Adult Volunteer Leader Development

Volunteer Training

One hundred ninety (190) 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 (8%) increase over last year. With over 650 4-H members enrolled in over 40 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 50% 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-eight 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 Mindy Denny presented a program on cloverbud programming and improving your club and keep yourself sane. It was met with great reception and more information was asked for after this program. Twenty –seven leaders attended and were shown to be beneficial to those who attended. 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 a 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-five 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

Santa Fe County has a very strong base of 4-H leaders. The agents provide continual support to these leaders on a daily basis. This year one of the programs offered for 4-H members was the 2nd annual organizational leaders training held in February.
In response to the extremely positive feedback from the first training, organizational leaders from each 4-H club within the county were asked to attend this day long training developed by the 4-H Ag agent and the 4-H Home Economist. A portion of the training was dedicated to reviewing the current state and county policies and procedures for 4-H clubs. Addressed in this portion was reviewing club charters, using the 4-H name and emblem, and procedures for registering for an EIN number and reporting to the IRS.
Another portion of the training was dedicated to addressing the issues that many organizational leaders have within their clubs. Some of the topics discussed included learning how to identify leaders within your club, recognizing and prioritizing needs, delegating responsibility, and utilizing outside resources. These topics were discussed in an open forum allowing leaders to share ideas and concerns.
A new topic that was covered by the agents this year at the training was on-line safety. Leaders were introduced to some of the new ways that youth communicate and how we can be more involved in ensuring their safety. Leaders were also made aware of how we can use these new methods of communication to further develop our programs. A list of guidelines for internet use as it pertains to 4-H activities was shared with the leaders.
Also covered was member recruitment and retention. A presentation was given that covered the characteristics of a healthy organization and how we can make these things happen in our county and club programs.
15 organizational leaders attended this training. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, the average overall score given by the leaders for the training was a 9.34. Some of the comments in the evaluation included;
“I like the fact that these meetings keep us updated. Good communication for leaders.”
“I liked being informed of all the new information and changes that have happened in 4-H. The information was very useful.”
In general the leaders all felt the training was very useful and agreed that an annual training should remain in place annually.

38 new adult volunteer leaders completed the screening process and enrolled as leaders in Santa Fe County. Total number of leaders enrolled in the current 4-H year in Santa Fe County is 133. There was a total enrollment of 221 leaders that have gone through the screening process in the county up to this point.

The 4-H Home Economist is developing a leader survey to obtain information from the current leaders as to what this process should be. The survey will be sent to all organizational leaders no later than December 2009.

In 2009, the 4-H Home Economist and 4-H Ag Agent continued the mandatory organizational leader training. This year’s training covered topics including; state update, online safety, recruitment and retention and county program update. These topics were presented through the use of power point presentations, questions and answer sessions, and hands-on learning games. This training also provided organizational leaders an opportunity to network with one another and ask questions they had through a round table discussion.
Two trainings were offered, resulting in 100% compliance from all 13 clubs (15 adults were in attendance). Evaluation results were very positive; on a scale of 1 to 10 (1= unacceptable and 10= excellent) overall evaluations averaged 9.34. When participants were asked what they liked about the program answers included, “the way the program flowed—good use of tech and various materials,” and “all of the new information and changes that have happened in 4-H and our state”. Because the training was so well received the Agents are planning to continue this type of training in the future.