4-H Community Clubs - Project Leaders

Volunteer Resources that will assist Adult and Youth Leaders in 4-H Project Leader Roles

Places to Start

I'm a 4-H Project Leader. Now What Do I Do? This valuable guide answers to basic questions faced by a new 4-H project leader, including information on members, meetings, costs, activities, resources, experiential learning and county fair.

Projects - 4-H Youth Development UW-Extension - This link connects you to individual project pages. You'll find descriptions and resources on a wide variety of major topics . . . from art to woodworking, from computers to rabbits, from clothing to small engines. Once you link to the individual project page, you will find descriptions of project curriculum, 4-H events and activities that support the project, county fair exhibiting ideas and suggestions, Internet links to related sites and sources of more information.

Reflection Activity Ideas for Community Service and Service Learning Projects This resource is a must for every youth and adult leader. Reflection is a key component in the experiential learning model to help youth consider what they have accomplished and learned during an activity or event and apply that to new situations. The resource has a variety of ideas, strategies and tools to make reflection fun and meaningful. It was written and adapted by Jessica Jens, UW-Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent.

Lessons to Be Used in 4-H Project Leader Training

Wisconsin 4-H Project Leader Training Series - This series of lesson plans is intended to increase the skills and knowledge of youth and adult project leader. Each lesson plan can be used in its entirety or divided, depending on the local programming needs. Each plan features hands-on activities, takes 30-40 minutes to complete, and is designed to be taught by 4-H Youth Development staff or mid-manager volunteer leaders.

• Designing 4-H Project Experiences – Setting Project Goals (5 pages, 89 KB) This lesson will help leaders learn to use their first project meeting effectively as an opportunity for members to get acquainted, set goals, and begin planning for the project year. Leaders will learn the criteria for good goals and have opportunities to write and evaluate sample project goals.
• Designing 4-H Project Experiences – Planning Project Meetings (7 pages, 144 KB) This lesson will help leaders learn about planning as an important second step on the road to a successful project adventure and develop strategies for involving members in planning their own project experience.
• Implementing 4-H Project Experiences – Teaching Methods (9 pages, 300 KB) A lesson plan designed to teach project leaders about which teaching methods are most effective in helping youth learn and to give them experience in developing project lesson plans that provide youth with hands-on learning opportunities.
• Implementing 4-H Project Experiences – Knowing Our Audience (5 pages, 100 KB) A lesson plan designed to demonstrate the importance of knowing our audience and their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social characteristics in order to plan appropriate learning experiences for them.
• Implementing 4-H Project Experiences – Preparing for Exhibit (8 pages, 123 KB) A lesson plan designed to teach project leaders the importance of encouraging members to participate fully in opportunities to showcase their accomplishments.
• Implementing 4-H Project Experiences – Managing Competition (8 pages, 137 KB) This lesson will help youth and adult leaders learn about the potential impacts of competition on youth and explore ways to manage competition so it supports the 4 H program’s primary goal of positive youth development.
• Managing Risk for Project Leaders – This is an activity to use with project leaders designed to enhance the club leader lesson, "Risky Business: Risk Management Essentials." The activity helps youth and adult leaders think about issues related to risk management and safety as they plan and conduct project-related experiences with members.

Related lessons, which can easily be adapted for project leader training:

• It's All About Education! (5 pages, 420 KB) An activity plan to teach leaders about the educational foundation of 4-H, including the concepts of experiential education and life skills. Share ideas about how to explain the educational focus of 4-H to the public, parents, other leaders, and 4-H members. Share ideas about reflection and debriefing activities that can be used in 4-H clubs.
• Keeping Order and Positive Discipline (6 pages, 114 KB) An activity plan to help 4-H adult and youth club leaders experience the messages others may be saying by their behavior and develop strategies that lead to positive and orderly 4-H club meetings.

Additional Resources

• New Jersey 4-H: Leader Training Series - The New Jersey 4-H Leader Training Series is a wonderful resource for 4-H volunteers. It contains a wealth of information from how to start a club to planning field trips to how to work with youth. Select a topic for more information. Training series also available in Spanish.
• Cooperative Extension Media Collection - The collection includes a variety of videos, skill-a-thons, and other educational materials ready to support local training programs for club members, leaders and volunteers.

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