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Adult Volunteer Leader Development (Hidalgo County)

Plan Goal

This plan deals with volunteer leader trainings, organizational leaders, project training for leaders, recruitment efforts, Leaders' Forum; anything related to ADULT volunteers.

Situation Statement

Adult volunteers provide a significant amount of direct contact with 4-H youth and are essential partners in the 4-H Youth Development Program for maintaining and expanding the Hidalgo County 4-H program. 4-H volunteer leaders must be recruited, screened, selected, oriented, trained, supervised, evaluated and recognized for a sustaining volunteer program. Increased retention of volunteers is a challenge. Adult leaders need options of how and when to be involved, as their priorities regarding volunteer, personal and work commitments change over time. Volunteer leaders need orientation and education about the organizational structure of 4-H, 4-H delivery modes, affirmative action, youth protection, risk management, enrollment procedures, youth protection, working with youth, leadership styles, leadership roles, 4-H projects, and local, state, national and international 4-H opportunities.

Target Audience and Actions

Audience: Adult Leaders who are 19 years of age by January 1 of the current 4-H year and not enrolled as a 4-H member; potential adult volunteer leaders; senior 4-H members; and 4-H agents and paraprofessionals.

Short-Term Objectives

1. Each year, potential new 4-H volunteer adult leaders will complete the application and screening form for processing before being enrolled as a Hidalgo County 4-H Leader. 2. By April of each year, 100% of new organizational club leaders will be offered an orientation and initial education lessons (can use 4-H web site lessons or the “Welcome To The World of 4-H video”), provided a copy of or the web link to the “4-H Policies and Procedures Handbook”, provided a copy of the “Club Leaders’ Handbook”, and will understand 4-H enrollment procedures and the communication linkage to county office and other 4-H volunteers, resulting in an involved 4-H club membership. 3. By September 15 of each year, 100% of new special interest and school enrichment key group leaders will be offered an orientation about their role, responsibilities and enrollment procedures, resulting in youth actively learning and having fun. 4. By September 30 of each year, 15% of adult 4-H volunteers will participate in at least one leader education program during the 4-H program year, resulting in increased volunteer satisfaction and knowledge gain as reported by agents. 5. Each year, 4-H Agents will serve as a resource to counties, including instructing at 4-H leader education programs delivered at county, multiple county, district or state levels upon request.

Medium-Term Objectives

6. By spring of 2012 a Leader Training will be conducted in Hidalgo County. 7. By the 2011-2012 4-H program year there will be a 3% increase from the 2010-2011 program year of 4-H volunteers recruited, screened, and enrolled county wide. 8. By the October 2011-2012 4-H program year there will be a 3% increase in the retention rate of first year 4-H club leaders from the 2010-2011 program year. 9. By October 2012 there will be defined options for how volunteers can be involved in the 4-H program 10. County 4-H Agent will serve as a resource to counties, including instructing at 4-H leader education programs delivered at county, multiple county, district levels upon request. 11. Each year, 4-H Agents will develop materials to support clubs in leader education programs and distribute.

Long-Term Objectives

In 3 to 5 years this plan will - 1.Increase number of leaders by 20%. 2.Provide one local leader training. 3.Encourage participation in state and national leader trainings. 4.Provide news letter to all leaders. 5.Be available to assist and support all leaders.

Evaluation Plan

Class evaluations are designed to measure knowledge gained, usefulness of information and quality of presentation. The overall Forum evaluation measures what was most useful and how they plan to use it when they return to their county. (May apply to objectives 4, 5, 6,10, 13,15) Adult Volunteer Workshops: Evaluations conducted at statewide youth events by members of the Executive Board measure knowledge gained, usefulness of information and quality of presentation. (May apply to objective 14) Adult Volunteer Workshops: Evaluations conducted at county, multi-county, district, level by 4-H Agents measure knowledge gained, usefulness of information and quality of presentation. (May apply to objectives 5, 10, 15) Agent Reports: Provide information on leader education conducted in their county and topics addressed. Specific evaluation data available from county agent. (May apply to objectives 1-17) Annual 4-H Enrollment: The report will include statistics on adult volunteer leader enrollment. (May apply to objectives 1, 7, 8)