No matter how much time you have, volunteering with UConn 4-H makes a difference by helping youth explore and discover the skills they need to lead for a lifetime. There are lots of ways to get involved! Please note, your volunteer experience and/or opportunities may be happening virtually or in-person. Contact UConn 4-H for more information and apply to be a UConn 4-H volunteer today at s.uconn.edu/helpus.

Help youth lead a club

• Assist a youth club leader with organizing meetings, speakers, and other logistics.
• Assist and/or mentor a 4-H volunteer who is serving as a project leader.

Teach a skill

• Organize a club, or share your skills by teaching a club meeting workshop, devoted to your area of specialty.

Judge projects

• Serve as a judge for 4-H exhibits, competitions or performances, providing encouragement and suggestions for improvement.

Plan or help at an event

• Volunteer at a county/state special event; from set-up or clean-up to serving food or taking registrations, there are a lot of ways to get involved.

Serve on an advisory board/committee

• Sit on a local advisory or county governing board to help determine program priorities.

Help with a specific 4-H project

• Advise a 4-H member in their project work: help youth identify and set goals, create and implement a plan, and reflect on what they learned and would do differently next time.

Assist with program delivery

• Volunteer at an after school program, a summer program, camp program event or club meeting.

Volunteer on a fair organizing committee

• Volunteer at a local fair – be inspired by the talents and creativity of the next generation while promoting the country’s largest positive youth development organization!
• Work in the food booth or help in the 4-H exhibit hall or at the 4-H show ring.

Utilize your professional skills

• Share your technical skills and knowledge to develop subject matter for curriculum/project sheets.
• Utilize your professional skills to assist with with creating marketing tools, graphic art, word documents, webpages, videos, online training modules, etc.
• Intern at your local Extension office with the 4-H program, a great resume builder.

Share your experiences

• Share your hobby/passion – inspire a young person as a guest speaker or short-term instructor.
• Share your career path – invite a 4-H’er to shadow you for the day.
• Share your educational path/give a testimonial – how did you get to where you are? (If you are a college student – how did you choose your school, what are you pursuing, what are you aspiring to do?)

Apply to be a UConn 4-H volunteer today at s.uconn.edu/helpus

UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension. 4-H has access to research-based, age-appropriate information needed to help youth reach their full potential through UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). The mission of 4-H is to assist all youth ages five through 18 in acquiring knowledge, developing leadership and life skills while forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of their families and communities.

UConn 4-H uses the thriving model in our Extension youth development programs, and these align with all the strategic initiatives in CAHNR. These include climate adaptation and resilience; promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion; enhancing health and well-being; ensuring sustainable agriculture and food systems; and fostering sustainable landscapes at the urban-rural interface. Learn more at s.uconn.edu/4-H.