Name _______________________________
Club/Group____________________________
Leader’s Name__________________________
Table of Contents
Introduction ………………………………………………………...
3
Identifying a Service Project …………………………………….
Gallery Walk ...................................................................
Needs Assessment ………………………………………..
Decision Time! ..............................................................
4
4
5
6
Planning a Service Project ……………………………………… 8
Determining Necessary Planning Tasks ……………… 8
Making a Planning Grid ………………………………….. 9
Developing a Timeline …………………………………… 9
Risk Management Checklist ……………………………. 10
Ready… Set… Go!! ..................................................................
Developing a Materials List and Work Schedule …….
Record progress–pictures, journals, check-off lists ..
Monitor Activities and Make adjustments …………….
Competition Checklist ……………………………………
11
12
13
13
14
It’s Wrap-up Time
Developing a summary and budget ……………………
Evaluating the project …………………………………….
Celebrating Success ……………………………………...
What’s Next …………………………………………………
Final Thoughts ……………………………………………..
16
17
18
18
19
Ideas for Projects ………………………………………………….
EC Illinois Community Service Projects ………………
Community Service with 4-H Projects …………………
Community Service Projects around the Holidays ….
20
20
21
23
2
Introduction
The term “community service” is one that most 4-H members are familiar with.
Many 4-H youth have contributed their time to helping their community in some
way.
When you think about community service, you probably think about how the
service you are providing is helping someone else. For instance, if you help
collect toys during the holiday season, you know that the toys you are
collecting are going to help a family in need who does not have enough
money to buy gifts. It is true the community service is very beneficial to
the community and to people in need.
On the other hand, what you may not realize are the benefits that
you, the one providing the service, are gaining from the experience.
At first it may seem confusing that the same person giving
something can also be receiving something at the same time, but it
is possible!
Now, you may be asking yourself, “What are the benefits to me?” While providing
community service, you can gain self-confidence, improve your communication
and social skills, learn to be a good organizer, and be proud of yourself for your
accomplishments. In fact, community service might also be a learning experience
for you.
List some things you might learn doing community service:
3
Identifying a Service Project
Deciding on a service project is the first step to doing Community Service. You need
to choose something that the community needs and the 4-H members have an
interest and ability to do.
Gallery Walk – A Way to Start

Post large sheets of paper around the room; brainstorm a list of
organizations or groups of people who could benefit from your
help: Lions Club, senior citizens, Humane Society, etc.
Ask a recorder to list one group per sheet.
Now in groups of two or three spend three or four minutes at each
sheet, listing specific things you can do to help members of each
group.

Reflection time: Write and share orally one idea you read or wrote that you
think is an exciting prospect for a project.
Explain why this idea is one that has captured your attention.
Other Approaches

In groups of three or four, list key public issues that can be addressed through
community service, for example, hunger, environment, etc.

Identifying a Community Service Project
4

As a large group, list ideas from the first two activities that relate to what your
group really enjoys doing. For example, if most of your members enjoy
horticulture, how can the expertise of the group be used to meet community
needs? Consider the 4-H projects of your members. (Do the activity on page 22
to get ideas for matching community service to 4-H projects.)

Journaling — Take two or three minutes to record your thoughts about all the
ideas that have just been created.

Needs Assessment
Now that you are thinking about whom to help and the issues you might address,
survey public officials or citizens in your community to get their perceptions of
community needs. Fill out this chart to organize your survey.
People to survey about community needs
for service
Mayor
Council person or village board member
School Administrator

Member to make the call
Date to report back
List questions you will ask the public officials and citizens
Identifying a Community Service Project
5
It’s Decision Time
Reports:
Each person who surveyed a public official or citizen should give a brief report. As
speakers suggest specific ideas or activities, ask a recorder to make a group list.
Display this list and the ones you made in the Gallery Walk.
Consider time-goals:
As you continue the decision-making process, here are some questions to discuss:
1. How much time does our club want to devote to community service?
2. Would we prefer a longer, ongoing project or a short-term, one-time activity?
Advocate for your ideas:
Anyone who has a project he/she would really like to see the group do should
give a short speech telling what it is and why it is a good one. Support your
choice by giving good reasons like community need, benefits to recipients,
age and expertise of the group, general group interests, and benefits to your
group, such as improving your communication and social skills, learning to be
good organizers, or learning more about a specific subject.
Post-It Notes to the Rescue!





