Florida 4-H Program Handbook

SECTION 6: Steps and Procedures in Volunteer Development

Application and Screening

Once we have potential volunteers interested in a volunteer position with 4-H, we must have them go through an application and screening process.

An issue that has grown in interest in recent years is the proper selection and screening of volunteers that work directly with youth. The 4-H program and other youth serving agencies have always been alert to the need to select volunteers that work well with young people and are good role models. There has recently been increased emphasis in the protection of youth from adults who might victimize them through physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

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Florida 4-H Application and Screening Procedures

A screening procedure to help protect youth involved in the 4-H program and aid in replacement of capable and qualified leadership in 4-H volunteer positions has been developed. After consultation with the Office of the General Counsel of the University of Florida and state 4-H staff members in states with developed screening procedures, we have developed the following recommended procedures:

• Prospective volunteers should complete Form A - A Volunteer Application (Appendix N) and submit it for consideration to the Extension Agent. Note: The volunteers to be involved in working directly with young people should be screened through a personal interview. Volunteers who work on a one time or very short-term basis and are not working unsupervised with children need not have as extensive an interview.
• Applicants who are to work directly with youth should complete Form B - Applicant Disclosure Form. (Appendix O).
• The Extension Agent or designee will interview the applicant. Form C - Interview Report (Appendix P) can serve as a guide to that interview and a record of any notes from it. Others who could reasonably conduct the interviews would be program assistants, volunteers trained to do so, or organizational leaders trained to select volunteers for their club.
• A reference check is conducted on the applicant. Forms D - Reference Form (phone/face-to-face interviews) and Form E Reference Form (for reference by mail) are offered as an "in-person" and a mail version of a reference form, respectively (Appendices Q-R).
• The decision on whether to accept the applicant is made and communicated to the applicant. (Sample rejection and acceptance letters are provided in the appendices.)

Being a volunteer with the 4-H program is a privilege, not a right. If information provided by the prospective volunteer, the references, the demeanor of the volunteer or any other information gives reasonable cause to question whether the applicant would be a suitable volunteer, you do not have to accept the applicant. Even a general feeling of uneasiness about the applicant during the interview is grounds for denial, provided that this feeling is not based on discriminatory concerns.

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Conducting a Volunteer Applicant Interview

When you are conducting the interview you are making the judgment, you will have to decide whether or not to select the volunteer. For instance, the elimination of any felon is acceptable, but you may want to consider the nature of the offense and the services the volunteer would provide. You might choose to accept a convicted drug dealer in an anti-drug program to share his experiences, for instance. Therefore:

• Always leave the door open for a change of mind, either by the applicant or the organization.
• Refer the applicant to other positions which may be more suitable or of interest to them.
• End on a positive note! Thank the applicant for his or her time and interest.

Record the information and your impressions as soon as possible on the Interview Report Form D. Set the wheel in motion for the next step as agreed upon/shared with the volunteer.

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Check References

Keep a record of all contacts and follow up on possible future contacts. Many counties find it helpful to create an individual file for each volunteer.

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Decisions on Volunteer Screening

Most volunteers that we interview will be appropriate for some placement within 4-H. The information gathered in by the application and screening process can be used to place the volunteer in a role most suited to the skills, interests, schedule availability, and personality of the volunteer.

In the event that a volunteer is found to be unacceptable, they should be informed of the decision in a timely fashion. If the volunteer is unsuitable for a specific position, consider offering another position that’s a better match. There are many legitimate reasons for turning down volunteers. Lacking required qualifications, such as not having appropriate skills for a given position and not having the ability to easily attain those skills would be a reason, for example. If for any reason you feel that the applicant would be a threat to young people, even if you are unable to clearly define the reason, the applicant should be rejected. Much of the screening process is judgment as to whether it is in the best interest of 4-H and young people to have the volunteer involved with them.

Selecting a volunteer is a decision which rests solely with you as the agent. With a goal of being inclusive rather than exclusive, we want to attempt to involve a wide variety of different types of people as volunteers in our program. That said, it is also our responsibility to do what we can to protect young people in our program from those who would use our organization to prey on them.

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