1. Texas 4-H & Youth Development Strengthening Clubs Initiative Team
Club Officer Training
Developed by:
Texas 4-H & Youth Development Strengthening Clubs Initiative Team
One sign of a successful 4-H club is the club manager working in partnership with the club officers to form the club leadership team. It cannot be assumed, however, that those elected to leadership positions within a club automatically know what responsibilities they have just agreed to accept. It is part of the role of the successful 4-H club manager to help train those officers and equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to take full ownership of the club. Another role of the successful club manager is treating all members of the club leadership team as equals as they plan for the growth and success of their 4-H club.

2. Topics Developing Club Partnerships 2. Expectations of Club Officers
3. Expectations of Club Manager
4. A Winning Team
The topics that will be covered in this section will include:
Developing Club Partnerships
Expectations of Club Officers
Expectations of Club Manager
A Winning Team

3. Club Partnerships
In order for a 4-H club to be on the path towards success, it is important for the club manager and the club officers to work together as full partners on the club leadership team.

4. What is a Club Partnership ?
Club Managers working in full partnership with Club Officers on issues facing the local 4-H club
Club Officers take ownership of their 4-H club, not relying on the 4-H club manager to do everything.
Club Officers working with Club Managers to ensure the success of the 4-H club and the club’s members.
In too many 4-H clubs, the 4-H Club Manager organizes the agenda, contacts the speaker, and arranges for the refreshments. The 4-H Club Officers simply show up and conduct the 4-H club meeting. While this scenario might work in some instances, it is not a formula for success.
To be successful, a true partnership must be formed between the Club Manager and the 4-H Club Officers. This entails club officers stepping up to the plate and taking a more active leadership role in the club. The Club Manager must work in full partnership with 4-H Club Officers on issues facing the local 4-H club. With this full partnership, it would mean that 4-H Club Officers would need to be held accountable for what they did or did not do. The same would be true for the Club Manager.
By placing the 4-H Club Officers in full partnership with the Club Manager, the officers will begin to take more ownership of their 4-H club. They will also place more of a value on their club and the opportunities offered through their club. This should help to free up the Club Manager, allowing him or her to focus on some of the other responsibilities they have to the 4-H club.
With 4-H Club Officers working directly with 4-H Club Managers, it will help to ensure the success of the 4-H club and the success of the 4-H club members. It will foster an environment where everyone’s opinions are heard and respected. The wants and needs of the 4-H members will truly be heard and addressed.

5. Barriers to Partnerships
Let’s Brainstorm!
How do adults view young people?
How do young people view adults?
What behaviors have you experienced in intergenerational meetings that would not be helpful in building healthy partnerships?
However, there are barriers that can and do exist that limit or prevent this full partnership between Club Managers and 4-H Club Officers. Let’s take a few moments and brainstorm what some of these barriers might be. As we think about these barriers, think about these three questions:
How do adults view young people?
How do young people view adults?
What behaviors have you experienced in intergenerational meetings that would not be helpful in building healthy partnerships?
(Take a few moments to brainstorm these barriers. Write the responses on the flip chart. Allow time for brief discussion.)

6. Overcoming Barriers Let’s Brainstorm
What behaviors have you seen that help build strong partnerships?
What blocks us from building effective working relationships between youth and adults?
How can we ensure that barriers to building effective partnerships are minimized or eliminated?
Now that we have identified some of the barriers that exist that limit or prevent a full partnership between 4-H Club Managers and 4-H Club Officers, let us spend some time thinking about what we can do to overcome these barriers. Let’s brainstorm, once again, about how we can get past those barriers and establish a full partnership between Club Managers and 4-H Club Officers. As we do this, let us consider these three questions:
What behaviors have you seen that help build strong partnerships?
What blocks us from building effective working relationships between youth and adults?
How can we ensure that barriers to building effective partnerships are minimized or eliminated?
(Take a few moments to brainstorm how to overcome these barriers. Write the responses on the flip chart. Allow time for brief discussion.)

