How to become a 4-H Volunteer….What should I know?

Any adult or teen who is working with youth under the age of 18, in any situation where he or she may be left in an unsupervised situation with one or more of these young people, must be screened and approved as a 4-H Volunteer according to established Penn State Extension Policies and Procedures.

All adults who will be in contact with youth without another screened volunteer must complete the Penn State Volunteer Screening Process.

The process includes an application, reference check,background check, face to face interview, and brief orientation.

This means any adult who may be helping with a 4-H Project, serving as a driver for a field trip, or hosting an overnight 4-H Function must be screened. The issue of screening is not designed to make your job as a volunteer more difficult; but we must do everything possible to ensure a safe environment for kids.

No volunteer leader will be approved until the screening is complete. All volunteers must be enrolled. Remember, not all of our volunteers are club leaders. People who are screened and approved as 4-H volunteers can be parents or resource people who help you on a regular basis and who may be left unsupervised with club members.

Please help us keep our 4-H Members safe and ensure the continued high quality of our volunteers.

The entire process can take up to 4 weeks.

Please contact Bryan Garrido at (717) 921-8803 or brg2@psu.edu to get the screening process started.

Download your volunteer application and forms below.