The Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering with 4-H can be a rewarding experience that not only helps young people but also benefits the volunteers themselves. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), healthy living, leadership, and civic engagement are but some of the broad categories of hands-on learning experiences that 4-H provides under the umbrella of positive youth development.  Here are some of the benefits of volunteering with 4-H:

1. Making a Positive Impact

Volunteering with 4-H allows you to make a positive impact on young people's lives. By sharing your knowledge and skills, you can help youth develop new skills and interests. You can also serve as a role model and mentor, helping youth build confidence and self-esteem.

2. Developing New Skills

Volunteering with 4-H can help you develop new skills and knowledge. As a volunteer, you may have the opportunity to learn about new topics or gain experience in areas such as teaching, public speaking, and leadership. These skills can be valuable in your personal and professional life.

3. Building Networks

Volunteering with 4-H can help you build new networks and connections. You can meet other volunteers who share your interests and values, as well as connect with community leaders and professionals. These connections can help you build your personal and professional network.

4. Having Fun

Volunteering with 4-H can be a fun and rewarding experience. You can participate in hands-on activities, attend events and workshops, and interact with youth who are enthusiastic and eager to learn. You can also develop new friendships and enjoy the camaraderie of working with other volunteers.

5. Making a Difference in Your Community

Volunteering with 4-H allows you to make a difference in your community. By helping young people develop skills and knowledge, you can contribute to the well-being of your community and help create a brighter future for everyone.

6. Science Backs the Benefits of Volunteerism

1. According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, volunteering can enhance well-being and reduce symptoms of depression. [1]
2. A report from the Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteering can improve job prospects and increase employability. [2]
3. A study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that volunteering can lead to a sense of purpose and meaning in life. [3]
4. According to a report from the National Conference on Citizenship, volunteering can promote social connectedness and increase civic engagement. [4]
5. A study published in the Journal of Gerontology found that volunteering can improve physical health and increase longevity. [5]

7. Examples of Volunteering in 4-H

1. Leader: As a leader volunteer, you can lead a 4-H project or activity in your area of expertise. This could involve teaching youth about animal husbandry, gardening, or robotics, for example. You would work with a group of youth on a regular basis, helping them develop skills and knowledge in your area of expertise. If you have a specific skill or interest, you can volunteer to lead a 4-H project. This could involve organizing a workshop or event, or providing guidance and support to youth as they work on a project. For example, if you are a skilled chef, you could lead a cooking project and teach youth how to cook their own meals.
2. Mentor: As a mentor, you can work one-on-one with youth to help them develop skills and interests. This could involve providing guidance and support as they work on a project or helping them develop leadership skills. You would work closely with a youth over a period of time, providing ongoing support and encouragement.
3. Judge or Evaluator: If you have expertise in a particular area, you can volunteer to serve as a judge or evaluator for 4-H events. This could involve judging a livestock show, evaluating a science fair project, or providing feedback on a public speaking contest. You would use your expertise to provide feedback and support to youth as they participate in 4-H events.
4. Event Volunteer: You can also volunteer to help at 4-H events. This could involve setting up and taking down equipment, helping with registration, or serving as a chaperone. You would work with other volunteers to ensure that events run smoothly, and that youth have a positive experience.

These are just a few examples of the many ways you can volunteer with 4-H. No matter what your skills or interests are, there is likely a way for you to get involved and make a difference in the lives of young people. Volunteering with 4-H can be a rewarding experience that offers many benefits. If you are interested in volunteering with 4-H, contact your local 4-H office to learn more about opportunities in your area.

Sources:

1. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2010-09305-015
2. https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/resource-library/employment_impact_of_volunteering.pdf
3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1359105317695852
4. https://www.ncoc.org/sites/default/files/NCOC%20Volunteering%20and%20Civic%20Life%20in%20America%20Report_0.pdf
5. https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/38/5/569/654051

The 4-H Youth Development Program has a long and proud history in California's  agricultural communities. The 4-H program, administered by the University of California Cooperative Extension, helps youth develop into capable and successful adults by engaging them in agricultural, science, leadership, and civic education.

