Groups in Elvanto are powerful tools designed to help you create, manage, and facilitate various types of gatherings within your church. These groups can range from small groups and hobby groups to ministry groups and leadership teams. Here's an in-depth look at how to effectively utilize groups within Elvanto.
What are Groups?
Groups consist of individuals who meet together for reasons other than a traditional service. Examples include:
- Home groups
- Small groups
- Leadership teams
Difference Between Groups, Departments, and Demographics
- Groups: Not about volunteering on services but about meeting regularly. Examples include small groups and home groups.
- Departments: Used for rostering volunteers. Examples include service teams.
- Demographics: Collect people together based on characteristics such as age but do not necessarily meet regularly.
Deciding to Create a Group
Ask yourself:
- Is this for rostering volunteers?
- Yes: It’s a department.
- No: Continue to step two.
- Does this group have a leader?
- Yes: It’s likely a group.
- No: It might be a demographic.
- Does this group meet regularly?
- Yes: It’s a group.
- No: It’s either a demographic or a People View.
Group Leadership
Each group can have assigned leaders and assistant leaders. Leaders can:
- Create group events
- View group activity
- Edit group information
- Submit attendance reports
Additional positions can be created in group categories, like a ‘Secretary’ for administrative groups. Leaders can be restricted to view only their groups, and category admins can oversee group leaders.
Group Reporting
Group reporting provides insights into the functioning of your groups. Attendance statistics are automatically required, and you can add more reporting fields as needed.
Group Categories
Group categories help in organizing similar groups. Features include:
- Sorting groups easily
- Notifying leaders and admins of new members and reports
- Reminding leaders to submit reports
Templates
Group categories can act as templates, ensuring consistency in reporting for similar groups without the need for manual setup each time.
My Groups
Enabling groups in the Member area allows group members to:
- See which groups they are part of
- View other group members and leaders
- Communicate directly with each other
By leveraging these features, you can efficiently manage and facilitate various groups within your church, enhancing communication, reporting, and overall group functionality.