|
Dear
Leader:
As you become more comfortable with the various
aspects of the 4-H program, you'll want to challenge yourself to take on
new leadership experiences and training. You have probably discovered that,
along with your members, you, too, are gaining new knowledge and skills.
There are many opportunities available for 4-H
leaders to learn more about the 4-H program or specific subject matter
area, to make new friends, and to develop additional skills. Your county
4-H newsletter will probably announce events as they occur, but you can ask
about upcoming opportunities.
Youth Leaders
A possible source of leadership help with your
club may be a youth leader. Older youths may provide leadership for a
project, an activity, or help with the organization of the club. Some teens
take on full responsibility for organization or project leadership. Club
leadership gives members an opportunity to help others and to grow and
develop skills and abilities through practice. In some areas, the term
"teen leader" is used for teens who take on formal club
leadership roles. The exact age for young people to take on club leadership
is flexible. Members who serve as leaders should have the respect of the
other club members. They need to be successful with their project work and
to be responsible, showing concern for the club and the other members.
All members should be encouraged to take on
leadership assignments from the beginning of their 4-H careers and to
increase responsibility as their skills develop. Through this process, most
members should be ready for formal leadership assignments in their teen
years.
Opportunities at the
County/Club Level
New
4-H Leader Orientation
You may have already attended an orientation or
new leader workshop conducted by your club leadership, youth staff and/or
experienced volunteer. If not, find out when the next meeting will be held.
Leader
Meetings
One of the best ways to stay up to date with the
4-H program, to learn new skills and to find out what other leaders are
doing is by attending county/multi-county leader meetings. Project leader
training may be general or for a specific project area in 4-H, such as
animal science, visual arts or horticulture.
County/Club
4-H Activities
Consider becoming a member of a planning
committee or a volunteer organizer of one of the many county or club level
4-H activities, such as fair superintendent or assistant, contest
coordinator, workshop presenter or director, camp counselor or day camp
coordinator. 4-H leaders are the key to a successful 4-H program. Leader
participation in county 4-H activities help the program be successful and
find they become more effective leaders while developing their own skills.
County/Club
4-H Activities
Each county has an Extension Council that
functions as an advisory group related to all county programming. Many
counties have an organized group which meets on a regular basis to discuss
the county's 4-H program, review 4-H activities, and plan 4-H programs and
events. Committees or leader groups supporting the 4-H program vary by
county. You can find out more about all aspects of the local 4-H program.
Attend your county's 4-H leaders meeting or talk with your county staff or
volunteer committee members.
Opportunities at the
Multi-County, Regional and State Levels
4-H
Volunteers Forum
4-H Volunteers Forum is usually held in the
Spring. At the Forum, you can learn about what others are doing to make
their 4-H program exciting and can participate in a number of workshops.
It's a great way to meet other 4-H volunteers.
North
Central Regional Volunteer Forum (NCRVF)
NCRVF brings volunteers from the 12 North
Central region states together each fall. Volunteers learn about new
projects, share ideas, develop leadership skills and have a great time.
Publications and Web
Pages
In addition to the various materials listed in
these letters, you'll find numerous publications and resources available
through your local University of Missouri Extension Center. 4-H at various
levels is now making large volumes of information available on the
Internet. Some of the resources you might want to check out include:
The Missouri
4-H Clover contains information and project listings for 4-H'ers and
families. It also has listings of leader's guides and other publications
for use by leaders and other volunteers.
Missouri
4-H Spirit contains an update on what is
happening in Missouri
4-H, ideas to assist with club leadership, and opportunities for 4-H
leaders and clubs. It is prepared by the state 4-H office and mailed
biannually.
The National 4-H Source Book lists gifts,
clothing, resource materials and award items with the 4-H emblem that can
be ordered from the National 4-H Council.
Leader's guides are offered with many of the 4-H
projects in which 4-H'ers may enroll. These guides provide guidance on
working with members and extra information to volunteers who are helping
youths in specific project areas. Look for the listing of these guides
along with the projects in the Missouri
4-H Clover.
New 4-H Web pages are being developed daily. The
Missouri 4-H website includes information especially for 4-H leaders, along with
resources for the public, members and staff.
University of Missouri Extension
homepage at http://extension.missouri.edu/ gives links to state and county
Extension programs.
The National 4-H Web page, maintained by the
USDA is http://www.4husa.org/ The official
site for, by, and about 4-H youth in the United States.
The National 4-H Council's web page is http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/ It has links to state pages as well as counties and clubs throughout
the nation.
Other Resources for 4-H
Leaders
Contact your local University of Missouri
Extension Center if you are interested in one of these resources:
Ages and Stages of 4-H Youth Development LG782
(PDF)
4-H Project Leader LG784 (PDF)
Learning by Doing LG783 (PDF)
4-H Project Leader Audiotape
4-H Project Leader CD-Rom
4-H Demonstrations LG744 (PDF)
Judging: A 4-H Teaching Technique LG730 (PDF)
Volunteers: The Foundation of Youth Development
Thanks
for volunteering!
We hope the information in these letters has
been helpful to you. We know it is a challenge to be a 4-H leader, and we also
know it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have —
helping young people develop into successful, caring and productive
citizens.
Welcome
to the role of volunteer 4-H leader!
Character Counts
Missouri 4-H
recognizes the importance of good character in everything that is done. 4-H
staff and volunteers, as well as 4-H members and their families, know that
a person of character:
· is a good person, someone to look up to and admire
· knows the difference between right and wrong and always tries to do
what is right
· sets a good example
· makes the world a better place
· lives according to the Six Pillars of Character —
Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
Adapted from Dodd,
M.A., Hoglum, L., and Robinson, M. (1998). Letters to New 4-H Leaders. Oregon State
University Cooperative Extension
Service, Corvallis, Ore.
|
