Keeping youth safe is the number one priority of our 4-H programs. We have both policies and protocol in place to ensure our club meetings are both physically and emotionally safe for young people. These strategies help prevent most accidents, but just in case the unexpected happens, we also have insurance to provide another layer of protection for our members. There are two types of insurance we deal with in 4-H- accident insurance and liability. This post specifically addresses accident insurance, and answers questions such as who is covered, what is covered, and when clubs might want to secure additional insurance.
Who is Covered?
Florida 4-H contracts annually with American Income Life to provide accident insurance for our club members. They have a special division just for 4-H and Extension programs and have been insurance 4-H clubs for nearly 70 years. Club members who are active and enrolled in Florida 4-H are automatically covered by club policy.
What is Covered?
This policy covers accidents that occur during club meetings. The policy does not cover independent practices or project work members engage in between club meetings. It also does not cover any damage to equipment or facilities…or things like broken eyeglasses. Club meetings need to be part of the annual club program, and have adequate adult supervision. This chart is a great tool to ensure club meetings have the correct ratio of youth and screened adults.
What Parents Need to Know
Your child’s safety is our number one priority. We are committed to making sure our faculty, staff, and volunteers are trained in youth protection and risk management. While accidents are not commonplace, when they do happen, we have accident insurance to help our 4-H families. Club policy coverage can be primary for families without personal insurance, but usually, it is treated as secondary and kicks in after the family’s personal insurance to cover things like co-pays, deductibles, and other out of pocket expenses that may be incurred. To be covered by the club policy, members need to be enrolled in 4-H and have a participant form on file. Don’t forget to make sure that your club enrollment in current in 4-H online, and that your participation form is up to date. Parents or guardians need to read and complete this form annually and keep it up to date if there is a change in their child’s medical history.
What Club Leaders Need to Know
In addition to club insurance, American Income Life also offers special event insurance. This type of insurance is recommended for special events like an end of the year party or a fundraiser where there will be lots of non-4-H members present. Event insurance is very affordable, and your local 4-H agent can help you determine if this type of insurance is needed, and handle the request. Our Pre-Event Planning Guide is a helpful tool for accessing the level of risk, and whether or not additional insurance is needed.
Today is National Trail Mix Day, and we thought it would be fun to offer an activity you can do with your club or county council to practice parliamentary procedure! Not only is this a fun learning activity, it can double as a club snack. Just be aware of any food allergies your club members have and avoid those items.
Supplies Needed (omit any items members are allergic to):
Pretzels
Cereal
Popcorn
Dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries
Nuts
Candy coated chocolate or chocolate chips
Large bowl
Serving spoon
Paper cups or bowls for serving
Display the ingredients and talk about the importance of using parliamentary procedure to insure a successful business meeting. Review the procedures for how to make a motion and how to vote. Alternatively, you could play these 4-H videos to cover how to make a motion, discuss, and vote on a motion. These infographics on How to Make a Motion, How to Vote, and How to Use a Gavel make great handouts for club members. It is recommended that you print and laminate these ahead of time so they can be used until members feel comfortable with parliamentary procedure.
Explain that by using the process of making Trail Mix, members will learn how to make a motion and vote using parliamentary procedure.
As members go through the process of deciding what ingredients they will put in the Trail Mix, they will need to correctly make a motion for each ingredient
they want to add. (“I move that ____be added to the Trail Mix.”)
The chair should ask for a second, discuss, then take a vote. Don’t forget to tap the gavel once to announce the results of the vote. As items are voted to be added, a volunteer should add them to the large serving bowl, mixing well after each ingredient is added.
Continue the process of making motions, discussing, and voting for each ingredient. If the group gets off topic, or out of hand, the chair can use multiple taps of the gavel to restore order.
Once the Trail Mix has been completed, serve the Trail Mix for a snack.
Permission to use the 4-H name and emblem is granted through our club chartering process. Club charters are granted on an annual basis. 4-H agents meet with club volunteers at the beginning of each 4-H year to make sure clubs meet this criterion, then the information is updated in our online enrollment system. This blog post covers each criterion and includes links to helpful resources for members, parents, and volunteers.
First, clubs need at least two appointed volunteers who have completed the application, screening, and orientation process. If you are not sure of your volunteer status, ask your local UF/IFAS Extension agent. Our volunteers must be re-screened every five years or in the event they have had a 90 day (or more) lapse in service.