Each member should write one suggested Community Service Project on two or
three post-it notes.
Post the notes on a large sheet of paper or on a wall.
Have two members physically move the post-it notes to categorize the
suggestions, putting similar ideas together. All members can give input into the
process!
Evaluate each idea. Consider the proposals and journal your thoughts:
o Does it meet community needs?
o Do we as a group have an interest in this area?
o Is this activity age-appropriate for our group?
o Do we in this group have expertise to carry out this project?
o Does it help develop a sense of caring for others?
o Does it improve the quality of life for person(s) served?
o Can we use what we are learning in 4-H projects?
Share evaluation thoughts.
Identifying a Community Service Project
6




Narrow choices – Pass out a dot sticker or colored pen to each person and ask
everyone to mark his/her first choice.
Pick out the two or three most popular choices.
Vote.
Write the thoughts you have now for the chosen project.

Celebrate! You’re on your way!
Reflection Time
(Sharing)
1. What did you like or not like about the way your group chose a community service project? Why?
2. Did you get adequate input into the process? Why or why not?
(Processing)
1. Do most members endorse the project?
2. Why is it important for members to feel ownership at this stage in the planning process?
3. Did the process of selecting a project help members take on ownership of the project? Do you know
yet?
(Generalizing)
1. How was this process different from others you have used to make group decisions?
2. In what other situations do you need to build consensus (general agreement)?
(Applying)
1. How might you use a similar consensus-building process in another group to which you belong?
(The Gallery Walk activity is adapted from
Tomorrow Leaders: Understanding Illinois Local Government.)
Identifying a Community Service Project
7
Planning a Service Project
Overall Goal
So that everyone has the same vision of the chosen community service
project, write an overall goal as your first planning step. For example:
Adopt a nursing home and plan 3 or more activities there.
Plant a vegetable garden and donate all the produce to the local food bank.
On a large sheet of paper or a blackboard, ask a member to volunteer the
main goal of your project. Ask others to help edit the goal until no one else
has suggestions for change.
Write the goal of your service project below:
Depending on the scope of your chosen community service project, you might want
to divide your group into committees to accomplish some of the planning process. If
so, decide which steps you want to assign committees.
Tasks Involved:
Fill in the grid (next page) for planning steps that need to be done:
Following are some general categories you might want to include:








Set dates for planning and doing the project
Get necessary permissions
Make a budget
Plan for adult support/involvement
Plan for risk management
Obtain Accident Insurance
Arrange for facilities
Arrange for transportation






