Volunteers
Are you curious about volunteering for 4-H? Watch one of our orientation video - How Will You Inspire the Next Generation?
4-H volunteers make their communities a better place. Learn more from the North Central 4-H Volunteer Impact Study. In a recent survey when asked "What has been your most significant 4-H volunteer experience?" Kansas 4-H volunteers shared:
"Being club leader ... it is great to work with a variety of youth and watch them grow individually and as a group. I have also loved getting more involved in the community because of 4-H opportunities."
"Watching the kids in my 4-H Club grow and mature. There is just no other organization that allows for the mentoring of youth by older youth as well as 4-H does. I so love watching kids that I think 'oh my' in their junior high years become awesome leaders in senior high and see how the younger members look up to them."
"Developing life-long friendships throughout our county and extension district. Also, the feeling of "belonging" through participating in 4-H."
"Seeing the excitement in the kids when they are involved and enjoy what they are doing"
Volunteering Locally
Thank you for considering volunteering to work with youth in Kansas 4-H. The Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program depends on adult volunteers to provide supportive mentoring, helping youth grow into true leaders.
If you have not already contacted the local Extension Office you plan to volunteer for, please do so as soon as you can, to discuss the 4-H Volunteer Application process. Talking to your local extension office is your first step in the volunteer process. You will then complete your application through 4-H Online. All Kansas 4-H volunteers must complete the Kansas 4-H Volunteer Screening process through their local Extension Office to work with Kansas 4-H youth. Your local Extension Office will guide you through the process.
Kansas 4-H offers a wide variety of involvement opportunities for adult volunteers, from a one-time event or program to a multi-year experience as a club or project leader. There are many roles for volunteers, check with your local club and/or Extension Office for more information.
The 4-H Volunteer Enrollment Process
Beginning in the 2019-2020 4-H program year, the 4-H Volunteer process has been streamlined. When 4-H Volunteers enroll through 4-H Online the process will take the place of what once was the volunteer application and then re-enrollment forms. Once volunteers enter their information in the system, they will simply have to re-enroll each year, the same way youth currently do through 4-H Online. For a step by step tutorial please visit the 4-H Online Family Resources page and view the Enrollment Guides for Volunteers.
National Volunteer Week April 21-27, 2024
Ideas to Celebrate National Volunteer Week:
- Encourage your club members to recognize their organizational leaders, project leaders and other important 4-H volunteers during the week.
- Use your news column or write a special news release to recognize volunteers in your program.
- Prepare a series of Tweets or Facebook posts to recognize volunteers during the week.
- Highlight National Volunteer Week in your April 4-H Newsletter.
- Handwrite several notes of appreciation throughout the week to special volunteers in your program.
- Check-in with a new 4-H volunteer to see how things are going and offer help as needed.