How to Start a 4-H Club

4-H Clubs are the foundation of our Counties and State programming, without our clubs’ members would not have a community focused way of joining clubs. Clubs provide leadership, education and structure to a student focused interest area. These areas can range from animal agriculture, gardening, robotics and natural resources to sewing and photography.  

 

Club Meeting frequency, does not have to meet year-round, note that the 4-H year is October 1st – September 30th  

 

Whose interacting with your club?  

Club volunteers, co-leaders, club officers, teen jr leaders, county 4-H educator, industry experts, etc.  

 

Steps to starting your club 

  1. Contact your local 4-H educator Connect With Your Local 4-H Office | UConn Extension 4-H 
  1. Become a leader and go through the 4-H Volunteer enrollment process 
  1. Application  
  1. Face to face training  
  1. Letter of approval  
  1. Minor protection training  
  1. UConn Custodial care HR Background Check 
  1. Create a club name and select its project areas  
  1. Affiliation with CT 4-H Foundation for financial transactions (Optional) 
  1. Recruit potential members from communities  
  1. Hold meetings for the club to discuss events and more  

 

Club requirements 

  1. Clubs must have a minimum membership of 5 youth from 3 different families 
  1. Club Community Service project 
  1. Public Speaking 
  1. Members have a project for in-depth study and are evaluated  
  1. Members must complete a record book for the project area 
  1. Submit Club summary report by October 15th of each year  
  1. Submit Club enrollment & member/leader registration by November 15th of each year 

 

Types of Clubs  

4-H Club: Open to 7 to 18 year olds as of the January 1st deadline. Focused on specific project areas and provides feedback to youth.  

 

Club Explorers: Open to 5 and 6 year old members these clubs are not tied to a specific project but instead an exploratory club for members to get an idea of what they might wish to pursue in the future. These clubs must meet separately from a 7 to 18 club. Volunteers have additional training to meet the needs of these club members  

These clubs require volunteers to have separate training and are separate from 7-18 year olds 

 

Independent Membership: Independent membership is available for students that do not fit into a specific club, talk to your county educator for further information.