DIRECTOR MANUAL

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 1Leadership StylesWhile in the business world, there are at least four styles of leadership addressed, in Adventurerministry there are two common styles - Organisation-focused and Family-focused.Organisation-Focused Leadership StyleThis style finds systems and procedures to be very important. Organisation is very important.Communications with parents are very clear and the information given is very complete. Thistype of leader is very aware of what is going on and manages all aspects of the Adventurer clubwith full awareness of details. Public displays are always sharp and precise.Children and parents always know where to be, when to be there, and how to behave in eachsituation. Precise schedules, exact behaviour expectations, and a formal experience areexpected. Fully scheduled programs, group-leader expectations, and evaluations of whetherexpectations have been met are all normal parts of this leadership style.Classwork level activities, awards, and other activities will all be charted, scheduled, and fullydeveloped. However, unless this type of leader is artistic or naturally creative, this type of leaderwill need help creating interactive and fun activities that aren’t simply pencil-to-paper.They will also need help creating meaningful relationships with parents and the Adventurerchildren. They might also need help realising that positive feelings and accomplishments areoften more important than having a final project look precisely correct.Family-Focused Leadership StyleThis leadership style has programs that are more organic. The leader will often check withparents and kids as to what needs they feel need to be met. Schedules can change, sometimesquickly if the leader feels it will benefit the families. This leader will tend to ask others to assistthem in different aspects of leadership, and trust those people to do their job well.Parents and children will always be the focus, but where to be and what is expected maysometimes be a question that is figured out at the moment rather than ahead of time. Programswill tend to be interactive and less bookish. Creativity will likely be more of a priority for this typeof leader, especially if the children have enjoyed previous creative programs or activities.Awards will be important since they offer so many different experiences. Classwork mayfeel overly organised, and may only happen regularly if this leader has assistants with moredominant organisational skills. This type of leader will need help with scheduling the year’scalendar, getting the program bulletins organised, keeping track of funds and fundraising andcommunicating expectations with parents.Most leaders are not entirely one type or the other, but rather are somewhere on a line betweenthe two, offering more of the strengths of one type, but also excelling at a few leadershipstrengths inherent to the other. All of us, as leaders, are uniquely fashioned.Adventurer Director Manual Page9

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 1In either style, a leader is going to create calendars and programs. The leader will call meetings,and organise fundraisers. The leader will need volunteers. The leader loves children. The leaderdesires to make a lasting impact on kids’ lives.However, the leadership styles will look different and may provide opportunities for assistantswho have different leadership strengths to assist the leader so that what (s)he isn’t good at, theycan provide for the club.Are there also leaders who tend to “wing it” and take each leadership task “as it comes”? Yesthere are, but those leaders often burn out quickly or their clubs don’t function successfully forvery long, so we are not going to focus on that leadership style.Spiritual Growth DevelopmentJames Fowler has identified seven stages in the development of faith; three of which are closelyassociated with and parallel cognitive and psychological development in childhood (two inAdventurers, one in Junior Pathfinders). For Adventurers, we are most interested in the stagesthat affect ministry to our ages 4 to 9 year old groups.0Primal or Undifferentiated Faith (ages 0 to 2)1Intuitive-Protective Faith (ages 3 to 5)2Mythic-Literal Faith (ages 6 to 11)3Synthetic-Conventional Faith (age 11 to Adolescence)4Individuative-Reflective Faith5Conjunctive Faith6Universalising FaithAdventurer Director Manual Page10

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALBusy Bee to Helping HandsLittle Lamb to Early BirdsSECTION 11Intuitive-Protective Faith (ages 3 to 5) Shared Experiences - kids love having a community to share their spiritual learningwith. Parental - parents are involved in the Adventurer experiences and provide a lot ofthe spiritual modelling. Love and Security - God is real because of the love and security supplied bycaregivers, such as parents and Adventurer leaders. Concrete Meaning - Truth about the Bible makes sense because of things they cantouch and Bible stories they can relate to. They are unable to think abstractly andare generally unable to see the world from anyone else’s perspective. Experienced Traditions - opening exercises that are always the same, theAdventurer Pledge and Law that are learned and repeated each session throughoutthe years of Adventurers are a part of this experienced tradition. God becomesmore real when things are predictable and they know what to expect from spiritualactivities. Faith is not a thought-out set of ideas, but instead a set of experiencedimpressions WITH parents and influencers.2Mythic-Literal Faith (ages 6 to 11) Compared - Children at this age are able to start to work out the difference betweenverified facts and things that might be more fantasy or speculation. Trust Circle - Source of religious authority starts to expand past parents and trustedadults to others in their community like teachers and friends. Religion as their Experience - Kids in this age group have a strong interest in religion.Later in this stage children begin to have the capacity to understand that others mighthave different beliefs than them. Duty - following God and his teaching is seen as a duty and honour. Concrete Meaning - By default, children in this age group see that prayer to God isimportant and expected. They believe that good behaviour is rewarded and badbehaviour is punished. If I am good to God, God will be good to me. Teaching thereality of God’s GRACE beginning at this stage will allow them to further deepen theirrelationship with Jesus as they enter stages 3 and 4. Experienced Traditions Symbol’s Meaning - Symbols of scripture are literal withoutadded meaning. Bible stories are powerful and real motivators.Adventurer Director Manual Page11

