4-H Volunteers

Dr. Tim Tanner describes the role of a 4-H volunteer this way: "Do you like rocky road ice cream? Perhaps chocolate with sprinkles? Or maybe orange sherbet is more your style. Good! 4-H without volunteers would be like giving kids a steady diet of vanilla ice cream. Okay, it is still ice cream - but it could be so much better. The variety of interests and skills that our volunteers bring to the mix spices up the 4-H experience and allows us to offer many more opportunities to our youth!"

Volunteers are a key component of a successful 4-H program in South Dakota. These dedicated individuals work with 4-H professionals across the state on projects, programs, clubs, judging and leadership opportunities for young people. You can be a project volunteer or committee member, club leader, Cloverbud leader - there is something for every interest and skill set.

If you'd like to volunteer, even if you only have one day per year, browse the resources below or contact Jenae Hansen-Gross, SDSU Extension 4-H Volunteer Development Field Specialist, or your local 4-H professional to get started.

New volunteers interested in being a club leader, cloverbud leader, project leader, committee member or other local and state roles should complete this application.

BECOME A 4-H VOLUNTEER

 

Volunteers interested in chaperoning or coaching a team should complete this application.

BECOME A COACH OR CHAPERONE

 

Ways you can volunteer

  • Help a youth member lead a club: Assist with organizing meetings, finding speakers and helping with other meeting logistics. 
  • Teach a skill: Share your skills by leading a club meeting, workshop or activity devoted to your area of specialty. 
  • Judge projects: Serve as a judge for 4-H exhibits, competitions or performances and provide youth with encouragement and suggestions for improvement. 
  • Plan or help at an event: Volunteer at a county or local event by helping with registration, set-up, clean-up or serving food. 
  • Assist with a specific project: Advise members in their project work to help identify goals, create and implement a plan and reflect on what they learned. 
  • Share your experience: Share with 4-H members about a passion, hobby or skill you have by being a speaker, inviting a 4-H member to shadow you or sharing a testimonial about your educational pathway. 
  • Share your expertise: Apply to coach a national 4-H team in their journey to a national contest.
  • Apply to supervise an overnight experience for youth: 4-H camps, national trips, and other overnight experience are always in need of caring adult chaperones.

Volunteer Resources

4-H Buddies: A South Dakota 4-H Mentor Guidebook

4-H Bounty

STEM on a Dime

4-H Judging Resources

Attachments

Related Topics

4-H Volunteers

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4-H Volunteer Recognition Awards

Nominate a volunteer to be recognized at the state-level for their impact in 4-H. In addition to the Volunteer and Shooting Sports Hall of Fames, volunteers can be nominated for the Outstanding Youth Service, Outstanding Volunteer, Emerging Volunteer and Outstanding Shooting Sports Volunteer awards.

2021 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame awards arranged on a table.

4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame

The South Dakota 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates adult volunteers who have dedicated themselves to making significant contributions to the development of the SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Development program.

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Volunteers

SDSU Extension volunteers participate in a variety of service programs through our organization, helping us expand the scope and effectiveness of our mission. In exchange for their service, volunteers receive training on a wide array of topics of interest to them.