4-H Community Clubs

These Tools will Assist in Strengthening the 4-H Club Meetings

Effective 4-H Club Meetings

Are the 4-H Club meetings meeting the needs of the 4-H members? Here are some ways to make sure your clubs have all the vitality they can have.

• Effective 4-H Clubs Checklist and Feedback Form (2 pages, 99 KB)
  Effective 4-H Clubs Checklist and Feedback Form (2 pages, 206 KB)
  This tool provides input to club members and leaders as they work to make their 4-H clubs the best. Members and leaders can complete the checklist, discuss the results, and establish plans to improve their 4-H club meetings and events.
• Essential Element Book Mark (2 pages, 300 KB, 2 per page, front and back of the handout) - Front and back of a handout featuring the four essential elements, with brief descriptions of the critical components of each element. The handout is appropriate for a range of audiences, including 4-H volunteers. Consider laminating the handout to encourage participants to keep it as a reference piece.
• Looking for a way to find out where your club is at? This Club Assessment documentcan help. When you know the results and want to help clubs develop in one of he areas of the essential elements but aren't sure which one the Club Assessment Linking Questions will help you determine what lesson to use.

Lesson Plans to Use In Your Club Meetings

• Strengthening the 4-H Club Experience: This series of lessons has been developed for youth or adult leaders to teach during a club meeting to help strengthen the 4-H club experience for members and leaders. Each activity plan includes hands-on activities and is approximately 20-30 minutes in length. 4-H club members, leaders and parents are the target audience for all lessons.  Each lesson is designed to be taught by 4-H Youth Development staff, volunteer leaders or youth leaders.
• Conducting Business (6 pages, 103 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs learn simple parliamentary procedure and why using this technique will help their club become more effective.
• Creating a Welcoming Environment (7 pages, 151 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs evaluate how welcoming their club is to parents, guests, leaders and members. The group will brainstorm ways they can create within their club a more welcoming environment.
• Fund Raising for Your Club (8 pages, 103 KB) Most 4-H clubs organize fund raisers -- but why? In this activity plan 4-H clubs will learn how to identify needs for monetary resources in their 4-H club, how to select a fund raiser, how to conduct a fund raiser, and what to do when you are done.
• Getting Ready for Speeches and Demonstrations (7 pages, 193 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs learn about the different types of demonstrations and speeches. Also includes information about how to present an effective demonstration and speech.
• Handling Club Money (8 pages, 120 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs learn about the importance of accuracy and accountability when handling money . . . particularly your club’s money.
• Helping Clubs Communicate (5 pages, 84 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs learn about all types of communication, and why it is vitally important to communicate within a 4-H club and improve current club communication methods.
• How to Have Fun (5 pages, 94 KB) In this activity, participants will learn why socializing is an important part of the 4-H experience and how they can make their club a more social environment.
• Leading Club Recreation (4 pages, 84 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs learn why it is important to include recreation in 4-H club meetings and learn a variety of recreational activities that can be easily included in any 4-H meeting.
• Making the Most of Your Projects (7 pages, 98 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H club members learn how to select a 4-H project, how a 4-H project progresses through the year, and how they can show others what they learned in their project.
• Record Keeping Is Fun (5 pages, 91 KB) In this activity plan, club members learn why 4-H has record books. Youth explore the life skills that they can learn by keeping records and explore ideas on how to improve their current record books.
• Recruiting for Your Club (5 pages, 88 KB) Let’s join 4-H! An activity plan to help 4-H clubs brainstorm ideas for increasing membership and learn about tried-and-true methods for finding new members.
• Risky Business: How Prepared Are You? (6 pages, 115 KB) In this activity plan, 4-H youth and adult leaders will learn strategies for identifying and managing risks when planning or participating in programs and events.
• Risky Business: Plan for Safety First (5 pages, 338 KB) In this activity plan, 4-H Clover buds (grades K-2) will identify safety hazards and learn how to make the areas where they work and play safe.
• Welcoming New Members and Families (5 pages, 88 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H clubs explore what it is like to be a new family and brainstorm what can be done to support new families in their clubs. Includes a sample mentoring program.

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