TIPS FOR CONDUCTING CLUB MEETINGS

Transcription

1 TIPS FOR CONDUCTING CLUB MEETINGS Structure Meetings Apprpriately The way club meetings are structured depends largely n the size f the grup and the age f the members. Remember t keep the meeting interesting and t change the pace f the meeting every 15 minutes r s. The average attentin span fr yuth ranges frm 10 t 20 minutes. In general, 4-H meetings are divided int fur parts: 1. Pre-Meeting: bridges the gap between the time members begin t arrive and the time the actual meeting begins. Activities fr the pre-meeting time can include mixers, wrd games, puzzles, etc. 2. Business Meeting: members learn hw t cnduct a meeting and practice demcratic decisin-making. 3. Educatinal Prgram: usually prject wrk, but may invlve special presentatins r activities cnducted by resurce peple, parents r lder members. 4. Recreatin/Refreshment/Scial Activities: prvides members an pprtunity t develp and practice scial skills. The rder f these segments and the amunt f time devted t each may be varied t suit the specific activities planned, the time and place the meeting is held, etc. Here are sme specific suggestins: 1. Clubs that meet right after schl may want t have refreshments available as the members arrive. Quiet recreatinal activities such as tw-persn pencil and paper games can be used t keep rder and fster interactin until the start f the meeting. 2. When members can t settle dwn and fcus n the task at hand, a shrt, active game fllwed by a quiet ne can release energy and get the grup ready fr mre serius business. Fr further tips n hw t handle behavir situatins, please see Manage Grup Activities fr Safety, Efficiency, and Effective Learning. 3. While Clverbud grups d nt cnduct business meetings, starting each meeting with the same pening ritual establishes a structured rutine that is imprtant fr this age grup. Use f a clsing ritual is als recmmended. Members can be assigned fficers f the day t help cnduct these rituals. 4. The timing f meeting segments must relate t bth the attentin span f the age grup and the nature f the activities planned. 5. Sharing club leadership with yur members is imprtant. It makes yur jb easier and it develps life skills fr the members. 6. Beynd the fur segments there are many little things yu can d t make yur 4-H club meeting fun and educatinal. Cntact yur lcal 4-H staff fr ideas. Rles f Officers Clubs may elect yuth t fill leadership psitins t help run club meetings. While club ffices shuld reflect the needs f the club, fllwing are sme f the mst cmmn. 29

2 President: Presides at all meetings. Appints cmmittees as needed. Vice President: Serves in the absence f the President. May serve as prgram chair fr meetings. Secretary: Keeps cmplete and accurate minutes f all meetings. Handles crrespndence. Keeps the 4-H Secretary s Bk up-t-date. Treasurer: Takes care f all grup funds. Cllects dues when required by the club. Keeps the 4-H Treasurer s Bk up-t-date. Reprter: Writes interesting reprts f meetings and special club events fr the lcal newspaper. Histrian: Cllects newspaper clippings, prgrams and pictures f the club s activities and events and puts them int a club scrapbk. Other rles yuth may play in the club include: flag leader, caller, greeter, game leader, sng leader, paper passer, parliamentarian, and phtgrapher. Fr additinal infrmatin n meeting structure, see the Parliamentary Prcedure sectin in the Tlkit. Engaging Yuth in Cnversatins t Make Decisins Effective yuth grups make a cnscius effrt t invlve all members in discussins. Fllwing are sme techniques t get yuth talking. 1. President asks specific questins, such as: Rger, what d yu think f Anne, frm yur experience at the cunty fair, wuld yu share yur feelings Des anyne knw f situatins where this has wrked? What has been yur thinking n this pint? 2. Use special grup decisin-making prcesses: BUZZ GROUP When member ideas are needed t slve a prblem, divide int small grups and have each grup reprt their best ideas back in a shrt time. BRAINSTORMING Generate and list as many different ideas as pssible in five minutes. Respect and value all ideas. In the first rund f vting, everyne vtes fr as many ideas as they chse. In the next rund, everyne vtes nly fr his/her tp tw chices. Use markers, stickers, r clred dts fr vting. Ideas receiving the mst vtes becme the grup s decisin. NOMINAL GROUP PROCESS Sit in a circle. Ideas are shared in a rund rbin rder until all ideas are recrded. If a persn des nt have an idea, he/she may 30

