Author Archives: jejohns1

2015 4-H Symposium and Virginia Association of Adult 4-H Volunteer Leader’s Fall Conference

2015 Save the Date Symposium

The State 4-H Office, with feedback from the Virginia Association of 4-H Extension Agents and the Virginia Association of Adult 4-H Volunteer Leaders, has been planning the 2015 4-H Symposium and VAA4-HVL Fall Conference. We have great professional development workshops shaping up for our 4-H faculty, staff, and volunteers. Within this email you will find the registration information for both 4-H faculty/staff and volunteers. Please also review the tentative timeline below as we continue the planning process. We are still accepting RFPs for 50 or 100 minute workshops to be held on Saturday and Sunday until September 18. Please encourage your volunteers to submit a proposal to share their talents.

Symposium Call for Proposals 2015

New this year! To begin promoting teens as volunteers, we are encouraging districts to recruit (about 5 or so) teens to register for the 4-H Symposium and VAA4-HVL Fall Conference. Specific workshops are being planned to help provide teens with the tools and resources to help them support their local 4-H clubs.

4-H Symposium Faculty/Staff Professional Development – November 12 – 13
https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bEgiXpt5FOJQQIJ
Register using the link above, no later than October 1. Lodging and meals during the 4-H Symposium will be covered by the State 4-H Office for 4-H faculty/staff. Mileage, to and from, and meals, before or after, Symposium should be submitted to your unit travel budget. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.

Workshop highlights, full descriptions available within the survey, include:

• November 12: Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.
o “Youth Mental Health First Aid” or “Natural Resources and Environmental Education: Land Judging/Homesite Judging, and Wildlife Identification.”
o Dinner Hosted by VAE4-HA
• November 13:
o Innovative Programming IGNITE Presentations
o Programming Team Update
o Workshop Sessions Conclude at 4:30 p.m.
 4-H Energy: Electric Challenge and Alternative Energy
 4-H Online
 4-H Mentoring – Youth and Families with Promise
 4-H Invention Clubs: Inquiring Minds Make our Future
o Dinner Provided for those staying for the weekend sessions
o Optional Evening Program – Drama of Creation and Tour Tickets available for $12

4-H Symposium and VAA4-HVL Fall Conference, November 14-15
• November 14:
o Three workshop opportunities – RFPs accepted until September 18
o Master Track Opportunities
 4-H Digital Media
 Animal Science
o 4-H Foundation Luncheon
o VAA4-HVL District and State Meetings
o VAA4-HVL Banquet and Silent Auction
o VAA4-HVL Evening Hospitality Room
• November 15:
o Workshop (50 minute)
o Brunch
o Installation of VAA4-HVL Officers and Conference Scholarships

Volunteer Registration
Have volunteers complete the registration application below and send to Nicole Martin at the address on the form, no later than October 28 to avoid a late fee.
2015 4-H Symposium and VAA4HVL Fall Conference Registrationfinal

4-H Symposium and VAA4-VHL Fall Conference Timeline
August 13 Request for Proposals for Workshops Released

September 1 Registration Opens and Master Tracks Announced

September 18 Request for Proposals for Workshops Due

October 1 Workshop Descriptions Posted on Registration Website

October 12 Hotel Block Reservations Close (for volunteers)
For reservations volunteers can call 800-533-1410 for the $83 rate.
Ask for the “Virginia Polytechnic Institute” block.
(4-H faculty/staff lodging will be made by State Office)

October 28 Conference Registrations Due to avoid late fee
Scholarship Applications Due

November 12 – 13 Professional Development for 4-H faculty/staff

November 14 – 15 Volunteer Registration and Workshops

Please contact Nicole Martin or myself if you need any additional information.

Thanks,
Jeremy

4-H Volunteer Forms Updated

Volunteers are an integral part of Virginia Cooperative Extension and allow us to extend our educational and outreach efforts. All Virginia Cooperative Extension volunteers are required to complete the application, screening, and enrollment process. The Virginia Cooperative Extension enrollment forms have been updated and posted on the public website and intranet. Please use the updated forms when enrolling and re-enrolling volunteers.

The “Recommended Use of VCE Volunteer Application/Enrollment Forms” tip sheet can assist you in determining which enrollment form to use. All volunteers must complete an enrollment or re-enrollment form ANNUALLY, along with a Standards of Behavior for Virginia 4-H Adult Volunteers and 4-H Adult Health History if working with youth. Master Volunteer programs have their own program specific enrollment and re-enrollment forms.

Please visit the Volunteer Development page on the intranet for Volunteer Development Updates, guidelines, and resources. Additional updates, including progress on the Volunteer Background Screening Process, will be posted and distributed soon.

