MODULE 3

Hosting a Short-Term Team (In-Community)

Introduction

The time a short-term team is in-community is brief, but it holds tremendous potential. Leverage the power of a short-term team with confidence as you build a structure and flow for their time coming alongside the vulnerable. Your skilled preparations, from orientation and debriefs to community engagement projects, local relationships, and more, will have your short-term team poised to engage impactfully and in a healthy way.

  In this Module you will learn about:
   
Planning lodging, transportation, and meals
Creating team orientation and debrief spaces
Envisioning STT community engagement that matters
Developing local partnerships thought STTs
How to create a team schedule
Putting it all into practice

In-Community Role Breakdown

- Connects with Host-Community Coordinator to check that the team has arrived safely
- Responds to in-community emergencies as needed
- If the team is flying, ensures they are received at the airport
- Communicates with STT Dept that the team has arrived safely
- Holds team orientation within 24 hours of the team’s arrival
- Creates space for the team to engage in daily team time (i.e. devotions, daily debrief) and joins as able
- Executes team schedule
- Checks in with the team leader/team to see how they are doing throughout the week and adjusts plans as needed
- Leverages “Storyteller” perspective throughout the team’s visit (from Module 1)
- Continually points the team to where God is moving throughout the week
- Leads end-of-week debrief, in coordination with team leader as appropriate, and shares Next Step opportunities.
- Ensures team arrives safely at the airport for departure
- Tracks funds as they are spent for the team, collects receipts, and completes funds reconciliation
- Leads team through travel on both ends of the visit
- Partakes in team activities and encourages a teachable, learner posture
- Ensures team is engaging in daily devotions and debriefing
- Continually points the team to where God is moving throughout the week
- Reinforces team training and team self-awareness throughout the week
- Helps team adapt to changes as needed
- Mobilizes team to be encouragers in their interactions
- Checks with the community coordinator to see how they are doing
- Encourages team members to take tangible next steps with the community