Focus on Youth

News for OCES staff working with youth.

4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.

oklahoma4h.okstate.edu

June/July, 2006

Congratulations to each of you and to your 4-H members who were part of the 2006 awards program.  During Roundup the top three members in the various project areas were recognized and a summary was given of their combined project work.  It is always amazing to hear the many creative things they are doing and the many hours of service they provide. As a group, the young people recognized this year truly exemplify the 4-H Motto – To Make the Best Better. The 292 young people who completed project record books or scholarship applications have presented more than 15,000 talks, illustrated presentations and demonstrations, organized or conducted 24,000 workshops, and conducted almost 25,000 community service projects. They spent more than 280,000 hours teaching, and serving their communities and reached almost 30 million youth and adults as a part of their project work.

While much of the work that is done by senior 4-H members takes place as self determined work there are many years of care and nurturing that takes place to get the member to point of doing all of those talks, hours of service and outreach.  Thanks your contributions in helping to these youth be successful!

Sincerely,

Charles Cox
Interim Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development

National 4-H Conference Applications

National 4-H Conference is a working conference and a training ground for youth who are focused and committed to working for the Oklahoma 4-H program.  Funds are being invested in training delegates to return to Oklahoma for the maintenance and implementation of 4-H programming.  2007 delegates will be making more than a personal commitment of their time; initially delegates will be expected to pay 2/3rds of their transportation, lodging and registration.  If the delegate fulfills his/her duties the funds will be reimbursed to the family.  The application for 2007 delegates is available online and is due July 1.

Oklahoma’s delegates must be team players.  The delegation will function as a team for approximately two years from the time you attend Conference until the Back Home Action Plan is completed.  Pre and post conference work is mandatory.  Delegates will work cooperatively with previous teams in learning, maintaining and coordinating existing programs.

National Conference is an opportunity for youth and adults to solicit input from a diverse cross-section of the Cooperative Extension System and to strengthen and expand the 4-H Youth Development program at local, state, and national levels.  National Conference is an intense week of committee work, workshops, legislative visits, and presentations.  Delegates will contact and meet with Oklahoma decision makers during their time in our nation’s capital.

Karla Knoepfl

Core Competencies - 2005-06 Unit 3 Evaluation

The end-of-year evaluation tool can be found at the following link http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/edu/comp.htm.  Look under the heading “Evaluation Forms”  Unit 3 forms 3A and 3 B (6 month Educator reports) and Volunteer evaluations (forms 3C and 3D or 3E).  ”

Both Educator and Volunteer evaluations are due to your District Program Specialist by August 1, 2006.

Karla Knoepfli

Annual Renewal of Club Charters - Club Management Reminders

Existing Clubs – County Educators are responsible to annually review each clubs renewal criteria and adequately counsel the club in an effort to meet the criteria in good faith during the next program year.  (CMS notebook pages 24-25)

A charter is perpetual or until the club ceases to function, does not meet the Oklahoma criteria for a “charter club” or the USDA Secretary of Agriculture changes.  It is the county Educator’s responsibility to annual review criteria (using “Club Charter Renewal” form, pg 89 CMS) and to document and file all counseling sessions conducted with club leadership.  If a club fails to meet the criteria after due effort has been made to counsel, train and educate club leadership and membership, the charter will then be revoked by the state office.

As a good management practice it is recommended the review be documented with a letter to the club and a copy filed along with the Renewal form in the county office.

Remember, only chartered clubs are authorized to use the 4-H name and emblem.

Charles Cox and Karla Knoepfli

2006-2007 Program Year - Volunteer Core Competencies

This will be the second year to focus on Volunteer Core Competencies Unit 3.

Almost any subject matter can be blended with the concepts in Unit III.  As the county educator, we suggest that you assess what skills from Unit 3 your volunteers have yet to master or are lacking and blend those into what ever subject matter they identify in an interest survey.  A sample survey is included in the VMS notebook page 82.

Attendance at Parent-Volunteer Continuing Education can hinge on providing our volunteers with subject matter/project information they identify.  Core materials are then to be blended in with the presentation of “subject matter.”  Think of it like adding the essential vitamins and minerals to a tasty dessert.  They come for the dessert yet benefit from the added vitamins and minerals.

Karla Knoepfli

Annual 4-H Volunteer Assessment – Volunteer Management Reminder

Extension educators will annually conduct individual visits with organizational leaders and assistant club leaders to discuss commitment, performance and review responsibilities to the county 4-H program.  Both parties should sign the annual assessment tool (VMS page 60), a copy should be provided to the volunteer and the original placed in their file.

Using the appropriate volunteer assessment tool (VMS pages 59 and 60), schedule one-on-one time to visit with your certified club volunteers/leaders.   Use this opportunity to constructively review what:

• they were proud of accomplishing,
• they would do differently,
• kind of continuing education/training they need,
• the county office could do to improve communications and programming,
• could be possible directions for growth, etc.

The annual assessment is a time for you to assist volunteers in developing a plan to achieve success!  Your ability to communicate excitement and enthusiasm will often influence whether the volunteer maintains their affiliation with the 4-H program.

Let volunteers know when they are successful and why you perceived them to be successful.  This reinforces positive and constructive competencies and behaviors.  On the same note, it is equally important that you take teachable moments to provide feedback which will let the volunteer understand how something could have been handled differently or how their behavior was not acceptable.  If club leaders are not attending Parent-Volunteer Continuing Education be sure they understand what needs to be done to improve or meet minimal standards

As needed, the Extension educator should schedule visits with county committee chairpersons, adult PVA officers and other volunteers to discuss commitment, performance and review responsibilities to the county 4-H program.  All certified volunteers would receive a copy of the yearly assessment tool (VMS page 59) to review and sign prior to it being place in their file.  Provide the volunteers an opportunity to visit with the county educator regarding the assessment.

Karla Knoepfli

A Bag of Tricks in 2006

Conference program and enrollment form are now posted at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/volun/eduopp.htm.  The program and enrollment form were mailed directly to 780 volunteers whose name and address were submitted to the state office as club leaders of “chartered” clubs.  Please assist the State 4-H Volunteer Board in promoting the conference to all other parents and volunteers in your county.

Thirty-five workshop are sure to motivate the first time volunteer, as well as challenge the veteran volunteers/educator who already possess a Bags of Tricks of their own.  The conference will include door prizes, as well as a silent and live auction.  Proceeds from the live auction will go towards the endowment of a Volunteer Development Scholarship with the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation.

During the Luncheon Oklahoma 4-H will recognize volunteers who have been selected by their county for Volunteer of the Year and Life-Time Service awards and announce the District and State award recipients.

The early bird enrollment fee of $30 and enrollment form are due on or before July 1.  Any enrollment postmarked after July 1 will be responsible for the full enrollment fee of $40.

Lola Thompson, State 4-H Volunteer Board President

Health Rocks!

Mississippi 4-H is planning to share the Health Rocks! program through a national RFP. The National Conference and demonstration site call for proposals is posted at: http://msucares.com/4h_Youth/health_rocks/index.html

At least 35 travel grants to attend the training will be awarded, and each team will receive a supply grant.