4-H Ghana Overview
WHAT is 4-H?
4-H Ghana is a member of
the Global 4-H Network
Global 4-H Network
4-H Ghana
• Mission: empower youth to
reach their full potential,
working and learning in
partnership with caring adults
• Mission: promote youth
empowerment through active
engagement of the young people
on topical issues that affect their
development
• Reach: 7 million youth in more
than 70+ countries, including
3.5 million girls
• Founded: 1902 in the U.S.
• Reach: over 30,000 youth in the
Eastern, Volta, Ashanti, Northern,
Greater Accra, Central, and Brong
Ahafo Regions
• Founded: 2000 in Ghana
The 4 H’s symbolize: Head, Heart, Hands, and Health
4-H Ghana
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WHAT ARE 4-H CLUBS?
These are:
• Groups of young people
• Who are guided by an Adult Leader or Volunteer
• Who develop individual project activities
• Who apply principles through learning by doing
agricultural practices and other life skills in
schools and communities
4-H CLUB GOALS
• To teach the youth to appreciate agriculture.
• To develop leadership and good citizenship skills.
• To reduce poverty through entrepreneurial skills.
• To promote health education (eg.Drugs Abuse).
• To propagate good environmental protection
practices.
• To encourage volunteerism.
WHO CAN JOIN?
• Any girl or boy between the ages of 10 -20.
• Members pay just a small fee to register in order
to obtain a 4-H club membership card.
• No dues are paid to National 4-H
• However, members may decide to pay dues at
the club level to be used to enhance their own
club activities.
4-H Alumni Volunteer Network
• Anyone who wants to support 4-H and advisers
• Community members that care about 4-H
• 4-H members who have completed school can be
4-H Alumni.
• Alumni play important roles in 4-H activities by:
– Supporting new 4-H clubs members
– Providing directions to 4-H clubs members
– Encouraging member’s entrepreneurial projects
WHERE DO 4-H CLUBS MEET?
4-H Club may meet in any suitable place.
For example :
• Under the shade of a tree
• On a school farm
• In a classroom
• Public building such as a church.
• Members’ house
WHAT DO 4-H MEMBERS DO AT MEETINGS?
Meetings are held weekly.
• 4-H club leaders are elected by the members.
• Club members learn new skills through:
– Guidance of Club Advisor.
– Invited resource persons
– Group discussions
– Project area demonstrations
– Brainstorming
– On various topics such as health, nutrition, drugs
abuse, etc.
THE 4-H CLUB MEETING
• There are three components to a good 4-H
meeting:
• Business – Where the official work of the club
is discussed and voted on.
• Programme – The educational part of the
meeting.
• Recreation – Have fun and socialize
Business
Procedure: (about 20 Minutes)
• Call to order by the president.
• Recitation of the 4-H pledge
• Roll call by the secretary.
• Minutes of previous meeting by secretary
• Reports of committees
• Unfinished or old business.
• New Business.
Programme
• The educational part of the meeting.
• Members gain knowledge about:
– Agriculture, Health, Environment and micro
Enterprises etc. through:
– Educational Talks
– Community Member Demonstrations
– Tours
– Member Presentation
Recreation
• Recreation – includes educational games.
– Dance
– Songs
– Sports
– Drama
– Poetry
• All recreation should include both boys and
girls.
HOW DO 4-H MEMBERS HAVE FUN?
• Clubs may have fun through :
– Drama, Pick and act, Tag of peace,
– Musical chairs
– Excursions
– Camps
– Club Exhibition
– Field trips to farms or agricultural stations
– Open day
IMPORTACE OF GAMES FOR 4-H MEMBERS
Each meeting’s agenda should include about 20
minutes for recreation as planed by the recreation
officer to:
• Break down barriers
• Help break shyness
• Help in the realization of potential(s)
• Encourage cooperation through team work
• Inspires problem solving skills
Helpful Hints for 4-H Club Meeting
• Executive officers should meet a day or more before the meeting.
• At your business meeting, president and secretary be seated in front.
• Club programmes should be properly reviewed before meetings.
• Start your 4-H club meeting on time and adjourn on time.
• All committees should have a fair representation of both sexes and age.