3 pass. If an idea has been listed already, it can t be repeated. G arund the circle until there are n mre ideas. D nt discuss the list. Everyne privately ranks his/her chices (1=first chice, 2=secnd; and s n) n a 3 x5 card. The chices are tallied and shared. Acknwledgements: Starting a New 4-H Club, Janet Beyer, University f Minnesta Extensin; My Leadership Jurnal, Natinal 4-H Cperative Curriculum Systems, Inc. Cmmittees Referring a task t a cmmittee is ne f the best techniques fr aviding lng business meetings. Frequently, when an idea is brught t the club, it s nt pssible t discuss it thrughly and vte withut taking a great deal f valuable meeting time. When pssible, the President shuld refer the matter t the apprpriate cmmittee. The advantages are many fr grups using cmmittees. Nt everyne wants t hld an ffice, but everyne can serve n a cmmittee. Yuth chairpersns can learn valuable leadership skills. Mre ideas emerge frm grup interactin. Thse invlved in making a decisin are cmmitted t the ideas. Each club will need t determine the cmmittees t carry ut their club s gals. Sme cmmittees may be set up at the beginning f the club year, while thers will be created as new ideas cme frward. Create cmmittees t carry ut big club tasks like managing cmmunity service prject r club fundraiser, develping the club s recgnitin prgram, designing the club s fair banner, r planning a club tur. The purpse f the cmmittee shuld be the primary cnsideratin in determining hw large the grup shuld be. Keep in mind that the majr reasn fr appinting a cmmittee in the first place, is the advantage f greater efficiency and flexibility f a small grup ver a large ne. It s recmmended that cmmittees have a variety f members, bth ages and ideas. Adult vlunteers may serve an advisry rle n a cmmittee. Each cmmittee shuld have a written purpse, specific duties and respnsibilities, and date fr cmpleting wrk. Discussin items and recmmendatins shuld be reprted back t the entire grup by a pre-determined date. Refer t 4-H Club Cmmittee Planning Sheet in the Tlkit. Acknwledgements: Wrking with Cmmittees, Judy M. Grff, Extensin 4-H Specialist, Nrth Carlina Cperative Extensin Service; Advisr s Handbk, Ohi 4-H; 4-H Vlunteer Training Unit 2, Maryland 4-H; Wrking with Cmmittees, University f Illinis Extensin 31

4 Use Ceremnies t Build Chesiveness Amng 4-H Members Participatin in ceremnies prduces a sense f kinship amng the members f an rganizatin (i.e., we believe in the same things and we re in this tgether). Depending n their nature, ceremnies may als fster teamwrk, reinfrce expectatins, prclaim an rganizatin s values t the general public r prvide recgnitin t members. Fr ceremnies cmmnly used by clubs see 4-H New Member Initiatin Ceremny and 4-H Club Officer Installatin Ceremny. Assess Meetings Regularly and Take Actin When Prblems Arise After the grup has been meeting fr fur t six mnths, take a clse lk at hw things are ging. Even thugh every effrt has been made t keep things running smthly, prblems will ccasinal arise. When they d, it is imprtant t address them as sn as pssible, befre they get ut f hand. The key t effective prblem slving is identifying the cause. If yu dn t knw why the prblem exists yu are likely t be merely treating the symptm rather than curing the disease. Trubleshting 4-H Prblems, fund in the Tlkit, describe sme cmmn 4-H club prblems, lists sme pssible causes and suggests alternative slutins. A resurce fr club imprvement is the Yuth Prgram Quality Assessment. Based n the Pyramid f Yuth Prgram Quality, trained staff and/r vlunteers can attend yur club meeting, bserve the prgram, and then meet with a grup f yuth and adults t create a plan fr imprvement. These caches will prvide yu with a number f quality resurces t wrk n ne r tw areas identified fr imprvement. Cntact yur 4-H prgram staff t learn mre abut this pprtunity. Invlve the Parents Everyne benefits when parents are invlved in the 4-H club prgram: 4-H members need their parents supprt and encuragement t attend meetings, cmplete prjects and fulfill respnsibilities t the club. Parents have an pprtunity t spend time with their children and enjy activities tgether. In many ways, 4-H is a partner in parenting. 4-H leaders have a lt t juggle. Being able t delegate sme f thse respnsibilities, even the smallest nes, can be a big help. The cmmunity benefits when families supprt cmmunity-minded rganizatins like 4- H. Invlved families are mre knwledgeable abut cmmunity issues and therefre mre likely t supprt cmmunity effrts as well. Keep these benefits in mind when yu invite parents t becme invlved. Here are sme suggestins n hw, when and whm yu ask. Additinal ideas can be fund in the Tlkit in the sectin, Parents Can Help in Our 4-H Club. 32