7. Overcoming Barriers
Current emphasis is on infusing young people into all levels of organizational decision-making
Young people need to be involved not only in day-to-day programming decisions, but they should also be involved in organizational governance
Adolescents infrequently invited to engage in collective problem-solving
Isolation creates social contexts where negative stereotypes may flourish
As we overcome these barriers, we are strengthening the quality of the overall 4-H experience. Emphasis needs to be placed on involving young people into all levels of decision making within their 4-H club. Not only do young people need to be involved in the day-to-day decisions that affect the 4-H club, they also need to be involved in the overall management of the 4-H club. This is not only important on the club level but on the county level as well.
In the past, 4-H members have rarely been asked to provide input on issues affecting their 4-H club. Too many times, the club manager or adult leaders have addressed the issue. By allowing for the club manager or other adult to address these issues, it is not building leadership traits within 4-H club members. It also limits the responsibility that 4-H Club Officers learn. This does not foster an environment for a full partnership between Club Managers and Club Officers. This isolation can create negative feelings within the Club Officers. It does not create a healthy environment for the local 4-H club.
As club managers and adult leaders, we often time think of club or project activities as “My Club” or “My Project Group”. In reality, the club belongs to the 4-H members. We are simply there to help guide them towards the path of positive growth and development. It is important that 4-H Club Officers and ultimately 4-H Club Members feel that this is their 4-H club and that they have ownership and a voice. This is why it is extremely important to overcome these barriers and develop the full partnership between 4-H Club Managers and 4-H Club Officers.

8. Expectations of Club Officers
In order for 4-H Club Officers to be able to fulfill their responsibilities, they must first know what is expected of them. While 4-H Club Officer trainings are offered to assist club officers in knowing their responsibilities, there are situations that arise that prevent all officers from attending these valuable training workshops. This is why it is important that the 4-H Club Manager know these officer responsibilities and assist in preparing the 4-H Club Officers to fulfill their elected duties.

9. President
With assistance from club manager, arrange for a meeting place
Remind and encourage each person on the program to be prepared
Preside at all club meetings
Appoint committees as needed
The duties of the President are:
Arrange for a meeting place, with assistance from the club manager
Remind and encourage each person on the program/agenda to be prepared
Preside at all club meetings
Appoint committees as needed

10. President
Use basic parliamentary procedure steps as a tool to conduct effective, orderly meetings
Ensure maximum member involvement in all club activities
Represent club at county 4-H Council
Other responsibilities of the President include:
Using basic Parliamentary Procedure steps as a tool to conduct effective, orderly meetings
Ensure maximum member involvement in all club activities
Represent the club at county 4-H Council meetings

11. First Vice President
Preside at meetings in the absence of the president
Serve as the president if the president leaves the club or resigns his office
Serve, in some counties, as a delegate to the county 4-H Council
Serve as Program Committee chairman
Duties and responsibilities of the First Vice President include:
Preside at meetings in the absence of the president
Serve as the president if the president leaves the club or resigns his office
Serve, in some counties, as a delegate to the county 4-H Council
Serve as Program Committee chairman

12. Second Vice President Assist president and first vice president
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President and First Vice President
Serve as chairman of the Recreation Committee
Plan recreation and refreshments for each club meeting
Duties and responsibilities of the Second Vice President include:
Assist president and first vice president
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President and First Vice President
Serve as chairman of the Recreation Committee
Plan recreation and refreshments for each club meeting

13. Third Vice President Assist the president and vice presidents
Preside at meetings in the absence of the president and vice presidents
Serve as chairman of the Membership Committee
Promote your club to others
Welcome new members at each meeting
Duties and responsibilities of the Third Vice President include:
Assist the president and vice presidents
Preside at meetings in the absence of the president and vice presidents
Serve as chairman of the Membership Committee
Promote your club to others
Welcome new members at each meeting
Many 4-H Clubs do not have three vice presidents. If this is the case in your club, divide the duties of the third vice president between the vice presidents that serve the club. If there is only one vice president, it will probably be a good idea to form a recreation committee and a membership committee to fulfill some of these responsibilities for the club.

14. Secretary Call the role and check attendance
Read the minutes from the last meeting
Keep complete and accurate minutes of all meetings
Read letters of information or any other club correspondence to the club
Write letters for the club
Duties and responsibilities of the Secretary include:
Call the role and check attendance
Read the minutes from the last meeting
Keep complete and accurate minutes of all meetings
Read letters of information or any other club correspondence to the club
Write letters for the club

15. Treasurer
Keep accurate, up-to-date records of all receipts and expenditures of club funds and the balance on hand in the club treasury according to Best Financial Resource Management Procedures
Pay bills as approved by the club
Give reports of the club’s financial condition at each meeting
Arrange for money to be kept safely
Duties and responsibilities of the Treasurer include:
Keep accurate, up-to-date records of all receipts and expenditures of club funds and the balance on hand in the club treasury according to Best Financial Resource Management Procedures
Pay bills as approved by the club
Give reports of the club’s financial condition at each meeting
Arrange for money to be kept safely

