4-H Afterschool Tips
1. Disperse 4-H materials, stickers, bags, etc. whenever possible – also include Iowa State University –
make the connection.
2. Take time to understand your audience in order to determine the delivery mode and type of content
that best meets their needs.
3. Think outside the box – how does 4-H fit into different settings with nontraditional 4-H audiences.
4. Don’t be a bully when developing new coalitions/partnerships – be subtle but definitive when getting
the 4-H philosophy incorporated into the program. It’s all about sharing information and supporting
goals, not taking control.
5. Involve everyone, from volunteers to directors, when making decisions.
6. Recognize staff efforts, provide feedback, and develop an evaluation tool.
7. Use 4-H resources and materials. Be creative and adapt activities to the needs of the audience. Use
or develop evaluation instruments to measure impact on the youth participating in the program.
8. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Be specific and communicate on a regular basis.
9. Encourage volunteers to be seen as a caring adult that has high expectations for each youth
participating in the program. They need to understand they are more than just a “buddy.”
10. Provide job descriptions for volunteers. Volunteers should understand in advance what is expected
of them.
11. Provide training opportunities for staff. Topics pertaining to discipline methods, ages and stages,
curriculum, and identification of individual needs should be addressed.
12. Be a primary resource for staff and volunteers. Answer questions promptly and accurately. Don’t
be afraid to tell them you don’t know the answer - - then research the question and get back to them
in a timely manner. Provide multiple ways for them to contact you or your designee.
13. Understand that “family” can look very different from one household to another. Be courteous and
respectful even if the family structure differs from your own value set. Also, be mindful not to pass
judgment - life’s circumstances often don’t allow for many choices for some people.
14. Develop a detailed record keeping system for funds, activities, volunteer information, participant
information, incident reports, health forms, etc. Documentation of events, incidences, and successes
will help you in the future as you evaluate your program, apply for funding opportunities, and
recreating a specific event.
15. Most of all, HAVE FUN and know that you are making a positive impact on the lives of our youth.
4-H Afterschool In-Service – November 29, 2006 – Sherry Ford and Mary Kramer