COMMUNITY 4 H CLUBS IN NORTH CAROLINA 4-H Club work in North Carolina is conducted through clubs organized on a community level. Any community with fr

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1 SPONSORING COMMITTEE

2 COMMUNITY 4 H CLUBS IN NORTH CAROLINA 4-H Club work in North Carolina is conducted through clubs organized on a community level. Any community with from five to twenty boys and girls, ages nine to nineteen can have a Community 4-H Club under the direction of two adult Community 4-H Club Leaders. Each club should include 4-H Project Leaders to teach project information. Each Community 4-H Club elects its own officers (president, vice-president, secretary treasurer and reporter). In addition, the president, aided by the Community 4-H Club Leaders, appoints various committees to assist with programs and the operation of the club. The club meets monthly with a planned educational program of mutual interest to boys and girls. The program may be presented by the Community 4 H Club Leaders, boys and girls, or resource people secured by the Community 4-H Club Leaders. The close supervision and encouragement boys and girls receive in their club work is of great value and, at the same time, they are given the opportunity to develop and appreciate their leadership ability. THE 4-H SPONSORING COMMITTEE WHAT IS THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE? A group of people who work to organize and promote 4-H Clubs in their local community. A group of persons organized and trained for this specific purpose and responsibility. A youth committee or members of a community organization may become a 4 H ~ Club Sponsoring Committee providing they agree to receive training and serve in this specific capacity. WHO SELECTS THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE? A group known as the Key Citizens Group with the assistance and guidance of the county Extension agents, selects the persons to serve on the initial 4 H Sponsoring Committee. The Key Citizens Group contacts the selectees, explains the purpose, and secures their consent to serve on the Sponsoring Committee. WHO MAKES UP THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE? No less than three adults, interested in the welfare and education of young people, and who represent varied interests in the community. The size of the committee may vary from as few as three persons to as many as nine or more. HOW MANY COMMUNITY 4-H CLUBS DOES A SPONSORING COMMITTEE SERVE? A 4-H Sponsoring Committee may serve one or more Community 4-H Clubs within a community as determined by the committee itself and the county Extension agents. HOW LONG DOES A SPONSORING COMMITTEE MEMBER SERVE? Membership of the 4-H Sponsoring Committee is on a rotating basis. At the end of three consecutive years of service, the member is replaced by a new member. The value of such a rotation is that it enables a member to become affiliated with other phases of the Community 4-H Club organization and to allow more people in the community to serve on the committee. The procedure for rotation is that

3 one third of the sponsoring committee members are replaced each year. The persons to replace the outgoing members are selected by the remaining members of the Sponsoring Committee with the assistance of the county Extension agents. Thus, the term of tenure for members of a sponsoring committee should be staggered in order to keep two thirds of the membership experienced at all times. Example: When organizing a new Sponsoring Committee of three members, set the terms of tenure so that one member will rotate off each year and at the end of three years, the committee will not include any of the original members. Newly organized Sponsoring Committees could be set up as follows: A 3-Member Sponsoring Committee 1 member for 1 year tenure 1 member for 2 year tenure 1 member for 3 year tenure A 6-Member Sponsoring Committee 2 members for 1 year tenure 2 members for 2 year tenure 2 members for 3_year tenure Rotation and tenure of 4 H Sponsoring Committees with larger membership would be on the same basis. HOW IS THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE ORGANIZED? The committee should elect a chairman, vice-chairman and a secretary at their first training meeting. The term of office should be for one year (January 1 through December 31). No person shall serve in the same office for more than two consecutive years. WHO DOES THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE SERVE? The 4-H Sponsoring Committee serves the 4-H boys and girls, community 4-H Club leaders, 4-H project leaders and junior leaders in one or more organized 4-H Clubs within a community. In addition, the committee keeps the county Extension agent informed of progress and needs of the club. Specific Responsibilities of the 4-H Sponsoring Committee as it works with the: Extension Agents * Completes the identification of communities. *- Completes the identification of locations where clubs should be started. * Obtains names of all prospective 4-H Club members and their parents in the community. * Visits all boys, girls and parents in the community to explain the Community 4-H Club program. * Identifies and secures a man and woman Community 4-H Club Leader for each club with assistance of Extension agents, boys and girls and parents. * Identifies and secures 4-H Project leaders as needed by each club with assistance of Extension Agents and Community 4-H Club Leaders. Promotes interest in 4 H Club work within the community. * Acts as liaison between Community 4-H Clubs and Extension agents. * Replaces Community 4 H Club Leaders, 4 H Project Leaders and 4-H Sponsoring Committee members as needed.

