4-H Change of Membership Policy

Georgia 4-H assigns youth as members of 4‐H in the county where they attend school or live full time (referred to as home county). In situations where 4‐H’ers would like to enroll in 4‐H in a county other than the home county, the request should be made for positive youth development principles and not for competitive advantage.

Policy Points

• Requests for Change in Membership are submitted to the Georgia State 4‐H Office using the Change in 4‐H Membership form. Please contact your current County Extension Office to access and complete the form. Submit fully completed forms to ga4hrequest@uga.edu.

• The Georgia 4‐H Membership Review Committee will meet and communicate the decision to both the home county and the county for proposed membership. Change in membership should be submitted four weeks prior to a 4‐H’er registering for competition with the county of proposed change. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

• County Extension staff (Agents, Educators, Program Assistants) from the home county and requested change county are required to sign the form along with the parent/guardian(s) and 4‐H’er. Signatures designate acknowledgement of request. An additional statement may be submitted in regards the request of change.

• When a 4‐H’er is granted a change in membership, the change is in effect for the duration of the 4‐H’ers career or until a change in circumstances occurs. A change in circumstances occurs when a 4‐ H’er moves to a residence or school in a different county. If a 4‐H’er moves to a residence or school in a different county, an additional Change in Membership form may be filed or a “deactivation“ form may be filed and the 4‐H’er will be a member of their new home county.

• Failure to complete (and receive approval for) Change in Membership requirements may result in disqualification from participation and/or removal for any and all individual and team awards received while competing without proper approval.

• 4‐H’ers may not request a change in membership during the 4‐H year if the 4‐H’er has already competed with the home county. Change in membership in a 4‐H year once competition has taken place can only occur if a 4‐H’er changes residence or school during that year.

• Keep in Mind: A change of membership approval does not guarantee space is available in the specialty club you would like to participate. Also, registration may have already occurred and will preclude you from participating that year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the Change in Membership Committee? The committee is selected to include a 4‐H Program Development Coordinator and two members of state 4‐H staff with at least one having an expertise in an area the 4‐H’er has been participating in. In the case of the change being across district lines, both 4‐H PDC’s serve and one state staff member.

I moved in the middle of the 4‐H year. Do I need a change in membership to finish out the year in my former home county? 4‐H’ers who have begun competing in their county of residence and then move residence (or schools) may remain in the former county for the duration of that 4‐H year without a form on file. However, if s/he would like to remain in the former county after August 1, a change in membership is needed.

I competed in a 4‐H contest in August with my home county. The county where I go to school has a judging team I want to compete on now. Can I do both? No. Once you have competed with a county, you are required to finish the 4‐H year with that county unless you change county of residence or county of school enrollment. The other judging team may let you practice with them but you will have to enter as your home county where you have already competed.

I won state with my 4‐H Pizza making team in May and we are going to a National Contest in October. I wanted to apply to change my membership to another county for the next year but does that mean I can’t do the national contest? Since the national event is an extension of an award in May, you can apply to change your membership effective August 1st without penalty.

I am a homeschool student. I attend home school programs in a neighboring county. Can the neighboring county be a home county? If your home school program is an organized school that meets regularly at a location and operates continually at the location (not just for the purpose of 4‐H meetings) it may qualify as your school county.

I have never had a Change in Membership form and have always competed in Cupid County even though I don’t live there now or go to school there. Why do I need to do a new form? Change in membership forms have been required for several years and from the situation described you should have completed a Change in Membership form each year of participation. In order to continue to participate in Cupid County you will need a change in membership form.

What if I am a Florida (or South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama) 4‐H’er in a county that neighbors a Georgia County, can I enroll in Georgia 4‐H? If you attend school in Georgia, it is like any other 4‐H’er who lives in one county and attends school in one county. You can pick the county to compete in. If youdo not live or go to school in a Georgia county, you will follow the Change in Membership guidelines like any other 4‐H’er.