Who Leads SunLand

(and how can I get involved)?

The SunLand Team is a place where everyone gets to play. That means, if you aren’t a guest at SunLand, you are a part of the team. Welcome!

There are different areas where people are able to play a role, but before we get into that, one thing that is important to know is that if we don’t have adequate teachers or helpers for a particular Sunday, we will let that hole be a hole that morning. We don’t want to see a few people carrying a big load; what we want to see is many people lovingly and willingly serving with their time and talents. If a class can’t be offered one morning, it just highlights the opportunity for others to step in. We wouldn’t want anyone to think we just “have it covered.” We are a body, and it takes many members for it to operate in a healthy way.

TEACHERS AND HELPERS

- Teachers and Helpers are people who regularly volunteer to love and lead the kids who come to SunLand. All of them are passionate about seeing children get an “unhindered view of Jesus” week to week.
– All our Teachers and Helpers must have a criminal check in place in order to serve.
– Teachers and Helpers receive a schedule, where they serve on a rotating basis for a particular age-group

THRID HANDS (Parents and other volunteers)

We realize teaching kids, getting your hands sticky with glue, and sitting on the floor may not be your most natural area of gifting; that’s OK. What we really need is an extra set of hands. What we need is your interest. What we need is for kids to see that we are all “all in,” as moms and dads and as an extended family of teachers, helpers, third-hands and other volunteers.

- If you are not a teacher or a helper, you are a third set of hands in the class. We ask that all parents serve as Third Hands. Some classes need more help then others, so we are asking that you serve “where needed.” If you have children in SunLand, we won’t always be able to place you in their class.

- You do NOT need to get a criminal check, as you won’t be with the children in an unsupervised situation (if children need to leave the class for any reason, a teacher or helper will take them, unless they are your own child).

- You do not need to prepare ahead of time for anything; just come to the class a few minutes early and assist with “crowd control” and with other little things the teacher needs help with along the way. No special training needed!

If you are interested in helping out in SunLand, here’s what you need to know:

A FEW FORMALITIES

- We need you to fill out an Application form. This helps us get to know you and also helps satisfy some basic security issues.

- Also, we will need you to go through a Criminal Check Process. The District of West Kelowna has generously offered to cover these Criminal Record Checks for non-profit organizations through the RCMP.

A CONVERSATION

We’d like to meet up and just get to know you and help you get to know SunLand; so let’s grab a coffee and find out who you are and what cranks you up about working with kids. Please call the church office and we will set it up.

A LITTLE RESEARCH (ON YOUR PART)

Use this website to familiarize yourself with what SunLand is all about behind the scenes; read about our “policies” because these will be important to know. Read about the different age-groups to see what interests you.

HERE ARE SOME FAQ’S THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND SUNLAND MORE:

1. Will I need to do some prep work before I arrive?

Teachers receive a copy of the lesson by email, and we will also send you a copy. You don’t need to memorize anything, but it does help you to know what the morning will be about.

2. When do I need to show up on the Sunday I help?

If you arrive 15 minutes before your class that will give you enough time to connect with the teacher.

3. What does a helper do?

A helper has a few important roles:
• To find out what the teacher needs assistance with
• To help the children pay attention
• To take children aside who are having a hard time cooperating and lovingly trying to sort out what they need in order to participate. This helps the morning to continue for the others without so much distraction (the teacher shouldn’t have to deal excessively with classroom management issues)
• To take children (preschool and K-1) to the bathroom who need to go
• To be a small group leader when small group discussions are a part of the morning
• To help with crafts and other activities
• To help connect children to parents at the end of the morning (particularly when sign-out is required)
• To help clean-up the room

4. When can I leave the room?

The helper should not leave the room at all during the class period except to help connect a child with their parents if that is a necessity, or to take a child to the bathroom (female helpers only). Beyond that, the helper should not leave until all the children under their care have been signed out (or in the case of the older children Grades 2 and up, have left the classroom on their own).

5. Am I responsible for cleaning up the classroom?

Yes, along with the teacher. You can even get the children to help. Since our building is a multi-use building, that will be helpful. Leave all your lesson materials in the bag provided and these will be collected later.

6. Where do I find out about security issues, how to handle bathroom breaks, classroom management etc.?

You need to read over the policies and procedures on the website so that you know how to handle security, bathroom breaks, discipline issues, etc.

7. What do I need to know about scheduling?

There is something GREAT about a helper having a consistent presence in the classroom. If you would like to help more than once a month, it is a wonderful thing to offer and goes a long way to creating a relational connection with the children. We realize this does not work for everyone, so as a rule we schedule helpers in only once a month unless they request another arrangement. If we do not have a helper for a Sunday, we will allow a “hole”. We don’t want to see a few people working overtime to keep things running. If there is a hole, it highlights a need for more people to lend their time and talents and we are OK with that.