Building a Strong 4-H Club

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Building a Strong 4-H Club

• Rod Buchele,
• SW Area 4-H Specialist

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Traits of a Strong 4-H Club

• Fun for members
• Growing
• Doing
• Strong Leadership
• Adult
• Youth
• Visible in the Community

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Traits of a Strong 4-H Club

• Fun
• Members bring in new members
• New members (and their families) welcomed and
  supported
• Members receive recognition for many
  accomplishments
• Members participate in beyond the club level
  activities, events and training

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Traits of a Strong 4-H Club

• Fun
• High percentage attendance at meetings,
  activities and events
• Family involvement
• Lots of parents at the meetings and activities
• Good relationship with the Extension Office
• Fair to all
• Good Communication

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Traits of a Strong 4-H Club

• Parents committee active
• Community Service
• Fun
• Meetings belong to members
• Youth are valued - Youth as partners
• Broad base of Leadership
• Planned leadership progression

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How do we build strong 4-H Clubs?

• Standard meeting times and places
• Have and use an annual plan and calendar
• Have good communication systems in place
• Club Officers receive training and support
• Club Officers run the club meetings
• Club meetings include
• Fun - recreation, fun activities etc.
• Learning - program or activity
• Accomplishment - do something of value

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How do we build strong 4-H Clubs?

• At meetings club members talk more than Adults
  (leaders and parents)
• Club Values
• Club Meetings, Activities and Events for and of
  members, members have a real say in them
• Kids are the important out come
• Members have real age appropriate leadership
  development experiences

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How do we build strong 4-H Clubs?

• Strong Leadership
• Many are involved in leadership roles
• There is a plan for bringing in new leaders
• Community
• Project
• New leaders are supported
• Experienced leaders stay involved as mentors
• When is isnt fun anymore, leaders move on

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How do we build strong 4-H Clubs?

• Leaders see their job as helping others
• Leaders see their job as involving others
• Leaders lead
• do with rather than for
• do to teach
• Leaders seek to improve by
• training, talking to others, seeking help

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Strong 4-H Clubs

• Do things
• Have fun
• Remember that the growth and development of the
  member is the reason for 4-H
• Keep the experience of the member the priority
• Show strong communications
• Are fair to all
• Keep conflicts rational and non-personal

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Strong 4-H Clubs

• Understand that building leadership in youth is
  developed by practice but the process is
  sometimes messy and rarely efficient
• Members, Parents and Families are, or become
  friends through the club
• Members, Parents and Families place high value on
  the 4-H Experience

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Strong 4-H Clubs

• Practice learning and thinking - Head
• Care for members and families - Heart
• Do cool stuff - Hands
• Promote healthy behaviors - Health
• Develop strong kids