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4-H Club Volunteer Resources

Strong 4-H Clubs Series

The Strong 4-H Clubs fact sheet series provide 4-H volunteers with current resources to support 4-H club work that enables positive youth development. There are eight topics designed to focus on a specific area of interest to the volunteer. This series is designed to stand alone, providing a quick and accessible resource on the topic; however, they could be used to supplement training.

Strong 4-H Club Topics for Volunteers

National 4-H Peer Reviewed Checkmark of Approval.

The Strong 4-H Clubs Series passed National 4-H Peer Review in February 2022.

Essential Elements of Youth Development

The information shared in each fact sheets provides specific guidance for volunteers who are leading 4-H clubs on one or more of the Essential Elements. These are considered necessary components of youth programs striving to create environments conducive to positive youth development. To dive deeper into the Essential Elements see the link provided in sources.

Belonging

  • Positive relationship with a caring adult
  • An inclusive environment
  • A safe environment

Independence

  • Opportunity to see oneself as an active participant in the future
  • Opportunity for self-determination

Mastery

  • Engagement in learning
  • Opportunity for mastery

Generosity

  • Opportunity to value and practice service for others

Professional Knowledge, Research and Competencies (PRKC)

The Strong Club publication series supports different components of the 4-H PRKC for volunteerism. To better understand the 4-H PRKC see the link provided in sources.

COMPONENT: Organizational Readiness - Climate for Volunteerism

  • Creates and supports a positive organizational environment for volunteerism
  • Develops and supports staffing structures that align and support meaningful roles for volunteers

COMPONENT: Volunteer Development – Volunteer Orientation

  • Develops and conducts initial orientation to the organization

COMPONENT: Volunteer Development – Volunteer Training

  • Provides educational opportunities for volunteers on youth development, organization’s operational policies and procedures, and current volunteer competencies.
  • Provides educational opportunities for volunteers on relevant subject matter and organizational leadership strategies. 

Learning Method: The learning method for the fact sheet series is direct instruction for the learner and dependent on the individual’s interest. Activities recommended within the topics can assist the volunteer in providing either experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, or life skill development opportunities with youths.

Implementation Guidance: Each Strong Club fact sheet includes a learning objective for the reader which serves as the purpose for the document. Because the series is designed to be a quick and accessible resource to volunteers it does not include the length of time, materials needed, or safety precautions.

Learning Styles: The fact sheets are intended for visual learning. However, within the topics most activities suggested for 4-H volunteers with youths provide an opportunity for visual, auditory and/or tactile learning.

Sources
  • Growing Together: 4-H Professional, Research, Knowledge and Competencies (2017). United States Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture 4-H National Headquarters. Retrieved from https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/4-H%20PRKC%202017%20Guide.pdf
  • Martz, J., Mincemoyer, C., & McNeely N.N., (2016). Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Programs: Curriculum and Training Guide, National 4-H Council. Retrieved from https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/wi4hstem/files/2015/02/full-training-curriculum-and-appendices.pdf
 

Other Resources

    • If your 4-H club completes a community service project, we would love for you to share your experience with us by completing this survey! This survey will help us gather information about the community service activity being conducted in West Virginia 4-H and help us better showcase the work you and your members do to make your local communities a better place. In addition, we will select community service projects submitted through this survey link to be showcased statewide throughout the 4-H year!

    • In order to complete this survey, you will need the following information:

  1. Name of 4-H Club
  2. County
  3. Name of Service Project
  4. Service Project Start & End Date
  5. Service Project Location
  6. Brief Service Project Description
  7. Brief Description of Individuals/Organization that Benefited from the Service Project
  8. Partnering Organization Names (if applicable)
  9. Total Number of 4-H Youth & Adult Participants
  10. Total Number of 4-H Youth & Adult Service Hours (10 members x 1 hour = 10 service hours)
  11. Overall Impact Statement (ex. 100 flags were distributed or 25 old flags were properly retired)
  12. Photo of Service Activity (if applicable)
Share Your Club's Community Service Project Story with Us Here!