16. Reporter
Submit interesting reports and pictures of club activities, members and leaders to local newspapers, radio and TV stations
Report club news to the county Extension office to be included in the county 4-H newsletter
Duties and responsibilities of the Reporter include:
Submit interesting reports and pictures of club activities, members and leaders to local newspapers, radio and TV stations
Report club news to the county Extension office to be included in the county 4-H newsletter

17. Council Delegate
Report local club activities and recommendations at county council meetings
Report on county council activities and recommendations at local club meetings
Serve on county-wide committees as appointed by the county council chairman
Duties and responsibilities of the Council Delegate include:
Report local club activities and recommendations at county council meetings
Report on county council activities and recommendations at local club meetings
Serve on county-wide committees as appointed by the county council chairman

18. Parliamentarian Keep order at the club meetings
Follow Parliamentary Procedure
Assist in training the other officers in their duties and in parliamentary procedure
Make parliamentary ruling during the business portion of the meeting
Duties and responsibilities of the Parliamentarian include:
Keep order at the club meetings
Follow Parliamentary Procedure
Assist in training the other officers in their duties and in parliamentary procedure
Make parliamentary ruling during the business portion of the meeting

19. Health & Safety Officer
Assist the club officer team in planning 4-H club annual activity calendar
Serve as chairman of the Health/Safety Committee
Provide some type of health/safety information at club meetings
Duties and responsibilities of the Health & Safety Officer include:
Assist the club officer team in planning 4-H club annual activity calendar
Serve as chairman of the Health/Safety Committee
Provide some type of health/safety information at club meetings

20. Expectations of Club Manager
It is common sense for a club manager to have a certain set of expectations for the club officer team. In order to form the full partnership that is so vital for a successful 4-H club, there are expectations that the 4-H club officers have of the 4-H club manager.

21. Club Manager Expectations
Assist club officers in the planning of each 4-H club meeting and the yearly calendar
Ensure that each officer knows his/her responsibilities
Provide an atmosphere where club members conduct their 4-H club meeting and adults do not take over
The expectations that 4-H club officers have of their 4-H club manager include:
- Assist club officers in the planning of each 4-H club meeting and the yearly calendar
- Ensure that each officer knows his/her responsibilities
- Provide an atmosphere where club members conduct their 4-H club meeting and adults do not take over

22. Club Manager Expectations
Delegate responsibilities to club officers or volunteers
Encourage involvement of club officers, members, and volunteers
Additional expectations include:
- Delegate responsibilities to club officers or volunteers
- Encourage involvement of club officers, members, and volunteers

23. A Winning Team
Once all members of the 4-H Club Leadership Team know what is expected of them and have formed a full partnership in the management of the 4-H Club, a winning team has been formed. The 4-H Club is on the pathway to success.

24. Everyone Wins! Club Officers achieve mastery, compassion, and health
Club Managers understand the needs and concerns of youth, making them more likely to reach outside the organization and share their new knowledge and insights.
Everyone gains a stronger sense of community connectedness
By forming a full partnership between the club manager and 4-H club officers, everyone wins! The benefits of this partnership include:
- Club Officers achieve mastery, compassion, and health
- Club Managers understand the needs and concerns of youth, making them more likely to reach outside the organization and share their new knowledge and insights.
- Everyone gains a stronger sense of community connectedness

25. Everyone Wins!
Adults and organizations as a whole became more connected and responsive to youth in the community, leading to strengthening the 4-H club
Including youth in decision-making leads 4-H Club to reach out to the community in more diverse ways
Additional benefits are:
- Adults and organizations as a whole became more connected and responsive to youth in the community, leading to strengthening the 4-H club
- Including youth in decision-making leads 4-H Club to reach out to the community in more diverse ways

26. Club Managers + Club Officers = A Winning Team Let’s Review!
When everyone works together towards a common goal, everyone in the club wins! Continued success will lead the way to growth and expansion within the 4-H club. That is helping to “Make the Best Better”!
To review, we have an activity to do that will help to reinforce the concepts in this lesson. This activity is also great to use with kids to teach them about their officer roles.
Facilitate the Beach Ball Activity using the information in the Beach Ball Activity Handout and Beach Ball Labels.