C.1.2.1 4-H Independent Membership

The Maine 4-H Program recognizes independent 4-H member(s) as a form of program membership/delivery.

All Maine independent 4-H members must complete, turn-in and have approved at their county 4-H office a Maine 4-H charter letter. The Maine 4-H Charter letter will define the following parameters:

1. How the individual can use the 4‑H Name and Emblem in their independent study.
2. How the 4-H Name & Emblem will be referenced in any show, event or recognition that may occur from the results of the individual's independent work (i.e. this animal entered by Joey Smith, in association with the ABC County 4-H program)
3. Documenting the association or affiliation between the individual and the local 4-H program.
4. Communicate that the individuals are not authorized to use the 4-H Name & Emblem in commercial applications or in ways that would not be compliant with graphic standards or regulations.
5. Independent 4-H members must work under the direction of an adult. The adult may be an advisor, who would need to complete leader certification training (VOLT), or they may work under the supervision of their parent(s). If the parents are providing supervision, the parents are acting only as parents and are not representing 4-H nor can they use the   4-H name and emblem.
6. Independent 4-H members can not raise funds for him/herself in the name of 4-H.

Occasionally there are extenuating circumstances in which a youth who is an independent asks to be a member in a county other than the one in which he or she resides. In these instances, the county of affiliation should be worked out between the 4-H staff in each respective county, with a written record stating which county the youth is officially enrolled in, and the reasons for the exception.

Independent Enrollment Waiver Word PDF

4-H Charter Letter for Independent Members Word PDF

11/2007

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