Youth are the focus of the Local 4-H Ambassador program. The number of youth in the program will vary, but an ideal size is 8 to 20. Youth must:

• Enroll in Minnesota 4-H

• Be in at least the 6th grade 

• Be willing to commit 2-4 hours per month to program meetings & activities

If more than 20 youth are active in the program, consider splitting the group to ensure the engagement of all participants. You might consider dividing the group by age level, creating middle school (junior Ambassador) and high school (Ambassador) teams or splitting the group by geographic area (for example, east & west county ambassadors).

Application process and orientation

Once a young person has decided to become an ambassador, there should be a process for them to join the program. Regardless of the process used, it is highly encouraged to include several access points throughout the year to welcome new youth into the program. A sample application is available in the Additional Resources.

After being welcomed into the program, youth should be oriented to the ambassador program and understand their role as an ambassador. This may include attending a Local Ambassador Program Training with a Regional Educator or a locally-organized orientation.

A minimum of two adults must be directly involved in the program to serve as the Ambassador Advisors. Advisors serve as a team and the roles of each advisor should be clearly articulated to ensure everyone makes a meaningful contribution to the oversight of the program. Their responsibilities include:

• Oversight of the Local 4-H Ambassador Program. 

• Working with 4-H staff and other volunteers to support the needs of the program and individual participants. 

• Maintaining the status of an active and screened Minnesota 4-H volunteer.

Additional advisors or co-advisors should be recruited if the number of participants increases to ensure adequate supervision (see below). The supervision ratio must be maintained at all Local Ambassador meetings, programs, and events, including virtual experiences.. 

• For ages 8 and younger: a minimum of 1:8 adult to youth ratio.

• For ages 9 to 14: a minimum of 1:10 program staff to youth ratio.

• For ages 15 and older: a minimum of 1:12 program staff to youth ratio.

Being an adult advisor to a 4-H Ambassador program can be a very rewarding experience. The key responsibilities of the advisors are explained further in the 4-H Volunteer Adult Ambassador Advisor position description available in Key Program Resources. 

The Local 4-H Educator is an integral part of a successful Local 4-H Ambassador Program. Their responsibilities include:

• Ensuring positive youth development principles are applied in the program

• Developing a funding model or budget for the program 

• Recruiting youth and adult volunteers to participate 

• Encouraging relevant training for volunteer advisors (https://z.umn.edu/4h-volunteer-training)

• Ensuring volunteers are screened and risk management practices are in place

• Reporting participation through periodic reporting of Minnesota 4-H programs and other statewide reports (https://z.umn.edu/4Hreporting)

• Submitting an annual program plan to the Regional Extension Educator (REE)

Beyond these responsibilities, the involvement of the Local 4-H Educator in the delivery of the program may vary, with some Local 4-H Educators serving as one of the advisors and others serving in more of a support role. Regardless of the exact level of involvement, the Local 4-H Educator and the Local 4-H Ambassador Advisors should communicate regularly.

The Civic Engagement and Leadership Regional Educators serve as the main point of contact for CEL programs happening across and within regions. In regards to Local Ambassador programs, you can expect the CEL Regional Educator to:

• Provide baseline comprehensive training of the Local Ambassador Program Model;

• Provide ongoing support to local advisors through regular meetings;

• Provide educational components and skill-building opportunities for participants in your local program;

• Assist with problem-solving and idea generation; and

• Connect you and your program to additional resources and events 

CEL educators use the annual program planning tool to learn more about your program and identify themes of support throughout the region.