Do fundraising
Gather equipment and supplies
Draft a duty assignment schedule with times
Provide publicity
Train participants
Communicate with all members
As you decide what tasks need to be done to plan for your project, think about all
those things that will help your project be successful. Your project may require
categories not listed above, so ask everyone to help make a comprehensive list.
If you decide to use club funds for this project, make sure you vote on a motion in a
regular meeting to take money from your treasury.
Following the planning grid, you will find some issues to consider for risk
management. Make safety a priority!
Planning a Community Service Project
8
Planning Grid
At a planning meeting, fill this grid and make sure all participants have a copy!
To Do List:
Person/Committee
responsible
Date to finish
Person to report to
Make sure each person knows what
he/she should bring and when and
where to arrive!
Project Time Line
You may find it helpful to draw a project time line to get a clear picture of the planning
time frame: put yours on a large sheet of paper or on a blackboard.
Here is a partial one as an example:
Planning a Community Service Project
Borrow first aid kit
and cell phone to
have on site.
May
Make duty
schedule
Make a scale
drawing of the
garden.
Gather necessary
tools for planting
April
Arrange for adult help
and tractor and disk
on the day of planting
Plan for a vegetable
garden growing lesson
from Extension
horticulture educator.
March
Secure plant and seed
donations from local
greenhouses.
Obtain permission to
plant garden at fair
grounds
February
9
Items for the Risk Management Committee’s Consideration
Person(s)
Responsible
Date
Completed
1. Are the assigned activities and responsibilities ageappropriate for the members assigned to them?
2. If appropriate, has accident/medical insurance been taken out
on all participants?
3. Do cooperating organizations (park district, nursing home)
have liability insurance?
4. Is someone assigned to bring a First Aid Kit, Cellular Phone,
and List of Emergency Numbers to the event?
5. Do you have a written emergency plan?
6. Will there be at least 1 adult present for every 10 youth
participating in the project?
7. Has orientation been provided for youth and adults?
8. Do you have written code of conduct and behavior guidelines
that have been shared with adults and youth?
9. Have parents signed permission forms for youth to
participate?
10. Have youth submitted completed medical forms?
11. Has training been provided on use of tools and equipment?
12. Have media (picture) releases been signed for all those
participating?
13. Will transportation be provided only by Extension officescreened adult volunteers whose driver’s licenses and
proof of insurance are on file?
14. Have you conducted a site review to consider safety to
members and to the site facilities?
15. Are appropriate agency/organization personnel informed
about the project?
These questions are adapted from RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN:
Activity or Event: SAMPLE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
Find this form and more information about 4-H risk management at
<http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/staff/fieldstaff.html#riskmgt>.
Planning a Community Service Project
10
Future Planning Meeting Plans:
Record when you will come together again to check plan progress:
Place
Time
Record your thoughts about the planning process; include your specific duties to be
finished before the community service activity.
Report on planning tasks:
At meetings that occur after the first planning session, report progress and
adjust the Planning Grid accordingly. Think about items that need to be
added or tasks that may need to be reassigned.
Reflection Time
(Sharing)
1. What was the most difficult part of the planning process?
2. Did you need to make changes along the way?
(Processing)
1. How did the planning process help you get ready to do the project?
2. Did everyone play an important part of the process?
3. What would you do differently next time?
(Generalizing)
1. In what other situations would it help you to make a time line or planning grid?
2. How does group brainstorming help develop an effective plan?
(Applying)
1. For what other current project could you use a planning grid?
Planning a Community Service Project
11
Ready … Set … Go!!
So far your group has decided on a community service project, made a “to do list”
including who is responsible for each task on that list and when the task needs to be
done. You have also made a project time line and kept track of your progress along
the way. Whew! You have been busy. You are almost ready to actually carry out
your project!
Before the actual beginning of the community service project, make sure you have a
plan for the day, including a list of what each member needs to bring, what time and
where the group is going to meet, and a schedule for the day. A checklist can also
be very helpful to make sure you have everything you need to complete your project.
Having these charts will help your project go more smoothly; highlight the grids on
the charts where you are personally responsible! (See the planning charts to make
sure these are complete!)
Materials and Supplies Needed
Ready…Set…Go!!
Person responsible
12
Work Schedule
Time
Task(s)
Person(s)
Throughout the community service activity, you can keep track of your
progress by taking pictures or writing in a project journal.
It is important to try to stick to your plan as much as possible, but sometimes changes
have to be made while you are actually doing your project. During the project, it will be
necessary to evaluate how the activities are proceeding and to assess if any on-site
changes are necessary.
What changes to your initial plan are necessary for your project to go smoothly?
Ready…Set…Go!!
13
Also, you might find it helpful to prepare a completion checklist:
Task to be completed
Notes
Check when
finished
If your project is spanning more than one day, you will probably want to prepare
material lists, work schedules, and task completed lists for each day. Make sure all
the information is communicated to everyone involved!
Ready…Set…Go!!
14
Reflection Time
(Sharing)
1. For you, what was the best part of doing the project?
2. Did anyone outside your group show appreciation for your doing the project?
(Processing)
1. Did your planning process help the actual community service activity go smoothly? Why? Why not?
2. Were you able to accomplish your goals with the community service activity?
3. What changes to your plans were necessary to complete the project?
4. How did you feel about completing the project?
(Generalizing)
1. If you chose a project relating to one of your 4-H projects, what new information did you learn about the
project as a result of doing the Community Service Project?
2. With what other activities can you use some of the knowledge you gained by working on this
community service project?
(Applying)
1. How might you use this workbook’s ideas of charting/listing in other projects you do?
2. How do the steps of planning and carrying out an activity such as this Community Service project relate
to accomplishing a multiple–part homework project, for example, a Science Fair display?
Ready…Set…Go!!
15
It’s Wrap-Up Time
You have chosen a project, planned it, and carried it out. Are you done?
Probably not.
So that your group can get maximum value from the project, you will probably want
to leave a record of what you have done: A summary of the project, perhaps with
pictures, an accounting of the costs, and perhaps some members’ personal
reflections about the project. Also, you will probably want to spend some time
thinking about the success of the project: what went really well and what would you
do differently if you were to start all over. Your group might want to decide if it wants
to continue some aspect of the project or work on something similar. And finally,
celebrate your accomplishments! You’ve done good work for which you need to
celebrate!
A Project Report
Ask various members to contribute to the project report. Here are some worksheets
that will get you started.
In a project report, you might want to include why a particular project was chosen (perhaps because
your group’s interest in a specific 4-H project or because you have identified a specific need in your
community.) Tell what you did to plan and carry out the project. Include pictures and any “artifacts” –
for example, a marketing brochure for your Community Service project fundraiser. Also, save any
correspondence generated, for example, a thank-you note from the recipients of your good work.
A Success Story – Our Community Service Project
(Your group will probably want to write this report on a separate sheet of paper. You will probably need more
room than is in this form. But you can jot some info here that you want to make sure is in the report.)
It’s Wrap Up Time
16
In a budget report, be sure to include all the income and expenses for your community
service project.
-1-
-2-
-3-
-4-
-5-
-6-
Our Community Service Project – A Budget Report
Date
Item
Check
number
Amount Paid
Amount
Received
Balance
Balance to start project
Total money received for the community service project (Total of column 5) $________.__
Total money spent on the community service project (Total of column 4)
$________.__
Did you receive more money to do the project than you spent? What will your group do
with any money left over?
Evaluation of the Total Project
Write some aspects of the project with which you are particularly pleased:
It’s Wrap Up Time
17
Write some things you would do differently if you could start the process all over again.
Share with the group your thoughts about the real successes of the project and also
share those things that could have perhaps been done differently.
Celebrate!
After your group has completed the community service project, it’s time to
celebrate! Sometimes the celebration is simple and is tied to the project; for
example, if you cleaned a park and planted flowers, maybe you will want to go
there for a picnic.
Think about your project and what your group should do to celebrate your success. To
decide a way to celebrate, you might want to use the post-it note process (page 6-7) to
identify your way to celebrate. Each member could suggest one or two celebration
ideas, make a list, consider if each suggestion is possible, and then vote, perhaps with
dots again.
What’s Next?
Decide as a group what you will do next. Will you continue with some aspect of this
project, wait awhile before you start a new project, or start a new one soon? In a club
meeting, you will want to begin with a motion and second, discuss what your next action
will be, and then vote.
What is the group’s decision for its next community service activity?
It’s Wrap Up Time
18
Final Thoughts – What Did I Learn?
Write your final thoughts about the entire project.
Look back at page 8 to find the goal your group set for
doing this community service project. Decide how well
that goal was met.
How did you feel about being
part of this project?
Identify learning opportunities you had
during the community service project.
It’s Wrap Up Time
What were the benefits to
those you helped?
19
Ideas for Projects
EC Illinois Projects:
East Central Illinois 4-H’ers Are Good Neighbors
Here are some of their service projects:

















