Serving Team Onboarding Process

Who does what

The church office handles the paperwork: the questionnaire, references, Working With Children Check, Code of Conduct, Safe Ministry training, approval and record keeping. Most of it is automated.

The team leader handles the relationship: the welcome, the come and see, the role induction, the first serve and the check in afterwards.

The volunteer says yes, completes what the office sends them, and turns up.

Come and see first

Nobody has to commit to anything to explore. Have a coffee with a team leader, watch a team in action, or try it alongside someone experienced.

No forms are required just to come and see in an observer capacity.

How it starts

There are two ways in, and either one begins the process:

• You put your hand up. Complete the Serving Team Interest Form at reside.church/get-involved.
• A leader recommends you. A team leader completes a Serving Team Recommendation Form.

The steps

	You (joining a team)	Team leader	Church office
1. Get started	Complete the Serving Team Interest Form	Or complete a Serving Team Recommendation Form	Create the record, assign a named contact
2. Get to know each other	Have a welcome chat, complete the serving questionnaire and add two references	Have the welcome chat	Send the questionnaire, follow up the references
3. Safe church basics	Apply for or link your WWCC, sign the Code of Conduct, complete Safe Ministry training	—	Send every link, book the training, verify each step
4. Approval	—	—	Submit for approval and confirm the outcome
5. Cleared to serve	Get ready to start	The office tells you they are cleared	Notify the team leader
6. Meet the team and start	Learn the role, meet everyone, start serving	Run the role induction, introduce them, buddy their first few serves, check in after	—

Caring for people

Caring for people is central to what we do. That includes making sure everyone who volunteers is onboarded, trained and verified, in line with our Safe Ministry guidelines.

Nobody serves until they have been cleared. This applies to every role, not only those working with children and young people.

Checklists

For the volunteer

• [ ] Serving Team Interest Form completed (or a leader has recommended you)
• [ ] Welcome chat with your team leader
• [ ] Serving questionnaire completed and two references added
• [ ] WWCC applied for or linked (it is free for volunteers)
• [ ] Code of Conduct read and signed
• [ ] Safe Ministry training completed
• [ ] Cleared to serve, met the team, and started

For the team leader

• [ ] Welcome chat had, team chosen, office notified
• [ ] Updated by the office when cleared
• [ ] Role induction done and introduced to the team
• [ ] First few serves buddied, checked in afterwards

For the church office

• [ ] Record created, named contact assigned
• [ ] Questionnaire completed, references followed up
• [ ] WWCC applied or linked, and verified
• [ ] Code of Conduct signed (correct tier for the role)
• [ ] Safe Ministry training completed
• [ ] Approval granted
• [ ] Team leader notified that they are cleared to serve

Ready to serve = every office box ticked and the leader told.

Questions

If anything is unclear, or you are not sure where you are up to, get in touch with the church office. We are happy to help.