Quality control

Once a year, my parents like to visit the Scottish island of Islay. My dad is a whisky connoisseur - and particularly fond of the Islay single malts - so he jokes that it is their annual quality control visit! Of course, one visit a year makes no real difference to the quality. But it's a fun excuse to visit a gorgeous island, and enjoy its produce!

As children's and youth workers, we have a concern for quality, too. We teach God's living Word. It's a fantastic privilege - but also a responsibility. We want to teach it faithfully and effectively - and put together the best sessions we possibly can. (If you're not sure about this, check out the blog from August 6th on 'excellence' - and the helpful comments people have added to it.)

While I was in Sydney, I met a children's worker who was particularly stimulating to talk to, because she is so intentional about the way she works. What is the single most effective thing she has done to make a difference to the quality of the sessions her team leads? She pulled back from weekly teaching herself - and instead became a non-teaching co-ordinator.

I must admit that I blinked when she said that. It felt more like a retrograde step. But it turned out that she is very specific in her purpose. She is still with a group every week, but now she is there to train and develop her leaders. Some weeks she will sit in on their session, and then give feedback afterwards. At other times, she leads the session herself, with the intention of modelling good practise. Alternatively, she might help a new leader with their preparation, and then join in to give support and help.

She told me that this decision to become a non-teaching co-ordinator made a huge difference to the quality of the sessions being run in the various groups. She already did regular training with her team - and hosted team meetings - but it was this intentional approach to improving what happens week by week that made the big difference. Not so much 'quality control' as a huge quality boost. If that's the kind of boost you've been looking to see in your own groups, maybe this is a model that's worth considering?