MODULE 4 - Section 5
Developing Partners in the Post-Community Phase
5 Minutes to complete section and related assignments
In this section, you will learn:
Momentum is the key attribute to leverage during this phase.
How to navigate the challenges of sustained relational momentum.
How to execute with excellence in the post-community phase by initiating next steps, equipping STT participants, and fulfilling promises.
How to connect with the goer-group by giving them an opportunity to celebrate their impact, communicating meaningfully with the leaders, and inviting them to continue their involvement.
How to mobilize people in the post-community phase.
Introduction
While a short-term team has been in-community with you their normal lives are on hold. Tasks left undone have piled up. After they return home, the rush of life with all its responsibilities quickly pushes out team members’ thoughts of their time with you and intentions for ongoing involvement.
In many respects, the same is true for you as a host-coordinator. Hosting a team is intensive and has required additional energy and time. Meanwhile, things are put on hold, and so there is much awaiting you in your normal life and work.
In many regards these are understandable realities, but it is often here in the post-community phase that the ongoing fruit of a STT visit will be gained or lost, depending on your intentionality.
This is why the key attribute to leverage during the post-community phase is: Momentum
You will recall from Module 1 the our approach toward STTs in creating Sustained Relational Momentum. It’s not just a ‘good’ concept; it’s our goal. Even though the above are real challenges, they are also manageable.
Your role then as a host-coordinator does not end when a team leaves your community. You are critical in helping continue the partnership momentum that was generated while the team was with you.
To do so, utilize the same 3 objectives during this Post-Community phase:
Execute - Execute with excellence
Remember from Module 1 the 5 characteristics of a healthy STT Coordinator: Administrate, Communicate, Develop, Host, Lead
Connect - Create new connections between the goer-group and your community
Mobilize - Turn STT participants into ongoing advocates
Execute
Executing well in the post-community phase is about initiating next steps and equipping STT participants to influence others and fulfilling promises.
Complete any items you said you’d do on behalf of the group or individuals in the group. Was there information they asked for? Was there a need to share contact information so people could stay in touch? Did you say you’d share pictures?
Complete the next step items based on the interest each participant indicated in the final debrief.
Add contact information to the appropriate newsletter/ministry update list.
Add individuals to your ongoing social media strategy.
Add individuals to your prayer strategy and your list of expertise/resources based on debrief responses.
Those who’ve indicated interest in individual service in your community, introduce to a Mobilizer.
Thank each participant for their investment and make sure each is equipped with information, photos and videos that they can share with their network (if appropriate for the security of your context, of course). Encourage them to do so.
Debrief with the Director of Short-term Teams, giving feedback on the team, team process, and sharing ways your community may want to continue working with the goer-group.
Connect
Continue momentum with the goer-group by giving them an opportunity to celebrate the impact they made through the short-term team and by inviting them to continue their involvement.
Similar to what you’ve done in the past, meaningful communication with leaders of the goer-group can keep the relationship on a path to partnership. Write to the goer-group and include photos and/or a video. Whether using a video or just an email, it’s best for the group to hear from your Catalyst.
And similar to past messages, a good pattern is to highlight something humorous from the time the group has been there, a success accomplished, an invitation to prayer and a word of thanks for the investment made.
One or more photos of the STT in your community could be included. If project funds were a part of the STT, mention how those have had an impact or will have an impact. Be clear about the results you are celebrating.
Encourage the goer-group leader to share the email or video with the broader fellowship/goer-group.
Assuming you’ve determined that you’d like this fellowship/goer-group to become more involved in your ministry, you or your Catalyst should ask the goer-group leader for a follow-up debrief call. This call should be with someone that has the greatest influence on future decision-making, but may also include the STT leader (unless there are reasons not to). The goal of such a call is to strengthen the relationship, identify helpful things learned for the future and invite the goer-group to next steps. Be prepared to:
Again highlight successes and things you are celebrating (even if mentioned in a previous communication)
Share a story of impact that hasn’t been shared yet
Point out key things on either side that could make it a better experience next time
Listen to the benefits received by the goer-group and their recommendations for future improvements
Highlight ministry priorities and possibilities that emerged regarding the goer-group’s potential future involvement
Identify next steps and action items from the call.
Remember, the Short-Term Teams Department will also be sending a customized email specific to your community as a welcome back message to your team members. In it, they will receive the opportunity to connect to your community newsletter, give to a specific project and view open roles your community team is seeking to fill.
Mobilize
Mobilizing in the post-community phase is about identifying those individuals who have the most potential for fruitfully impacting your ministry in the future.
During the team’s time with you, you made your own list of specific individuals that should be followed up more personally (i.e. potential short, mid or long-term individuals, pray-ers, givers, advocates, etc.). Review the list with your Catalyst and make sure the appropriate connections are made.
Some STT participants will take a next step by praying, giving or returning on another short-term team. Others will indicate a desire for ongoing involvement, and they’ll want to influence others to become involved. These are the potential advocates discussed in Section 3.
Advocates can be a big help to your work by influencing their own personal network!
Invite these people to play an ongoing role and brainstorm with them what that could look like. Could they help create a prayer initiative that would be implemented by their fellowship (and possibly others, also)? Could they invite their peers to a gathering that would cast vision for your ministry and feature a project need (and could include video or your Catalyst on Zoom)? Could they lead a STT or Virtual STT?
Determine what support will be needed for them to be successful and equip them with information they can share with their networks (for example, the video mentioned in the first bullet point of the “Connect” portion of Module 4 Section 3). And be sure to decide who on your team will follow up with them.
As you, your Catalyst and your community team dive deeper into partnership it’s likely you will have questions or may need help brainstorming healthy ways to connect goers with the long-term transformation happening in your community. Know that you can reach out to the Global Partnerships Department and get expert help in cultivating sustainable relational momentum between your partners and the community.
