A Recipe for Confident, Competent, Caring 4-H Volunteers

AKA “Taking Care of Business”

Raw Ingredients

• Youth

• Adult who is willing to spend her or his leisure time as a 4-H volunteer

+ ≠

Added Ingredients

• Interview

• Screening

• County based orientation & training for new volunteers

• Multi-region based new volunteer training

County Perspective:Blue Ribbon Program• Training & support eliminates volunteer’s fear of

failure• Staff feel confident in volunteer’s ability

– Youth needs are met– Safe environment, good stewards– Outcomes for youth are evident

• Youth, parents, & community value & trust volunteer & staff

Campus Perspective:Blue Ribbon Program• Aligned and compliant with ISU policies &

procedures• Compliance is documented• Risk is managed• Obligation to clients is met• Good stewards• Stakeholders value program

Programs for Youth ISU Internal Audit

• Conducted winter 2011/2012• Purpose

– Provide reasonable assurance that programs for youth were operating in a manner that implemented consistent internal controls and provided participants with a safe environment to explore personal and academic achievement.

Internal Audit• General Information reviewed

– Financial Policies– Child Protection Policy– Health & Safety Forms

• Liability waivers• Emergency contact information• Photography releases• Etc.

Internal Audit

• Program staff & volunteers– Compensation– Written job descriptions– Complete listing of volunteers– Copies of completed screening forms– Copies of training and orientation

• Supporting documentation training occurred and volunteers informed of responsibility to be trained

Internal Audit

• Other items– Copies of participant enrollments and parental

waivers– Is Emergency Handbook kept on site?– Is emergency contact information kept on site?

Internal Audit Findings

• University wide policies and procedures do not exist

• No central registry of programs/events• Inconsistencies

– Background checks– Training on emergency procedures– Documentation of fees, refunds, scholarships,

discounts, etc.– Cash handling

Internal Audit

• “Your unit did not have any reportable issues”.

• Would your county have passed???

• Are you sure???

Era of Increased Scrutiny

• Campus

• Extension Councils

• Clients

• Public

• “Did you have a policy”

• “Did you follow policy?”

University Response

• Volunteer Policy

• Youth Camps and Pre-Collegiate Programs policy– Draft policy available– Procedures being developed

• Background Screening Policy

• Reporting Policy

What you think we do

ISU Volunteer Policy

• Volunteer Approval– When required procedures are completed by

volunteer, and– Approval received from unit chair/director

ISU Volunteer Policy

• Volunteer Agreements– Required for “higher risk” services– Includes services involving access to minors– Travel (Drivers)– Contact with animals– Serving/Preparing food

ISU Volunteer Policy

• ISU Volunteer Agreements shall not exceed one year.

• The department/unit may end a volunteer's service at any time and without prior notice.

Volunteer Agreements

• What should be included?

ISU Youth Activities Policy

• Programs must be approved

• Approval at Dean/VP level

• Qualified Program Leader

• Staff Orientation & Training

• Safety Protocols

County/Field/Campus Youth Programs

• Registration with ??• DO keep records of all programs with originating county• County review and approval of 4-H club events• Continue to screen staff/volunteers per current ISU Extension &

Outreach policy• Screen ALL volunteers against Sex Offender Registry – and keep

records– Every volunteer, every year

• DO implement Emergency and First Aid protocol• If program involves youth on campus, let campus 4-H office know.

Registration with ISU ORM will be needed. Let campus staff help.

Volunteer Training

• Resources

• County Based

• Multi-region New Volunteer training

Volunteer Tracking

• Document – Screening– Orientation– Training

• 4-H Online

Emergency Protocol

• Emergency procedures protocol • Basic First Aid protocol• “How To” youth camps checklist

Emergency Plan

Existing Resources• http://policy.iastate.edu/policy/youthprograms

– Program Leader’s Checklist for Youth Programs

• ISU Office of Risk Management– http://www.riskmanagement.iastate.edu/

• General Iowa 4-H– Policies page

• https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/restrict/policies.htm

• Dru Sodjin National Sex Offender Public Website– http://www.nsopw.gov/

Existing Resources• 4-H Risk Management – public page

– http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/Volunteers/risk.htm – “Volunteer Risk Management Checklist”– All waiver forms– Incident Report forms– Other resources

• 4-H Risk Management – staff pagehttps://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/restrict/riskmanagement.htm

“Creating Safe Environments/Managing Risks in 4-H Programs”

checklist for staff when reviewing/approving events

You want to do what?!

Approval Process

• What should be included?– Keep it

• Thorough• Simple• Informative• Manageable

Shades of Gray

Critical Resource

• Youth Program Specialists !!!

• Call them– Not Maybe, Just Do It

Insurance

• County Insurance Memo– Extension Finance web page– http://www.extension.iastate.edu/extensionfinance/insurance.htm

– Let Regional Directors help

• Certificates of InsuranceISU Office of Risk Managementhttp://www.riskmanagement.iastate.edu

• Event/Activity Accident Insurance– American Income Life– http://www.americanincomelife.com/who-we-serve/4-h-insurance

Extra Insurance for

• Horse project members

• Downhill winter sports

• Non-members

Special Participation Waivers for

• Downhill Winter sports

• Swimming w/o lifeguard

• Others ???

Incident Reporting

• Document everything – locally

• Use Form

• Details are important!

• Follow Procedures

Be Safe!

• MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacremento

Thank You!

• For what you already do to comply with ISU and ISU Extension and Outreach policies and procedures

• ISU Extension and Iowa 4-H viewed as a model for others at ISU

• Keep your stick on the ice!