Animal science projects are a hallmark of the 4-H program and thousands of young people – from rural, suburban, and urban areas – enroll in these 4-H projects annually. In these projects, a primary focus is on the rearing, caring, showing, and marketing of animals, with some projects centered on breeding. Animal science projects offer youth an array of learning experiences providing opportunities for improved scientific and agricultural literacy and contribute to positive youth development. More specifically, youth learn skills such as leadership, public speaking, goal setting, responsibility, and caring that provide the foundation for successful, healthy development. These experiences help prepare the next generation of farmers, ranchers, foresters, veterinarians, and agricultural scientists.

4-H Youth Bottle Feeding Lambs

Reducing the risk of disease spread

While 4-H promotes agricultural education, the raising and showing of animals poses bio-security risks, and youth need to cultivate an appreciation for and develop the skills necessary to help reduce the risk of disease spread to animals and humans. Youth animal science projects include a variety of species, including poultry, ruminants, and swine that are often raised in backyard flocks or herds or on local farms. Additionally, these 4-H youth often travel with their animals multiple times to present at club meetings fairs, shows, and exhibitions, and these trips can be at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Because backyard flocks and herds serve as potential vectors of disease, these public venues represent significant biosecurity risks, including: mixing of animals from multiple premises; lack of or insufficient quarantine procedures; and inadequate sanitation practices. Exposure of disease to animals at fairs, shows, or exhibitions, either accidentally or intentionally, could be catastrophic to U.S. agriculture, both financially and through the loss of animal life. Developing good bio-security practices among youth who raise and show animals can help mitigate potential animal disease outbreaks and is essential to the long-term safety and security of animal agriculture in California.

Animal welfare

The study of animal welfare is a rapidly growing field that engages scientists and veterinarians in research that seeks to provide better understanding of the needs and experiences of animals and strives to find a balance between these and the practices of modern animal use. Animal welfare is a social and cultural issue that is increasingly being incorporated into the legal and political landscapes. Due to the complex nature of the subject of animal welfare, it is necessary to approach this issue in a partnership between the University of California, 4-H, the agricultural industry, and local farmers and ranchers to educate and support youth and 4-H volunteers in a sustained fashion. Furthermore, it is essential that 4-H youth have the opportunities to engage in educational experiences that provide them an understanding of foundational animal welfare concepts, help them develop the skills necessary to make cogent assessments of their project animal's well-being, and are grounded in authentic practice.

Bio-security Sign

4-H Curricula

The University of California Cooperative Extension is leading the way in supporting youth and educators to take responsibility for proper care and treatment of their animals and support good bio-security practices. Through new research-based curricula, 4-H supports proper management practices for the care and treatment animals. New curricula utilize hands-on experiential learning where youth have a concrete hands-on experience; a reflection phase to share, process, and generalize from the experience; and application of learning in new and authentic situations. Curricula currently available include: Bio-Security at http://ucanr.edu/bio; Pre-Harvest Food Safety in 4-H Animal Science at http://ucanr.edu/harvest; Veterinary Science at http://ucanr.edu/vet; and Animal Welfare at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=8644.

Adapted from the original article published in the Sonoma-Marin Farm News, August 2016.

An unfortunate fact of life is that emergencies and disasters can and do occur. These events, which include earthquakes, wildfires, outbreaks of infectious disease, and more, can happen at any time and often do so with little or no warning. Not only do these events have the potential to affect every facet of life, but local emergency services can quickly become overwhelmed.

California alone has had no shortage of disasters. In 2022, the State experienced 7,490 wildfires, with 362,455 acres burned, 876 structures lost or damaged, and 9 fatalities (CalFire, 2022). Although the total amount of acres burned significantly dropped this past year, the 5-year average for acres burned rests at more than 2,300,000 (CalFire, 2022).  As 2022 drew to a close, the State was hit by the first of several atmospheric rivers, bringing severe winter storms, disastrous flooding, landslides, and mudslides.  This led President Biden to approve a major disaster declaration for California on January 14, 2023 (The White House, 2023).  At the time of press, there are two active disasters declared for the State, encompassing 43 of 58 counties (FEMA, 2023).

