Proper Training is a Must

With Summer coming on strong comes opportunities for your childrens and youth workers to take the kids on outings.  Hiking, camping, canoeing, swimming, summer camps and other fun activities.  One of the things that we taught leaders in Royal Rangers was that kids want to have memories of things that are fun, not nightmares of things that can go wrong.  Do you have the right leaders in place?  If so, are they properly trained?  Can they handle emergency situations that may arise on an outing?  Do they know how to properly plan outings?  Do they seek advice and assistance from people who are experts in their field?

I can not express enough the importance of training for volunteers and staff members who work with our kids.  I have seen what can happen when workers are not properly trained and how devastating it can be to a child when something goes wrong or how a life can be taken so quickly and how it affects all who are involved.  I was on the Board of Directors of a church that lost a child in a drowning accident.  It devastating to all who were involved.  It also almost ruined the church itself.  Do not underestimate the damage that can occur when your youth and childrens leaders are not properly trained.  Make sure that all of your youth and childrens volunteers and staff members get the training and guidance that they need to minister to kids and how to have fun safely.  Remember it only takes a few seconds for a fun outing to turn into a nightmare for the kids and the adults involved.