INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
HOW
TO ENHANCE YOUR CHILD'S 4-H EXPERIENCE: A GUIDE FOR 4-H
PARENTS
At home:
- Encourage your child
to take an active role in the club. Help him or her set priorities
about activities and events by scheduling time wisely.
- Get to know the youth
and families in your club. Volunteer your home for project
meetings and other get-togethers, or help with car-pooling
to other locations.
- Let your child know
you're interested in his or her 4-H experiences and projects.
Help set priorities and goals based on your child's needs,
interests and time. Encourage him or her to follow through
with commitments by attending meetings and completing tasks
and assignments.
- Be available when your
child needs you for information, guidance and support. Make
sure he or she know you're there to help when needed. However,
refrain from completing 4-H projects, record books, award
forms or other tasks yourself.
- Praise your child's
efforts and progress on projects or other experiences. Comment
on what's being learned instead of putting all the emphasis
on winning.
- Help your child learn
that "doing your best" is more important than "being
the best."
- Avoid criticizing or
blaming your child for not winning blue ribbons or being
selected for awards. Instead, look for ways to help him or
her cope with disappointment.
At 4-H club and county
events:
- Participate with your
child in 4-H club meetings and other club and county events.
- Stay in touch with your
child's club and project leaders. Let them know you appreciate
the time and effort they're contributing.
- When possible, volunteer
your time and talents to lead or assist with projects and
other club and county 4-H events.
- Work with other 4-H
parents, adults and youth leaders to make sure 4-H policies,
rules and procedures reflect what's best for the youth.
- Support your 4-H Youth
Development staff's efforts to emphasize and promote the
educational value of 4-H events and activities.
- Work with other 4-H
parents and volunteers to make sure competitive events will
be handled in a manner that's healthy and beneficial for
all youth involved.
- Let 4-H leaders and
others know you are appreciative of their efforts by providing
positive and constructive feedback.
WHO'S
WHO IN ROCK COUNTY 4-H
At the Club Level:
What is a Club Chairperson?
A club chairperson is an adult volunteer who serves as the general leader of
the 4-H club. The club chairperson is responsible for the organizational aspects
of the club and serves as the liaison with the county 4-H leadership. Club
chairpersons advise the youth in making decisions for the club and may delegate
tasks to other leaders and parents.
What is a Club Advisory Board?
The club advisory board is a group of volunteers who support the club chairperson
and assist with his or her responsibilities. Club advisory board members also
advise the youth in making decisions, running club meetings and planning club
activities.
What is a Project Leader?
A project leader is an adult volunteer who helps 4-H members as they learn,
make and do things in a specific project. Project leaders hold educational
meetings with groups of 4-H members or with individual members at the club
level.
What is an Activity Leader?
An activity leader is an adult volunteer who is responsible for organizing
and conducting club activities, such as music or drama, softball, and community
service activities.
What is a Club Officer?
A club officer is a youth who has been elected by the club members to fill
a specific role as an officer of the club: president, vice president, secretary,
treasurer and so on. Each club officer has specific duties and responsibilities
related to planning, running meetings and other club operations.
What is a Junior Leader?
A junior leader in a specific project is an older 4-H member who has several
years experience in that project. The junior leader assists the project leader
in teaching other youth about the project.
What does it mean to be a 4-H parent?
4-H parents are a very important part of the 4-H member's experience. Parents
are encouraged to attend club meetings, project meetings and county events
with their children. Parents are also encouraged to volunteer to help with
club activities and events whenever possible.
Regardless of the level
of active involvement, it is very important for the member
to have their parent's support. Children need their parents
to support their commitment to 4-H, the decisions they make
and the goals they set. The 4-H member will have a much more
positive experience with the support of the parents!
At the County Level:
What is the 4-H Leaders Council?
The 4-H Leaders Council is composed of Senior Council and Junior Council. Together,
this group of adult and youth volunteers sets policies, makes decisions and
raises funds for the county 4-H program. Junior Council also plans and conducts
county activities. Monthly Junior Council meetings are open to any 4-H youth
in grade 7 or above, and monthly Senior Council meetings are open to any 4-H
adult volunteers.
What is
the Executive Board?
The Executive Board is composed of the officers of the
Junior and Senior Councils. The Executive Board meets monthly
to plan the Council meetings and is advised
by the 4-H Youth Development Agents.
What is
a Project Committee?
4-H project committees are adult and youth volunteers who
are responsible for projects at the county level. They
plan and conduct educational meetings and
activities in specific projects that are open to any youth in the county
enrolled in those projects.
What is a Key Leader?
Key leaders are experienced adult volunteers who serve as subject matter
resource people for project leaders, members and parents in specific projects.
They
are available to assist with project meetings and help members on an individual
basis.
UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN-EXTENSION
What is
UW-Extension?
UW-Extension, or UWEX, is a "campus" of the University
of Wisconsin system that is found in all 72 Wisconsin counties.
UW-Extension administers educational programs in four major areas:
4-H Youth Development, Family Living Education, Community Resource
Development and Agriculture/Agribusiness.
What is an Extension Agent?
Extension Agents are university faculty and staff members of UW-Extension.
In Rock County, each of the program areas is assigned at least one Extension
Agent. Although the primary responsibility for the county 4-H program rests
with the 4-H Youth Development Agents, other Extension Agents in Rock County
work with specific aspects of the 4-H program.
What is the role of the 4-H Youth Development Agents?
The 4-H Youth Development Agents are the faculty and staff members who
administer the county 4-H program. They provide educational leadership for
the program, serve as advisors to the Leaders Council, and assist key leaders
and committees in providing educational opportunities for youth and adults.
Where are the Rock County UWEX Offices located?
Rock County maintains two UWEX offices and employs the secretarial staff.
The 4-H Youth Development staff is located at the Janesville office in the
Courthouse, 51 S. Main Street in Janesville, phone 757-5690. The Beloit office
is located in the Olympian Center, 431 Olympian Blvd. in Beloit, phone 363-6272.
Return to the 4-H Youth Development home
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