What kind of 4-H volunteer opportunities are available?
- 4-H Club Leader: Work in partnership with youth ages 8-19 to develop citizenship, leadership, and life skills. Whether you want to oversee a general club or focus on a specific topic, you’ll help young people learn the importance of record keeping, public speaking, and service learning, while learning new skills and having fun.
- 4-H Cloverbud Leader: Work with young children ages 5-7 to introduce them to a wide variety of hands-on activities that will help them develop social skills, begin to learn about the world of 4-H, and have fun.
- 4-H Chaperone: Provide transportation or simply go with a youth group to a special event or activity. This could be for local, state or even national 4-H events.
- 4-H Project Leader: Share your skills, talents or special interests such as photography, horses, dogs, rabbits, sewing, computers or woodworking. In this role, you may be called upon to offer a number of sessions at an afterschool program, or assist a club leader by sharing your expertise and working with their club members.
- Episodic 4-H Volunteer: We have a variety of volunteer opportunities that don’t require a long-term commitment. Judging at the fair, helping with a specific fundraiser, assisting with a garden project, scoring 4-H record books, or organizing an annual county event to name a few.
Thank you for interest in volunteering for the University of Wyoming Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. Your involvement and dedication ensure the mission of 4-H is happening here in Wyoming “4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults”. We have over 7,000 youth enrolled in the Wyoming 4-H program and our highest priority is creating a safe emotional and physical environment in which the members can learn and grow. That is accomplished through training designed especially for volunteer leaders as well as background checks of adults who have direct interaction with our 4-H members.
The Wyoming 4-H Program utilizes the same screening process that is used for all UW employees, students, and UW volunteers. There is no out of pocket cost for 4-H volunteer leaders to complete the screening process. Two types of background checks must be completed before an adult can be approved as 4-H volunteer leader:
- A criminal background check through the UW Department of Human Resources
- A motor vehicle background check through UW Risk Management
Screening of criminal background checks will include convictions of child endangerment, crimes of a sexual nature, felony involving violence, and financial crimes. The motor vehicle record check will include moving violations and at fault accidents in the past 12 months and any major convictions in the past 36 months. Major convictions include drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident/hit and run, motor vehicle homicide, attempting to elude a police officer, or racing.
To protect your privacy and ensure confidentiality, both the criminal background check and the motor vehicle check will be completed on-line by yourself. Your personal information will not be kept in the county extension office or the state 4-H office. After you have completed the required training, you will receive an e-mail with specific instructions on how to access the links to complete the criminal background check as well as the motor vehicle check. The subject line will read: 4-H Volunteer Screening Instructions. If you do not have e-mail, please request a paper copy of the consent form to complete the background checks.
Steps to Becoming a 4-H Volunteer Leader:
- If you have not already done so, complete the online enrollment process (you will be a pending leader until all processes are complete) detailed in the New 4-H Member Handbook or turn your completed 4-H Volunteer Leader Application/Enrollment form (ask the Extension Office if you can’t access the online enrollment system) into your County Extension Office.
- Sign up for the required training–Face to Face Orientation. Check calendar for upcoming trainings.
- Complete your screening & MVR check.
- You’ll receive an email when you are approved. You may then begin working directly with youth.
Requirements for Returning 4-H Volunteers
- Annual enrollment through 4-H online is required every year to maintain leader status.
- Screening is updated every 5 years of consecutive leadership.
- Training is required every 5 years.
- Motor Vehicle Records check should be updated in January every year
All of the modules in the E-learning Volunteer Training can be accessed from the Wyoming state 4-H web site: Training Link. Click on For Volunteers and the 4-H Volunteer e-Learning Course is under Training Opportunities. If you watch one of these trainings, please call the Extension office so we can update your profile.
State 4-H Volunteer Resources There is great information that is helpful for volunteers on the State 4-H Volunteer page at http://www.uwyo.edu/4-h/volunteers/.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Kristi Nagy, Laramie County 4-H/Youth Educator, 307-633-4383.