Complaints

The 4-H Office has been receiving many phone calls and texts from adult leaders and youth officers about issues in clubs. We will not be accepting any more calls for complaints. Please fill out the complaint form that is attached at the bottom of this post so that we can go through the proper procedures. 

California 4-H Policies

Chapter 6: 4-H Adult Volunteers, Parents, and Other Adults

XIV. 4-H YDP COMPLAINTS

1. Introduction
   The 4-H YDP staff are available to help members, adult volunteers, and parents address conflicts and create solutions to problems, and for consultation and interpretation of policy and procedures.
2. Resolution Levels
   1. Whenever possible, the conflict or issues should be attempted to be resolved at the level where the conflict occurs e.g. project level, club level, event level, or county level.
   2. When conflicts cannot be satisfactorily resolved at the initiating level, the conflict should be taken to the next level for additional review.
   3. On some occasions a conflict may need to be taken to the county level for assistance or resolution. In those cases the individual or the parties should complete a Complaint-County_4-H_Complaint_Form and submit to the county 4-H YDP staff for review and possible submission to the County _VMO_Complaint_Review_Board_Procedure. See Complaint-County_Complaint_Process.
3. Complaint Process
   1. All relevant information will be reviewed by the 4-H YDP staff. This may include an inquiry into the incident and identification of any potential health and safety concerns, violations of member or adult volunteer codes of conduct or violations of UC/4-H YDP policy. See Complaint-County_4-H_Complaint_Form.
   2. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, the 4-H YDP staff may refer the complaint and all accompanying materials to a County _VMO_Complaint_Review_Board_Procedure or to the county director. In either case, the complaint will be reviewed and evaluated using such tools as appropriate:
      1. 2016-2017 Adult Volunteer Code of Conduct - English - pdf, 2016-2017 Member Code of Conduct - English - pdf and/or 2016-2017 Parent-Guardian-Adult Participant Code of Conduct - English - pdf.
      2. 4-H Core Values, 4-H Guiding Principles, and 4-H Program Criteria.
      3. University of California Cooperative Extension 4-H YDP policies, county 4-H YDP policies, and unit or council constitution, bylaws and rules.
      4. Interview or meeting with the identified parties.
      5. Requesting additional support material.
   3. Taking into consideration the severity of the complaint and any past incidents, the following actions/steps may be taken:
      1. A letter will be sent to all identified parties detailing the findings of the inquiry, and as appropriate:
         1. Identify the specific course of action to ensure the situation does not continue and identify specific expectations for continued participation in the 4-H YDP program and consequences if the changes in behavior are not sustained.
         2. Place limitations or restrictions on future participation or program involvement.
   4. Should the review find that infraction is so severe as to cause the suspension or removal of an adult volunteer from the program, the 4-H YDP staff and county director should follow the processes outlined under Suspension or Removal of a 4-H Volunteer in this chapter.

http://4h.ucanr.edu/Resources/Policies/Chapter6/