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How-to guide

Church translation volunteer training guide

The strongest translation system is the one ordinary volunteers can run calmly. This guide gives churches a simple training path for the person who starts Voco on Sunday, checks the audio, shares the QR code, and keeps an eye on the session.

By the Voco teamUpdated June 2026

The volunteer is not the translator

This is the mindset shift. The volunteer running Voco does not need to speak Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin, or any other language. Their job is operational: clean audio, correct languages, visible QR code, and a calm response if something needs restarting.

The 10-minute training flow

  1. 1Show the attendee experienceHave the volunteer scan the QR code on their own phone so they understand what guests see.
  2. 2Select the audio inputTeach them how to choose the correct microphone or USB interface in the dashboard.
  3. 3Run a private testSpeak a few normal sentences and confirm the transcript appears cleanly.
  4. 4Start and stop a sessionPractise the exact Sunday buttons: go live, pause if needed, stop when finished.
  5. 5Use the support fallbackShow them where the docs and support email live so they do not feel stranded.

Sunday checklist

  • Laptop charged or plugged in
  • Correct audio input selected
  • Input level moving during speech
  • Languages selected
  • QR code visible before the sermon
  • One phone test completed from the attendee view
  • Session stopped at the end so usage tracking is clean

How many volunteers do we need?

For most churches, one trained AV or welcome volunteer is enough. Larger churches may want a primary operator and a floor helper who can assist visitors with scanning the QR code. The floor helper does not need dashboard access.

Frequently asked questions

Does the volunteer need to speak the translated language?

No. They only need to run the workflow and check that live text is appearing. They do not manually translate anything.

Can a non-technical church volunteer run live translation?

Yes. The workflow is designed to be simpler than livestream software: choose input, choose languages, show QR code, go live.

Should translation sit with the AV team or welcome team?

Usually AV owns the audio and dashboard, while welcome helps people scan the QR code. The best setup is shared but simple.

Related guides

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