April 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
4-H is Family
Being part of a group with goals, expectations and responsibilities that focuses on relationships, and celebrating and supporting one another can feel like family. As one 4-H member shared: “When I’m at 4-H, I feel like I’m part of something bigger. That’s what the sense of belonging looks like in action. While the youth members may act as the “primary” family members in your group don’t forget about the other adults who provide their primary care: parents, guardians, and/or grandparents. 4-H volunteers should consider parents, grandparents, and other adult family members as assets. Consider the following strategies to help them feel a part your club as well:
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- Tell parents/guardians/grandparents they are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings.
- Have a meeting for parents/guardians/grandparents at the beginning of the year.
- Schedule a 4-H event in which all family members are invited to participate.
- Communicate directly with parents/guardians/grandparents by talking with them face to face, through social media, phone calls, and club meeting notes/agendas/minutes.
- Invite parents/guardians/grandparents to help. Share the list of tasks and find out what each parent is willing to do to assist.
Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit- IN PERSON! Saturday, November 7th!
More details to come in the upcoming months, but we promise food, fun, connection, and learning! Our planning committee is working hard to put together an awesome experience for you all. You won’t want to miss it!
4-H Volunteer Huddle: Join us for a short “gather and learn session”! We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, we’d love to see you there! No registration required!
- April 3, 2026- Doing to Understanding: Applying Experiential Learning in 4-H Clubs Learn how to guide youth through hands-on experiences followed by purposeful reflection, helping them build confidence, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
- May 1, 2026- Understanding the Danish System: More than Just a Ribbon Explore how the Danish judging system works and what your ribbon really means. This workshop will help you understand the focus on individual achievement, learning, and growth in 4-H project evaluation.
Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.