Conducting food drives
Conducting book drives
Giving blood
Participating in / helping at Relay for Life
Decorating graves with flags
Cleaning cemeteries
Recycling
Helping recyclers unload
Helping with Extension recycling projects: tire
recycling, household hazardous waste
collection, . . .
Conducting scrap metal drives
Adopting a highway
Adopting a park
Planting flowers
Providing labor for a war memorial
Collecting cleaning supplies for the needy
Making shoe box collections for 3rd world
countries (National effort)
Providing an Easter Egg hunt for community
Conducting a Sock drive
Volunteering at a Food Pantry
Decorating cemeteries with flags
Walking dogs for Humane Society

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________







Ideas for Community Service














Serving meals
Visiting nursing home
Making lap quilts and bags for nursing
home patients
Making placemats for nursing home
Volunteering at day camp
Erecting a welcome sign
Maintaining a welcome sign
Stocking shelves at a food pantry
Doing chores for the elderly: raking,
shoveling
Volunteering at a humane society
Collecting food for animals at a humane
society.
Delivering pamphlets about West Nile
Virus
Decorating 4-H fair grounds
Honoring volunteer groups with a dinner:
firemen, veterans
Sending school supplies to Iraq
Holding a spring clean up day for elderly
Donating money to Ronald McDonald
House
20
Community Service with 4-H Projects:
Sometimes the hardest part of a community service project is deciding on a project.
Everyone in the group may not be able to agree on one project. Maybe your club could
split up into groups and do more than one community service project. For instance,
members who have a project area in common could do a community service project
related the 4-H project area they have in common. Here are some service ideas related
to various project areas:

Bicycle – Organize a workshop to teach the
bicycle safety.

Cats – Volunteer to help a veterinarian clinic take care of cats that do not have a
home. Organize a community event to encourage the adoption of the cats at the
veterinarian clinic.

Child Care – Volunteer to help at a local day care.

