This notice will be updated as more information comes available. 
Last updated: June 22, 2020

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has made the 2020 4-H year unique. Since March, the board of directors has been monitoring the situation and keeping the health of our youth members, leaders, families and communities as our top priority as we move forward.   
 
  • On March 16, 2020, ALL in person programming was suspended until at least April 13.  
  • On April 13, 2020, ALL in person programming was further suspended until at least June 15.  
  • On June 5, 2020, it was announced that all district, regional and provincial programming would be suspended until August 31, 2020. In-person club activities would be able to resume when government restrictions allowed them to. 4-H is considered a recreational activity. In the Government Reopen Saskatchewan Plan, outdoor recreational activities are allowed in Phase 4, Part 1, which began on Monday, June 22, 2020. 
 
 4-H Club Activities  
  • In Person Outdoor Club Activities are allowed. Indoor 4-H activities are not allowed.
  • In Phase 4, clubs may be able to begin to hold in person-activities provided that meet restrictions set out by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Government of Saskatchewan, 4-H Saskatchewan or 4-H Canada (eg. Size of gathering, safety precautions). 
  • See the 4-H Club activity Planning Guide at www.4-h.sk.ca/tools-for-clubs
  • Participation must be voluntary and members should not be penalized for not attending in-person events.
  • ALL participants at in person events must sign the MANDATORY 4-H COVID PARTICIPATION WAIVER BEFORE participating at the event/activity available at www.4-h.sk.ca/tools-for-clubs.  These must be collected by the General Leader and submitted to 4-H Saskatchewan immediately after the event.

 
District, Regional and Provincial Events: 
  • ALL in person 4-H events and activities at the district, regional and provincial level must be suspended for the remainder of the membership year (until August 31, 2020) 
  • This means that events like regional shows, public speaking competitions, summer camp, and judging will not be taking place in person this year, but some will be held in other ways. See the 4-H Programming Update below for more details on each of these events.  
  • Person-to-person 4-H activities and events at these levels are not allowed and will not be covered by 4-H insurance coverage. Virtual events and meetings are allowed – these must follow 4-H policy.  


We call on the 4-H family to proactively work to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities.  All 4-H’ers are expected to follow guidance from the provincial and federal government.     
The Saskatchewan 4-H Council will continue to monitor government health information and the responses of other 4-H and youth organizations, as well as school divisions. We will share any updates or changes as soon as possible, should they arise. If you have any concerns, please call the 4-H office at 306-933-7727.  

We’ll Come Together, by Staying Apart, for our clubs, our communities, our country, and our world.   

4-H Programming update

LOCAL CLUB EVENTS  
  • CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL 4-H SPECIALIST WITH ANY CLUB QUESTIONS 
  • In-Person Outdoor Club Activities are allowed as of Monday, June 22, 2020 provided they meet the restrictions set out by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Government of Saskatchewan, 4-H Saskatchewan or 4-H Canada. The 4-H office will provide a checklist resource for Club Events taking place in Phase 4.  
    • they meet the restrictions and guidelines set out by the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Government of Saskatchewan (for example, social distancing measures and/or cleaning and disinfection procedures are in place,  PPE is used where appropriate, and the limits to size of gatherings/numbers of participants are followed) 
    • participation is voluntary and each participant has signed a mandatory COVID-19 Participation Waiver.   
    • any additional 4-H guidelines restrictions are followed. 
  • 2019/20 Achievement and Membership Completion 
    • We recognize the hard work 4-H’ers dedicated to the program and are aware of the disruption this will cause to achievement and show season.  
    • 4-H Saskatchewan has prepared information and guidance for clubs to complete their 4-H year, albeit in a modified way.  
    • 4-H Members have until August 31, 2020 to complete all member credit requirements. Remember to be compassionate and understanding of various personal situations and handle them case by case. Please consider making exceptions for the 2019-2020 club year due to restrictions of COVID-19.   4-H Members can complete their year early without penalty. 
    • All clubs are able complete their projects as they see fit.  
      • ​​There are ideas for clubs for Achievement Days available at www.4-h.sk.ca/achievement-day in the "Contingency Plans" section 
      • Clubs are asked to report how they chose to demonstrate project work to the 4-H Office so that this information can be used in our reporting. You can find the “Club Year End Reporting Form” at www.4-h.sk.ca/achievement-day under the “Resources” section 
    • For market animal projects 
      • As no in person show & sales are being held this year, clubs and individual members are able to sell their animals as they see fit.  
      • Suggestions for virtual show and sales and other options, please visit www.4-h.sk.ca/achievement-day and read the “4-H Club Show And Sale Document” under “Contingency Plans” for more information 
      • To find information about club sales, visit www.4-h.sk.ca/beef-resources  
      • Market animal projects are asked to report how they sold their animals this year. You can find the Club Year End Market Animal Project Requirement” form at www.4-h.sk.ca/achievement-day  
2020/21 Membership Year  
  • We are presently preparing for fall programming and club registration to be able to run as normal in September. The provincial 4-H office is monitoring the situation and encourages all 4-H’ers to look to official sources to do the same. As the situation continues to evolve, it is possible further postponement or restrictions could be required.   


