Welcome!

Are you considering becoming an Arkansas 4-H Volunteer? Let us help you find where you fit.

Why 4-H?

4-H began as an agricultural program to help implement new farming methods through teaching youth, growing into a worldwide organization that inspires every day. While it is intended and developed for young people ages 5-19 to participate in, it could not operate without the support of youth and adult volunteers from across the state of Arkansas.

Today, 4-H offers opportunities for youth that far exceed farming. 4-H works under the main program mandates which are Healthy Living, Agriculture, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathmatics) and Civic Engagement. Through these mandates, youth can develop their passion for making the world a better place and giving back to their communities. Youth participate in camps, clubs, state and national programs that are focused towards life-skill development while gaining unique experiences that equip them to succeed. 

Why Should I Volunteer?

4-H needs its volunteers to thrive, but why do you need 4-H? Research shows that volunteering has many benefits, such as:

• New Skills Development and Well-Being (Worker et al., 2020)
• Improved physical and mental health (Borgonovi, 2008)
• Overall life satisfaction (Pilkington, Windsor and Crisp, 2012)
• And so much more!

Additional to the individual benefits, 4-H provides opportunity for interpersonal relationships, research-backed resources, experience working with youth and community impact. As a representative of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, volunteers representing the organization have access to a surplus of curriculum and resources they use to implement positive experiences for youth, 4-H members and beyond.

What is Required of Me?

Before becoming a volunteer, there are a few things to consider. 

Why do you want to volunteer? Think about what has led you to considering becoming a volunteer. Do you enjoy a certain craft? If so, what would your ideal audience be? Do you want to help youth learn new skills? Are you an alumni wanting to give back? 

How do you want to volunteer? If you have a craft you would like to share with others, would you be interested in leading a club or teaching a lesson, or is donating supplies or funds more your speed? Would you rather work directly with youth or help by developing and implementing new opportunities? 

When do you want to volunteer? Volunteers have different schedules and availability, so think about what type of time commitment you'd be comfortable with. Some volunteers serve monthly or even weekly with clubs and others serve strictly for certain yearly events. Deciding your commitment early on will help avoid burn out, as 4-H can be very overwhelming and easy to overcommit to!

Now that you have an idea of what your role may be, there are a few things you are required to do in order to be a volunteer applicant:

Register in ZSuites- This is where your volunteer account will be located. On ZSuites, you will be able to enroll your youth if you are a parent/guardian, as well as register for events and receive upcoming information.

Submit an Arkansas State Police Background Check Request Form- Every volunteer must be administered a background check before becoming a volunteer. 

Submit a Child Maltreatment Check Request Form- This form checks for any record of child abuse. Confirmation of a record results in an immediate rejection of a volunteer's application.

Complete Mandated Reporter Training- Mandated Reporter Training teaches volunteers how to properly handle reporting adult or child abuse and the process entailed. Volunteers must be comfortable reporting abuse if it is suspected.

Complete the Arkansas 4-H Youth Protection and Chaperone Training- All volunteers will learn the guidelines and rules of volunteering, especially when traveling with youth. This training covers national guidelines, state expectations and proper action one must take in the case of an incident.

Once these steps are done and you are approved to be a volunteer, you are ready to go! 

Thank you for considering becoming a 4-H volunteer. If you have any questions about being a volunteer, you can reach your local Extension Office or you can contact Breanna Wade at bwade@uada.edu for more information.

References

Borgonovi, F. (2008). Doing well by doing good. The relationship between formal volunteering and self-reported health and happiness. Social science & medicine, 66(11), 2321-2334.

Pilkington, P. D., Windsor, T. D., & Crisp, D. A. (2012). Volunteering and subjective well-being in midlife 
and older adults: The role of supportive social networks. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: 
Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 67(2), 249-260. 

Worker, S. M., Espinoza, D. M., Kok, C. M., Go, C., & Miller, J. C. (2020). Volunteer outcomes and impact: The contributions and consequences of volunteering in 4-H. Journal of Youth Development, 15(4), 6-31.