Clothing and Textiles – Encourage the community to clean out their closets and
donate clothes to a homeless shelter.

Food and Nutrition – Volunteer to serve meals at a
community soup kitchen or at a senior citizen gathering or
make food to contribute there.

Forestry –Plant trees in parks or on city land in your
community. Educate the public about the importance of
trees and forests in the environment.

Health – Conduct a healthy lifestyles week. Encourage people in your
community to eat a balanced diet, exercise, get enough sleep, and follow safety
practices for a week.

Horse and Pony – Organize a horse/pony ride at a local fair or festival to give
people who do not have a horse/pony the opportunity to ride one.

Performing Arts – Perform short skits or puppet shows at various places
throughout the community, such as senior centers or day care centers.

Photography – Photograph various 4-H activities to display on a
“community bulletin board” to keep the community informed about
4-H events.

Small Pets – Organize a petting zoo to have at a school, festival,
Ideas for Community Service
community about
21
mall or other community place. Help with an “adopt-a-pet” in cooperation with a
local pet center or humane society.

Visual Arts – Volunteer at a local day care center or senior center and spend
time doing some type of art activity.
~ ACTIVITY ~
(individual or group)
Individual:
On your own, you can list all of the 4-H projects you are involved with and try to think of
a community service project that would relate to each area.
Project Area
Community Service Idea
As a Group:
Give each group member a small piece of paper or post-it note, and have each member
list the 4-H project areas in which he/she is involved. One of the leaders or older group
members can collect the information and make a list of all the project areas and make
tally marks by each one showing how many are involved in each activity. For example:
Visual Arts Woodworking Cattle -
llll lll
lll
llll l
Clothing Photography Journalism -
lll
llll
lll
Once you have a list of all of the projects and know how many members are involved
with each, you can pick a few that a lot of people have in common and split into groups.
With the example tally above, you would have a Visual Arts group, a Cattle group, and a
Photography group. Each group could then brainstorm possible ideas for community
service projects related to that particular area.
Ideas for Community Service
22
Projects around the Holidays:
JANUARY:

New Year’s Eve/Day – Organize an evening of activities for children to
attend while their parents go out for the evening
FEBRUARY:

Valentine’s Day – Make Valentine’s Day cards and/or treats to take to a
local nursing home and spend some time visiting with those living in the
home.

President’s Day – Read stories about U.S. Presidents to children at the
local library’s story hour.
MARCH:

St. Patrick’s Day – Plan a 4-H lesson to teach about the Irish shamrock
and the four leaf clover. Use the lesson at an after-school program
APRIL:

Spring Holidays – Plant spring flowers for an elderly neighbor or in the
park. Volunteer to mow for elderly people who can’t mow themselves.

Earth Day – Collect pop cans to be recycled
and donate the money to a local charity.
Volunteer to clean up litter along the road.
MAY:

Mother’s Day – Volunteer to help children at a daycare center make cards
to give to their mothers.

Memorial Day – Visit a local cemetery and place flags by the gravestones
of veterans.
JUNE:

Father’s Day – Plan a Father’s Day picnic for the fathers of the 4-H
members in your club.
Ideas for Community Service
23
JULY:

Independence Day – Plan a picnic with your members’ grandparents as
honored guests.
SEPTEMBER:

Grandparent’s Day – At a local nursing home adopt a grandparent and
recognize him/her for Grandparent’s Day.
OCTOBER:

Halloween – Organize a safe Trick-or-Treat night at a local mall. Take
treats to hospitalized children for Halloween.
NOVEMBER:

Veteran’s Day – Write letters of appreciation to veterans in your
community.

Thanksgiving Day – Volunteer to help serve food at a local homeless
shelter.
DECEMBER:

Winter Holidays – Organize a food drive to collect
food for families in need during the holiday season.
Remember to assess local needs when selecting a community service project!
Some of these project ideas were adapted from these web sites:
http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/club/ServiceIdeas.htm
http://www.clemson.edu/4H/Assests/Adobe_Acrobat_Files/Awards_Suggested_Activities.pdf
http://vinton.osu.edu/4h/commserv.htm
Visit them for more ideas.
Ideas for Community Service
24
Kristen McClure, University of Illinois Intern
klmcclur@uiuc.edu
Ruth Ann Vokac, Extension Educator
vokacr@uiuc.edu
Champaign Extension Center
801 N. Country Fair Drive, Ste. E
Champaign, IL 61821
217.333.4901
University of Illinois ● U.S. Department of Agriculture ● Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.