Volunteer Training Teleconferences

The State 4-H Volunteer Development Task Force will be offering five different teleconference trainings for 4-H volunteers in this coming year. These sessions will last one hour and will be open to all volunteers from across the state. Below are the topics and dates-they are all associated with the Valued Volunteer program. Registration for these trainings must be made two weeks before the teleconference in order for training materials to be mailed from the state to your home.

(To teleconference—you will be given an 800 number to call from home. You will listen in and have the opportunity to ask questions with all volunteers and Extension State Staff and Educators throughout the state).

There will be five sessions being offered, each offering 3 different nights to participate in one.

· Positive Youth Development-January 8, 13, and 14, 2009

· Communications in a 4-H Club-January 22, 26, and 27, 2009

· Public Presentations-February 3, 11, and 19, 2009

· Parental Involvement-February 4, 10, and 17, 2009

· Risk Management-March 3, 11, and 19, 2009

What is Volunteering, Community Service and Service Learning?

Service learning is an important part of every 4-H project. Helping youth give back to the community empowers them to see how their actions affect others and lets them practice essential life skills.

4-H promotes the use of the Experiential Learning method — Do, Reflect, and Apply.

What is the difference between each of the services can make a difference in your community?

Volunteer work-This is a one time assistance to help with community needs. Examples are bell ringing, soup kitchen, etc.

Community Service-This is an opportunity to use your skills in providing service to your community.

Example—sewing tote bags for Turning Point, making things and donating them using the skills you have learned from your projects.

Service Learning-An ongoing planned and meaningful service experience that addresses a Community needs. First you will find a need in the community, make a plan, and work the plan. Example—A community lost all of the town's trees due to a storm. The need is to replace the trees, learn the types of trees that are needed to replace them, cost of replacement, raising money to cover the expenses, purchase the trees, plant the tress and reflect on how the whole club and community worked together in the process and the impact that the project had on the community.

Are You a 4-H Chaperone?

All parents who will be chaperoning their child overnight at any point in 2009, especially for county fair, are required to do the following: (1) All Volunteers must go through the screening process; (2) All volunteers must take the chaperone on-line training; (3) All volunteers must fill out an individual enrollment form. Training is available at: www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/mchenry/4hyouth. Click "4-H Overnight Chaperone Training". An email confirmation will be sent to our office upon completion of this online training.

Fair Superintendent Needed

We are looking for a volunteer for Clay Superintendent in the Visual Arts area. Responsibilities include answering questions youth may have about their projects and guidance to the 4-H members throughout the judging process and overseeing the judges and recorders. For more information, please contact the Extension Office.