- Author: Darlene McIntyre
New Year
It is time for the new 4-H year to begin. Be watching for your clubs announcement for the first meeting. Invite new friends to join.
Online Record Books
The new online record books have been launched. Once you are re enrolled you will have access this site.
Highlights of the 4-H Online Record Book
- Uses 21st century learning technology to help youth learn recording keeping within a social media learning community.
Online learning is the wave of the future! - Provides opportunities for volunteers to mentor youth on a daily basis in a protected social networking site.
Only enrolled 4-H members and volunteers have access to ORB. - Ability to export forms and print to include in Record Book reviews and competitions.
4-H members can fill in forms in ORB and then print the forms at the end of the year for county judging! - Built-in reporting systems that will improve staff and volunteer efficiencies.
For example, the system will calculate total number of community service hours! - Intentional, standardized measures of success that will demonstrate the impact that 4-H youth and adults make locally and statewide.
The system collects indicators of youth thriving through "sparkle" surveys. County staff will be able to access this data upon request! - System is secure
To learn more about security protocols of ORB, please visit http://www.ca4h.org/files/121078.pdf
Information You Should Know About ORB in relation to 4-H Members and Volunteers
Only those enrolled in the 4hOnline enrollment system have access to log into ORB. Those that are 'pending' may access ORB, but are prevented from the social connection and will only see their own information. Those that are 'active' have access to the full social sharing feature.
- Every youth and adult entered in 4hOnline in a Community Club will receive a Welcome Email from ORB with instructions on accessing ORB.
- Parent consent and youth assent are collected to determine whether parents and/or youth will allow their information to be used for research (to help improve the 4-H program and field of youth development). Parental consent is collected primarily in 4hOnline (though sometimes in ORB) and youth assent is collected when the young person logs into ORB for the first time.
- The social sharing feature only shows information for members/volunteers in the same club, the county admin, and state admin. For example, Laura and Johnny, who are in different 4-H Clubs, will not be able to view each other's information.
- Members (and parents of members) and volunteers may elect to turn off their own social sharing feature.
- All users must agree to the community expectations (ground rules) before being allowed to use the system.
- The Record Book support group continues to be quite active. Anyone may access archives or join the group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ca4hrb/ (note: posts are moderated)
Hardcopy Forms
For those in geographic areas with limited Internet connectivity, the hardcopy paper Record Book forms are still available. The 4-H Record Book Manual has been updated which includes minor modifications to the Personal Development Report (PDR), Annual Project Report (APR), and the Junior and Teen Leadership Development Report (JTLDR). You can find the new forms at http://www.ca4h.org/Resources/Members/RecordBook/. The major revisions include:
- Asking for the number of hours for all activities in the PDR and APR. Instructions about hours are outlined on page 8 of the manual.
- Modifications to the prompts on the JTLDR.
- Revisions to the opening text; for example, including language about 4-H Thrive.
California 4-H Revolution of Responsibility $1,000 for 1,000 Service Learning Projects
Funding up to $1,000
Review dates of October 15, 2011, January 15, 2012, and April 15, 2012
In support of this community development work, the CA State 4-H Office will consolidate the Requests for Funding (RFP) for Service-Learning, Healthy Living, SET, and Legacy into one application. Chartered 4-H clubs/units can apply for funding up to $1,000 to support service-learning projects related to their club or project activities by submitting the proposal linked above.