Becoming an Adult 4-H Volunteer
The 4-H Program would not exist without amazing volunteers, and we appreciate their time whether they can dedicate a few hours or many years. Since we work with youth, we take some precautions to make sure we have great role models for our members; therefore, we ask anyone wanting to volunteer with our program to complete the Approved 4-H Volunteer Process. While this process is fairly simple, there are a few steps, and the time it takes to complete this process can vary. We encourage anyone interested in volunteering to initiate this process.
What is a 4-H Volunteer?
A 4-H volunteer is anyone that wants to be involved in our 4-H program. The time commitment and area of interest vary for each individual. We would love to have your help whether it is a few hours of office work or digital design or to lead a club for years. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Megan McNeely (mmcneel1@purdue.edu or 812-752-8450) and she can help you find the right fit for you. We are always looking for great help to "Make the Best Better"!
Steps for the 4-H Volunteer Approval Process
- Complete and Return the Paper Volunteer Application
You initiate the process by completing the application in the files at the bottom of this article. You can complete it electronically or by paper. Once it is complete, return it by email, postal mail, or drop it off at our office. The addresses are:
Email: mmcneel1@purdue.edu
Mailing/Physical: 1 E McClain Ave, Suite G-30, Scottsburg, IN 47170
To speed up the process, we ask that you include complete contact information for your references, and let them know you are putting them down so they can be expecting the form. We try to send these by postal mail as much as possible, but we can send them via email as well.
- Reference Checks and Background Searches
Once you complete your 4-H adult volunteer application, our office will process these items and will contact you if we are having trouble getting information back from a reference. The amount of time this portion takes is completely dependent on how long it takes to get the reference forms back.
- Volunteer Interview/Orientation with Megan
After your references are returned, we will contact you about scheduling a meeting with Megan. We typically try to do this as group sessions, so you can benefit from the questions others ask and meet other new volunteers; however, if the group sessions do not meet your schedule, you can schedule an individual meeting. This meeting takes about 45 minutes and will review the basics of being a 4-H volunteer and give you resources to help you get involved.
- Create a 4Honline Profile
During the meeting with Megan, she will provide you with instructions on creating your profile in our database, 4Honline. There are instructions with screenshots in the documents below. This allows you to sign the Adult Behavioral Expectations and gets you on the mailing list(s) for the groups in which you are interested. The URL for the portal is https://v2.4honline.com. You can update your own contact information at any time by simply logging back into your profile. If you have children in our 4-H program, you will use the same family profile you have set up.
- Complete Protection of Minors Training
When you have created your 4HOnline profile, Megan will approve the profile. If you have just met with Megan, she will have given you the Minors Safety training. This training is good for 1 year. Each subsequent year, you will complete this training whenever you re-enroll in the 4H online system.
- Renew Your Volunteer Commitment Annually
To maintain your approved volunteer status, we will send you a notice each year to ask you to re-affirm your commitment by re-enrolling through your 4HOnline profile each October. It is a simple process, and as long as you follow the Adult Behavioral Expectations and re-enroll each October, your volunteer status will remain. However, if you let your status lapse, you will have to repeat steps 1-5 again, including the same meeting with Megan. We understand if you want to take some time away from volunteer tasks, but please remember to at least log into your 4HOnline account. It is much simpler if you still at least retain your status in the event you want to return as a volunteer.
