Bill Heltemes Florida 4-H Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator 4-H Club Program Planning

Before We Begin Mission: what is our club all about? Vision: what do we want our club to be? System: what must our club do to get us there? Values: what principles will guide our club? Motivation: how do I help our club get there? “What Will Our 4-H Club Be All About”

The Club Program Planning Group Club Members Adult Leaders Non Leader Parents Community Members Variety of Ages Diversity of Racial Backgrounds

Mission Statement Vision Statement Club Goals Program Planning Basics Steps in Developing a Club Program Plan

Gathering Input Input from Members Input from Parents and Other Leaders Input from the Community

Summarize (or have member do so) the ideas from the club meeting and the parent meeting into these categories: Club programs & activities County programs & activities Project education Fun things to do On a large sheet of paper make a yearly calendar. Designate the lists from the above to appropriate months. The Program Planning Meeting

Does the plan offer: A balance of social and educational activities? Is each age group covered? Is there a balance throughout the year? What activities relate to club mission and goals? Do the activities chosen relate to the building of assets? Which ones? Evaluating the Information

Refining the Plan Make a list of all of the activities, programs, and projects decided upon. Indicate which activities must have adult leaders involved. Include with each activity or event how you will evaluate it. List the leadership jobs needed to carry out the plan next to each program, event or project. List any additional leadership jobs for the year.

Presenting the Plan Present the club program plan to the club for approval. Determine what to do about activities and jobs for which there are no leaders. Should these be eliminated? Find out if there is anything missing – are there additional things the club members want added to the plan – or deleted.

Have an officer meeting. Decide which activities need committees. Appoint committee chairs and members (or take volunteers at the next club meeting). Review the list of activities and jobs with the officers for which there are no leaders. Determine if there are others who can be asked, or other ways of accomplishing the activities. After the Club Plan Has Been Approved

The Club Program Book Include Club Roll Call and special programs that will occur at club meetings. Be sure each meeting is balanced with fun, business and education. Have copies of the program book made for each club family. Try to provide every member with at least one role at each club meeting.

What To Include Club Mission Statement Club Vision Statement Club Goals Meeting Information: day of month, time, and location Names and telephone numbers of club leader and club officers

Names and ages of each club member and the projects they are enrolled in. Name of each club committee, committee members, and committee chair Names, addresses and telephone numbers of club families Names of all club leaders and their responsibilities Include a section that lists county and state 4-H events and their dates: county and state fair, State Congress, etc.

The Monthly Calendar Meeting Date, Time and Location Committees to report Club Roll Call - response Demonstrations to be given by:_________ Special Program or Speaker Refreshments by:_____________________ Recreation lead by:___________________ Other:__________________________

Carrying Out the Plan Check with those responsible on a routine basis to see if they are working on their activity or event. About three months prior to a scheduled event or activity, begin putting the responsible committee or leader on the meeting agenda. Make sure those responsible have the resources needed to carry out the plan.

Evaluation Evaluate individual events and activities right after they have occurred. Evaluate the total program at the end of the program year. Compare the club goals to accomplishments. Has every 4-H member achieved during the year (not to be confused with winning an award)? Have you helped build assets?

