Every 4-H member is involved in at least one of the more than 200 projects offered in Ohio. Every 4-H member, in every project, should experience some leadership development related to that project. In order to be a well-rounded person, one needs to be competent, capable, caring, and contributing. Through leadership and citizenship experiences in their project work, 4-Hers can develop these characteristics.
"Member Project Guides" for each 4-H project or project series incorporate learning objectives that include specific subject matter as well as leadership development, citizenship development, and related objectives. For example, 4-H members in a foods projects might spend half of their time learning the basics of food preparation and good nutrition. The remainder of their time might be spent setting up fitness activities for other members in the club, working with community food banks, or doing foods related exhibits or demonstrations. Livestock club members might "adopt a grandparent" at a nursing home or set up a petting zoo for urban youth at a community event.
More information about specific leadership development options is provided in the Member Project Guide for each specific 4-H project.
4-H is one of the few places youth can actually learn to apply the democratic decision making process. As club officers, 4-H members learn to conduct business in such a way that all club members have an opportunity to be heard and to assist in formulating decisions.
Although 4-H school groups and special emphasis groups do not typically elect officers, 4-H community clubs and 4-H project clubs are lead by executive councils which include the president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, a reporter, a recreation leader, a health and safety officer, and other officers as needed by the group.
Training for these officers is provided locally by a volunteer 4-H advisor or 4-H teen leader. 4-H Officer Guides are provided to each officer as well, for guidance and information in completing their responsibilities.
It is also desirable for a county or multi-club officer training program to be conducted. Such programs give officers and their parents a better understanding of their responsibilities and how to complete them. Usually local adult leaders are available to serve as willing and excellent resource people for such programs. For example, community bankers are usually willing to train club treasurers, newspaper reporters will assist club news reporters, etc.
More information about the leadership development opportunities available to 4-H club officers is available in the officers guides.
Standing committees include committees for membership, program, health, safety, social, and finance. In addition, a variety of special committees handle the day to day operations of the groups. These include tours, community service projects, parents' nights, special parties or events, fair exhibits, camp, floats, picnics, and so forth. Every 4-H member is expected to assume at least one major leadership responsibility within the club or group each year. These responsibilities are suited to the level of development of the individual 4-Her.
4-H projects are specific areas of planned experiences in which youth develop knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations related to a specific topic or subject matter area. It is primarily through projects that information and research results are disseminated or "extended" from the land-grant university to youth through the Extension 4-H program.
The 4-H Youth Leadership Development Curriculum includes the following projects:
The Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow series is designed to provide young people age 9 to 19 the opportunity to develop skills in understanding self, communicating, getting along with others, learning to learn, making decisions, managing, and working with groups. The program is divided into four levels. Each level provides experiences which help young people develop each of seven leadership skills.
Youth age 9 to 11 are encouraged to begin learning leadership skills through the experiences in level one. Older youth with limited leadership experiences begin developing with individual skills in level two, before advancing to group leadership skills in levels three and four. Each level is designed to be completed over a three year period. A planning outline is included at the beginning of each level with suggested guidelines for member progress in years one, two and three.
Another aspect of the Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow program is that each youth involved is assisted by a helper and an advisor. These individual members grow in understanding themselves, other people, and groups. An advisor's guide and a helpers' guide provide direction and assistance for these important individuals.
The Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow series is appropriate for use as an individual or group project, as a resource for special emphasis leadership programs, as educational program content for county teen leadership programs, etc.
One-On-One is a mentoring project is designed for teens with at least two years of 4-H experience. Teens mentor at least one beginner 4-H member and complete a series of learning experiences with their protege.
This project is designed for teens who want to provide leadership and assistance to advisors and members within a local 4-H club or group. Teens who participate in this project work with a local 4-H advisor to develop an individual plan for gaining abilities needed to provide leadership within the club. A variety of activities and leadership learning experiences are provided through the project.
In this project, teens complete responsibilities in local, county, and state 4-H programs; participate in study guide experiences; may mentor younger members; and take part in other 4-H teen leadership opportunities. The project includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced level opportunities. This project particularly targeted towards teens who participate in county 4-H Teen Leadership, Junior Leadership, Teen Corps, or similar long-term 4-H teen leadership programs.
The Teen Leadership On The Job project is designed for teens who are employed, who want to develop leadership for "making the best better" on the job, and who want to succeed in attaining their personal goals and those of their employers. Information and experiences related to the real world of work, attaining goals and objectives, developing a work ethic, stress management, money management, time management, and performance assessment are included.
The CarTeens project is designed for teens who are involved in providing leadership and instruction through the 4-H CarTeens program. The project includes information and experiences for planning, conducting, and evaluating 4-H CarTeens programs.
This project is designed for teens who are interested in serving on 4-H awareness teams, as 4-H Ambassadors, on 4-H Speaker's Bureaus, and other public relations groups, as well as for teens who are interested in developing abilities in public relations for working with non-4-H groups and organizations.
The 4-H Community Service project is designed for teens who wish to focus on the service dimension of leadership development. Participants will exercise leadership in planning, conducting, and evaluating at least one community service program or activity. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced experiences will be included.
The Teen Board Leadership project is designed for teens who serve on Fashion and Food Boards, Junior Fair Boards, Student Councils, and similar representative bodies.
The Camp Counseling project is designed for teens who are involved in providing leadership as camp counselors for 4-H and other youth programs and organizations. The project includes information and experiences for planning, conducting, and evaluating camp counseling responsibilities and camp activities and programs.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868