5 Meet with parents at the beginning f each year. This parent meeting may take place befre, after r as part f the club s planning meeting. While members shuld make the final decisin abut their prjects and activities, it is imprtant t knw early in the year the ways in which parents can supprt the club prgram. Cnsider using the interest survey and/r activity sign-up sheet t encurage cmmitment and t keep track f everyne s interests and availability. Maintain gd cmmunicatin. In rder fr parents t feel like a part f the grup and that they share respnsibility fr its success, they must be kept infrmed abut the when, where and why s f bth the club s activities and the 4-H club prgram in general. Sme ways yu can stay cnnected with parents are: Ask parents t assist at club meetings n a rtating basis. Yu may even want t meet in the members hmes n a rtating basis. Encurage members t ask their parents fr help when wrking n prjects at hme. Send infrmatin sheets hme with members prir t special activities such as prject trainings. Make time t chat with parents whenever they bring their child t an activity. Create pprtunities t get t knw parents better. Fr example, hld parent nights r family days during which members can shw-ff their accmplishments and parents can scialize with ne anther. Learn abut their persnal interests, hbbies and family activities. Later, requests fr help can then be based n the things yu knw they enjy and can d well. When yu need help: Ask an individual, basing yur request n that persn s interests, skills and abilities. Generic calls fr help dn t wrk! Be hnest and specific abut the cmmitment and time frame. Ask well in advance f when the jb needs t be dne. Express yur appreciatin apprpriately. Regardless f hw much r hw little a parent has dne, she/he deserves a thank yu. Whether it is delivered in the frm f a phne call, a hand-written nte r public recgnitin, that may include a certificate r small gift, will depend n what was dne and the persn s persnality ne size des nt fit all! Invlve Yuth Leaders Yuth Leaders are 4-H teens wh partner with adults t prvide leadership fr 4-H clubs and cuntywide 4-H activities. Depending n his r her age and experience, a yuth leader can serve as a general assistant, teach a prject, mentr individual members, crdinate activities r assume almst any ther 4-H leadership rle under supervisin f an adult. Invlving yuth leaders in yur club nt nly lightens the lad fr yu, it als adds sparks f energy and enthusiasm, prvides rle mdels fr yur members and prvides teens with valuable pprtunity t practice their leadership skills. Refer t the Tlkit fr Rles fr Yuth Leaders t see ideas n hw t get yuth invlved in clubs. 33

6 Cmmunicatin: An Imprtant Tw-Way Street Yu will be receiving bth regularly scheduled cmmunicatins (such as a 4-H newsletter) and special mailings frm the Cunty and/r Reginal Extensin Office. Often they will cntain registratin instructins fr up-cming events. Occasinally, they will request infrmatin needed by 4-H staff fr reprting purpses. The infrmatin yu prvide is imprtant and submitting it n time, eliminates the need fr duplicate mailings r phne calls that needlessly waste time and mney. Given the busy wrld we live in, it is very tempting t let ur paperwrk pile up until we have sme dwn time. (Des it ever cme?) In the end, it is usually a lt easier t take it ne paper at a time. S please reply t 4-H mailings as sn after they arrive as pssible. The fllwing suggestins will als help t facilitate cmmunicatin: Nte deadlines. When yu find a frm in a 4-H mailing, immediately lk fr the deadline date and mark a day at least tw business days earlier n yur calendar. If yu will need t gather infrmatin frm members r parents and yu will be having a club meeting befre the deadline, it may be easiest t put the paperwrk n the meeting agenda. If nt, decide right away when and hw yu will cllect the infrmatin yu need. Please call us. If yu are nt sure yu understand a questin n a frm r exactly hw the infrmatin shuld be recrded, call the persn wh sent yu the frm. This is nt being pesky, it is being helpful. Chances are that yu are nt the nly persn wh is perplexed. Yur call alerts the sender that there is a cmmunicatin prblem and prvides an pprtunity t clear it up fr everyne. Be aware f the schedule. Certain infrmatin will be requested frm yu at the same time every year, and 4-H events that require registratin als take place at abut the same time each year. Anticipating the arrival f these mailings will help yu t gather the needed infrmatin in advance. Lk fr the expected . Checking up n the whereabuts f a mailing yu were expecting t receive but did nt, may help yu avid missing an pprtunity. Things really d get lst in the mail smetimes. The tw busiest times fr paperwrk are the beginning f the schl year and prir t fair. Be n the lk ut! 34