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 1The Philosophy of Learning: Bloom’s Revised TaxonomyEducators and Ministry leaders have been analysing how children learn for many years. One ofthe most popular ways to define how children (and adults) learn is with Bloom’s Taxonomy, usedfor many years, and revised for today’s modern learners.Blooms Taxonomy is incorporated in many of the Record books and award activities. Taketime to help your kids Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, and Create while theyare earning their pins and awards! Even though the youngest learners will spend most of theirtime learning in the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, it is important for all of our Adventurersto experience multiple levels of learning growth throughout their Adventurer experience. Thegoal is not to achieve all levels all the time, but instead to be aware of how your Adventurers canexplore and grow in their learning!Learning Process in 6 StepsRememberingRetrieve, recall, or recognise relevant knowledge from longer-term memory.Actions to achieve - Choose, Define, Memorise, Select, List, Name, Label, Identify, Locate, Recite,State, Recognise, Recall, Match, Identify, Show, Tell or Report.UnderstandingDemonstrate comprehension through one or more forms of explanation.Actions to achieve - Restate, Discuss, Rewrite, Give Examples, Express, Diagram, Rephrase,Illustrate, Explain, Defend, Distinguish, Summarise, Interrelate, Interpret or Diagram.ApplyingUse information or a skill in a new situation.Actions to achieve - Organise, Generalise, Dramatise, Prepare, Produce, Choose, Sketch, Apply,Solve, Draw, Show, Paint, Predict, Infer, Modify or Rearrange.AnalysingBreak material into its separate parts and determine how the parts relate to one another and/orto an overall structure or purpose.Actions to achieve - Compare, Analyse, Classify, Point Out, Distinguish, Categorise, Differentiate,Subdivide, Infer, Survey, Select or Prioritise.Adventurer Director Manual Page12

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 1EvaluatingMake judgments based on criteria and standards.Actions to achieve - Judge, Relate, Criticise, Support, Evaluate, Consider, Critique, Recommend,Test, Conclude, Convince, Appraise or Compare.CreatingPut elements together to form a new coherent or functional whole; reorganise elements into anew pattern or structure.Actions to achieve - Compose, Originate, Hypothesise, Develop, Integrate, Design, Combine,Construct, Produce, Plan, Create, Invent or Organise.Not all activities use all six levels of learning. However, if we can continue to encourage ourAdventurers, even the youngest ones to reach the upper three levels of learning as often aspossible, their experience in Adventurers will be deep, rich and memorable.FAMILY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIESWork together as family-caregiver teams toteach awards or requirementsfor a class of AdventurersMeet with other caregivers at a prearranged location orvia video conferencing to pray and study the bible.You have a lot in common!Trade names and promise to prayfor each other’s childrenShare babysitting responsibilities orcare for each others children when neededArrange or participate in play dates,Sabbath afternoon picnics andother intergenerational fellowship activitiesAdventurer Director Manual Page13

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 1Role of Families and CaregiversFamilies and/or involved caregivers are essential to the success of the Adventurer Club program.In fact, Adventurers encourages parents and guardians to volunteer to serve as club director,unit counsellors, instructors or in other support roles. Regardless of the volunteering level ofAdventurer’s caregivers, all are part of the Family Network.The Family Network is an intentional way for the Adventurer Club and the church family toprovide support and training on parenting topics to Adventurer caregivers. In the 21st century,caregivers may be a father and mother, a solo parent, a grandparent or set of grandparents,adoptive parents, foster parents, two-father, or two-mother caregivers.Regardless of what age or gender the caregivers are, each of them values their young personenough to trust the Adventurer ministry to provide spiritual training and family support. Animportant part of the Family Networking ministry is getting to know each individual involved inour Adventurer community!An important part of the Adventurer Club ministry is providing Adventurer caregivers in yourchurch, as well as your community, with a support network. The Family Network is an intentionalway for the Adventurer Club and the church family to provide support and training on familygrowth topics.Non-Discrimination PolicyIt is the policy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to admit children to all the rights, privileges,programs and activities made available by the church, regardless of race, gender, handicap, orreligion.Adventurer Director Manual Page14

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 2StandardsAdventurer Pledge and LawAdventurer PledgeBecause Jesus loves me,I can always do my best.Adventurer LawJesus can help me to: Be obedient Be pure Be true Be kind Be respectful Be attentive Be helpful Be cheerful Be thoughtful Be reverentAdventurer Director Manual Page15

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 2Adventurer SongThe Adventurer Song was first adopted in 2006, but has now been translated into hundreds oflanguages. The General Conference Youth Ministries website has a variety of formats Adventurers/Adventurer-Song).Adventurer Director Manual Page16

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 2Adventurer UniformAdventurer Director Manual Page17

