Tips for planning your next 4-H event
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EmailConsider these tips to make event planning easy as you discover some resources to help keep your event on track.
There are just certain things about being a 4-H staff person or volunteer that can be overwhelming! Event planning can be one of those tasks. In 4-H we tend to do a lot of planning: planning projects for the 4-H program year, planning for fundraising activities, planning for community service projects and, of course, planning for 4-H events.
4-H event planning doesn’t need to be overwhelming or cumbersome. To make 4-H event planning easy, you can start by following these tips:
Stay organized
Dedicate a binder, notebook or
folder to the event you’re planning. You can keep notes of places or people you
have contacted, with the date you talked to them or left them a message.
Remember the goal
Know why you are holding an event.
In other words, make sure you know your goals or objectives. Why are you
holding this event? What do you hope event attendees will get out of it?
Create a committee
Remember that whether you’re
thinking about Essential
Elements of 4-H Youth Development or the Michigan
4-H Guiding Principles, youth involved in 4-H need to be
engaged in their own learning. Don’t forget to ask them to be involved in event
planning. After all, they can learn how to hold a successful event by learning
from you!
Communicate
Let your committee know what you
need. Delegating tasks to others can be difficult to do. Even if the task is
seemingly small, engaging the entire committee in the event will help them to
feel like they are a part of something larger – the event objective!
Stay on task
There are several resources
available to help you plan. These are a few examples:
- The 4-H Activity/Event Planning Outline from the University of California.
- A Guide to Planning 4-H Programs from The Ohio State University Extension.
- Planning the 4-H Club Program from the University of Florida Extension.
Evaluate the event
Talk to both your event committee
and a few individuals who attended. Discover what went well and what can be
changed for next time. What happened that you didn’t plan for?
Proper event planning can help to make the 4-H event an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Don’t forget that you’re not alone in 4-H. There are staff, volunteers, youth, parents and families who are willing to help create events that meet the goals or objectives of the event.
