South Carolina 4-H Volunteer Newsletter
Newsletter
T. Burns
4-H Assistant Director
Clemson University
Clemson
Team Members:
Burns, T1
-
4-H Assistant Director, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, 29634
Abstract
We CU Volunteer is an online newsletter primarily targeted toward South Carolina 4-H Volunteers, but was also developed with a general parent and friend of 4-H audience in mind. Dr. Ashley Burns is the editor and primary author for this newsletter. South Carolina 4-H Youth Development initiated this statewide newsletter in September 2015 with less than 200 newsletter subscribers; it has grown to over 1200 valid-email subscribers in March 2018. Full issues of the periodical are released quarterly with additional supplements released in remaining months. Each full issue contains state and national program announcements, upcoming dates/deadlines, program flyers, previews of 4-H articles published in Clemson University’s The Newsstand, feature stories of local events and participation in state and national 4-H events, and a Monthly 4-H Club Activity Idea. The supplement newsletters consist of a cover page with major announcements and a Monthly 4-H Club Activity Idea. The Monthly 4-H Club Activity Ideas cover all 4-H program areas in topic and scope, from agriculture and leadership/citizenship activities to healthy living and STEM activities. All activities are designed to be inexpensive to implement within a 45- to 60-minute club setting for a variety of age groups. Each activity is matched to the Targeting Life Skills model (Hendricks, P., 1998. “Developing Youth Curriculum Using the Targeting Life Skills Model”) and includes an objective statement, hands-on activity instructions with introductory information, materials, step-by-step methods, and reflective questions. We CU Volunteer is emailed to a list serve of more than 1200 addresses, posted online (https://www.clemson.edu/extension/4h/4h_volunteer/index.html), and shared on the South Carolina 4-H Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/southcarolina4hyouthdevelopment/) with over 700 followers. In January 2018, the newsletter was reformatted to reduce file size, increase aesthetic appeal, make more printer-friendly, automatically populate the email list serve, and track analytics from an e-newsletter platform. An evaluation of the newsletter with solicitation of topics for the Monthly 4-H Club Activity Ideas has been conducted at the conclusion of each 4-H Club Year. Respondents that received We CU Volunteer stated that it made them feel more connected to 4-H and more passionate about volunteering with 4-H.
Years of CES Service: 0
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