Adult Volunteer Leader Development

The agent currently has 4 volunteer leaders registered to attended the New Mexico Leader’s Forum in Albuquerque. Parents and volunteers will gain knowledge and understanding of activites that could be used for 4-Hers.

In February 2010 27 adult volunteers participated in a volunteer training seminar held at the county fair grounds. In the training volunteers and leaders learned how to have more effective meetings, they also learned different ways of communicating with teens primarily and effective ways to communicate with all youth now a days. The 27 volunteers where asked to fill out a survey at the end of the seminar and all 27 volunteers rated the seminar at or above 90% effective. The seminar had a positive impact on all the participates in attendance.

Five hundred ninety five youth and adult volunteers have been involved in Socorro County 4-H programming, assisting Extension Agent in reaching new and under served youth audiences. Adult & youth volunteers have assisted agent with instructions and facilitation of programs.

After school Programming: During the after school program, volunteers help to maintain order and assist with completion of projects. The youth are broken up into four groups; adult volunteer leaders are in charge of each group. Their duties are to lead their group through each rotation, assist the youth complete their projects, and interact with the youth by playing games with them or helping them with their homework.

As we were gearing up for the summer and preparing to have 150 to 200 youth participating in the Summer program, we felt the need to provide a staff training for the all of the staff hired to work during the summer. We spent several hours talking about the 8 essential elements of youth development and what role the staff played in implementing them. We emphasized the importance of environment and creating opportunities for young people. We then spent the next hour talking about what it means to be a good and bad employee. We went over their job description and talk about key points in the City of Socorro’s policies and procedures manual. The final hour was spent teaching them games and activities that could be used within their group. To follow up, we developed an evaluation instrument to assess the staff progress as we go through the summer. We meet on Monday evenings for a staff meeting to go over any problems that have come up the week before and go over ways to solve those problems.

In this program we also utilize elderly women that call themselves “Grandma’s” that volunteer their time to assist young people in the community. The Grandma’s volunteer 4 hours a day and assist us by gathering materials, preparing projects for the day, and helping youth with arts and crafts projects. During the school year we have 4-5 grandmas’ daily attending the program and now during the summer program we have 8-10 volunteering daily.

School Enrichment: During the school enrichment programs, volunteer teachers assist with maintaining order of their classrooms, preparing snacks during our nutrition courses, and assisting the agent to prepare and clean up before and after the class. Volunteer teachers also assist by delivering curriculum provided to them to their students.

Special Interests Volunteer leaders assist the Extension Agent by helping youth complete projects. They make sure that youth understand the instructions and assist youth with the hands-on activities. Socorro County 4-H’ers also assists with program planning, presentation, and facilitation when called upon.

Five hundred ninety five youth and adult volunteers have been involved in Socorro County 4-H programming, assisting Extension Agent in reaching new and under served youth audiences. Adult & youth volunteers have assisted agent with instructions and facilitation of programs.

After school Programming: During the after school program, volunteers help to maintain order and assist with completion of projects. The youth are broken up into four groups; adult volunteer leaders are in charge of each group. Their duties are to lead their group through each rotation, assist the youth complete their projects, and interact with the youth by playing games with them or helping them with their homework.

As we were gearing up for the summer and preparing to have 150 to 200 youth participating in the Summer program, we felt the need to provide a staff training for the all of the staff hired to work during the summer. We spent several hours talking about the 8 essential elements of youth development and what role the staff played in implementing them. We emphasized the importance of environment and creating opportunities for young people. We then spent the next hour talking about what it means to be a good and bad employee. We went over their job description and talk about key points in the City of Socorro’s policies and procedures manual. The final hour was spent teaching them games and activities that could be used within their group. To follow up, we developed an evaluation instrument to assess the staff progress as we go through the summer. We meet on Monday evenings for a staff meeting to go over any problems that have come up the week before and go over ways to solve those problems.

In this program we also utilize elderly women that call themselves “Grandma’s” that volunteer their time to assist young people in the community. The Grandma’s volunteer 4 hours a day and assist us by gathering materials, preparing projects for the day, and helping youth with arts and crafts projects. During the school year we have 4-5 grandmas’ daily attending the program and now during the summer program we have 8-10 volunteering daily.

School Enrichment: During the school enrichment programs, volunteer teachers assist with maintaining order of their classrooms, preparing snacks during our nutrition courses, and assisting the agent to prepare and clean up before and after the class. Volunteer teachers also assist by delivering curriculum provided to them to their students.

Special Interests Volunteer leaders assist the Extension Agent by helping youth complete projects. They make sure that youth understand the instructions and assist youth with the hands-on activities. Socorro County 4-H’ers also assists with program planning, presentation, and facilitation when called upon.

Volunteer Training

Two hundred one (201) 4-H volunteer adult leaders completed the application and screening form for processing before being enrolled as a New Mexico 4-H Leader in San Juan County. This number indicates an eight percent (4%) increase over last year. With over 600 4-H members enrolled in over 33 clubs, keeping volunteers leaders trained is directly related to the success of the San Juan County 4-H program.

• 100% of new organizational club leaders were offered an orientation and initial education lessons.
• Provided new and experienced 4-H leaders with new project curriculum, contest, opportunity, and other training.
• Over 25% of adult 4-H volunteers participated in at least one leader education program during the 4-H program year.
• 4-H Specialists served as a resource to the county by instructing at 4-H leader education programs.
• Provided each new 4-H leader/volunteer with new project curriculum, contest, and other training.

San Juan County offered three volunteer leader trainings through out the year with over 75% of the active clubs attending at least one of the trainings. The October meeting is held to distribute new enrollments as well as other information that is needed to have successful leaders and clubs. This is our basic 4-H leadership 101 course which is met with lots of questions and answers to start the 4-H year off right. Twenty-two leaders attended this meeting with the majority being less experienced 4-H leaders. Our January meeting is one that we bring in a State Specialist and this year the State Director Dr. Frank Hodnett presented a program on and EIN update as well as financial record keeping in 4-H. Although the turnout was low, those that attended were very appreciative of Dr. Hodnett’s program. Our April meeting is one to make sure all forms and requirements are met before the April 15 deadline and to assist the leaders in any matter seemed relevant. This year 4-H charters and EIN numbers for each club was still reinforced for the training as well as fundraising activities and money management. Although this training only had 15 leaders present, they were leaders that had not been to training for the year and they gained knowledge about the 4-H program. The agent works with many volunteer leaders to make San Juan County 4-H program a success. Besides the thirty-three traditional club organizational leaders, the agent works with shooting sports leaders in the area of shotgun, archery, pellet, and .22 rifle. The agent provides current information to these leaders and schedules meeting and practice times. The agent works closely with rodeo leaders, sportfishing leaders, horse leaders, rabbit leaders, and Citizenship Washington Focus leaders. The agent assists and provides training as well as scheduling needs. Keeping a fresh group of leaders is beneficial to the program and the youth of San Juan County