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Volunteer Roles and Requirements
Volunteer Roles and Requirements
Download PDF for PrintRoles and Requirements at 4-H Events: Supplement to the Overview of Volunteer Policies
The categories of adults who may attend local, district, state, national, and international 4-H events (including activities and programs) with Georgia 4-H may be found in the chart below. Based on the objectives and needs for an event, faculty/staff can carefully consider needs and determine which categories of attendees are permitted to attend. Regardless of the programming area, adults should only be utilized in roles consistent with their verified volunteer status.
| Attendee Status | Definitions and Intended Role(s) | Required Documentation in 4-H Enrollment | Communication Regarding Attendees/Parents/Guardians (As Applicable per the Event) |
| Spectators (including parents who are spectating) |
Anyone who is only viewing the event, without close contact with youth. Includes individuals who are representing other organizations, working as a part of their job, and not serving in a voluntary role (i.e., paid charter bus driver, hired speaker). They are not a volunteer. | No documentation is required for spectators. Nothing should be asked of this individual. They need to refrain from working with youth and/or volunteering. |
As a reminder, spectators are welcome to attend the event, but they cannot be asked to help in any way. Spectators need to refrain from interacting with youth who are not their personal children. |
| Helpers | Volunteers who are non-custodians of youth. They’re not supervisors, not chaperones, not drivers, or do not have access to sensitive information. They may help in roles that are organized and do not include unsupervised interactions with youth, such as project judge, speaker, or scoring room helper. |
Volunteer Agreement with Adult Behavior Guidelines (Options include 1. digital consent or 2. signed and initialed form). |
Event helpers are invited but are encouraged to move to a screened volunteer status. All helpers will need to complete a volunteer agreement but need to refrain from: unsupervised and unorganized interactions with youth who are not their personal children, driving, and accessing sensitive information. |
| Screened Volunteers | Volunteers who are driving or have access to sensitive information. Volunteers who are non-custodians of youth. They are not supervisors or chaperones of youth and may not help in roles that include unsupervised interactions with youth. Roles may include driving fair entries to the fairgrounds or picking up meals for meetings. |
1.)Screening application, 2.)Two positive reference responses, 3.)Background investigation and MVR (if they will be driving), and 4.)Volunteer Agreement with Adult Behavior Guidelines. |
Screened volunteers are invited to support this event. All volunteers serving in this capacity will need to complete a volunteer screening procedure to include a screening application, two positive reference responses, a background investigation (and an MVR if driving), and a volunteer agreement. Volunteers need to refrain from unsupervised and unorganized interactions with youth who are not their personal children. |
| Screened Volunteers Working with Youth |
Volunteers who are supervisors, chaperones, (possibly) drivers, and/or those who may have access to sensitive information. These are the designated custodians of youth and are organized by the local Extension program. They can engage in roles that include interactions with youth but should still practice two-deep leadership (strive for at least two adults present at all times). Roles may include club leaders, event chaperones, and/or team coaches. |
1.) Screening application, 2.) Two positive reference responses, 3.) Background investigation and MVR (if they will be driving), 4.) Volunteer Agreement with Adult Behavior Guidelines, & 5.) Risk Management Training (RMT) annually |
Screened volunteers are invited to this event who have screening approval and training to work with youth. Volunteers will need to complete a screening procedure that includes a screening application, two positive reference responses, background investigation (and an MVR, if driving), volunteer agreement, and annual risk management training (RMT). These volunteers can work with all youth participants at the event and will be a great asset. |
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (working cooperatively with Fort Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the counties of Georgia) offers its educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action organization.