So What's the Difference?

Return to agent articles.

One of the great aspects of 4-H is how it can look very differently depending on what is being taught, who is being taught, and how much participants what to learn. This aspect is great for being able to meet youth and families wherever they are but can make for some complicated logistics. This month, we hope to clarify and simplify the complications surrounding the various types of clubs available in 4-H. The three major types of clubs include Community Clubs, Project Clubs, and SPIN Clubs. Workshops have also been included in the chart because they are also fun parts of 4-H.

	Community Clubs	Project Clubs	SPIN (Special Interest) Clubs	Workshops
How long/often does club meet?	Year Round; Often once a month	Usually Year-round; often once a month	Meets 2-8 times in a year, often seasonal.	1 time but could be a short series.
What are youth learning?	A little bit of anything and everything.	Usually one project area.	Usually one project or topic area (e.g. SPIN Outdoors could include forestry and geology)	Usually one project or topic area (e.g. A wellness workshop could include fitness and nutrition)
How to enroll	4-H Online	4-H Online	Contact Extension	Contact Extension
Cost to Enroll	$15 for general enrollment in 4-H, may be additional fees to cover supply cost.	$15 for general enrollment in 4-H, may be additional fees to cover supply costs.	May be cost to cover supply costs.	May be cost to cover supply costs.
Age to Particiapte	7-18 years old Before Jan. 1	7-18 years Before Jan. 1	7-18 years Before Jan. 1	Any age

It’s easy to see how club models overlap in various areas. If you have questions please feel free to reach out to either 4-H Youth Development Agents at joco4-H@jocogov.org.