“Children represent a vulnerable group and are disproportionately impacted during times of disaster.”

While the impact of these tragedies can be felt by all walks of life, children represent a vulnerable group and are disproportionately impacted during times of disaster (Peek, 2008).  While there are many variables that influence the vulnerability of a particular child, as a whole “young people are less likely to understand the events affecting them, have less control and decision-making opportunities than adults, and often have less experience coping with highly stressful situations (SAMHSA, 2022).” Children are also more likely to experience trauma as a result of disaster because they are more likely to be severely injured and often lack knowledge of safety precautions (SAMHSA, 2022).

“The importance of equipping our youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters cannot be ignored.”

When confronted with such sobering information, one might be led to wonder what role, if any, might young people have when it comes to disaster preparedness and community resilience.  The answer is simple; a significant one.  With an estimated 22.4% of California's population falling under the age of 18, the importance of equipping our youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters cannot be ignored (US Census Bureau, 2022).  Development of these skills can lead to a number of benefits including increased resilience and decreased fear and anxiety (FEMA, 2023).   Furthermore, you people can become change agents and leaders within their families, schools, and communities – a time-tested approach rooted in the beginnings of 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System, when rural youth programs were used as a way to introduce new agricultural technologies to adults (UC ANR).  The method remains the same but instead of introducing agricultural technologies, today's young people can help introduce the concept of preparedness.  Prepared individuals build prepared communities, and a prepared community is a resilient community.

This begs the question of where to go from here.  Thankfully youth preparedness programs are gaining momentum and My Preparedness Initiative (MyPI) is one of them.  MyPI is a complete leadership and disaster preparedness curriculum aimed at teens aged 13-19.  Initially developed by the Mississippi State University Extension Service in 2013, MyPI has grown into a national program that reaches 27 states and 3 territories.  The program has three key components, which are outlined below. 

• Component A: Consists of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. 
• Component B: Consists of a full-featured add-on catalog, where participants can complete CPR/AED certifications, focus on specialty tracks in technology and career exploration, and participate in disaster simulations.
• Component C: Consists of the Prep+6 capstone project, where participants help develop emergency supply kits and emergency communication plans for their family and six additional families or households.

After an extended delay associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic, this innovative program is now slated for implementation in California this Summer, with an Instructor Certification and Training Workshop (ICTW) scheduled for August 2-4, 2023.  The location is still to be determined, but if you would like to know more about this program or would like to become an adult MyPI Instructor, please contact Nate Caeton at nwcaeton@ucanr.edu or complete the MyPI Interest Survey.

Youth preparedness programs like MyPI are positioned to play a vital role in developing young people while addressing the ever-pressing need for increased community resilience.  If there are no programs like this in your area, you are encouraged to help establish one.  And remember, as the leader of a youth preparedness program, you are doing much more than merely supporting local preparedness efforts.  You are cultivating the next generation of leaders – leaders who can navigate adversity, effect positive change, and contribute to their communities. 

Last month was National Volunteering Month and as a wrap up, here are some amazing things about volunteering you may not have known!

History of Volunteering

Volunteering is part of the fabric of our nation. From the very beginning, community members banded together to help each other out. One of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, started the first volunteer firehouse in 1736 and other efforts followed, often in support of the Revolutionary War. In the 1800s religious organizations fed the homeless and helped those less fortunate. Also, in the 1800s many well-known organizations were formed.  These include the YMCA, American Red Cross, and United Way. During the 1900s volunteering increased with organizations like Rotary, Lions Club, and Kiwanis. Many of these volunteer organizations were focused on helping people in need, but youth serving organizations also got their start in the early 1900s; organizations like 4-H, Camp Fire Girls, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts.

