Corinthians 4,1-13
2.Corinthians 8,16-21
Philippians 1,7-9
Philippians 2,1-4
1.Timothy 3,1-13
1.Timothy 4,6 – 5,2
2.Timothy 3,14-15
2.Timothy 4,1-8 and 2.Corinthians 4,1-13
2.Timothy 4,10
Titus 2,15
Titus 3,9-11
Hebrews 5,11-6.1
2.Peter 1,12-13
Romans 12,1-6
Relevations 2,1 - 3,22
James 1,19-22 and 3,4-6

go to Tip 1 - 11