DISTRICT & REGIONAL EVENTS  
  • Regional and Provincial Public Speaking events will not be held in 2020. We congratulate all speakers that advanced from their clubs and districts, commend your hard work, and share your disappointment. We encourage you to share your speech on social media with the hashtag #4hSKspeech.  
  • District Meetings scheduled before August 31 must be postponed or transitioned to a conference or video call. Contact your specialist for support hosting a conference or video call.  
  • Regional Judging Events have been cancelled, or are being moved to an online, virtual competition.  Please contact your regional judging committee for specific information regarding their program. Any known online judging competitions will be listed at www.4-h.sk.ca/livestock  The provincial competition will be open to all who want to register. 
  • Regional Shows have either moved to online show/sales or participating clubs are selling locally. Please contact your regional show for specific information regarding their program.  
   
PROVINCIAL PROGRAMS  
  • The Saskatchewan 4-H Council AGM will be moving to an online, digital meeting.  
    • Regional Meetings will be held the first two weeks of July and the AGM meeting will be held in the following weeks
      • ​North East: July 6
      • South East: July 7 
      • North West: July 8
      • South West: July 9
    • AGM Voting Delegates will receive information to participate.    
    • Visitor delegates will receive a full refund.  
    • The Hall of Fame celebration will be moved to another event in the fall.  
  • Provincial 4-H Judging will be an online, digital, competition. There is no qualifying regional events – anyone is eligible to enter. More details will be released at a later date.   
  • 4-H Summer Camp will be held as a digital event on August 17-21. More details to come. 
  • 2020 Regional and Provincial 4-H Public Speaking will not be held.    
  • Equine Symposium is currently being held digitally. You can find more information at https://tockify.com/haroldthehare/detail/128/1591336800000   
  • 4-H Citizenship was held digitally. The resources are available www.4-h.sk.ca/4hathome  
  • There is a new Communications Competition being held virtually. Information is available www.4-h.sk.ca/contests  
  • Fall in person events are still scheduled: 
    • Science Day will be held digitally in October
    • Seniors Weekend in Saskatoon on November 20-22 
    • Leaderama is scheduled in person in Melfort and Swift Current on December 12, 2020. 
 
ADMINISTRATION  
  • The Saskatchewan 4-H Council office has LIMITED ACCESS to the public until further notice.   
    •  Arrangements can be made to pick up or drop off club supplies by calling 306-933-7727.
  • ​4-H Staff are still available to support you by phone or email. Please be aware staff are working remotely or have modified hours but will respond as soon as they are able.   
  • All store and achievement day orders will still be processed by the office and mailed out. Please have patience, as there may be delays in receiving your packages.  
  
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES:  
This is an unprecedented situation and a trying time. Please take care of each other and yourselves. Leaders are encouraged to share resources for mental health and support in your clubs and your networks.      
  • Kids Help Phone offers professional counselling, information and referrals. You can phone, text or chat online. It's confidential, free and available 24/7. 
    • Call 1-800-668-6868    
    • Text CONNECT to 686868    
    • Chat online at kidshelpphone.ca    
  • HealthLine 811 -  mental health and addictions service continues to be available, providing 24/7 crisis support, advice to help manage a caller's situation, information and connection to community resources.    
  • Farm Stress Line provides support for farmers and ranchers and is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. To get help, call 1-800-667-4442.   
  • 4-H Canada Mental Health Resources - https://4-h-canada.ca/healthyliving/mentalhealth 

​If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Provincial 4-H Office at 306-933-7727.  ​

FAQ

Last updated: June 22, 2020

With 4-H Saskatchewan programming being suspended or postponed, we know our membership has a lot of questions. We want to do our best to answer all of your questions to the best of our ability. This list will be updated as more questions come to light.

