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Opportunities for 4-H Leaders
Key ideas
- Leader opportunities at the county, state, regional, and national levels
- Youth as resources
- Other resources for 4-H leaders
As you feel comfortable with one aspect of the program, you'll want to challenge yourself to take on new leadership experiences. You've probably discovered that, along with your members, you, too, are gaining new knowledge.
Many opportunities are available for 4-H leaders to learn more about the 4-H program, make new friends, and develop additional skills. Your county 4-H newsletter announces and describes these activities as they occur.
Opportunities at the County Level
New 4-H leader workshops/meetings. You already may have attended a new 4-H leader work-shop/ meeting with your county staff, community coordinator, or other volunteer. If not, find out from your county Extension office when the next meeting will be held. Project leader meetings. One of the best ways to become familiar with the 4-H program and to find out what other leaders are doing with their clubs is to attend 4-H leader meetings in your county. Some counties have project leader meetings (e.g., livestock leaders, home economics leaders, horse leaders, small-animal leaders, expressive arts leaders, etc.). Not only will you find these meetings helpful and informative, but other leaders will appreciate your ideas and assistance.
County 4-H activities. Consider becoming a member of a planning committee or a volunteer organizer of one of the many county 4-H activities, such as: fair superintendent or assistant, judge’s clerk, contest coordinator, fundraising committee, workshop director, or summer camp staff.
4-H leaders are the key to a successful 4-H program. Leaders who take an active part in county 4-H activities not only help the program succeed, but find they become more effective leaders while developing their own skills.
County 4-H leaders advisory committee. Many counties have an organized group of leaders who meet on a regular basis to discuss the county 4-H program, review 4-H activities, conduct 4-H program fundraising, and provide program advice to the county staff. This group may be called the "County 4-H Leaders Advisory Committee," the "County 4-H Leaders Council," or the "County 4-H Leaders Association."
Scholarship assistance. Some counties have limited scholarship assistance available for leaders who apply for area, state, regional, or national workshops. Information is available at your county Extension office.
Opportunities at the State Level
State 4-H Leaders Forum. There are a number of statewide 4-H activities in which volunteer leaders may become involved. One of these is the State 4-H Leaders Forum. This is an educational activity held annually for adult leaders and older youth involved in leadership positions. The Forum features workshops that focus on general leadership skill development and specific 4-H project areas.
State development committees. The state 4-H staff works through development committees in many project areas. These advisory committees assist the staff with project curriculum development and activity planning. The membership on these committees is usually composed of county Extension staff, volunteer leaders, and older 4-H members. After you’ve been a leader long enough to become familiar with the program, you might be interested in serving on one of these committees. Talk with your county Extension staff about involvement on statewide committees.
State 4-H Advisory Board. This group meets twice a year to give advice to the state 4-H staff on policy issues, review recommendations made by state development committees, and provide guidance for program direction. Each county is represented on the State 4-H Leaders Association by a volunteer 4-H leader from that county’s district. Membership on this council rotates among the counties in each district, so your current representative may or may not be from your county. This representative will report to your 4-H leaders advisory committee and 4-H staff after each meeting.
State Fair. State Fair offers many opportunities for volunteer 4-H leader involvement. Volunteering as a judge’s clerk is an excellent way to find out what judges are looking for in 4-H exhibits. Hosts and hostesses serve for a few hours in the 4-H exhibit building, greeting the public and answering questions about 4-H. Volunteer show chairs and vice-chairs (superintendents) plan, organize, and conduct many of the shows and activities that take place during State Fair. Talk to your county Extension staff about how to get involved in these opportunities.
Judges’ workshops. The state 4-H staff coordinates judges’ training seminars, which are also good workshops for resource leader training. These usually are open to all volunteer leaders. County Extension offices receive announcements about upcoming judges’ workshops.
Opportunities at the Regional and National Level
Western Region 4-H Leaders Forum. Every year a Western Region 4-H Leaders Forum is held in one of the 13 Western states in our region, usually in February or March. The program features three days of informative seminars and meetings, tours, and meals, and an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other 4-H leaders from the West.
National 4-H Center. The National 4-H Center near Washington, DC is available for 4-H leaders to stay with their families while visiting the nation’s capital. Reservations must be made in advance. Check with your local Extension staff for more information.
Youth As Resources
Intermediate and senior 4-H members. A possible source of leadership help with your club might be an older 4-H member. An older 4-H member, experienced in the same project area, could be a valuable asset in acquainting you with the total 4-H program and could provide excellent assistance in teaching your club members. Sometimes it works very well for a club with a wide range of ages and skill levels to have an experienced older member work with the younger members. This arrangement also provides an excellent opportunity for older 4-H members to develop their leadership skills. Ask your county Extension staff for ideas about involvement of older 4-H members in leadership roles.
Other Resources for 4-H Leaders
As you can tell from this series of publications, the best resource persons for a new leader are your county’s 4-H staff and other volunteer leaders. Don’t hesitate to contact them for ideas, information, and assistance. In addition, the state 4-H staff is available for assistance. They can be contacted through your county Extension staff.
Master volunteers. Other agents in your county and trained Extension volunteers (such as Master Gardeners and Master Food Preservers) are useful resources for information for your 4-H club.
Audiovisual library. Your county Extension office has a catalog of audiovisual aids that you can borrow from the state 4-H office. These include teaching kits, slide sets with tapes, and videotapes covering different project areas, general leadership, and citizenship. These should be requested 3 to 4 weeks in advance from your county Extension office.
Publications. In addition to the publications already listed in this series, there is a multitude of resource publications at your county Extension office. Also available is the National 4-H Supply Catalog. Ask your county Extension staff about these.
Thanks for Volunteering
We hope that the information in this series has been helpful to you. We know it’s a challenge to be a 4-H leader, and we also know it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll have—helping young people develop into successful, caring, and productive citizens. Welcome to the role of volunteer 4-H leader!
Action Steps
- Talk with county Extension staff about guidelines for involvement of youth as a resource in your 4-H club.
- Learn more about audiovisuals available for use with your 4-H club.
- Become involved in one or more opportunities for 4-H leaders at the county, state, or regional levels.
Reference Materials
(Copies are available at your county Extension office).
- State 4-H Fair Premium books
- 4-H Forum information
- Audiovisual catalog
Contacting Your County Extension Office
http://4h.wsu.edu/staffdir/counties.html
This is part six of a six-part series. This series is a cooperative project between Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho.
Revised by Mary Lee Wood, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, University of Idaho, based on original material prepared by Mary Alice Dodd, 4-H Volunteer Leader, Linn County; Lyla Houglum, former Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development; and Michelle Robinson, former Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, Oregon State University. Original development of this material was funded by R.J.R. Nabisco, Inc. through the National 4-H Council Salute to Excellence Program.
This publication may be photocopied or reprinted in its entirety for noncommercial purposes.
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