Volunteers

Being A Volunteer

Our volunteers are a key part of the 4-H Youth Development Program.

By volunteering, you are helping to grow the skills of 4-H youth to be our future leaders.

Ways you can volunteer

Volunteering in 4-H is flexible and rewarding. Share your expertise and experience with the youth and other volunteers to make things happen!

Provide administrative support for a 4-H club.

Share your expertise with 4-H youth.

Help shape 4-H in California!

Spend a day or a few hours evaluating 4-H presentations and competitions.

Support 4-H'ers as they plan and execute activities & events.

New Volunteers

All 4-H adult volunteers must apply and be appointed annually.

Process to become a new 4-H Adult Volunteer

1. Find a club

See our list of clubs to find one near you. Contact the club leader to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available in the club.

You can also contact Maria Gasca, mtgasca@ucanr.edu, (209) 525-6801 in the Stanislaus County Extension office for help in finding clubs near you to start you on the process of becoming a volunteer.

2. Screening Process

All new 4-H volunteers must go through a screening process. Our #1 priority in 4-H is the safety of young people. We do all we can to protect young people and keep them safe while they are in our care. When you become a 4-H volunteer, you are part of the plan to keep our young people safe.

1. Complete the online 4-H Volunteer Interest Survey in English or Spanish

2. Create an adult volunteer profile on 4hOnline.

Please make sure the Family email address in the system is correct and one you check regularly. This email will be used for most communications and to confirm your volunteer application. Please do not create a new family record if someone in your family is already a 4-H member.

4hOnline Instructions - New Adult Volunteers 4hOnline

*For Spanish: The 4hOnline system is only in English. You can fill in the paper enrollment packet in Spanish and turn it in to your club leader or county staff for them to enter it into 4hOnline for you. Please keep a copy of the paper forms for your records.

3. Complete a California Department of Justice Live Scan background check (locations).

Download the form to take with you for Stanislaus County 4-H. DOJ Livescan Form

An important part of providing a safe environment is to conduct background checks on our volunteers and staff. Everyone that will be spending an extended time with our 4-H youth is screened.

3. New Volunteer Training

All new 4-H volunteers are required to take the New Volunteer Training online courses in the eXtension system before they become approved as volunteers. This interactive training series introduces you to the best practices in positive youth development that are used in 4- H. The trainings are available in English. Spanish training is coming soon!

After you complete and submit your 4hOnline profile you will receive an automated message with the eXtension login instructions. The email will go to the Family email account you entered in 4HOline. Read the entire email since it will have instructions for accessing the courses. (If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your spam/junk mail--sometimes it ends up there.)

In addition, in-person training for first-time volunteers are still required. Next training will be held on Saturday, October 26th, 2018 from 8:30am-11am at the UCCE Stanislaus, located at 3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA 95358. More training dates will be posted soon.

4. Approval

The County Director reviews and approves 4-H volunteer appointments after
You are signed up in 4hOnline.
You have passed the screening process. You complete all of the New Volunteer Training required in your county.

Once you are approved, the fun begins! Thank you for joining our 4-H family!

Returning Volunteers

4-H has grown in California because of the dedication of our volunteers. Some of our volunteers have supported 4-H for 10, 20 and 30 years or more!

Re-apply annually by December 31

All 4-H volunteers must be appointed annually. If you are a current 4-H Adult Volunteer, to continue in the next year you need to re-apply and be re-appointed by December 31st to continue with no break in service.

Re-application process

1. Update your 4hOnline profile

Log in to 4hOnline to update your profile to enroll for the new year. Please make sure the email address in the system is correct and one you check regularly. Please do not create a new profile if you have enrolled in the past.

Instructions - Returning Adult Volunteers

2. Take the Returning Volunteers Training in the online eXtension system.

You will receive the login information sent to your Family email after you update and submit your 4hOnline profile application for the new year. (If you used a paper enrollment form, you will have to check with your county 4-H Representative for the instructions.) Read the entire email since it will have instructions for accessing the courses. (If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your spam/junk mail--sometimes it ends up there.)

3. Get approved as a 4-H Volunteer.

After all the application requirements and mandatory trainings are completed, the County Director reviews and approves the volunteer appointments.

NOTE: If you have a break in service

You have a break in service if you are not currently enrolled as a 4-H volunteer when you apply for the new year. Please follow the process for New Volunteers when applying.

Resources for Volunteers

4hOnline Instructions - New Adult Volunteers 4hOnline

Instructions - Returning Adult Volunteers

Training for New and Returning Volunteers

Link to volunteer Resources on State website. Hit back button to return to county page.