Overview and Helpful Tips
Why does 4-H require volunteers to participate in this orientation?
Many seasoned volunteers may ask, "Why do I have to take this orientation?" We ask a lot of 4-H volunteers. We want to provide as much training as possible so Missouri's youth have the best possible 4-H experience. In addition:
- Volunteers deserve to be well prepared
- We value you and the work that you do for 4-H
- Our children and youth are worth our time in training
- Trained volunteers are essential to a quality 4-H program
- We want to lay a foundation for success in your 4-H work with young people
What is in the Volunteer Orientation?
There are seven (7) units covering specific topics. Select the units from the menu to the left in order, 1-7.
Unit 1 - History
Understanding where we have been and how that helps shape where we are going will lay the foundation for "What the Missouri 4-H Program Is All About." The basic history and philosophy of the Missouri 4-H program are explained.Unit 2 – Youth Development and Essential Elements
The principles and philosophies of positive youth development, including the four essential elements found in quality 4-H youth development programs, are highlighted.Unit 3 – Learning Life and Project Skills through Experiential Learning
In 4-H, we believe young people learn by doing. Children and youth learn two related but separate skill sets in 4-H: project skills and life skills. By doing fun 4-H projects under the guidance of a volunteer, youth are also learning important skills that are transferrable to other areas of life.Unit 4 - Ages and Stages
You work on the front lines with children and youth from many different age groups and often at the same time! We'll show you the basic characteristics of the various age groups to help make your job of working with young people easier.Unit 5 - Competition
4-H holds many competitive events. The Missouri 4-H philosophy regarding competition will be addressed in this unit.Unit 6 - Character
Character development is a key component of 4-H programming. Character Counts, as part of 4-H programming, is explained in this unit.Unit 7 - Safety (Creating Safe Environments)
The final learning unit includes basic steps to insure the safety of everyone.Closing Remarks and Credits
The closing remarks includes Volunteer Wisdom: A Summary, credits, and instructions for the required feedback form.Required Feedback Form
The Volunteer Orientation quiz is required of all online and CD orientation participants. The feedback form is located on an external web site, Surveymonkey.com. The survey requires an Internet connection. All survey feedback is confidential and will be used to improve the 4-H volunteer program. Volunteers wishing to complete a print version of the Feedback Form should obtain a copy from the local 4-H faculty or staff.Optional Resources
Optional resources are provided to reinforce your learning experience and make the course more enjoyable. The optional resources are provided at the end of each section or can be accessed in their entirety in Optional Resources on the menu to your left. Optional resources include PDF documents and web links.Technical Tips
This section contains helpful information related to the computer connection needs for the Optional Resources, the required online quiz, and the free download of Adobe Reader.
What do I need to know before starting this course?
Before starting, we recommend you print the optional Study Guide to help you track your progress through the course. For information about PDF files, see the Technical Tips section (on the menu to your left, select Technical Tips).
Optional Volunteer Orientation Study Guide
End of Overview. Select Unit 1: History (or select History on the menu to your left).