Updated Volunteer Enrollment Forms are now posted the VCE Publication Page under commonly used forms.http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/volunteer-forms.html

Updated 4-H Volunteer Enrollment Forms are also posted on the Virginia 4-H commonly used forms page.http://www.4-h.ext.vt.edu/forms/index.html

Volunteer Development Intranet resources.http://www.intra.ext.vt.edu/support/volunteer/index.html

Thank you,
Jeremy

VAA4-HVL Spring Leaders Conference

March 29-30, 2014
Mimslyn Inn, Luray, VA

VAA4HVL LogoJoin the Virginia Association of Adult Volunteer Leader’s for the 2014 Spring Conference in Luray, Virginia. Participants will have the opportunity to attend educational workshops, educational EdVentures, and much more! The VAA4-HVL Conference offers diverse learning experiences with other volunteers from across the Commonwealth. Most importantly, the conference is also great place to network and share information, programs, and ideas with participants from other 4-H Programs. Plan to attend and start recruiting volunteers to come with you! Registration deadline is March 14, 2014 to avoid a $15 late fee. Registration form, draft schedule, description of EdVentures, and scholarship information can be found by clicking the link below.

VAA4HVL Spring 2014 Conference Registration Form

Schedule Draft

EdVentures

VAA4HVL Spring 2014 Conference Registration Form

Picture2

The 4-H Volunteerism eConference
The 2014 Volunteerism eConference focusing on the Volunteer Engagement and Activation Resources (VEAR) Pilot project is slated for March 20 and 27. Four forty-five minute sessions will be delivered each day via Adobe Connect, with a short break in between each session.

This is a great opportunity to become familiar with the National 4-H Volunteer Recruitment Toolkit. The Volunteer Engagement & Activation Resources (VEAR) materials including recruitment flyer, print ads, videos, brochures, etc. can be accessed online at http://www.4-h.org/VEARtoolkit/.

Thursday March 20, 2014
Session One: 12:00 – 12:45 PM
Overview of Volunteerism and Future Directions – The purpose of the VEAR pilots
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/overview/

Session Two: 1:15 – 2:00 PM
VEAR Corporate #1 Site Presentation
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/corp1/

Session Three: 2:30 – 3:15 PM
Developing and Communicating Clearly Defined Roles for Volunteers
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/r9lav5zn18a/

Session Four: 3:45 – 4:30 PM
VEAR Corporate Site #2
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/corp2/

Thursday March 27, 2014
Session Five: 12:00 – 12 :45 PM
Recruiting Strategies for Diverse Volunteers
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/divers/

Session Six: 1:15 – 2:00 PM
Special Interest Groups – Episodic
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/episodic/

Session Seven: 2:30 – 3:15 PM
Teens as Teachers
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/teens/

Session Eight: 3:45 – 4:30 PM
Putting It All Together
http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/together/

North Central Region 4-H Volunteer e-Forum

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/4h/ncrvd/index.cfm
The North Central Region 4-H Volunteer e-Forum will consist of four volunteer leader training webinars. The format allows Extension offices to host facilitated discussions locally while participating in the live webinar. Host Site Facilitator Guides will be posted on the website one month in advance of each session. Each live webinar will be held 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Recordings of the sessions will also be posted for those unable to participate during the live session. Visit the North Central Region 4-H Volunteer Development website for full session descriptions, customizable promotional flyer, host site facilitator guides, and archived sessions from the 2011 e-Forum.

You’ve Got 4-H Parents! Now What??
Access the recording of this session at: https://learn.extension.org/events/1261

Engaging Teens & Older Youth
Access the recording of this session at: https://learn.extension.org/events/1262

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 – Using Technology to Enhance Your 4-H Experience

Monday, February 3, 2014 – Exploring the Science of 4-H Projects
Register here: http://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?folder=eForum4

Volunteer Screening Update

Volunteer Background Screening Update

Virginia Cooperative Extension is continuing to work with departments across the Virginia Tech campus to finalize a formal policy and procedure for  background screening for  current volunteers and volunteer applicants. As efforts progress, Virginia Cooperative Extension continues to encourage background screening for volunteers that work with vulnerable populations including youth, seniors, individuals with special needs, volunteers handling funds, and volunteers transporting participants in vehicles. These volunteers generally complete the Volunteer Enrollment/Application Long Form VA-114 and reference checks are conducted as part of the initial application process.  Units should continuing  screening volunteers as they have done in previous years. These efforts may include using local county/city resources to conduct criminal history screenings if available.

At this point the background screening is suggested as stated above and will  become mandatory sometime in the near future.  We are still waiting for University Council to come out with the official policy/process.

If units do not have access through the locality to run a background screening, there is an opportunity to conduct the check through the portal available in the State 4-H Office.  Sam Fisher is the current contact to work out how to complete a screening. Cost for screening is $10 each and may be paid by the volunteer, unit or combination.  It is an online process that allows the volunteer to enter the information directly and results are received within 36 hours.  This helps address the security of the sensitive information and has a quick turn- around time.