4-H reaches hundreds of thousands of youth throughout the United States.  By having a general understanding of the 4-H program, volunteers and members can improve their knowledge to make the best better.  At the National 4-H Headquarters community,  you can learn about the history of 4-H.  Additional sites to review:

• 4-H Lore
• Transforming Youth (ppt)
  
• "Does participation in a 4-H Club make a difference in a young person's life? YES!" 

Young people are engaged in 4-H programs and activities across the country and around the world and are supported in these efforts by paid and volunteer staff.  Have you ever wondered why so much effort is put onto planning programs and activities for young people?  Do you know why 4-H is important for young people?  do you struggle to explain what 4-H is to your friends, family and neighbors?  if you answer yes to any of these questions, check out the following information on the Essential Elements of 4-H!  Volunteers will find the 4-H Essential Element Program Planning Tool easy to use and jam-packed with good ideas to make them more effective as leaders.  You can also check out this document from Montana State or this resource from Iowa State to learn more about vibrant youth groups and the essential elements.

Young people involved in the 4-H program learn important skills that they will be able to use in their communities, in future jobs, or when they continue their education.  You can learn more about the life skills youth are learning in the 4-H program by reviewing these resources:

• New Hampshire life Skills Webpage
• Targeting Life Skills Model
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series

There are organizations similar to the 4-H Youth Development program which can be a beneficial resource for clubs and county programs. The National Youth Development Information Center along with the Corporation for National and Community Service provide information about how to keep youth active in community service and to help them develop into young adults.  The website for the American Distance Education Consortium provides a search engine to answer general extension questions.

In order to properly help youth as they become young adults, it is necessary to understand the various ages and stages of their development.  Here are a few activities that have been developed for youth of different ages and stages.  By learning how to work with young people, you can optimize their full potential.  To learn more, check out the following:

• Michigan 4-H Ages and Stages
• Ohio 4-H Fact Sheet
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series

As young people become young adults, their involvement in society is constantly increasing.  Through taking part in community, state and national governmental decisions and activities, young adults learn how to become vital citizens.  Visit the Youth in Governance community on 4-H.org.

As youth grow older and technology increases there continues to be issues that can be potential set-backs for members.  The Michigan State University Extension website addresses several issues and provides information on how to better educate young people.

All questions about tax information for duly authorized 4-H clubs and affiliated 4-H organizations should be directed to the respective state 4-H office.

Tax Related Fact Sheets and Materials:

1. IRS 4-H Livestock Sale FAQs
2. Livestock Sales, Auctions and Similar Events
3. Fundraising: Private Support for the 4-H Program
4. Raffles, Lotteries, Gaming and 4-H
5. 4-H Fundraising, Sponsorships and Promotions
6. Contests and Awards

For access to detailed information on any of these subjects, visit 4-H National Headquarters.

Children can begin 4-H at a very young age by joining the Cloverbud program.  Because they are younger, it is important to find activities that are better suited to their age and skills.  All youth are encouraged to become active 4-H members and one of the best ways to start is by becoming a cloverbud.  Additional resources can be found at:

• Planning Field Trips
• Cloverbuds
• Illinois 4-H Cloverbud Resources for Volunteers
• Transitioning 4-H Cloverbuds to the 4-H Community Club Program 

Members have a critical role in the leadership of the 4-H club.  The President, Secretary, and Treasurer are generally responsible for running the meetings and ceremonies.  Additional Resources can be found at:

• 4-H Club Officers and Committees 
• About 4-H Ceremonies
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series
• Selecting 4-H Club Officers
• 4-H Officer Installation Ceremonies
• Installation Ceremony 1
• Installation Ceremony 2
• Installation Ceremony 3
• Installation Ceremony 4
• Installation Ceremony 5
• Installation Ceremony 6

As the 4-H motto states, we are all striving to make the best better.  One way to do this is through Community Service.  There are many organizations that provide opportunities for clubs to help their communities.  Community service offers several benefits to youth beyond plaques and trophies.  Youth can have a significant impact on the community and it is important to encourage community service.  Additional resources can be found at:

• Points of Light
• Volunteer Match
• Network for Good
• 10 Steps toward Performing a Successful Community Service Learning Project

Youth from many backgrounds, capabilities and disabilities are involved in 4-H.  With the understanding of each youth, volunteers can help to make the 4-H program a positive activity for all who wish to participate.  Click here to learn how to involve youth with disabilities.  Additional resources can be found at:

• Youth with Special Needs
• 4-H for Youth with Special Needs

Are you a new advisor?  Are you unsure of how a club should be managed?  Are you looking to improve your meetings?  Take a look at some of these websites to learn more about working with committees and officers.  Having trouble getting your parents involved with your club?  Additional resources can be found at:

• Points to Look for in a Good Meeting
• 4-H Volunteers
• 4-H Project Areas
• Club/Group Support
• Educational Materials (Ohio Volunteer Conference)
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series 

While 4-H is inexpensive for youth, sometimes extra funds are needed to give financial support to your members for camps, projects, booths and other activities that may arise.  There are several fundraising activities and strategies that have been developed to make fundraising easier for you and for your club.

The first step in becoming a volunteer is to find your local Cooperative Extension Systems Office. When becoming a volunteer, it is important to know several 4-H basics, club set-up and activities necessary to become a successful volunteer.  Additional resources can be found at:

• Internet Websites for Volunteers and Volunteer Managers
• 4-H Volunteer Leader Training Presentations 

4-H club members and advisors begin planning activities and meetings for their club well before the 4-H year begins.  While it is not mandatory to complete program planning in this manner, it certainly helps create a more organized and encouraging environment for your members and parents/guardians.  Through program planning, clubs can provide responsibilities for each of their members and plan for parent/guardian involvement.  Additional resources can be found at:

• 4-H Program Planning
• Planning Your Year Ahead
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series 

In addition to program planning, each meeting should be well planned, educational, and more importantly, fun for your members.  Your recreation leader would be a good person to have planned activities for your club meetings.  You, as a club leader, can be the difference between a positive and negative experience at the club level.  Take a look at some of these activities to see if any improvements can be made.  Additional resources can be found at:

• Awareness Activities
• Funtivities
• 4-H Monthly Program Guides
• Positive Youth Development
• Get Up & Move!
• Kansas Resource Library
• Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Series 

One of the more important roles as a volunteer is to know how to address specific situations that arise during 4-H programs and activities.  These can range from alleged child abuse situations to behavior issues to uninterested youth.  Many volunteers work with county or junior fair programs and this resource may be beneficial to you:  Controversial Issues at Your County Fair.  Volunteers are strongly encouraged to contact their county Extension office for additional resources related to the above issues. Nebraska's 4-H Volunteer Series has a lot of great information including activity sheets and plans for addressing issues.

¿Habla español?  Well, visit these sites to learn information about 4-H volunteerism.  The number of sites devoted to Spanish speaking volunteers is growing!  Here are some very helpful resources for Spanish-speaking volunteers:

• 4-H Volunteer Training Materials in English and Spanish with information about 4-H, volunteering, how to start a 4-H club and understanding youth.
• Recruiting and Supporting Latino Volunteers (Oregon State University) is in English but has useful information for recruiting and supporting Latino/a volunteers.
• Multicultural Awareness Activities provides strategies, icebreakers and activities to explore multicultural awareness in a variety of group settings.
• National 4-H Headquarters on the USDA website has numerous materials and curricula that have been translated into Spanish.

4-H is a constantly growing organization, and it is because of the recruitment of volunteers that it continues to do so.  Volunteer recruitment does not just happen as there is considerable planning that must take place.  You might consider reviewing resources provided by Washington State University Extension as you plan for volunteer recruitment.

After volunteers are recruited, they need to be selected using an appropriate process in order to ensure the safety of our youth.  Here are some sample processes and forms that you might refer to:

• Michigan 4-H
• Ohio 4-H

 Once your volunteers are selected, they should participate in an initial orientation and ongoing training on how to effectively utilize their skills and abilities.  The resources listed below are very informational regarding volunteer training.

• Maryland Volunteer Training: 
  • Unit 1
  • Unit 2
  • Unit 3
• Non-Formal Teaching Methods
• New Jersey 4-H Leader Training Series
• A Toolkit for Volunteer Leaders

Volunteers play a vital role in the ongoing growth and development of the 4-H Youth Development program.  It is important to recognize their achievements and participation in 4-H.  Praise and credit help to boost the confidence of people and can be the key to a successful program.  Search through these websites to find ideas for your own program:

• Certificates and Leader Recognition Certificates
• Volunteer Recognition
• Volunteer Award Forms - Samples
• Ode to Volunteers 

In order for volunteers to continue being successful, there should be an evaluation process in place that regularly identifies their strengths and areas in which they might work to improve.  There are many ways to evaluate your volunteers and several helpful hints that can be found on the Washington State University website.

Risk Management is important to keep in mind to reduce the risk associated with having an unsafe environment.  It is also important to keep in mind other risks (specific to WSU Extension, but a useful resource for all) that may occur.

Illinois 4-H Youth Development has some outstanding resources focusing on risk management related to youth programming and Ohio State University Extension has some valuable resources that target broad Extension programming efforts.