4-H youth development programs within Extension depend heavily on adult volunteers and provide extensive education to volunteer leaders. 4-H traditionally focuses on positive youth development, but adult volunteers are the mainstay of the programs.  Education is critical in preparing volunteers for the role they accepted and should be designed to enhance their knowledge and skills (Kerka, 2003). Volunteer education develops the knowledge and skills volunteers need to execute their roles effectively (Brudney, 1990; Culp, 1997; Cumming, 1998; Wilson, 1976). 

The purpose of Kentucky Volunteer Forum is to increase the capacity of volunteer and salaried staff to contribute to the achievement of the mission of 4-H Youth Development Education and the Cooperative Extension System as a whole as well as to provide the educational and technical resources that volunteers need in order to deliver the 4-H Youth Development program as well as to meet 4-H members' needs (Culp, 2000).  

Boyle County 4-H had 19 adult and teen volunteers and staff participate in the 2020 Kentucky Volunteer Forum.

When asked what components of the forum they most enjoyed, the two most popular responses included workshops (29.97%) and networking opportunities (17.69%).  When asked to identify what they had gained from attending the KVF, 21.40% of attendees reported “learning about new programs” 19.74% gathered new information, 17.71% developed new skills, while 17.53% were “motivated or inspired,” and 16.24% benefitted from “networking.”

A total of 350 answers were collected in response to the question “what are your plans for the information, tools, knowledge and skills that you collected at the 2020 KVF?”  Of these, 36.29% indicated that they would teach new information at a 4-H Club meeting, 33.43% planned to share information with other 4-H volunteers, while 26.86% planned to introduce a new project, program, or activity in their club or county.

Conference attendees were asked to respond to six agree-disagree statements, that queried their aspirations following the forum.   (1 = Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree).  These included:

I am more likely to continue volunteering. (86.13% SA or A; mean = 1.65) 

I am more likely to develop or offer a new program, project or activity.  (84.17% SA or A; mean = 1.73)

I am more likely to increase my level of involvement in my county program.  (78.99% SA or A; mean = 1.77)

I am more likely to feel more energized and motivated to volunteer.  (89.06% SA or A; mean – 1.95)

I have increased my level of knowledge.  (96.43% SA or A; mean = 1.77)

I have developed a new skill.  (83.57% SA or A; mean = 1.75)

Using a post-pre-post scale, respondents were asked to rate their level of knowledge prior to and after attending the KVF.  Using a 5 point scale, (1=Excellent, 5=Terrible) respondents assessed their knowledge level as a 2.16 prior to attending KVF 2020, and a 1.56 after attending KVF 2020.