4 Community 4-H Club Leaders and Clubs * Organizes all 4-H Clubs within its community. * Arranges and conducts the organizational meeting of the new club. * Obtains and gives to Community 4 H Club Leaders the names of boys and girls and their parents within the community. * Assists leaders in securing parent support. * Keeps in contact with the Community Club Leaders as to club operation, progress and needs. * Helps to arrange transportation and other support for members and clubs as needed for special 4-H educational activities and events. * Attends Community Club meetings occassionally to observe and evaluate it s operations. 4-H Project Leaders * After the initial identification and selection of Project Leaders, be alert to their needs and assist them when necessary. 4-H Junior Leaders * Encourage boys and girls fourteen years of age or older to serve as Junior Leaders. 4-H Members * Encourage and promote 4-H membership. * Encourage participation in 4 H Club activities. 4-H Parents * Help parents understand the value of adult support and guidance for boys and girls. WHERE DOES THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE MEET? Training meetings may be held within the community or on a larger area basis as the committee desires. WHEN DOES THE 4-H SPONSORING COMMITTEE MEET? The committee meets twice to receive training in Introduction to Community 4-H Clubs and How to StartaCommunity 4-H Club. Additional meetings may be desired to become more familiar with responsibilities and to develop a feeling of security in performance. In addition, the committee should plan for one or more annual meetings to review the progress and welfare of the community 4 H Club program. WHO TRAINS THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE? The Extension agents of the county hold training sessions. Experienced 4-H Sponsoring Committee members may assist the Extension agents when requested. WHAT TRAINING WILL THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE RECEIVE? A. Initial Training: The training will include Introductory and Organizational training for members of all new 4 H Sponsoring Committees and new members of existing Sponsoring Committees. This trainingis needed prior to a 4-H Sponsoring Committee actually organizing a Community 4-H Club. The length of these two sessions will be about one and a half hours each. Experience has shown that some sponsoring committees request more time or an additional session to better prepare them to understand their responsibilities. It is preferable that the training be given in the early fall or early spring of the year.

5 The Introduction to Community 4-H Clubs session will include: * Introduction to 4-H Club work. * Operation of the Community 4-H Club. * Responsibilities of Community 4-H Club Leaders 4-H Project Leaders 4-H Junior Leaders Extension Agents * Structure and function of the 4-H Sponsoring Committee. * Identifying community boundaries. * Determining the number and location of Community 4 H Clubs to be started based on potential membership. * Identifying Community 4 H Club Leaders to serve the clubs of the community. * Planning the procedure for securing community 4-H Leaders. The How to Start a Community 47H Club session will include: * A brief review of the Introduction to Community 4-H Clubs session. * A report of accomplishments. * * A discussion of Opportunities in 4-H. How to plan and conduct the organizational meeting of the community 4-H club. B. Advanced Training Session: * The 4-H Project Leader in the Community 4-H Club. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL SPONSORING COMMITTEE MEETING? One or more annual meeting(s) provides an opportunity for the members of the committee to reacquaint themselves with their responsibilities through a discussion of Community Club progress, problems and needs. The discussion may also include the following, as well as other items. * Replacement of Sponsoring Committee members Election of Sponsoring Committee officers Selection of Community and project leaders Plans for organizing additional Community Clubs Plans for occasional visits to Community Club meetings Plans for communicating with Extension agents and Leaders ****** Acquaintance with Local, County, District and State 4-H Club events WHAT RECOGNITION DOES THE SPONSORING COMMITTEE RECEIVE? He who gives of his time and ability to help boys and girls will be rewarded. The personal satisfaction gained from serving people cannot be measured in certificates or material rewards, yet it is the most lasting reward that you can receive. The knowledge gained, the progress made and the appreciation shown by 4 H Club boys and girls is the greatest reward. The North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service, in recognition of 4-H Club leaders, awards the following certificates for service rendered to 4 H Club work. * The 4-H Award of Service for Leadership * The Award of the Clover and Pin (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of Service)

6 I THE CLUB PLEDGE PLEDGE: My Head to clearer thinking; My Heart to greater loyalty; My Hands to larger service; and My Health to better living for My Club, my Community, and my Country. THE CLUB MOTTO: To Make the Best Better Published by THE NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE North Carolina State University at Raleigh and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperating. State College Station, Raleigh, N. C., George Hyatt, Jr., Director. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, K February 1966 (Reprint) 4-H L-l-ll