4-H Volunteers/Staff:

Welcome to the new "4-H Club Management Guide." This is our attempt to help insure that you have a successful experience as you support the 4-H program and the young people who have chosen our organization for their youth development experience. Yes, like you, we recognize that young people and their caring adults have choices in deciding which youth organization to join; the 4-H program does not wish to take either decision for granted. First we thank you for joining us in this important work—mentoring, teaching and serving as role models for our 4-H members. We value your involvement—our young people need adult role models. We thank you for stepping forward and making the commitment to help 4-H members dream, plan, set goals, and look forward to the future.

It is important to us that you have a successful experience and that our young people gain knowledge and skills as a result of your involvement. Hence, we intend to leave nothing to chance or happenstance. We therefore ask that you take this guide seriously; learn and apply the information provided in your 4-H club setting(s); and enjoy the journey as you have been entrusted to nurture and mentor our most precious commodity—our young people.

Sincerely,

Dorothy McCargo Freeman
State 4-H Program Leader & Assistant Director
Center for 4-H Youth Development
University of Minnesota