How Can You Communicate Safety & Health Issues?
Create a safe and healthy environment for your club team.
Every coach wants to provide a safe, wholesome and healthy environment for their players. You can help your members and adults learn together by communicating expectations, issues and policies to ensure members' safety and health. Several key documents can assist you in effectively communicating with your club's members, parents / guardians and families.
- Communication Guide to Event Planning Worksheet
Use this step by step guide to organize your club's special events and communicate specific issues and policies with club families. - Checklist
for Ohio 4-H Youth Development Educational Experiences
Use this simple check list to help ensure that your club's experience is positive and safe for all participants. - Ohio 4-H Participant/Member Health History Form
Have your 4-H club members and their parents/legal guardians complete this form anytime a member will be participating in a high risk and/or overnight 4-H club event. - Personal Information
The 4-H organization encourages all 4-H volunteers to help prevent release of personal information of 4-H club members and adults. If you will be publishing in print, electronic or video format the likeness or image of a 4-H club member and/or adult participants, you need to obtain a signed Minor Photo Release from a parent/legal guardian and/or Adult Photo Release. You do not need signed Photo Releases when 4-H club members are in public places such as fairgrounds, parks and other public events/sites. Always limit identifying information and never use full names, specific addresses, e-mail, phone numbers or other personal information. Secure photo releases for use of photos on club web pages, promotional flyers, displays, fair booths, CD/DVD/Videos, etc. We request social security and driver's license numbers on the 4-H volunteer application to assist with background checks. Counties may request member social security numbers for IRS 990 documentation related to county & Ohio State Fair entries, premiums and Jr. Fair Livestock Sale Checks. Volunteer and club member files are secured in county offices and every caution is taken to prevent the potential for identity theft. - Restricted Release
Some parents may have restricted rights in terms of access to their children. To accommodate these special circumstances, parents may request to restrict who may pick up their child from a 4-H club meeting or event/activity. In these situations, you will want to utilize the 4-H Member Restricted Release Form. - Transportation Form
Transporting members on field trips, to club meetings or other 4-H events and activities is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian or the 4-H member. In all cases, when transporting or coordinating the transportation of a minor, please use the Ohio State University Extension Waiver and Permission to Transport Child/Charge form. You should review the Ohio State University Extension Transportation Policy & Procedures and contact your county 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator with questions regarding transportation of 4-H club members. - Accident Insurance
You may purchase annual or event activity accident insurance to cover accident and illness associated with 4-H club functions. One sources is American Income Life. - Food Preparation/Service
4-H club events/activities/programs that involve food preparation and/or service for educational/demonstration purposes, for sale or giving away, to raise funds or to contribute to a recognition program/activity must meet with the Ohio State University Extension Food Preparation/Service Policy & Procedures, Effective March 1, 2006. You should contact your county 4-H Youth Development and Family & Consumer Science Educators for Safe Food Handling and Occasional Quantity Cook or equivalent training opportunities, Food Safety Fact Sheets and information concerning local licensing requirements for food preparation and service.
