4-H Volunteer Opportunities in Sedgwick County
How could you inspire the next generation?
There are many ways in which individuals may volunteer for 4-H. While many 4-H volunteer
roles involve working with youth, others do not. Here are a few of the ways you can volunteer as well as a brief description:
A club leader is an individual who works with a 4-H community or project club. The club leader's function is to assist the club's members as they plan the club's program, conduct club business, and enroll individually or as a group in one or more 4-H projects. They also serve as the primary liaison between the county 4-H professional and the club's membership, parents, and other activities in that club.
A youth volunteer is an older 4-H member with the ability to function in any 4-H volunteer role. Examples include mentoring younger 4-H members, serving on a 4-H Committee, 4-H Ambassador, Junior Leader, etc.
A 4-H Committe member is an individual who contributes time, energy, resources, or talent to any 4-H sponsored committee.
A special emphasis volunteer is an individual who works with a 4-H group which offers a series of activities designed to meet the needs and interests of youth within a community.
A project leader assists 4-H mermbers with project experience in a given subject matter area.
A SPIN Club Leader typically just requires a short term commitment. Whether your passion is sailing, robotics, community theater or ....whatever! 4-H SPIN (SPecial INterest) Clubs offer a new way for you to share your skills and knowledge with youth in your community.
A Project/Event Judge helps by judging a specific project or event. The Sedgwick County Fair and 4-H Club Day are two main events where judges are needed. At the fair, judges will judge a specific project. At Club Day, judges will judge the events that take place. For more information please check out Sedgwick County Fair or 4-H Days to learn more about each event.
A school enrichment volunteer assists 4-H staff in the schools to teach 4-H programming. This volunteer status requires a few hours a week to go into a school and teach. This is a great opportunity for people going into teaching or those retired from teaching. For more information click here.
Although most people think that 4-H volunteers work with 4-H members, this need not be the case. A person or group may volunteer for 4-H by assisting Extension staff, other 4-H adult volunteers, by working on special projects, or by helping at the fair, at a camp or fairgrounds, or almost anywhere. Contact your local Extension Agent to make him/her aware or your interest and abilities. There is probably a volunteer opportunity waiting to be fulfilled.
Safety of young people is shared responsibility between volunteers, Extension staff, K-State Research and Extension, and the state. We need to do our best to protect young people through the implementation of a youth protection system. In Kansas, the youth protection system is the Kansas 4-H Volunteer Screening process.
Steps to become a Sedgwick County Registered 4-H Volunteer:
1.If your family uses the Kansas 4-H Online system at https://v2.4honline.com, you already have a family account.
Login to your family and add yourself as a new family member if you don’t already have an adult profile. If your family has never used 4-H Online, you will need to create a new family account before creating an adult profile for yourself. The following resource may assist you: New Adult Volunteer Enrollment
2. Complete the Kansas 4-H Volunteer Orientation available through Kansas 4-H Online or in person through your local Extension office.
3. After completing the Kansas 4-H Volunteer Orientation, notify your local Extension office about completing the training and schedule an interview appointment.
4. Contact your local Extension office to get started on the required Criminal background check.
Once you are a Registered Volunteer
- Resource information link for re-enrolling as a 4-H volunteer.
- A CBC will be required every 3 years.
Who Must Complete the Volunteer Screening Process?
A volunteer, adult or teen, with authority to independently plan and conduct educational experiences for youth with other adults present or in a public setting OR a volunteer whose position puts them in close, ongoing, one-to-one interaction with youth must complete the VIP process.
Volunteer roles include, but are not limited to, judging team coach, community leader, organizational leader, project leader, camp counselor, camp assistant, Discover Days or other event chaperone, exchange trip chaperone, chauffeur for any 4-H activities, and county-wide project leader.
Volunteers who do not fit into one of the above criteria would be considered episodic and do not need to complete the screening.
Costs
The National Criminal Background Check (CBC) cost (as of August 1, 2014) is $22.50 for the first time it is conducted on a volunteer, $16.50 for all subsequent checks (every three years). At this time, these costs are covered by funding from Sedgwick County Extension Council, so there is no charge to volunteers.
The Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check is free, the $10 fee is waived because Kansas 4-H is a Kansas Mentor Organization.
Important Links
Contact Information
Have Questions? Contact:
Sedgwick County
4-H Youth Development
7001 W. 21st St. North
Wichita, KS 67205-1759
(316) 660-0115
Stephanie Hays
4-H and Youth Development Agent
(316) 660-0111
sahays@ksu.edu
Sophia Zurschmiede
4-H Program Manager
(316) 660-0112
esz@ksu.edu
Barbara Wingfield
4-H Office Professional
(316) 660-0115
bwingfie@ksu.edu