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 2Adventurer UniformAdventurer Director Manual Page18

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 2Adventurer AwardsAwards are triangular patches (in Australia some are Diamond and Flower shaped) and areearned in addition to the pins awarded for completing class levels. Awards are fun ways forAdventurers to explore their world, learn skills and be creative.When the requirements are completed, the Adventurer receives a patch that is proudly wornon his or her sash. Each class level requires the child to earn a number of Awards. There areadditional award options available.Each award is developmentally appropriate for children in that specific age group. AdventurerAward requirements are printed in the class level guides. Please refer to the Award tab on theAdventurers website. https://adventurer.org.au/Adventurer Director Manual Page19

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 3Planning the YearStarting an Adventurer ClubWhere do you begin? Pray! Pray that God will lead your church and its leaders to find value in having an Adventurerclub. Talk to your pastor and church board. You may wish to bring along interested caregiverswho have kids in the Adventurer age group for support and to show your pastor and boardthat Adventurers is desired by your community! Each club needs to be sponsored by a localchurch! Usually, starting a club starts with a simple vote by the church board. Formally elect Adventurer leadership. The board will usually elect a Club Director and alsousually an Associate / Deputy Director. In unusual cases, the church board or a nominatingcommittee will create an entire staff. Inform your local Conference. Let your local Conference know about the new club and newleadership, so that your local club can be notified of resources, supports, and activitiesprovided by conference level leadership. Often they will ask for your contact information andalso alert you of calendar events coming up for your young people. They may also have anarea coordinator or other leader who can mentor you in your new role. Form an Adventurer Executive Committee. If you are in a large church, an Adventurer Clubexecutive committee may be helpful. Included in this group might be the Adventurer Clubleadership, a pastor, kindergarten and primary Sabbath school leaders and church schoolteacher(s) of Adventurer-age children and Adventurer parent(s). The Adventurer Team Leaderis chairperson. This group sets major policies for the Club Director, goals and objectives,and coordinates the club calendar with the church calendar. This committee may alsogive direction on the selection of additional staff. In other churches, a children’s ministriescommittee may function for this role. Get the support of caregivers. Every club needs children. Every child has caregivers. If youcan get them excited about the club, and ask them to be meaningfully involved, you notonly have volunteer club staff, but also children for the Adventurer club! Since Adventurersis a family-based ministry, involving caregivers with their children isn’t a suggestion, it is arequirement! Call an organisational meeting. Invite anyone interested in learning more about Adventurersto join you for an informational meeting. Directly invite leaders who are especially influential,since they will likely bring others and also cheer on your efforts. Personally invite caregivers.Adventurer Director Manual Page20

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 3Don’t limit yourself to those caregivers whose children who attend Sabbath school andchurch. Also invite area kids and their caregivers to join you during this meeting. Many of ourstrongest clubs are formed with many children who live near the church but who were notpart of the church fellowship when they joined the club! During the informational meeting,explain the goals of Adventurer meetings. Ask for volunteers to help. If possible, find timesand dates that the majority of interested people could attend! Inform the Congregation. Make sure your home congregation knows of their new Adventurerministry. Don’t forget to continue to let them know of events and successes of theAdventurers in the coming month! Recruit Staff. First, ask several of the caregivers of the children whom you anticipateattending the club to help you lead the club. Most staff in Adventurer ministry are caregivers.Second, ask your group of friends to assist you in your ministry. Ministry is more fun withfriends. Chances are you will be spending extra time together -- so new friendships are verypossible! Many will be leading in club ministry for the first time, and will leave when their childgraduates to Pathfinders. This means your staff turn-over each year might feel high, but youare encouraging and training leaders both for your club ministry AND Pathfinders! Participate in Adventurer Staff Ministry Training. Many conferences offer annual stafftraining. Other Adventurer ministries will travel to your church and help your local staff groupget trained. Call, email, or text your local conference youth director or children’s ministriesdirector to see what training options are available to you! Keep praying!Running an Existing Adventurer ClubAdvantages Uniforms and other supplies are likely already purchased. Children and their families already are committed and expect certain things from theAdventurer program. The church board / leadership has already shown support (maybe even financial support) forAdventurer club ministry.Disadvantages Former leadership styles or bad habits may cause stress for a new Club Director and her/hisnew team. Expectations from the community may be unwritten and thus not easy for the new leader tofigure out nor implement. There may be dysfunctional elements in staff, children or other relationships that are hardto manage. Regardless, God will give you the strength to figure it out and succeed if youcontinually ask for His guidance. He has called you to this specific work for “such a time asthis”.Adventurer Director Manual Page 21

AdventurerDIRECTOR MANUALSECTION 3Suggestions Pray! Interview current staff and Adventurer family units. Ask them what they have enjoyed most,found most challenging and the role they have played in the club. Don’t make promises until you have the big picture and have developed a big

Adventurer Pledge and Law Adventurer Song Adventurer Uniform Adventurer Awards SECTION 3 20 Planning the Year Starting an Adventurer Club Running an Existing Adventurer Club . Adventurer families can acquire