Can we meet in person?
  • As of June 22, in-person, outdoor club activities may resume
  • No indoor activities may be held at this time. This may change in Phase 4, Part 2.
  • You can:
    • Hold virtual meetings
    • Work independently and with parental supervision on your projects
 
Can we still complete our 4-H year?
  • Yes. Please use technology to your benefit to host digital meetings.
  • All clubs are able complete their projects as they see fit.  Your Achievement Day or project demonstration may look a little bit different this year.  
  • A 4-H Project Leader determines what constitutes a completed project. Leaders are encouraged to work with their members to discuss and determine how they will demonstrate project work for completion together. Clubs are encouraged to think outside the box and embrace virtual options for demonstrating achievement/project work. 4-H Saskatchewan will provide a Contingency Plans – Achievement Day list of Club achievement/demonstration recommendations with suggestions of alternative means for members to demonstrate project work virtually. 
  • Clubs can choose to wrap-up their year early without penalty.  Given the circumstance some clubs may choose to finish their club year early, including selling market animals on the open market or privately.   

Can I still complete my volunteer screening?
  • Yes. Commit to Kids is an online training and our volunteer screening package is PDF fillable. You can also get your CRC done through Backcheck, which only requires an Internet connection!
 
Can we work on our projects?
  • Yes, please continue to work on your project work by yourself with parental supervision. Please DO NOT hold project meetings. If you have animal projects, please continue to care for your animals as normal. 
 
Is this for all 4-H activities?
  • Yes this includes all levels of events, districts, regionals, provincials, fundraising and sanctioned events 
  • This includes district meetings, all public speaking, regional judging, regional shows and any other event held within the current exclusion dates. Please check back often to see any additional information.
 
What does this mean for club events?
  • All in-person district, regional and provincial events are suspended
  • In Phase 4 of the ReOpen Saskatchewan Plan, clubs may host some in-person events, provided they follow government restrictions. As of June 22, outdoor recreational activities are allowed. No indoor activities are allowed at this time. 
  • Consider hosting virtual meetings. Use teleconference systems like Zoom to virtually get together with your entire club from the safety of your own home. 
 
How can we vote? How do we conduct club business?
  • If you must conduct club business you can use digital options like a Doodlepoll to vote during virtual meetings. 
  • Send agenda items to your general leader and club president to add to the next agenda.
 
Can my club still do fundraising?
  • If it is an outdoor fundraising event, where you can follow all physical distancing and other guidelines from the government, you may hold fundraising events. Please do not be selling lottery tickets door-to-door. Currently active or planned digital fundraising is acceptable. 

What about our Achievement Day? Can they go ahead?
  • In Phase 4 of the ReOpen Saskatchewan Plan, clubs may host some in-person events, provided they follow government restrictions. As of June 22, outdoor recreational activities are allowed.
  • Please follow all government guidelines for recreational activities in the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan. This includes gathering size, physical distancing, hand washing, etc. 

What about our event planned for after August 31?
  • We understand a number of your events are planned for shortly after August 31.  At this time, you may proceed with any event plans as per usual, provided they are not in-person meetings. Accepting registrations, booking judges and speakers, finalizing agendas, holding conference calls, etc., are all acceptable. 
  • Please do keep in mind the suspension/postponement of 4-H activities may very well be prolonged after the August 31 date. If you pursue planning an in person event, we suggest that you determine and alternative “Plan B” that would not require an in person event, as well as a decision date (no less than 45 days) before, when you would need to make a decision how to hold the event. 
  • We would not recommend placing non-refundable deposits or purchasing supplies which cannot be returned, so you are prepared in the event that programs do need to be postponed further.

Should I keep feeding my 4-H steer/heifer?
  • Yes, please keep feeding your 4-H animals.
  • Many regional shows will not be held this year, but clubs are able to sell their animals and some regional shows are planning digital shows. For more information on specific clubs and regional shows, visit www.4-h.sk.ca/beef-resources. This page was created as a resource for clubs with the beef project and people interested in connecting with them.

With in-person gatherings being restricted and 4-H programming suspended, is 4-H Summer Camp suspended? 
  • Yes, there will not be an in-person 4-H Summer Camp this year
  • We will be hosting an online, virtual camp for 4-H'ers in August 

4-H At Home 

Check out our newest page, with ideas and activities for 4-H members to do at home! The 4-H At Home page will be updated as more resources and ideas are created.