The Volunteer Leader

Who Are You?

As a volunteer, you offer your time and expertise of your own free will, without expecting or receiving pay. Both young people and adults serve as volunteers. Your role in 4-H might include: Teen Leader, Organizational Leader, Project Leader, or Activity Leader.

Your job is as diverse as needs require. However, the two most common roles are the Organizational Leader and the Project Leader. The Organizational Leader provides support, guidance, leadership and direction to 4-H members and leaders of various groups that are located in a common area, town or county. The Project Leader is the primary educator responsible for teaching skills and knowledge that are associated with specific groups, such as animal-related or life-skills, etc.

As a 4-H Youth Development volunteer, you are highly valued by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H Youth Development program specialists and educators. You support our mission to help and teach others and to enhance personal growth. You bring us these vitally important qualities:

• Belief that, as a human being, each young person has basic worth;
• Commitment to the personal development of all youth;
• Ability to relate to, and communicate with, young people, parents, and other volunteers;
• Understanding that leadership can be rewarding to people of all ages.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Your leadership is critical if we are to succeed in our mission - to provide educational opportunities for youth to become capable and contributing members of a global society.

Through your leadership and encouragement, young people will develop positive relationships with adults and other youth, build self-esteem and self-confidence, learn subject matter skills and develop wholesome attitudes toward self and others.

We pride ourselves on ensuring the safety and well being of young people in a positive learning environment. We expect you, as a volunteer, to conduct yourself in a professional manner that reflects the integrity of the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development program.

Certification

As a volunteer, you must complete an application screening process before you begin working with young people. The purpose for this process is three-fold:

• To ensure a safe environment for youth involved in Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Youth Development programs;
• To provide documentation of volunteer activities in Oklahoma 4-H programs and to strengthen liability coverage for volunteers under the State of Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act;
• To assist in the selection, tracking and placement of volunteers in Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development programs.

Completing this application is the first step to becoming a 4-H volunteer. If you are interested in working with 4-H Youth as an organizational leader, a project club leader, a chaperone, or in any situation that is unsupervised by other parents or 4-H staff, you should complete this application.

Upon completion of the application, mail it to the Tulsa County (or your county, if not Tulsa) Extension Office (4116 E. 15th Street, Tulsa, OK 74112.6198). A Volunteer Advisory Committee (VAC) chaired by the county extension educator will review it. The VAC may choose to conduct interviews and contact references. If you are accepted, you must complete an enrollment form and attend an orientation session in your county. You must also agree to attend at least two training sessions in addition to signing a volunteer behavioral guidelines form (in order to maintain your status as a 4-H volunteer, you must complete the enrollment form and participate in two training sessions annually).

Volunteer Benefits

Are you wondering what you have to gain from becoming a 4-H volunteer?

First of all, you have the opportunity for professional improvement and training through special state, regional, county and/or community workshops. But this is just part of the package. You also will grow as a person; you will have the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of today's young people. You'll receive the gratitude and respect of members, their families and your community, which will help build your own self-esteem and self-confidence. And you may be amazed at the number of lasting friendships you will acquire.