Michigan 4-H Youth Development


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4-H Youth Development Michigan State University 160 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 USA Phone: 517-432-7575 Fax: 517-355-6748 Email: msue4h@msu.edu Disclaimer & Indicia

Keeping Kids Safe!

Staff Resources for the Youth-Adult Housing Policy

Several resources have been developed to assist 4-H staff in implementing the policy and in educating others about the policy:

Before any youth attends an overnight 4‑H event, each youth’s parent or legal guardian must sign and return the 4-H Overnight Housing Parent/Guardian Permission Form (MS Word). 4-H staff can use this form as a template for a stand-alone form, or they can integrate this information into existing forms. This form will be integrated into forms used for state-level events.
When 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds are attending an event and there’s a chance they might be housed with or share bathrooms with younger youth, they must go through a background check including one reference check and a criminal history check. The MSU Extension Background Check Form for 18-, 19- and 20-Year Olds can be used by staff to obtain a youth’s permission for a background check and for providing reference information.
Adults enlisted as chaperones for 4-H events must be provided with information outlining the expectations and guidelines for this role before the event. See Guidelines for Supporting 4-H Chaperones for more information.
The Keeping Kids Safe! The Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth-Adult Housing Policy handout (PDF) is designed to provide volunteers, parents and guardians, community partners and others with an overview of the policy and issues related to child well-being and child sexual abuse. This brief guide also includes ideas adults can use to educate kids about these issues.
The Keeping Kids Safe! The Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth-Adult Housing Policy PowerPoint show provides a short program for educating volunteers, parents and guardians, community partners and others about the policy and issues related to child well-being and child sexual abuse. The notes pages of the document provide talking points for staff to use. The handout described above provides a useful complement to provide to those viewing the PowerPoint show.
A brief article about the policy (MS Word) is provided that can be used in county 4-H newsletters or placed on a county MSU Extension web site to explain the policy to others in your community.
If you are interested in the process that was used to create this policy, refer to the Overview of the Process Used for Developing the Youth-Adult Housing Policy (Adobe PDF).

4-H staff members should also closely read the Frequently Asked Questions section to gain a clear understanding of how the policy applies to various situations and settings.

For more information on the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Youth-Adult Housing Policy for 4-H Overnight Events, contact:

Betsy Knox, Program Leader
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University Extension
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Email: knoxe@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-7603

Janet Olsen, Program Leader
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University Extension
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Email: olsenj@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-7630