Youth can be housed with unrelated adult chaperones aged 21 and over (age as of date of event) at overnight 4-H events as long as the youth-adult ratio is at least two youth to one adult and the adults have been through the Michigan State University Extension Volunteer Selection Process. Chaperones at 4-H overnight events are responsible for serving as role models for youth and for guiding youth behavior. Only adult chaperones and youth of the same gender can be housed together. An unrelated youth and adult must never share a bed.

At overnight events, it is recommended that adults be housed with youth whenever possible – in accordance with the policy. When this is not possible, adults must be housed within hearing distance of any lodging rooms housing youth. In all events, 4-H staff and adult volunteers having responsibility for a given activity always retain the authority to exercise their best judgment to ensure the safety of the young people involved.

Housing Youth With Related Adults
Youth can be housed one-to-one with related adults (19 and over) who are their parents, legal guardians or other family members (such as step-parents, domestic partners, grandparents, aunts, uncles and adult siblings). Keep in mind that “family members” may be defined in different ways across cultural groups. (Any questions related to defining “family members” should be directed to Betsy Knox or Janet Olsen; see contact information below.) A youth who is housed with a related adult of the opposite gender must not be housed in an area with shared bathrooms. Note that this portion of the policy refers to related one-on-one youth-adult situations. Adults can be housed with more than one related youth.

Special Needs Situations
Exceptions can be made for one-to-one lodging with unrelated adults due to a young person’s special needs or family situation (such as a home health aid or caregiver needing to room with a youth) so long as written parent or guardian authorization is submitted to the 4-H staff member seven days before the event and the family agrees to cover the associated costs for the unrelated adult. In a special needs situation, a youth who is housed with an unrelated adult of the opposite gender must not be housed in an area with shared bathrooms.

Housing for Adults Who Have Not Completed the Volunteer Selection Process
Any adult who participates in 4-H overnight events who has not gone through the MSU Extension Volunteer Selection Process must not be housed in the same area or share bathrooms with youth.

Housing Unrelated Older-Younger Youth
MSU 4-H must make every attempt to house unrelated youth of similar age together whenever possible. Any youth aged 18, 19 or 20 at the time of the event who attends an event as a participant must not be housed with or share bathrooms with younger, unrelated youth unless he or she has completed a background check including one reference check and a criminal history check. (Keep in mind that sex offenders who committed sex-related crimes as juveniles will only appear in public records [such as the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry] after their 18th birthday if they were convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree or Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree.) When registering youth aged 18, 19 or 20 for state-level overnight events, county staff will be asked to indicate that these background checks have been carried out. Background checks for youth in this age bracket should be completed no more than once a year, unless circumstances warrant more frequent checks.

Youth-Adult Ratios
Michigan 4-H Youth Development recommends the following adult-to-youth ratios when planning and implementing programs. When involving youth between the ages of 5 and 12 (of the same gender), follow a ratio of one adult to six youth. Supervision of young people aged 13 and up (of the same gender) requires a ratio of one adult to ten youth. Keep in mind that some programs (such as the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Challenge program) use a higher ratio of adults to youth. Also note that the ratio for overnight (residential) camp programs may differ. 4-H staff and volunteers should always consider the needs of the group (such as age and maturity levels) and use their best judgment to keep the young people safe and not put adult chaperones in unreasonable situations.