Why Should You Go to Volunteer Training and Certification Programs?

Sharpen your coaching skills by attending training and attaining certification.

The best coaches know that learning must take place for them as well as their players. How can you expect members to attend club meetings and participate in learning opportunities. If you are not willing to do the same? Some Ohio 4-H volunteer programs have mandatory certification and/or training programs. The following Ohio 4-H Programs require completion of Ohio 4-H Volunteer Certification Training Programs:

• Master 4-H PetPALS Volunteers

  Teach youth skills needed to interact with residents in senior healthcare facilities. Master 4-H PetPALS volunteers are committed to young people and their growth in all areas. Volunteers have prior experience with dogs, and/or cats, and other pets. Master 4-H PetPALS Volunteers have a sincere interest in enhancing the lives of residents in assisted living and nursing homes through animal-assisted activities.

  Rationale
  4-H PetPAL programs are led by one or more adults from the community who are interested in working with youth and their pets in an intergenerational relationship. Adults receive a minimum of 8 hours of training that enables them to understand animal behaviors in order to determine what pets are appropriate for animal-assisted activities, understand the special needs of assisted living participants, learn how to recruit program sites and youth participants and how to prepare youth participants and their pets for visits.

• 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteers

  4-H Shooting Sports clubs are led by one or more adults from the community who are interested in working with youth people on shooting skills. These adults receive special training at weekend Shooting Sports Workshops. Volunteers who receive certification at these workshops may train assistant instructors to help with their club.

  Rationale
  One of the primary goals of the Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports program is "to teach safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment including sound decision-making, self-discipline and concentration". In order for this goal and other stated goals of the program, to be realized, it is imperative that the adult volunteers working with youth in the Shooting Sports program understand and practice the appropriate strategies and follow the curriculum that is provided. To help ensure this, intensive training is held to provide adult volunteers with the necessary background, knowledge & skills to implement the program on the local level.

• Youth Food Animal Quality Assurance

  The Extension Professional(s) in collaboration with Vocational Agriculture Instructors and Agricultural Societies are responsible for the coordination of Youth Food Animal Quality Assurance Programs for each county. Programs may be taught by 4-H volunteer instructors who have been trained by County Quality Assurance Coordinators and/or who have a current certification in Ohio BQA or Adult Level III PQA. Trained Youth Food Animal Quality Assurance volunteers must follow current Quality Assurance requirements utilizing curriculum and resources developed by the OSU Animal Science Department.

  Rationale
  Youth Food Animal Quality Assurance programs must review the 10 GPP's covering three in depth, provide hands-on quality assurance teaching opportunities, and teach animal ethics and food safety regulations to 4-H livestock exhibitors. Standardized curriculum resources, guidelines and trained instructors will enhance the organization's ability to provide a consistent training program to all 4-H livestock exhibitors regardless of location.

• ATV

  4-H members may enroll in the 4-H ATV project without belonging to an ATV 4-H club. However, members and volunteers wanting to participate in the 4-H ATV program are encouraged to receive ATV safety training and instruction. Anyone buying a new ATV receives a certificate/coupon for training from the manufacturer/dealer. The contact person for 4-H ATV Safety Training is Tim Ballard, Master Volunteer ATV 4-H Instructor. ATV Safety Training should be coordinated through your county 4-H Youth Development Educator.

• Ohio Master Gardeners

  Teach best gardening practices to youth and adults as well as interact with various community audiences on numerous horticulture topics. The volunteers receive 50 hours of horticulture training and in return, volunteer their services back to the community. In order to maintain certification, volunteers annually complete a certain number of volunteer hours, varies between counties, and attend advanced training courses.

  Rationale:
  Extension educators in the state need assistance from volunteers in order to reach the public with horticulture information. Volunteers are trained so that they understand the basics of horticulture and can reference specific questions.

Check out Volunteer Educational Training Opportunities available at the county, regional, state and national level.

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