City Restoration Development

Today, management within many maintenance organizations view their workforce as “resources” that provide the hands necessary to perform a function or to complete a task. In most instances, the use of these workers as resources has been well planned in order to obtain the maximum results, while little consideration has been given to the needs of the whole person. This perception of workers has only increased the division between management and staff (salary and hourly) personnel. It also tends to place less thought or consideration on the motivation of the workers.

Development of workers must be considered and emphasized from the moment of initial employment. Attention must be placed on those areas that will prepare and motivate the worker to excel. This may include a better application of the skills and talents possessed by the individual or the assignment of additional responsibilities based on the individual’s technical skills. Assigning tasks of lesser capabilities and little, if any, responsibility will soon lead to poor quality of workmanship and job dissatisfaction.
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I find that youth workers go through three phases of development. These phases are described below. Try and determine which phase you’re in.

Self Focused
In the first phase of youth ministry many youth workers are concerned with being liked. We want the students to see us as cool and someone who can relate to them. This thinking leads us to do things to get students attention, things that we should not do. This thinking doesn’t come from us; it comes from parents, pastors, and church leaders. How many times have you heard a church leader say, “the students really like him”, or “the students just don’t connect with her”? At their core most pastors just want students to like the youth worker. It’s sad but oh so true. If you are in this phase don’t worry. I was in this phase for a couple of years. Realize being like is not the goal, and move towards becoming more of a mentor for students. Most youth workers go through this phase, but the desire to leave this phase is key.
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Years ago, young people went to school, earned their high school diploma or college degree, and then went to work. After high school or college graduation, most adults never again set foot in a classroom. They worked their way up the corporate or blue-collar ladder for forty years and then retired. The skills they needed to learn they got on the job.
No longer! Today, there are more adults than traditional students enrolled in higher education. Even people approaching retirement age are taking adult education courses, earning degrees online, or brushing up on skills at technical centers. Businesspeople can be found earning their MBAs, nurses are adding to their skill set, and IT specialists are flocking to technical schools to earn higher certifications.
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Keep your employees happy and your program running smoothly with these eight ideas for supervising youth workers.
Youth workers rely on their supervisors for support, structure, information, and guidance. How can you be sure you are providing your team with what they need to be successful?

Set Clear and Fair Expectations
Make sure people understand the expectations and limitations of their roles. This will avoid a lot of confusion and wasted time. Don’t play favorites; that’s the quickest way to cause resentful feelings and dissention in your staff. All workers must be held to the same set of standards.
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Telecommuting is an effective way for people with the entrepreneurial spirit to test the waters before they launch out and become a full-time at home worker.

In 2004, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 20 million American adults, people aged 16 years and older, worked at home “as part of their primary job.” These people worked at home at least one day a week as part of their primary job. In 2004, they made up about 15% of all workers employed in nonagricultural jobs.
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