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VOLUNTEERS: Start a 4-H Club!What Is a 4-H Club? A 4-H club is a place where young people and adults come together to do things that help them:
A 4-H Club Would Have:
Individual county programs might have different or additional criteria for starting a 4-H club, but these minimal guidelines should provide the foundation for your new club. Are There Dues? 4-H youth participants pay an annual $10 fee when they enroll each year in 4-H. $5 of this fee goes to the State 4-H Office and $5 stays in the local county. Both the state and county portions are used to support new and/or updated 4-H youth programming. Individual clubs may also charge club membership fees to generate funds to meet club goals. For more information on the 4-H participation fee, please visit http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/MI4-Hparticipantfee.html What Types of 4-H Clubs Can We Start? Although all 4-H clubs include the basic elements listed above, there are three common club formats. Community Club A community club – sometimes known as a multi-project, variety or general club – involves members of a variety of ages and interests. Its average size is 20 to 25 members, but it may have more than 100 members. All members attend the “general” club meetings, which may be held monthly throughout the year. Club meetings include group-building activities, business and educational programs. Each member also participates in one or more project groups. These meet on a variable schedule at other times throughout the year under the guidance of a volunteer project leader. A community club is managed and advised by one or more adult volunteer organizational leaders, who are 21 or older, with the support of club officers, teen leaders, project leaders and parents. Organizational leaders and project leaders must all be registered volunteers within the county 4-H program and have completed the MSUE Volunteer Selection Process. 4-H club officers are elected or chosen from the membership of the entire club. The geographic area covered by a community club may vary from a particular school or housing complex to a community, township or larger area. A community club may be sponsored by an existing organization such as a school, religious congregation, community center or block club, but many operate on their own. Project Club Project clubs are centered around one primary 4-H project, in which all members participate. The average club has 10 to 20 members. Club meetings are held weekly or monthly or on some other planned schedule and they focus on project work and business. Additional club activities are scheduled for group building, service, fund-raising, family involvement and personal enrichment. Project clubs are led by one or more volunteer project leaders working together for project teaching and club organization. Officers are elected or chosen from among the members, and more experienced or older youth often help as teen leaders. The project club is usually the simplest type of club to start because of its focus on a single subject. Sometimes project club members become interested in more 4-H opportunities or the club attracts members with diversified interests. If this occurs, the club may need to find additional adult support, and it may evolve into a community club to fulfill the changing needs and interests of its members. Explorer's Club Explorer clubs may begin with a minimum of five members from two families under the leadership of one or two adult volunteers. The club chooses only one or two projects. It should have a minimum of six meetings planned by the members and volunteers. The time span can be as short as six weeks or as long as one year. Explorer clubs need frequent contact from the county volunteer or staff support system. These clubs are not usually intended to be ongoing clubs. Members commonly move from explorer clubs to community or project clubs as they continue their 4-H involvement. This type of club is also sometimes called a “discovery club” or “mini club.” Other Types of 4-H Clubs 4-H after-school clubs and 4-H military clubs are examples of targeted clubs. They may start because of a geographical site (4-H after-school clubs are at school sites) or they may be focused on a particular group such as military families. Although they start because of a specific situation, both would be open to anyone in the community. 4-H clubs can also be started in a faith-based organization. What Do I Need to Do to Start My Club? Once you've recruited your adult and youth members, contact your county MSU Extension office to find out how to register your new 4-H club. Each county may have specific requirements for starting a 4-H club in that county. Volunteers who work with youth in 4-H are required to go through the Child-Well Being: Volunteer Selection Process before engaging in direct, ongoing and unsupervised work with young people. Online Resources
Training & Events For upcoming training and events in this area, check the 4-H Volunteer Workshops web site, the MSU Extension Calendar and the 4-H Exploration Days web site. Contact Information For more information on how to get involved as a youth or volunteer, contact your county MSU Extension office or: 4-H Youth
Development E-mail: msue4h@msu.edu Copyright
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