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).  The Kentucky Volunteer Forum is Extension’s flagship event for adult and youth volunteer education in the commonwealth.  The forum benefits adult and teen volunteers, Extension professionals, program assistants, as well as the 4-H program at the county, district, and state levels.  

Hardin County had 23 registered participants at the 2020 Kentucky Volunteer Forum including 2 teen leaders, 2 award winners and 1 volunteer who achieved their accreditation in Robotics and Forestry.

Programs and workshops offered at the KVF are continually updated, rules and policies are shared and explained, best practices are taught, and new teaching and learning techniques are introduced. The KVF seeks to:

• Share cutting-edge information through workshops and educational opportunities.
• Provide networking opportunities for volunteers from different counties and states.
• Introduce new programs, projects, events, activities, and rule or procedure changes.
• Provide opportunities for volunteers to receive Accreditation and Master Volunteer status.
• Provide continuing education opportunities.
• Reenergize and inspire volunteers.
• Recognize those volunteers, businesses, and organizations that have made a significant impact upon the Kentucky 4-H program and the lives of youth in the commonwealth.

The Kentucky Volunteer Forum (KVF) celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2020.  KVF 2020 offered 183 workshops, organized in 18 tracks.  The most well-attended tracks included livestock, horticulture, leadership, FCS, other animals, crafts, shooting sports, and horse.)  1138 people from 112 counties registered for KVF 2020, making it the largest volunteer forum in Kentucky’s history, and the largest 4-H volunteer forum held anywhere in the world during this year, to date.  Eleven states were represented, including Colorado, Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.  Additionally, 37 Family Resource Youth Service Center Directors attended the KVF, receiving Continuing Education hours.  Finally, 42 youth completed Leadership Boot Camp at the Forum.

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.