Great news! When 4-H club experiences must go virtual for safety or convenience reasons, an opportunity awaits for volunteers to extend their role as a caring adult and provide 4-H experiences online. Here are some resources to equip volunteers in making virtual 4-H Club meetings and other 4-H experiences when connecting with youth and families online.
First, decide on a technology platform. Start by getting familiar with the different virtual platforms. Consider using Zoom. It is free and currently supported by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Here are some tips for getting started using Zoom:
Not comfortable with technology? Empower a youth member or another volunteer to operate the virtual platform allowing you to focus on the meeting components, or contact your local Extension office for technology assistance.
Be flexible and understanding of club members. Be prepared and stay flexible while youth get connected to the virtual meeting. Use the Zoom guidelines provided. Be prepared to offer technical assistance with joining the meeting or connecting audio or video. Respect the privacy of youth if they do not prefer to turn on their cameras.
Keeping Positive Youth Development at the Core of Virtual 4‑H Club Meeting
Create Opportunities for Belonging
4-H Pledge
- Consider sharing your screen with the words to the 4-H Pledge for all to see.
- Ask for a youth volunteer to lead the entire group.
- Request youth to unmute themselves, stand up, and recite the pledge together.
Roll Call
Make the virtual meeting more fun and engaging by utilizing some simple Roll Call ideas to help youth be more comfortable with each other and learn about fellow participants.
Ice Breakers
Consider using a virtual-friendly way to get the youth warmed up and ready for the meeting.
Agenda
Share the agenda on the screen through the share screen feature
Voting
- Use a poll feature: The host of the virtual meeting sets up polls to use real-time during the meeting. Check out this tutorial for help setting up a poll in Zoom.
- Use the chat feature: Ask youth to type their vote into the chatbox.
- Use the reactions feature: Ask youth to utilize the reactions feature and raise their hand if they are voting.
- Round Robin: President calls for individual votes based on the order they appear on the screen. Individuals verbalize their vote when called upon.
- Roll Call: Secretary calls for individual votes using roll call listing and records after each response.
Chew and Chat
- Finish the meeting while eating a snack or chatting with each other casually.
- Play virtual games such as an escape room or another together virtually.
Create Opportunities for Mastery
- Experiential learning: recruit a volunteer or lead an activity yourself. Share a list of materials one week prior to the meeting to encourage active participation.
- Feed Ration Activity (Animal Science)
- Color Wheel Activity (Home Environment)
- Bake and Zoom (Healthy Living) | Bake and Zoom Tutorial Video
- Recipe Option: Homemade Pizza
- Recipe Option: Oatmeal 3 Ways
- Recipe Option: Breakfast
- Living Room Learning recordings - watch the recording together and participate as a group.
- 4-H member demonstration - Youth members can give a demonstration virtually on any 4-H topic, contest, or opportunity. Encourage members to consider hosting a virtual field trip featuring one of their 4-H projects during a club meeting or workshop. Other members can observe and offer feedback via the chat.
Create Opportunities for Generosity
- Brainstorm ideas together for future community service projects.
- Create thank you cards for healthcare workers individually while over Zoom.
- Host a virtual roadside/community clean-up for youth to do individually and report back to the group.
Risk Management Considerations
Youth protection policy implications apply in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
- Adult volunteers should not be one-on-one with youth.
- Adult volunteers should include parents and/or guardians in the communication of the virtual meetings to ensure they are aware of their child's participation.
- Know your audience and if their photo release is current if you plan to take photos during the session. If you are unsure, do not screenshot images or take other pictures.
- Ensure you have an appropriate background.
- Utilize the virtual platform safety features to ensure a safe environment Enable passcode or waiting room feature to ensure only those who should be attending are in the room. Ensure participants aren't able to join the room before the host.
- Disable the private chat feature.
- Be the last person to leave the virtual meeting to ensure the meeting room has closed.
- Ensure the Nebraska 4-H Code of Conduct is maintained.
For questions about this program or the information on this page, please contact: