Summertime Solutions to Volunteer Shortages

Summer is coming, which means families are traveling more and volunteers are showing up less. And while volunteer shortages exist all year, they often feel bigger in the summer. Sometimes finding summer volunteers for your ministry feels like this:

If you feel like you’re shouting “Heeellllpp! Anybody!?!” into the void, you’re not alone. But instead of drawing a face on a volleyball and tossing Wilson into the preteen class, let’s acknowledge that summer is a different season that requires different strategies than the rest of the year.

So instead of sending out an SOS, let’s build one.

S — Start Early
Summer success doesn’t start in June, it starts right now. Leaders who think ahead in March and April create margin for themselves later and have an easier June and July. Take time to look at your current team and ask the simple questions: Who’s traveling? Who has sports or family commitments? Who might actually be more available? Starting those conversations early helps you see the gaps before they become problems. This is also a great time to think beyond your usual team. College students coming home for the summer, teachers and educators with a break in their schedule, and even students in your youth ministry can all be incredible short-term additions (find more details on 4 places to ask for summer volunteers here). And don’t underestimate the power of asking your current volunteers for recommendations. People are far more likely to say yes when they’re invited by someone they already know. When you start early, you’re not scrambling, you’re stewarding. You can also use this summer serve template to recruit summer volunteers to your team!

O — Open Your Options
One of the biggest reasons summer feels so hard is because we try to run the same ministry with fewer people. Summer gives you permission to shift your model. Your goal stays the same. Kids need to feel known and connected, and they need to hear about Jesus. But how you accomplish that can look different. You might combine age groups, simplify your programming, lean into discussion instead of structure, or even change your environment by taking things outside or sitting in circles instead of rows. (More ways to change things up in the summer here.) Some churches even use part of the summer to emphasize family worship. It may not feel as polished as the school year, but it can still be deeply effective. When you open your options, you naturally reduce the number of volunteers needed while still creating meaningful ministry moments.

S — Simplify and Share the Load
If you want more people to say yes, make it easier to say yes. Simplifying your volunteer roles by making them clear, low-prep, and ready-to-go removes unnecessary barriers. The more you can prepare ahead of time, the more confident your volunteers will feel stepping in. At the same time, this is not a season to carry everything on your own. Look for ways to share the load through short-term commitments, flexible scheduling, and building a solid sub list for those inevitable last-minute needs. Give your key leaders ownership and trust them to lead well. Child discipleship has always been a team effort, and summer is a great reminder of that. Sometimes the best solution isn’t finding more people; it’s creating a simple system where more people can participate.

So your summer SOS is this: start early, open your options, and simplify while sharing the load. Before May hits, carve out time for a planning session and ask yourself one question: What is one thing I can simplify this summer? You don’t have to do everything the same way to do it well. When you recognize that different seasons require different strategies, you reduce frustration and improve effectiveness in your ministry.