Have we gone overboard in making meetings mandatory? The silent way that we exclude people from participation in 4-H Programs
Many of our 4-H projects have requirements for member and parent attendance at what we typically refer to as mandatory meetings. This requirement does not always indicate one specific meeting rather it usually involves a required number of meetings that are held throughout the project or group experience. I have been asked and have been asking myself: Why do we have so many mandatory meetings in 4-H?
There are some very good reasons that educational programs require attendance by all members. Here are some that I can think of:
1. Members and parents must go over safety precautions, expectations and risk management for participation in later opportunities including exhibiting, travel, and competition.
2. The project is unique and the education or competition can only be obtained or evaluated through participation in 4-H county-wide workshops or sessions.
In the case that one or more of the above apply, leaders must consider the number of members that are enrolled, the accessibility of the location(s) of meetings, the logistics of the timing and consider alternate ways for members and parents to meet the required attendance.
Some ways that groups have successfully been inclusive of our diverse membership include:
1. Holding two meetings with the same content so members have options in attending
2. Allowing attendance by a parent or a member; allow a member over a certain age to attend on their own
3. Be willing to hold make-up opportunities for member or parents. (i.e. makeup face to face training, utilize technology, record session, assign reading materials and test members knowledge)
Here are some of the less pressing reasons for requiring member attendance at meetings including:
1. We want to make sure that we have enough kids at the opportunities that we offer. Engaging activities that are on-topic, of concern to the project community, and address needs of members will draw in attendance at these educational opportunities. If the attendance is not in line with the time and coordination of hosting the educational event then we have to analyze the other ways that members can get information, learn about the project, and participate in these opportunities. At some point we have to be o.k. with saying, I guess it’s not a need.
2. The number of stalls/space is limited when it comes time to show at the Sheboygan County Fair. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. . . the Sheboygan County Fair is just one piece of the 4-H members experience, it is not the end-all be-all of 4-H. The more we perpetuate the idea that it is, the greater risk we run of losing members who want to get something else completely out of the 4-H experience.
3. We want to teach responsibility, follow through, decision making. The failure of members to attend or participate in your meeting does not necessarily reflect on their attention to responsibility, their ability to follow through, their inability to make decisions or any other life skill that you are hoping they will learn through this requirement. Instead it makes decisions for the youth and the family as a default of the rigidity of the rule. Think about the number of options that adults get to say yes to because they are masters of their own calendar, travel, childcare arrangements and workday. Young people, on the other hand, are at the mercy of the entire families schedule including their parents, siblings and athletic and academic teams.
Yes, many young people would benefit from adults helping them to scale back the activities that they pursue, but isn’t that really the role of a parent or close adult. It doesn’t seem like it is the role of a 4-H committee or leader. Instead, a leader gets to teach young people responsibility, follow-through and decision making skills (along with a host of additional life skills) by engaging with youth through learning about the project content. In addition, that young person gets to learn about their skills and ability to commit when the judge observes their final product in competition.
I encourage your clubs, committees and project to review the requirements that you place on members in order to be a part of your group or exhibit under your project name. Please consider the above carefully and engage in some discussion about these requirements for the upcoming year.