State 4-H Incentives and Recognition

The purposes of incentives and recognition are:

1. To reinforce the motivation of 4-H members and volunteers to participate, create and achieve in 4-H Youth Development; and
2. To underscore a sense of belonging and being valued in the 4-H community.

An incentive is a stimulus that creates a desire in an individual to participate, learn, or achieve. An incentive to participate in an activity exists prior to the activity itself, for example, the expectation of personal satisfaction or the expectation of a reward.

Recognition is the acknowledgment and affirmation of an individual for completing a task or achieving a result.

A reward is a positive reinforcement that follows the completion of an activity or the achievement of a goal.

National 4-H Recognition Model

Statewide 4-H Recognition Opportunities

4-H Golden Clover Awards - The Golden Clover Awards recognize outstanding achievement of 4-H members, volunteers, and groups within the 4-H YDP.

Higher Education Scholarships - Statewide scholarships are available, with help from donors, for graduating high school and college-attending students.

4-H Record Books - Completing a 4-H Record Book is a process where 4-H members record project and club work.

Youth Development in 4-H Recognition

Youth development is the process through which youth acquire the cognitive, social, and emotional skills and abilities required to navigate life. This development occurs throughout a young person's life, including formal and informal settings such as home, church, school, peer relationships and work experiences. Continued exposure to positive experiences, settings and people, as well as opportunities to gain and refine life skills, supports young people in the acquisition and growth of personal and social assets.

Essential Elements of Youth Development
Flyer (PDF)
Research shows that focusing programs on the four essential elements of youth development creates healthy and happy children, who demonstrate a sense of maturity and civic engagement as adults and become stronger individuals, creating stronger families and better communities. These essential elements include belonging (caring relationships), mastery (constructive learning experiences), independence (leadership opportunities), and generosity (service to communities).

Citizenship, Leadership and Life Skills
Life Skills Wheel Handout (PDF) (Link to Iowa State University)
Core elements of the 4-H program are Citizenship, Leadership and Life Skills Development. 4-H Recognition can provide incentives to 4-H members in developing their core life skills.

Social Motivators
Quiz and Definitions (PDF)
David McClelland and John Atkinson researched three distinct motives which affect people's behavior - the need for affiliation, the need for influence and the need for achievement.  4-H Recognition may provide incentives to people who desire each of the three motivators.

2008 Statewide 4-H Recognition and Record Book Trainings

• PowerPoint version 2 (Feb 23, 24, March trainings) (PPT) (PDF)
• PowerPoint version 1 (Feb 2 & 3 trainings) (PPT) (PDF)

County 4-H Incentives and Recognition Committees

Template Document (Word) (PDF)

Counties are encouraged to create a recognition committee to fulful the following responsibilities:

• Identifying new methods of recognizing 4-H members and volunteer leaders.
• Creating new recognition opportunities. Ensuring new recognition and competitive programs follow the principles of positive youth development, are open and fair to all, and meet the needs of youth in the county.
• Analyzing and evaluating existing competitive and recognition programs to ensure they follow the principles of positive youth development and 4-H policies.
• Conducting trainings and other education and outreach to ensure competitive and recognition programs are available and publicized to all 4-H members and volunteer leaders.
• Answering questions related to the committee’s scope of work.
• Mediating and solving conflicts and disputes within the committee’s scope of work. Creating an appropriate conflict resolution procedure.

Statewide 4-H Incentives and Recognition Advisory Committee

Link here for more information.

Recognition Research Articles

• Forbes, Sheila, "The 4-H Incentive System," 1992. (Link)
  
• Kohn, Alfie, "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job'," 2001. (Link)
  
• Mincemoyer, Claudia, "Cooperation, Competition, and Kids: Striking a Balance," 1994. (PDF)
  
• Newman, Jerry, "Who Gets the Blue Ribbon? The Danish or Group Method of Judging," 2006. (Word) (PDF)
  
• Scheer, Scott, "Programming Parameters for 5-to-8-Year-Old Children in 4-H," 1997 (Link)