Youth Leader Resources
Lead in Your Club
Everyone in a club work together as a team. No position is more important than another. Adult volunteers support club officers, and club officers support adult volunteers. Presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, treasurers, historians, reporters, and other officers all do their part to keep the club running smoothly. Members play a role in that too. What part of the team do you want to be?
Club Officer Resources
Click any of the club officer roles below to learn more about the responsibilities of that position:
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Historian
Reporter
Club Photographer
Recreational Leader
Tools and Resources
How to Lead Recreational Activities
Public Speaking and Demonstrations
Help your Club with Marketing
Training for Volunteers
Where to Find More Resources
Lead in Your Community
4-H offers lots of ways to lead in giving back to your community. Youth leaders involved in 4-H are generous and have learned many skills that are important to 4-H and the areas where they live. How will you give back?
You can start by leading in your county’s 4-H program. There are lots of projects, committees, and boards where youth leaders may serve, have a voice in how decisions are made, and share their ideas and interests.
Check with the Positive Youth Development (PYD) staff person in your county to find out how you can help.
Service
Generosity is one of the core ideals of the 4-H program. Do you have time to give? What are you good at? What do you care about? These questions are a great place to start as you begin to think about service to your community. And there are so many meaningful ways to contribute!
Youth Advocates for Community Health
If you care about the health of your community, Youth Advocates for Community Health (YACH) may be for you. Many health issues affect our Wisconsin communities, including nutrition, physical activity, alcohol and other drug abuse, mental health, and more. YACH creates opportunities for youth to lead and partner with community adults on health-related issues that the group chooses to work on.
Contact the PYD staff person in your county to find out if YACH is an option where you live.
Annual Statewide Service Learning Projects
Each year, Wisconsin 4-H develops a new service learning project for youth to work on in your club or community. Check out our first two projects:
- Community Marks the Spot Project (2022)—In this project, youth will plan a non-competitive game that takes players to different locations around their community, like a scavenger hunt. The locations they choose will highlight a special theme the youth want to learn more about, strengthening their sense of belonging. Through the game, players will go on a fun adventure to explore the community.
- Plarn Mats Service Learning Project (2021)—We have created a service project that will not only help the environment, it will help those in our community experiencing homelessness. The Plarn Mat service project guides youth through creating plastic yarn (plarn) made from plastic bags, and then using the plarn to crochet mats. Youth of all ages can participate in the project.
- Cloth Face Coverings Service Learning Project (2020)—Cloth face coverings help keep everyone safe. Youth in grades 3 and higher can sew your own cloth face coverings in a few simple steps. Make them for yourself, your family, and your community.
Lead in Your State, Your Country, and Your World
Older youth in Wisconsin 4-H have access to so many opportunities to both build leadership skills and use them. Some may be looking for ways to challenge themselves and learn about communication, decision making, problem solving, service and more. Others may feel ready to take what they have learned and lead—individually or in a group setting. Still other young people seek a combination of both. Whatever you are looking for, there’s an educational opportunity for you. Consider the following:
- Join the Wisconsin 4-H Leadership Council to help steer the future of the state program
- Explore a wide variety of topics, skills, and interests during Summer Academy
- Become a Space Camp Counselor to support younger participants in their Space Camp experience
- Attend Leadership Washington Focus or Citizenship Washington Focus to explore how leaders at a national level work for our country
These and so many more experiences are waiting for you. Visit the Statewide Events and Opportunities page to read about all the settings—state, national, and international—where you can learn and lead.
