The success of any extension or 4-H program is reliant on the involvement of the community in which it is active. Volunteer leaders are a critical part of the growth and execution of our programs. In Georgia, each volunteer hour is averaged at a value of $25.78. Lincoln County has a number of direct and indirect volunteer opportunities for residents with a variety of commitment levels. A major area of need for Lincoln County Extension is in our 4-H adult volunteers.
There are many reasons one might choose to join the 500,000 volunteers working with over 6 million 4-H’ers in the United States. The top reasons to volunteer include supporting a child in 4-H, helping others, and making a difference in their local community. Many volunteers become involved with 4-H hoping to support youth and make a difference. In return, they gain skills in teaching, leadership, and communication that they can then use in other areas of their lives. Top benefits to volunteers include building new relationships with youth (92%), gaining skills that are useful in other settings (86%), and increasing confidence as a leader (79%). Volunteering just one hour per week results in an annual contribution of over $1,300 in Georgia.
A primary goal of Lincoln County Extension is to grow and develop our 4-H programs to
engage more youth. We are currently looking for volunteers to be involved with our Poultry Judging Team, Livestock Club, and Horse Club. If you have expertise in another area (shooting sports, crafts, etc.) and would like to be involved with leading a 4-H club, please let us know!
You do not need to have experience to be a great volunteer. 4-H volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, agree to be properly trained, and if selected, abide by the Georgia Volunteer Guidelines. In order to become a volunteer, one must submit an application, sign a volunteer agreement, submit two character references, undergo a background check, and complete the online “GA 4-H Working with Youth & Managing Risk” module. While the process may seem daunting, most of it can be completed quickly at the Lincoln County Extension Office. Lincoln County maintains the highest level of screened volunteers to ensure the safety of our 4-H’ers. Volunteers must be involved with one event every three months in order to maintain active status. If one’s volunteer status lapses, they must undergo the entire application process again.
4-H teaches life skills through individual and group learning opportunities. To achieve this objective, 4-H relies on adult volunteers or “leaders,” to work with youth who undertake educational, hands-on projects. Volunteers with 4-H believe that their involvement makes communities stronger (92%), contributes to better connected communities (89%), improves the health of communities (81%), and increases youth civil involvement (78%). We would like to say “Thank You” to our many volunteers that currently provide programming to the people in the county, district, state and region. Lincoln County 4-H is looking forward to an exciting year!
