Volunteer Opportunities

We are excited to hear of your interest in becoming a 4-H Volunteer!  For more than 100 years, UMaine Extension volunteers have been making a difference in their communities by contributing their life experiences, love of learning, and energy in support of Maine’s most precious resource – our children. As the largest youth development program in the country, 4-H continues to depend on its dedicated volunteers as a true partner in that success.

I am interested, what do I do next?

Review the Volunteer Roles, listed below, that are available in Penobscot county and share your ideas with a 4-H Staff member to determine which role is best suited for you!

Contact us by email at extension.penobscot@maine.edu or by phone at 207.942.7396 or 1.800.287.1485 (in Maine). You can also complete the following form and we will contact you!

Volunteer Roles

Volunteering with 4-H is an extremely rewarding experience, and there are many different ways in which you can make a positive impact. Below is a list of Volunteer Roles that are available in Penobscot County.

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  • 4-H Volunteers Can Go Virtual!
    Virtual meetings can allow you to meet as a group and help 4-H members in your club feel a sense of belonging. This series of tip sheets is designed to help our volunteers explore and learn how to have virtual 4-H club meetings.. Learn how.
  • 4-H Club Leader: Work in partnership with youth ages 9-19 to develop citizenship, leadership, and life skills. Whether you want to oversee a general club or a focus on a specific topic, you’ll help young people learn the importance of record keeping, public speaking, and service learning, while learning new skills and having fun.
  • 4-H Cloverbud Leader: Work with young children ages 5-8 to introduce them to a wide variety of hands-on activities that will help them develop social skills, begin to learn about the world of 4-H, and have fun.
  • 4-H Chaperone: Provide transportation or simply go with a youth group to a special event or activity. This could be for local, state or even national 4-H events.
  • 4-H Project Leader: Share your skills, talents or special interests such as photography, horses, dogs, rabbits, sewing, computers or woodworking. In this role, you may be called upon to offer a number of sessions at an afterschool program, or assist a club leader by sharing your expertise and working with their club members.
  • 4-H Afterschool Volunteer: Teach a special interest program in a local afterschool program.
  • 4-H Animal Science Committee: Work with a committed group of adult and youth volunteers to focus your energy and expertise to help provide educational opportunities for youth in a variety of livestock projects.
  • 4-H SPIN Club Volunteer: A SPIN Club is a special interest club where four or more young people ages 9-18 gather with a volunteer and, for at least six sessions, learn about a selected topic of interest. 4-H SPIN clubs are led by volunteers who have a passion for learning and want to share their knowledge with young people. We are looking for adults who are willing and able to teach what they know and love to young people in local communities. Topics vary according to the volunteer’s expertise, and can include the natural world, heritage arts, science and technology, photography, music, gardening, shooting sports, and more.
  • Episodic 4-H Volunteer: We have a variety of volunteer opportunities that don’t require a long-term commitment. Judging at the fair, helping with a specific fundraiser, assisting with a garden project, scoring 4-H project records, or organizing an annual county event to name a few.