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Training 4-H Volunteers in Engaging virtual meetings to maintain belonging and mastery

Search For Excellence in 4-H Programming

Brian Brandt
Washington State University
Tacoma

Team Members: Brandt, C1, Seiber, M2, , W3, White, D4, Brandt, B*5
  1. Occupational Therapist, Club volunteer, Tacoma, Washington, 98406
  2. Administrative Professional, WSU Extension, Tacoma, Washington, 98418
  3. County Admin Office/ Volunteer Coordinator, WSU Extension, Tacoma, Washington, 98418
  4. Administrative Professional, WSU Extension, Tacoma, Washington, 98418
  5. Associate Professor, Washington State University, Tacoma, Washington, 98418

Abstract

4-H clubs are researched based and have always provided training to youth and adults both about specific club topics, and on how to run the clubs effectively. There have been various basic trainings provided for many years to help club leaders run youth clubs. There is a separate advanced 3-day training in experiential education called portable challenge that will greatly increase the skills of youth professionals and volunteer’s knowledge of youth development, youth program development, access, equity, and opportunity. Club leaders in the county were targeted through a combination of Facebook, newsletters and direct requests to volunteers. The six 2020 SWAYs were developed to shorten the training time by providing a flipped classroom model with an asynchronous web learning platform, followed up with a shortened in-person training. They also serve as a refresher tool for leaders to visit before working with youth. The SWAY platform was used because it works on all devices so volunteers could use it as a refresher in the field.  Introduction and theory at https://sway.office.com/EgnqYubz7Ey6BD35?ref=email. Section of meetings at https://sway.office.com/Jf4WFvpjcYms86dv?ref=email. Adapting for youth with disabilities at https://sway.office.com/DOPSFgf6aZknJQTM?ref=email Online strategies during social distancing at https://sway.office.com/rSAHvPNDcVoDCBta?ref=email. Online tools for engaging youth at https://sway.office.com/jlKQiwzvmwa69zrU?ref=email. Zoom tips and tools web page with resources and SWAY at https://extension.wsu.edu/pierce/zoom-meeting-helps/. The Covid-19 crisis moved the project over to a fully on-line program. The flexibility of synchronous and asynchronous resources allowed 43 volunteers flexibility and reduce training time. Participants in the first five SWAYs reported an increase in their perceptions to lead virtual meetings. Participants reported a 167% increase in the numbers of basic electronic zoom tools they could use before the training to the number of zoom tools they could lead after the training. Analytics show the SWAYS are being used as a refresher tool with an average of 4-minute quick views. This approach serves the purpose of training and reinforcement refresher.     

Years of CES Service: 0

Narrative