Welcome

Welcome new Minnesota 4-H youth development program volunteer!

Minnesota 4-H Program Leader and Associate Dean of the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development, Dr. Jennifer Skuza welcomes you to the Minnesota 4-H Program! Dr. Skuza's research focuses on immigrant and refugee adolescents, global youth citizenship, and early adolescence learning. In addition to leading the Minnesota 4-H program, Dr. Skuza is a screened 4-H volunteer in Ramsey County 4-H!

Thank you for choosing to spend your time and energy providing learning and leadership opportunities for Minnesota youth. 

If you have completed your application and screening process and been placed into a role by your Local Extension Educator, read on to learn some volunteering essentials and basics. Explore this website, the 4-H Volunteer Resource Center, for more on volunteer roles, volunteer training, sample activities to engage youth, volunteer youth worker resources, and more. Be sure to check out the training tab to learn more about this year's Annual Volunteer Training and any statewide volunteer development webinars.

Minnesota 4-H essentials
4-H at a glance
4-H YDP Volunteer Code of Conduct (on the Understanding 4-H Policies page)
4-H helpful links for new volunteers

Positive youth development basics 
Youth program quality principles
Learn by doing: The experiential learning model
Facilitating youth sparks
Fostering developmental relationships

Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility

As a program of the University of Minnesota, Minnesota 4-H is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all people without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, public assistance status, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

As members of the 4-H workforce, volunteers commit to establishing and nurturing an environment for all program participants that actively acknowledges and values equity and diversity and is free from racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice, intolerance, or harassment. Thank you for playing a part in creating safe learning environments for youth of all identities.

 Read the full policy here (PDF).

Contact your local 4-H Extension Educator if you need help or more information.