Second, clubs need to have at least five members from two different families enrolled in the 4-H program. If you need to recruit some new members, word of mouth is a great strategy, but your local 4-H agent would be happy to help. You can also check out a previous blog post about club marketing tips: Facebook Tips for 4-H Clubs, Instagram Tips for 4-H Clubs, Club Marketing Basics
Third, clubs must have a non-discriminatory name. You don’t want anything in the club name giving the impression that the club is not open to a certain group- such as only males or only females, or only members of a certain religion. It is also important that “4-H” is in the name of the club. For example, instead of the “Clover Bakers,” “Clover Bakers 4-H Club,” or “4-H Clover Bakers” is more appropriate. This fact sheet can help guide clubs when selecting a name.
Fourth and finally…clubs need to have an established meeting date, time, and location with a minimum of six meetings. In 4-H, we commonly refer to this as the club program. We have several tools to help members and volunteers plan the club year. For younger youth, the Clover Planning worksheet is a great tool. For other youth, the club planning guide is a great resource. You can also download this fillable PDF from Idaho 4-H to plan and share your club program.
When it comes to club chartering, just remember 4 for 4: there are FOUR criteria to charter 4-H clubs. The process is fairly straightforward, but if you need assistance with any of the steps, check out the links in this blog, or reach out to your local UF/IFAS Extension Office– we want your club to be successful and are happy to help!
It’s hard to believe it is time for a new school year! The past couple of years have been unusual to say the least, but we have curated some of our top tips to help parents, grandparents and caregivers set their youth up for success. Check out the articles below to plan for a safe and stress-free return to school:
Strategies for Back to School Savings– one of our most popular posts about teaching financial management and consumer skills while shopping for back to school
Setting up a Homework Center– A homework center can help young people stay focused and organized, and is not difficult to set up.
Setting up a Home Communication Center– When kids start participating in sports, 4-H and other extracurricular activities, a home communication center can help streamline schedules and keep everyone on the same page.
4-H Opportunities at School– Many schools and afterschool care centers in Florida offer 4-H programming; check out this post for information about opportunities to extend your child’s 4-H experience!
4-H offers a variety of ways for youth and volunteers to get involved!
4-H offers one of the most dynamic youth development experiences- not only are there different types of 4-H membership, but also a wide spectrum of topics youth can explore. This post will break down the types of 4-H membership, topics youth can learn about, and what to expect during a 4-H club meeting.
4-H Membership Types
Community and project clubs are the most traditional membership. Community clubs serve specific geographic areas and offer a wide variety of projects. Project clubs focus on one specific project area, such as sewing, horses, or robotics.
4-H also partners with schools and afterschool programs to provide 4-H experiences for youth. Check with your child’s school or afterschool provider to find out what is available. 4-H also offers some in-school programs like public speaking, agriculture awareness, and embryology to teach science career development.
Youth can also participate as camp members. Most counties offer day and residential camp experiences.
Some youth also participate in special interest projects or events. This could include Teen Retreat, judging teams, 4-H Legislature, or workshops.
4-H Topics Youth Can Explore
4-H offers multiple ways for youth to explore their sparks. We have three pillar programs- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Healthy Living, and Citizenship and Leadership. You can find out more about each of the projects by clicking the links below.
A Sense of Belonging– Icebreakers, teambuilding, and get-to-know you games are intentionally part of 4-H programs to help youth (especially new youth) feel like they belong and are welcome. Read more about making meetings welcoming…
4-H Ceremonies are part of our culture- most 4-H programs begin with the pledge to the American and 4-H flags. Annually, we have officer inductions for our youth club and council offers. For many of our overnight events (such as camp) we will also have flag ceremonies.
Youth~adult partnerships– we view youth as resources. That means that youth voice is important, and youth are encouraged to participate in decision making and goal setting. Club programs are driven by what youth want to learn and do through 4-H, and meetings are led by youth officers.
Opportunities to Learn– educational programs and workshops are taught by adult and teen volunteers. Programs are hands-on, and allow youth to “learn by doing.”
Opportunities to share– 4-H uses the experiential learning model, meaning that volunteers ask questions to help youth reflect and process what they have learned, and how it will help them in future situations. Sometimes youth will give demonstrations or presentations about their project work- especially when they are preparing for a completion.
For more information about 4-H club meetings, check out these previous articles:
Keeping youth safe is the number one priority of our 4-H programs. We have both policies and protocol in place to ensure our club meetings are both physically and emotionally safe for young people. These strategies help prevent most accidents, but just in case the unexpected happens, we also have insurance to provide another layer of protection for our members. There are two types of insurance we deal with in 4-H- accident insurance and liability. This post specifically addresses accident insurance, and answers questions such as who is covered, what is covered, and when clubs might want to secure additional insurance.
