This document provides an overview and rationale for HisKidz Ministry, a children's ministry for those with special needs at Venture Christian Church. It discusses the biblical call to minister to all people and ensure all feel accepted in the church community. It then describes the buddy system used, where volunteers provide one-on-one support to children in typical and self-contained classrooms. The role of buddies involves assisting with physical needs, social skills, communication, behavior management, and ensuring children's safety and participation. Ideal buddy candidates are patient, flexible and able to learn about each child's specific needs. The document concludes with directions for completing a required background check to volunteer.

1. HisKidz Ministry
Training
Module 1
Why a Ministry to Children with Special Needs?

2. We are called to make Disciples
 Matthew 28:19-20
 “Go therefore and make disciples of all people”
Exodus 4:10-15
-“Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, Lord, I am not
eloquent… I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
…and [God] said, “Is there not Aaron, your
brother?… I know that he can speak well… I will be
with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach
you both what to do.”
2 Corinthians 13:11
“Finally brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for
restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind,
live in peace. And the God of love and peace be with
you.”
We are called to be in community and to help one another

3. Why does the church need to respond to families that have
children with special needs? First, 20% of the US
population is reported to have some kind of disability.

4. Second, sharing the news that Jesus loves
them with children whether typical or with a
special need is God’s desire.
 We start with the premise that all human beings are created in
the image of God and are designed to be in relationship with
Him. Because relationship with God is a matter of faith,
children with special needs should have an equal ability to
know Christ as savior and to express their faith in the church
community of their choice.
 A child whether typical or with special needs has the same
value and worth to God.
 Each person is therefore created for a special purpose within
the body and is important to the “family” of the God and his
community.

5. When we respond in an inclusive way to a
family with a special needs child our
response is communicating that “your child
matters and your child is accepted” to the
family of that child.
 The way the church family
responds to accommodation
requests greatly influences
how the family perceives the
church’s support.
 Ministry leaders and
volunteers alike should care
about a family’s connection
inside our church family and
ultimately with Jesus Christ.

6. Do we have children with special needs at
Venture Christian Church?
 Yes, we do. We have children with special
needs in our pre-school classrooms,
elementary classes, in our 678 Junior High
Ministry and in our High school ministry. In
fact it is estimated that 20% of the US
populace has a disability of some kind or
another, so the person sitting next to you
could have a special need without you noticing
any sign of it.
 Special needs issues are affecting churches of
every size. Congregations with a regular
attendance of 80 and 8000 are both impacted
as children with neurological and physical
disabilities seek inclusion. At Venture we have
children with varying needs which include
ADHD, Down Syndrome, Fragile bone, and
children on the Autism Spectrum.

7. HisKidz Ministry offers both a buddy system
& a self-contained special needs classroom
At Venture we provide the buddy system in the Children’s Ministry classroom
setting as well as in the self-contained special needs setting. By offering both
options, students are able to participate in the environment best suited for their
abilities and needs. For some children the accommodation plan may change from
week to week depending upon many factors such as a new medication regimen,
home life changes, or even how well the child’s day is going prior to arrival at
church.

8. What is a Buddy?
 A buddy is a one-on-one assistant who provides friendship to a child with a disability.
 A buddy also provides safety and support to the classroom teacher and other students.
 A buddy can assist a child with special needs inside a “regular” children’s ministry
setting among typical peers.
 A buddy can also provide assistance to a child in a self contained special needs setting.

9. Safety
Each buddy is aware of the safety needs of the child they serve.
• This could be as simple as helping use a pair of scissors
correctly.
• This could be as important as removing your friend from the
room during a melt-down.
• This certainly includes preventing “elopement,” wandering,
getting lost, etc.

10. Role of a Buddy
 A buddy provides a child with
special needs physical assistance
and encourages proper social
interaction.
 Mobility
 Game Playing, learning activities,
and craft making

11. Role of a Buddy and Child participation
A Buddy will encourage proper social interaction by:
• Helping a child with crafts, learning activities, and games
• Help a child stay focused during listening times, know when to
ask questions, etc.

12. The Role of a Buddy to Help Communicate
A Buddy will:
• Voice what a child is trying
to communicate in order
to meet his or her needs.:
• Clarify at times a child’s
needs by using icons or
iPads with special
applications.
• Share and adapt Bible
lessons for a child to better
understand.
• Support a child in and
through transitions.
• comfort to the child when
needed.

13. The Role of a Buddy and
Behavior Management
When a child exhibits poor
behavior, it is not usually
because they are choosing to
be disobedient, but more
often it is a way to try to
communicate frustration or
and or the ability to share
their feelings in a way that we
can easily understand.
A Buddy will help with
behavior management when:
• There is a need to help
calm a child by utilizing
specific behavior
management techniques
• Parents, teachers, and
leaders will help you
understand your friend’s
needs.

14. The Buddy responses to “ Behavior Hiccups”
A buddy must be prepared for some behavior “hiccups
in large group environments. Settings that are viewed
as fun and high energy settings may be the very things
that provide sensory overload to the student. A buddy
will need to observe the child and recognize when the
child is exhibiting anxiety or stress.
For example if a child is sensitive to loud music or high
levels of activity, It may be necessary to walk a student
to the structured special needs classroom for a calming
space until the worship time is completed and then
take the child back to the larger group for the teaching
time. It may be possible to help the child expand the
ability to stay and hear the worship music over time.

15. Buddy is NOT
 A teacher’s
assistant
 Responsible for
other students
 The buddy makes
sure the child they
are working with is
discipled, not
entertained

16. Qualities of a Buddy
• Learn friend’s needs,
behavior management tools,
family dynamics, etc.
• A great observer of the child
that he/she serves and
becomes familiar with that
child’s unique needs, such as
a sensitivity to bright lights,
loud noises or the inability
of the child to self-calm.
Teachable Flexible
•Able to adapt
•Able to explain concepts and
lessons for their friend
•Recognizes when the child
needs a break and time to
“chill out” and recharge. This
can be because the child has
certain sensory needs like
physical activity, exertion, or
the need to change an
environment because of over
stimulation.

17. Qualities of a Buddy
• Buddies are aware that the
medical and personal
information of the child
they serve is private
information and they do not
have the freedom to share
with anyone other than
ministry leaders or the
parents of the child.
Confidential Eyes of Faith
Look at what the student
for what he/she can do, not
what he/she cannot do.
Look at how God is working
and teaching and to
encourage that child to
participate to the best of
the child’s ability

18. Who Should be a Buddy?
Each child needs two buddies
so that the child can have
familiarity with the buddy and
the buddies can rotate weeks
they serve or fill in when one
of them is sick. If you…
• Clear background check
• Playful spirit around kids
• Patient
• Willing to serve
• Flexible (ideally serving
twice a month)
Then you should be a buddy!

19. HisKidz Ministry Team Application for
Background Checks
All volunteers working with children must complete a background check This procedure does request you
to give your social security number, but it is totally confidential…no one at the church has access to this
information.
Below are directions on how an applicant will can access the Venture website start the background check
process.
 Log on to the Venture Website at www.venturechristian.org
 Ministries
 Children
 Volunteer Application
 Special Needs Ministry
 Special Needs Ministry Volunteer (right side of page)
 Apply For Position
Finally, each applicant will then click on next and it brings them to the signage page where each applicant
must click to agree with all terms and allow us to process a background check. Once the applicant has
completed the process then Deb Omori will receive an email that tells her that someone has completed
the background check process and she will affirm that they are an approved security team candidate and
will finalize the submission. You will be notified by Deb or one of her team if there are any irregularities in
the background check or if you are approved to start work.