• Do not let the business part of the meeting take more than 20 minutes.
• About one hour total for a meeting is the maximum.
• This should include about 1/3 meeting, 1/3 programme, and 1/3
recreation.
Possible Club Officers in 4-H
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President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Additional officers may include:
– Recreation Officer
– Organizer
– Female Leader
– Committee Chairs
Duties of 4-H club officials:
PRESIDENT should:
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Preside over meetings
Prepare the agenda for meeting
Have the place of meeting in order
Encourage active participation by all members
Be well acquainted with the rules, traditions, and policies
Keep order in the meeting
Act as advisor to other officials
Act as official representative of the club
Guide club in appointing committees
Appreciate all persons & organizations that have supported the club, on behalf of
the members or get some one to do it
Introduce speakers or special guests
Vote in the case of a tie
Regulate the time taken for each activity
Work in collaboration with local leaders
Duties of 4-H club officials:
VICE PRESIDENT should:
• Conduct meetings in the absence of the president.
• Serve as general chairperson of the programmes
committee.
• Check ahead of the meeting to see that the
persons to appear on the programme are well
prepared.
• Work in cordiality with president and other leaders
Duties of 4-H club officials:
SECRETARY should:
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Call roll
Keep an accurate record of attendance
Keep accurate minutes of all meetings
Notify members of meeting dates and time
Keep a record of all members
Write thank you notes and letters of appreciation
Duties of 4-H club officials:
SAMPLE MINUTES TEMPLATE
The meeting of the ….4-H Club was called to order by…the
President. The meeting was held at…on…at…o’clock, year 20…The
minutes were read and approved. Number of members present…
There were __ boys and __girls. Leaders present were…Others
attending enrolled were…New members enrolled were…Total
attendance (members, leader, and others)was…Business (committee
reports old and new business plans made…. Programme: (talks,
demonstrations, etc. given and by whom……The next meeting of the
club will be held at……on ………at …. o’clock.
Club Secretary.
(Refer to page 16 of leadership manual )
Duties of 4-H club officials:
TREASURER should:
• Keep financial transaction records such as:
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Cash from sale of produce
Special contributions from members
Donations to the club
Expenditures
• Monitor the bank account of the club
• Each club is encouraged to open a bank account
for safe keeping of club monies
CHECK LIST TO EVALUATE A SUCCESSFUL
4-H CLUB (For local leaders)
• Does each member have a project?
• Does each member have a record book of their
project?
• Has each member filled out his/her record book
properly and kept it current?
• Are club meetings held regularly?
• Is there always a programme at the 4-H meeting?
• Do members know how to conduct a business
meeting?
• Does each club have a Secretary’s Book?
CHECK LIST TO EVALUATE A SUCCESSFUL
4-H CLUB (For local leaders)
• Does the club have recreation at the end of the
meeting?
• Do the officials of the club know their responsibilities?
• Do you have the support of the parents of the
members?
• Does each member, local leader, and advisory
committee member know the goals of the 4-H club?
CHECK LIST TO EVALUATE A SUCCESSFUL
4-H CLUB (For local leaders)
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Does each member know the meaning of the 4-H’s?
Does each member know the motto and the pledge?
Does each member have a membership card?
Has the club taken a tour or field day to some other
farm or agricultural center?
Impact of Programs
• Equipping teachers with hands-on and engaging classroom
activities to develop life skills and leadership in students
• Transferring new agricultural technologies through 4-H
clubs and youth members to parents and communities
• Reduce food insecurity Ex.- By boosting maize production
from between 4-6 bags of 50kg to 20-30 bags of 50kg
• Engaging young people in agriculture and entrepreneurship
to reduce rural-urban migration and youth unemployment
• Promoting healthy lifestyle habits among youth and
communities to proactively combat detrimental health issues
4-H Ghana’s clubs have received 22 District Ag Awards from 20122014 and a Regional Ag Award in 2013
4-H Ghana
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Contact Us
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: P.O. Box 2561, Koforidua, Eastern Region, Ghana
• Phone: 233 (0) 342020059 or 233 (0) 342026
• Participate with Us: Facebook (4H Ghana) and Twitter (@4hghana)
• 952
4-H Ghana
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