Belonging is not just the most important essential element for youth, it is also the most important for families.  If a family does not feel a sense of belonging in your 4-H program, guess how long they will stick around?  You guessed it- not very long.

Because of this, we have to be intentional with how we welcome and include new 4-H families into our organization.  Some suggestions for doing so:

•  4-H Kick-off (or Expo, or Roundup, New Family Night, etc.) Many counties already do some type of event to kick off the start of the 4-H year.  Use this venue to allow seasoned club leaders the opportunity to present mini-sessions on “What they Wish they Had Known as a New 4-H Parent.”  In these types of venues make sure to designate specific individuals (not you, you’ll be busy) to serve as “greeters” to seek out new families and personally welcome them.
• Train club leaders to provide a welcoming environment.  For many families, the local 4-H club leader(s) is the first 4-H representative with whom they come in contact.  Make sure these club leaders understand the importance of their role in creating a welcoming environment for new families.  You can find some great suggestions for doing so at:  Getting Parents Involved
• Welcome Letter to New Families.  You can see an example at:  Letter to 4-H Parents. I love the fact that this is simple and not at all overwhelming.
• New Family Handbook.  Check out some examples:
  • Box Elder County 4-H. (I love their analogy of 4-H being like a super department store).
  • Hall County 4-H
  • Montana 4-H New Family Guide
• Involve Them!  Sometimes the quickest way to make someone feel that they are truly a part of an organization is to give them work!  Indiana 4-H has a training series on how to engage parents.  This is a great resource for club leaders or for your own self-education:
  • Working Effectively with Parents Fact Sheet
  • Working Effectively with Parents Lesson Plan
  • Working Effectively with Parents Powerpoint

Do you have to employ each of these tools?  Of course not!  But do think about 1-2 ways in which you can focus on creating a welcoming environment for new 4-H families.  And as always, if you have some tool you are using to acclimate new 4-H families to your programs, share your info in the comment section below!