Current Trends

Nationally, and in California, volunteer rates increased during the 1970's, 80's, and 90's. Numbers hit a peak in the mid-2000s. Over the last ten years, those rates have remained steady or slightly dropped. In 2021, over 5.5 million formal volunteers contributed 379.2 million hours of service through organizations, with an estimated worth of $13.5 billion (Americorps.gov). This equates to roughly 18.3% of California residents who formally volunteered through organizations. Over 46.1% of residents report doing a favor for a neighbor which is a type of informal volunteering. Virtual volunteering increased prior to and during the pandemic. It allows community members to help organizations even when they are not in town. Things like accounting, writing newsletters, website design, or social media are all jobs volunteers can do virtually and on their own schedule.

VOLUNTEER. Photo courtesy of Canva.

Benefits to YOU

Did you know you might live longer if you volunteer? The Mayo Clinic cites research that shows volunteering leads to improved physical and mental health. In addition, in 2005 a longitudinal study showed folks that volunteer live longer than those that don't.

Volunteering could serve as a path to employment, not only for teens and young adults, but for those re-entering the workforce after time away. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) states that volunteers have a 27% higher chance of finding a job after being out of work compared to those not volunteering. If a person does not have a high school diploma, volunteering could increase their chance of finding a job by 51%! The CNCS reports that volunteers living in rural areas have a 55% higher chance of finding employment that non-volunteers. While the research didn't investigate why this may be true, there could be a variety of reasons. Volunteers get experience and skill-building within the organization. When you volunteer, you build connections with others who can vouch for your reputation and work ethic. In depth volunteering can and should be placed on a resume with the supervisor or volunteer coordinator listed as a reference. In a recent study by Worker et al (2020), California 4-H volunteers reported personal benefits of volunteering in five themes: Skill Development, Well-being, Sense of Gratification from Working with Youth and Adults, Social Development, and Deepening their Relationship with 4-H. This study describes the positive benefit volunteering with this organization had on the volunteer themselves.

Benefits to the Community

Research suggests that communities with strong volunteerism rates are stronger and more resilient overall. Community members who volunteer act as bridges bringing people together that may not have otherwise been connected. Local economy experiences positive effects when individuals receive professional development opportunities as part of their volunteer role. A 2012 report from the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) explained that an increased number and variety of nonprofit organizations in a community, along with positive community relationships, can help it to withstand unemployment in a recession. The NCoC states “for individuals who held jobs in 2008, the odds of becoming unemployed were cut in half if they lived in a community with many nonprofit organizations rather than one with a few nonprofits, even if the two communities were otherwise similar.”

A quick story.

Tuolumne County hosts a county-wide volunteer fair every year where they try to connect local citizens with volunteering opportunities. I had the pleasure of interviewing a participant that came to the 2018 fair and in 2019 started volunteering at the local juvenile hall via a community non-profit. Because of her great work at the juvenile hall, this volunteer was invited to a presentation by renowned child psychologist, Dr. Ross Green, hosted by the YES Partnership and Tuolumne Resiliency Coalition, titled: “Collaborative and Proactive Solutions: Understanding and helping children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. This ultimately led adding to coursework at Columbia College and she is now double majoring in Psychology and Allied Health. Because of this volunteering opportunity, she feels better able to take initiative and has been able to push out of her comfort zone. “Since the Volunteer Fair, things in my life have just lined up.” She credits her attendance at the Volunteer Fair and subsequent volunteering to her changing life's course.

Tuolumne County Volunteer Fair Staff with Probation Staff and Volunteer

What Next?

Continue to volunteer! Help others see the benefits of volunteering within 4-H and other organizations. We appreciate what you bring to the organization, and we hope you see the benefit too!

References:

Harris AH, Thoresen CE. Volunteering is associated with delayed mortality in older people: analysis of the longitudinal study of aging. J Health Psychol. 2005 Nov;10(6):739-52. doi: 10.1177/1359105305057310. PMID: 16176953.

Worker, S.M., Espinoza, D.M., Kok, C.M., Go, C.G., Miller, J.C. (2020) Volunteer Outcomes and Impact: The Contributions and Consequences of Volunteering in 4-H. Journal of Youth Development. Vol 15 (4). DOI 10.5195/jyd.2020.847

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/3-health-benefits-of-volunteering