4-H Volunteer Information
By volunteering with 4-H, you will be using your skills to help kids explore and discover what matters to them, enabling them to make a positive impact today and in the future. You will help them to set goals, foster a sense of belonging and independence, inspire a generous spirit, and master skills that will prepare them for their future.
Want to be a 4-H Volunteer?
Step 1 = Complete a Volunteer Application and Adult Behavioral Expectations Form Page. The forms can be emailed to Miranda Furrer (furrer@purdue.edu).
Step 2 = Miranda Furrer will contact you after the application and form have been received to provide you with additional details and steps.
*The Volunteer Application and Adult Behavioral Expectations Form are found at the bottom of this page.
Ways to Volunteer with 4-H
Partner with youth to lead a club.
- Lead a 4-H Club (organize meetings and speakers, provide assistance to youth club leaders).
- Mentor a 4-H Volunteer who is serving as a project leader.
- Inspire other volunteers and 4-H'ers as a guest speaker or short-term instructor.
Teach a skill.
- Share your skills by teaching a workshop.
- Organize a club devoted to your area of specialty.
Judge projects.
- Serve as a judge for 4-H exhibits, speeches or performances, providing encouragement and suggestions for improvement.
- Share your time, talent and experience to inspire and/or challenge youth to master their skills.
Plan or help at an event.
- Help plan and organize an event/program that will teach 4-H'ers about topics of interest.
Serve on an advisory board/committee.
- Sit on a local advisory or county governing board to help determine program priorities.
- Volunteer to serve on a County 4-H Foundation/Fundraiser - help to organize and implement project(s) and expand the 4-H program to reach new audiences.
Help with a specific 4-H project.
- Mentor a 4-H member in their project work: inspire them to set goals, create and implement a plan, and reflect on what they learned and would do differently next time. Speak with youth about how you chose a school, your career path, and current associations.
Assist with program delivery.
- Volunteer at an after school program, summer program, camp, program event, or club meeting.
Volunteer on a fair organizing committee.
- Volunteer at the county fair - be inspired by the talents and creativity of the next generation while promoting the country's largest positive youth development organization!
Utilize your professional skills.
- Share your technical skills and knowledge to develop subject matter for curriculum/project sheets.
- Utilize your professional skills to assist with creating marketing tools, graphic art, word documents, web-pages, videos, online training modules, etc.
- Intern at your local Extension office with the 4-H program.
Share your experiences.
- Share your hobby/passion - inspire a young person as a guest speaker or short-term instructor.
- Share your career path - invite 4-H'ers to shadow you for the day.
- Share your educational path/give a testimonial - how did you get to where you are? (If you are a college student - how did you choose your school, what are you pursuing, what are you aspiring to do?)
Interested in becoming a 4-H Volunteer? Have questions? Please contact Miranda Furrer, furrer@purdue.edu, 4-H Educator in White County.
