• Aug. 21 - Sept. 5: Colorado State Fair, Pueblo
• Sept. 6: University holiday, offices closed
• Sept. 14: 4-H Youth Fund Board meeting

Colorado Make It Yourself With Wool Contest

The Colorado Make It Yourself With Wool contest has been set for Dec. 4, 2004 in Burlington, CO. Individuals who have made a garment using a minimum of 60 percent wool fabric or speciality wool fibers like mohair, cashmere, alpaca, camel, llama or vicuna are eligible to enter. Garments entered in the contest must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2004.

Please share the above information with 4-H members who are enrolled in the wool unit and others within your community that may be interested in participating. Entry blanks and further information were mailed directly to each Extension office. If you need additional entry forms or have questions concerning this event, contact Sheri Rider, Colorado Director, 20761 Rd. 48, Burlington, CO 80807, 719.346.5251 or via email at srider@fone.net — Sue Cummings

Volunteer Research - Retention of Volunteers

In a study by the Urban Institute, titled "Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers," researchers found that the median charity reported an 80 percent retention rate. Why is retention important to us? Recruiting volunteers is expensive and time-consuming. Retention is important because volunteers often become loyal financial donors to the organization as well.

What were the volunteer development practices organizations used that had the greatest impact on volunteers returning? Four categories of factors were measured: management practices, investments in volunteer resources, the value that volunteers bring to charities, and other organizational characteristics.

Charities have a higher rate of retention that have: 1) adopted the practice of hosting recognition activities for volunteers, 2) training and professional development opportunities, 3) used screening procedures to identify suitable volunteers and match them with appropriate jobs or tasks. These management practices all center on making the experience worthwhile for the volunteer.

Other practices, such as liability coverage, regular collection of information, written polices and job descriptions may generate other benefits, but they center on what is important to the charity rather than what is important to volunteers.

A curious finding is that regular supervision and communication with volunteers is associated with lower levels of retention. It is a practice widely adopted among charities. While it's not advisable to stop supervising and communicating with volunteers, the way that volunteers experience it is critical. If they feel it is too much like the grind of their daily jobs rather than an enjoyable avocation, the experience is diminished as well as their desire to continue to volunteer.

The value a charity places on volunteer participation also affects retention. Charities that use volunteers to recruit other volunteers are better able to retrain volunteers. Enlisting volunteers as "spokespersons" for the charity in this manner implies a level of trust in these participants. It represents evidence of a supportive organizational culture and confidence that the charity provides a worthwhile experience to volunteers. Finally, charities that feel they realize a great number of benefits from volunteer involvement also have a higher rate of retention.

Many of these characteristics are representative of the experience of volunteers in 4-H Youth Development. While there is always room for improvement, the one category in which we could improve the most relates to training and professional development for volunteers. There are a number of statewide and regional training opportunities for volunteers that could benefit from greater participation. Find ways to motivate your volunteers to attend and you'll see results! — Dale Leidheiser

Chaperon Opportunities

We only had three applications for volunteers to chaperon out- of-state trips. We would like to have a larger pool of candidates from whom to choose. Do you have some qualified volunteers that: 1) would do a good job of chaperoning, and 2) would benefit from the experience? Please send nominations to Katy Kohnen by August 30. Thanks for your help with this effort! — Dale Leidheiser

Work Study Opportunity

We're looking for a few good students. The State 4-H office will have two work-study positions available this fall. If you know of any students that will be attending CSU/Fort Collins that might be interested in working with us, please have them call me at 970.491.1152. Also remind them that they must be eligible to receive work study funds. Thanks so much! — Ellen Butler

Find Family-Friendly Activities and Tips on the Web

Looking for some fun family activities for summer? Want learning to continue even though school is out? Visit these family-friendly web sites for all the help you need:

• Familyeducation.com is a comprehensive web site for incorporating learning into family fun. Divided according to the child's age, topics range from Homework Help to Travel Games.

 
• From the people who bring you Family Fun Magazine, the Family.com site gives tips for planning a summer vacation, ideas for room make overs, instructions for wearable art projects, and more.

 
• Family-friendly-fun.com offers a directory of topics on parenting and family life, with several resources for parents of children with disabilities.

Latest in Teen Brain Development

Check out Time magazine's May 10, 2004 cover story, "What Makes Teens Tick," for new information about adolescent brain development. Researchers are looking at how physiological changes in the adolescent brain account for often-erratic teen behaviors. MRI-generated maps show that the final part of the brain "to grow up" is the part capable of decision making, while the parts of the brain responsible to sensation seeking are in high gear – "like turning on the engine of a car without a skilled driver at the wheel." The 7 Rules for Parents list at the end of the article reinforces what asset-building adults already know: stay involved; set limits; and pour on the praise for positive behavior. — Katy Kohnen