Departments Overview

Departments enable streamlined rostering, ensuring each volunteer's role aligns with the church's ministry needs. Additionally, implementing a 'Reports To' contact for each department enhances accountability by monitoring roster participation. Embrace the flexibility of creating special departments for unique events, distinguishing them from regular service planning. Unlike groups, which focus on communal interaction, departments are crucial for organizing and deploying volunteers efficiently in service activities. Perfect for churches seeking an organized, effective volunteer engagement strategy.

Why Have Departments?

Departments organize your volunteers in Elvanto, forming the main ministry divisions (e.g., Children’s Ministry, Worship Ministry) in your church. They are essential for rostering volunteers for your services.

What’s in a Department?

Departments are made up of sub-departments and positions. For example:

• Department: Creative Ministries
  • Sub-department: Band
    • Positions: Guitar, Keyboards, Bass, Drums

You can create as many departments and positions as you need to suit your church's requirements.

Setting Up Departments

1. Navigate to Settings:
   • Login to your Elvanto Admin account.
   • Go to Settings > Departments.
2. Add a New Department:
   • Click the ‘Add Department’ button.
   • Enter the department name.
3. Add Sub-departments and Positions:
   • Click the “Add Sub-department” button to create a sub-department (e.g., Instruments).
   • Click the “Add Position” button to create positions within each sub-department (e.g., Worship Leader, Backing Vocals).

Keeping Your Departments Accountable

Appoint a ‘Reports To’ person for each sub-department or position to receive emails whenever someone declines a rostered position. This helps in monitoring roster participation and ensures accountability.

Special Departments

Special departments are created for unique events that do not occur regularly, such as a Christmas service. These can be hidden from regular service types for the rest of the year. For example:

• Department: Christmas Creative Ministries
  • Sub-department: Nativity Team
    • Positions: Nativity Actors, Snow Crew

Groups vs. Departments

• Departments: Used to roster people to volunteering positions for services.
• Groups: Designed to track and report on groups of people (that may or may not meet regularly).

By setting up and managing departments effectively, you can ensure organized and efficient volunteer engagement in your church's service activities.

Here is an example of how a department is laid out:

• Department: Music Team
  • Sub-department: Vocals
    • Position: Worship Leader
    • Position: Backing Vocals
  • Sub-department: Production
    • Position: Sound Technician
    • Position: Lighting Technician