Frequently Asked Questions

Nothing! To enroll as a volunteer, the only fee that is required is an $11 Background Screening cost, in which your county extension office should cover.

That is totally up to you, your interest and what you agree upon with your extension agent. For most clubs, there is a minimum of six (6) meetings per year. Typical club meetings run around 1.5 hours (can vary), which totals to 9 hours, not including special educational programs and out-of-club activities. There are a variety of volunteer roles that do not involve club participation, such as event volunteering, financial support and project leading, so discretion should fall between you and your extension agent on how you can best serve.

At minimum, there should always be a 1:8 ratio of adults to youth. But, for every program there must be a minimum of two (2) non-related adults at all times. 

Before spending any personal funds, check with your extension agent. There are supplies and resources that may already be available to you, and if additional resources are needed, discuss with your extension agent about club funds and requests. If you are interested in donating to 4-H, check with your extension agent to make sure your item(s) are 4-H appropriate and can be used within the program.

There is a plethora of resources for volunteers which can be found in a variety of areas. Here are a few core places to find information:

1) This website! Use the various tabs within the Volunteer page to navigate documents, learn about new programs and stay up to speed.

2) Your Extension agent! Your agent is there to help you succeed as a volunteer and works to make your program succeed. If your agent is unsure, they can reach out to the state 4-H office for clarification.

3)  Social Media! Arkansas 4-H is active on Facebook and Instagram. If you are looking for different programs we currently offer, our social medias are a great place to start. 

If you are a new volunteer, you will stay certified as long as you continue serving as a volunteer on a yearly basis.

If you have volunteered in the past and have taken a break, you will need to re-submit an application to serve as a volunteer. Refer to your extension agent to determine if you will need to re-submit the packet.

 After volunteers are initially screened, they may be randomly selected for background screenings throughout their service as volunteers, paid for by the state 4-H office.

When you are officially cleared as a volunteer, the state office will send an email to your county extension office stating your date of clearance. This will then be uploaded onto your ZSuites account. 

Keep in mind that you must have a clearance from the Arkansas State Police, Child Maltreatment Check, completed your Mandated Reporter training and be enrolled in ZSuites as a volunteer before you can serve. 

In order to process your volunteer application as efficiently as possible, please make sure you have completed all of the steps to be a volunteer before waiting for your clearance.

Not at all! There is no requirement for previous involvement if you are interested in providing positive experiences to youth. While we would love to have them participate in 4-H if you have youth, you can come from a variety of backgrounds and volunteer for 4-H.