Participated in religious activities during the past week. #19 Religious community Has made a major life choice because of a sense of purpose. #39 Sense of purpose Free Has intervened when someone does something wrong in the neighborhood. #13 – Neighborhood Boundaries Has risen to a challenge because of encouragement from friends. #15 positive peer influence Has/had teachers who encouraged to always do her or his best. #16 High Expectations Has rules about telling other family members where you are. #11 Family Boundaries Spent yesterday evening at home with family. #20 Time at home Free Doesn’t believe “IF it feels good do it”. #16 High Expectations Has rarely felt bored in school. #22 School Engagement Free Remembers people’s birthdays #33 Interpersonal Competence Often volunteers to serve others. #9 Service to others Is in the middle of a good book (what is it?) #25 Reading for Pleasure Has role models who spend time helping others. #14 Adult role models Considers him or herself an optimist (why?). #40 Positive view of the world Eats dinner with family most evenings. #1 Family Support Has been laughed at for taking an unpopular stand on an issue. #28 Integrity Has a regular family meeting at home. #2 Positive family communication Free Can’t think of anyone else he/she would rather be. #38 Self-esteem Works hard to do best at school or work. #21 Achievement motivation Free Has returned money when got incorrect change at a store. #29 – Honesty Is good at finding solutions when problems arise. #37 – Personal Power Has stood up to pressure to do something unhealthy. #35 – Resistance Skills Thanks young people when they take leadership. #7 Community values youth Free Has worked hard to meet a commitment that wasn’t enjoyable. #30 Responsibility Remembers an adult who really influenced his or her life. #3 Other adult relationships Free Volunteers (or his or her parent) volunteers in a school. #6 Parent involvement in school Knows the school’s cheer or fight song. # 24 Bonding to school Knows names of at least 10 neighbors #4 Caring neighborhood Participates or volunteers in a community youth program. #18 Youth programs Knows the school policy on violence and bullying #12 School boundaries Does or has done homework every school night #23 Homework Does something unique to keep safe. #10 Safety Is fluent in two or more languages. #34 Cultural Competence Free Enjoys planning big projects #32 Planning and decision making Did or does something to make school more friendly #5 Caring school climate Has training in conflict resolution #36 peaceful resolution Free Has been in a protest march to address a school issue or concern. #27 Equality and social justice Has helped find leadership opportunities 38 Youth as resources Plays a musical instrument (which one?) #17 creative activities Raises or gives money to help with famine or disaster relief. #26 Caring

External Assets 1. Family Support: family life provides high levels of love and support. 2. Positive family communication: youth and parent(s) communicate positively. Youth is willing to seek advice from parent(s). 3. Other adult relationships: youth receives support from 3 or more non parent adults. 4. Caring neighborhood: youth experiences caring neighbors. 5. Caring school climate: school provides a caring encouraging environment. 6. Parent involvement in schooling: parent(s) actively help youth succeed in school. Support Empowerment 7. Community values youth: youth perceives that adults in the community value youth. 8. Youth as resources: youth are given useful roles in the community. 9. Service to others: youth serves in the community one or more hour per week. 10. Safety: youth feels safe at home, at school and in the neighborhood. Boundaries and Expectations 11. Family boundaries: family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the youth’s whereabouts. 12. School boundaries: school provides clear rules and consequences. 13. Neighborhood boundaries: neighbors take responsibility for monitoring youth’s behavior. 14. Adult role models: parent(s) and other adults model responsible behavior. 15. Positive peer influence: youth’s best friends model responsible behavior. 16. High expectations: both parent(s) and teachers encourage the youth to do well. Constructive Use of Time 17. Creative activities: youth spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater or other arts. 18. Youth programs: youth spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community. 19. Religious community: youth spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution. 20. Time at home: youth is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

Internal Assets Commitment to Learning 21. Achievement motivation: youth is motivated to do well in school. 22. School engagement: youth is actively engaged in learning. 23. Homework: youth reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day 24. Bonding to school: youth cares about her or his school. 25. Reading for pleasure: youth reads for pleasure three or more hours per week. Positive Values 26. Caring: youth places high value on helping other people. 27. Equality and social justice: youth places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty. 28. Integrity: youth acts on convictions and stands up for his.her beliefs. 29. Honesty: youth “tells the truth even when it is not easy”. 30.: Responsibility: youth accepts and takes personal responsibility..31: Restraint: youth believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs. Social Competencies 32. Planning and decision making: youth knows how to plan ahead and make choices. 33. Interpersonal competence: youth has empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills. 34. Cultural competence: youth has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural, racial, or ethnic backgrounds. 35. Resistance Skills: youth can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situation. 36. Peaceful conflict resolution: youth seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently. Positive Identity 37. Personal Power: youth feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me”. 38. Self-esteem: youth reports having a high self-esteem. 39. Sense of purpose: youth reports that “my life has a purpose”. 40. Positive view of personal future: youth is optimistic about her or his personal future.