Sectional What

1
Sectional What?

• OR
• Why should I get up at 5am on a Saturday morning
  and drive two hours each way for a boring meeting
  (as if I dont already have enough of these) and
  drag my kids to yet another activity (that they
  already have too many of) and probably get talked
  into doing more volunteer work

2
Where does Sectional fit in 4H?And where can I
get more information?

• Organizational Structure (CA focus National
  Regional excluded)
• State Office in UC Davis
• www.ca4h.org
• Section (North, North Central, South Central,
  South)
• No office but usually meets in the same place
• Yahoo Group sign up / request invitation
• County 58 counties (13 Counties in North Central)
• 54 County offices / Cooperative Extensions
• Handout / List of County Offices with contacts
• Ca4h.org web site has links to counties, club web
  sites, and county newsletters
• Clubs
• Some have several Yahoo groups, some have a web
  page on the county web site, and some have their
  own web site. Most have links on the county web
  site.
• Basic Org Chart see handout

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What do Youth do at The Sectional Level?

• Leadership Positions with authentic roles
• Youth Council
• They decide what they want to do Todays Rec
  Field day
• Reps to State Council
• Meet other 4Hrs from across the state
• Competitions
• Sectional Presentation Day
• Fashion Review
• Conferences
• CAL (Creating A Leader) Big conference of year
• Citizenship
• WRLF (State level activity)
• Community Service projects McFarland Ranch
• Grew out of WRLF and is now planned as a
  statewide project for the summer
• Anything that they feel will make a difference!

5
Who Does it Benefit

• All Youth
• High Achievers
• All Stars, Presidents
• High Workers
• Officer positions that have progression to higher
  levels
• High Members
• Committee members etc that arent ready for or
  dont really want to be officers
• High Participators / Supporters
• Want to have fun, enjoy the process, like meeting
  new people, get to see what's going on and
  benefit from the activities that are planned by
  the other members
• Provides the next level of challenges and
  opportunities
• NEED to have this level to keep the older members
  engaged
• NEEDS to be visible so that younger members can
  see opportunities at a higher level chance for
  a position that may not be available at club /
  county level

6
Benefits - Continued

• Clubs and Counties
• Fosters communication and information sharing
  within the section
• Lots of Ideas, Resources and HELP and Advice
• Club Members
• Can provide the next level of inspiration or
  motivation
• A step before competing / participating at State
  level especially younger members and members
  that may be not sure they want to take the next
  step
• Authentic Roles not token positions or made up
  jobs

7
Benefits - Continued

• Adult Volunteers
• Learn what's going on at Sectional and State
  level
• Opportunities, changes, events get the big
  picture
• Opportunity to participate in discussions and
  decisions about what 4H is and does
• Committees Curriculum, Camping, etc
• Build relationships with state staff share
  what's important to each other
• Opportunity to be involved in bigger picture
  projects
• Opportunity to (re)learn new skills
• BFO moments Blinding Flash of the Obvious
• Facilitators cannot be part of discussions job
  is to make sure all ideas and sides of a
  discussion are heard
• Being a Club Leader means letting the youth run
  the club, the meeting, the activity, etc (Adults
  role)
• What you learn can be used anywhere not just in
  4H!
• Opportunity to get re-energized about 4H

8
Commitment?

• Sectional meets 4 times a year (Usually 3rd
  Saturday)
• September Woodland
• November - Amador County 4-H Office Jackson
  (Creating A Leader Overnight)
• February - Woodland
• May Woodland
• State
• Twice a year Once in N. Cal, Once in So. Cal
• Committees, WRLF, Chaperone,
• Depends on your interests
• The more members that are involved the more
  dynamic and effective our section will be
• More members involved means less work any one
  member has to do fewer HUGE tasks

9
What Sectional can help us achieve (The Real
Secret about 4H)

• 4H is a community of young people across America
  who are learning leadership, citizenship, and
  life skills - What does this mean?
• Opportunity!
• It doesnt matter what the youth decide to do!
• Opportunity to try new things, change their
  minds, take on too much, achieve at a higher
  level, etc..
• 4H is a Safe place / environment for all of this
  Learning
• Opportunity to see our youth motivated and
  excited to do something like this (even after a
  long school week!) Continue to grow
• Opportunity for Partnerships
• Youth / Youth take on large tasks, and to be
  accountable, accomplish bigger things
• Youth /Adult learn to benefit from each other
  just watch adults get excited when youth get
  motivated!
• Adult / Adult (re)learn to play well with
  others, Learn how to get (more) things done, be
  more effective
• Adult Volunteer and State Staff Training,
  resources for each other NOT an Us .vs. Them
• Opportunity to keep our older Youth involved and
  growing in 4H
• Lack of perceived opportunity may be the reason
  we tend to lose our teen members
• Tired of doing the same projects? Tired of the
  same groups? Tired of the same meetings?
• Need something Bigger, genuine roles that
  involve them at the sectional and state levels
• Conferences, committees, Youth Board member 4H
  Foundation REAL jobs, REAL Input, and a voice
  in decision making
• Need opportunity to meet and develop
  relationships with youth from other counties as
  well as staff members

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What Sectional can help us achieve cont.

• Keeps new blood moving into all levels of 4H
  Youth and Adult
• Not just another job or meeting but a way to be
  more effective in your involvement with 4H
• helps you make better choices about what you
  spend your time on
• Helps you step back and get a different
  perspective your club and county activities
• If your kids are involved youll be driving up
  here anyway!