Extension for Real Life Blog

Volunteer in the New Year

If you’d like to volunteer more in the New Year, Extension has some wonderful opportunities. We have volunteer organizations designed for all ages and interests, including gardening, healthcare, natural resources and youth development.

Here’s a brief description of four of our volunteer programs. You can find other Extension-supported volunteer programs here.

Master Gardeners

The Master Gardener program certifies the general public to deliver horticulture education to their community. The program provides 40 hours of educational training in exchange for 40 hours of volunteer service from each class participant within a year of their training. Each following year, certified Master Gardeners are required to provide 20 hours of service per year to the community and to take 12 hours of continuing education. The program helps Extension offices with horticulture projects that benefit the local community. It is open to all adults. For more information, visit the Extension website.

Master Naturalists

The Master Naturalists program works like the Master Gardener program, except its focus is on natural resources. It offers individuals 40 hours of training in exchange for 40 hours of volunteer service and hours of advanced educational training yearly. The program is a good fit for individuals who want to learn more about Mississippi’s fish, wildlife and ecosystems. Certified Master Naturalists help monitor the health of our beaches, forests and wetlands. They also provide invaluable volunteer service throughout the year. Chapters exist in the central area of the state and the coastal region of the state. Learn more about the program here.

4-H Volunteer Leaders Associaiton

4-H is Extension’s youth development program, and it would not exist without our dedicated volunteers. The Mississippi Volunteer Leaders Association provides support for our 4-H volunteer leaders by offering opportunities for training and networking through forums and conferences throughout the year. Members of the association also serve as a collective voice to ensure elected officials and other community leaders understand the importance of 4-H. To learn more about this organization, visit the Extension website here.

If you are interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer leader, contact the local Extension office.

Junior Master Wellness Program

The Junior Master Wellness Volunteer program is offered through the Extension 4-H youth development program. It consists of teens ages 14-18 who are interested in improving health literacy and healthy lifestyle choices of Mississippians while learning leadership skills. Members are trained to deliver basic health education, provide supervised basic screenings and conduct community service projects related to health and well-being. For more information about this program, visit our JMWV website.

For questions about any of these programs, you can contact your local Extension office.

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