What is a 4-H Project?
4-H Projects are:
A Coach's Tool to motivate self-directed learning;
A Training Guide to plan meaningful hands-on experiences;
A basic Game Strategy to investigate an interest area while developing life skills & knowledge; and
A Performance Record for measuring progress and accomplishments.
Through 4-H projects, Ohio 4-H offers club members nearly 200 topics to explore while learning and mastering skills and knowledge. Annually, you will guide members' enrollment into at least one 4-H project. Your members will plan project experiences and work towards competence and achievement based on their personal goals. 4-H projects help members develop habits to seek information, ask questions, expand self-initiative, improve time management, and develop responsibility.
How Can You Help Members Select 4-H Project(s)?
Careful planning and decision making up front will increase member satisfaction, improve project completion, and reduce family frustrations. Give members a copy of the Ohio 4-H Family Guide and the Select & Plan the Right 4-H Project for You planning sheet. Ask members to answer the questions with the individual(s) that will be helping them with their project. This could be a parent, guardian, grandparent, older sibling or another adult including you.
Here are some simple steps to help members select, start and complete the right project(s):
- Focus on the member's interest.
- Assess suggested age, skills and experiences needed to complete the project.
- Identify available time (member's and helper's).
- Evaluate needed resources (financial, equipment, space, materials/supplies).
- Determine level of helper's skills and knowledge and support needed from you.
- Explain project requirements for county participation and completion and local fair or State Fair exhibition.
- Obtain required project books and resources from the County Extension Office to help members start in a timely manner.
What is Your Role in Assisting Members in Setting Project Goals?
You play an integral role in guiding member's goal setting. Goals foster learning and mastery of knowledge and skills, boost self-esteem and self-confidence. Encourage members to set challenging, yet realistic and achievable project goals. Here is how:
- Talk about project goal setting at a club meeting shortly after project selection.
- Ask members to record project goals in their project book(s).
- Provide meaningful project learning experiences to support member and group project goals.
- Check members progress towards goals throughout the 4-H year. You may choose to do this in small groups by project areas, one-on-one by phone or face-to-face.
- Give positive, but constructive feedback to keep members on course to achieving goals. Use open-ended comments and questions to encourage sharing information, not just giving yes and no answers.
- Encourage members to reach set goals, but be flexible to allow for continued work on unmet goals next year.
- Assist members in revising project goals throughout their project journey.
Use the 4-H Project Learning publication to assist you in coaching members to successful project selection, goal setting and hands-on learning experiences.
