What is a 4-H Club?
A 4-H club is a group of youth and adults who meet on a regular basis and together practice positive youth development and cooperative learning.
4-H clubs strive to create, within their group, a quality learning environment that gives members a chance to be an active part of the decision making process; values and respects the voices of all; provides members an opportunity to reflect on and demonstrate their learning; connects members to their community through service; encourages the development of positive relationships with peers and adults; is welcoming and accessible to all; celebrates individual and group achievements; challenges youth to establish and meet individual goals; and provides for the physical and emotional safety of all.
Four types of club experiences offered through 4-H
- 4-H community club is a program initiated and facilitated by youth and adult volunteers in the context of community (e.g., neighborhood).
- 4-H project club is a program focused more deeply on a specific subject matter. Performing Arts Club, Horse Club, Photography Club, Shooting Sports and Wildlife Club, Computer Science Club, Spanish Club are all examples of 4-H project clubs.
- 4-H afterschool club is a program offered to youth following the school day. 4-H afterschool clubs are often divided by age groups (e.g., grades 3-4, grades 5-6) and frequently meet in the school building or a site that provides care for children after school.
- 4-H site-based club is designed to reach underserved youth in the communities where they live. This could be a public housing site or neighborhood with a community center that can serve as the hosting location.
Questions to ask right away when joining a club:
- Who is the adult leader and how do I contact them?
- When, where and how frequently does the club meet? (Weekly, after school, monthly on a weeknight, every Sunday night at the neighborhood recreation center, etc.)
- Are there any dues? How much are they? What if I can’t pay?
- What are the club goals and planned activities for the year?
Questions to ask yourself when selecting project(s) to enroll in:
- Is it a project I like or think I will like?
- How much is this project going to cost? Where will I get the money?
- Is the space and equipment I will need to complete this project available?
- How much time will it take?
- Is there someone who can help me if I need it?