Retraining & Equipping Your Staff, June 2023
One of the best ways to improve employee retention is through an effective staff development and talent management plan. Based on conversations with 100-plus ministries, this workshop will review the best practices for staff training and development to create an internal pipeline of leaders. Using Springs Rescue Mission as a case study, you’ll learn principles for improving employee retention, creating a positive work environment, and developing a unified approach to client-focused programming.
- Presentation Slides, Andrew Sears, President, City Vision University
- Presentation Slides, Jeff Cook, Chief Programs Officer, Springs Rescue Mission
- Springs Rescue Mission’s Addiction Counselor Certificate Handbook
- Springs Rescue Mission’s Leadership Certificate Handbook
Can Unity and Diversity Co-exist in Your Organization? Citygate Network, May 2022
With an open heart and the right strategy, you can cultivate unity and expand ministry by increasing diversity. This workshop will outline a path toward nurturing staff cultural intelligence, identifying barriers, and implementing an effective change process. We’ll also discuss demographic trends, cross-cultural leadership lessons, the role of diversity in measuring outcomes, and assessing organizational culture across various dimensions.
Note, the video recording of this presentation is the same as the recording below “Developing Cultural Intelligence & Diversity in your Organization” because the presentations were very similar.
Developing Cultural Intelligence & Diversity in your Organization, CLA, April 2022
This workshop will help you develop a strategy to increase diversity in your organization and grow the cultural intelligence of staff. We will cover common barriers, managing change and assessing outcomes related to diversity. Outcomes: 1) Identify trends driving the need for increased diversity and common barriers, 2) Apply cross-cultural leadership lessons to expand the cultural intelligence of yourself and others, and 3) Develop a plan, including outcome measures, to increase your organizational diversity.
How to Avoiding Secularization and Increase Organizational Health, GRMF, April 2022
This seminar will look at historical examples and case studies of ministries that secularized and examine what to avoid. It will look at policy best practices to avoid secularization. It will conclude by explaining how to use a tool called the Competing Values Framework to assess organizational risks and to develop strategies to improve health.
Using Curriculum, Internships and College Partnerships in Rescue Mission Programs, GRMF, April 2022
Based on the experiences of working with over 100 rescue missions, this workshop covers: 1) What are the most popular and effective third-party curricula and materials being used in rescue mission programs. 2) What are the best practices and risks of running internship programs. 3) How can partnerships will colleges help your clients succeed and get jobs after completing your programs.
Developing Healthy Organizations to Avoid Staff Burnout, CCDA, November 2021
Living out the values of Christian community development can often stretch us to the breaking point. Often those called to serve communities experiencing trauma are those who have experienced trauma themselves. This can result in re-traumatization of staff, resulting in compassion fatigue, conflict and perpetuating trauma. This workshop explores how to develop a healthy organizational culture that embodies CCD values while avoiding staff burnout. Specifically, this workshop will explore tools for assessing organizational culture and health and specific steps to take to improve organizational health. Finally, it will explore specific steps that individuals can take to remain healthy while engaging in CCD for the long haul.
Toolkit Items:
- Presentation Slides
- Burnout Self Test (pdf)
- Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid Leadership Questionnaire
- Organizational Culture Assessment Assignment for Staff
Reconciliation Across Social Class, CCDA, November 2021
Often in the work of reconciliation, we focus on race, but ignore social class. This results in “cheapening” the real work of racial reconciliation. This workshop will explore the following topics: What is social class and class identity? Why is it important to understand class as culture? What is classism? How does classism operate in the church? How does applying the class lens help us better understand topics that often get overlooked in the racial reconciliation conversation, such as White poverty and class differences within and between racial groups? The workshop will conclude by explaining how combining the lenses of race, class and gender can help us work toward more authentic reconciliation.
Toolkit items:
- Presentation Slides
- Reconciliation Across Social Class Paper by Andrew Sears
- Social Class as Cultural: Cultural Dimensions Quiz
How Urban Ministries Might Respond to Critical Race Theory, Citygate Network National Conference, Sept. 2021
In the past few years, Critical Race Theory has emerged as a controversial issue. Some ministries have embraced it as essential to respond to demographic changes happening in the communities they serve. Others have viewed it as something to be avoided in its entirety as a secularization threat. Still others have learned from aspects of it, while rejecting parts that are inconsistent with the Gospel. This workshop explores this topic to help you think about how your ministry might respond. Presentation Slides.
Leading Purposeful Programs, Gospel Rescue Mission Fellowship, June 2021
This presentation was delivered at the annual Gospel Rescue Mission Fellowship in Asheville, NC, June 2021 by Dr. Charles McElveen. The seminar will present practical tools to help reduce uncertainty and increase confidence in program operation. Topics presented are (1) Biblical Models of Planning, (2) Seven Tools for Program Excellence, (3) Two Layers of Program Design and Presentation, and (4) Measurement for Success. Presentation Slides.
Organizational Culture and the Next Generations of Leaders, Citygate Network CEO Summit, June 2021
Many nonprofits and ministries are in the process of a generational change from organizations led and funded by the Baby Boomer generation to those led by Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. This workshop will explore how to remain true to your mission while developing an organizational culture that is more centered around the culture of younger generations–by someone involved in educating the next generation of leaders in life transformative ministries like yours. Presentation Slides.