CORONAVIRUS PREPAREDNESS

This notice will be updated as new information is available. (Last update: March 19, 2020) 

In light of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, 4-H Saskatchewan has chosen to suspend or postpone ALL in person 4-H events and activities at the club, district, regional and provincial level between March 16 – April 13, 2020.

The board of directors made this decision after careful consideration and with the health of our youth members, leaders, families and communities as our top priority. We recognize the hard work 4-H’ers dedicated to the program and share the disappointment in the inconvenience of having programs suspended. We call on the 4-H family to proactively take these precautions to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities.

The provincial 4-H office is monitoring the situation and encourages all 4-H’ers to look to official sources to do the same. At this time, the Public Health Agency of Canada has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for the general population in Canada. Updated information on COVID-19, including questions and answers for the public are available on:


ALL in person 4-H events and activities at the club, district, regional and provincial level must be suspended or postponed between March 16 to April 13, 2020. 

The Board of Directors will continue to monitor the situation, and review and confirm whether further suspension of programming is required beyond April 13.
​
4-H PROGRAMMING UPDATE 
 
PROVINCIAL PROGRAMS
  • The Saskatchewan 4-H Council AGM scheduled for March 21-22, 2020 will be postponed. More information will be provided as it is available.
  • Provincial 4-H Public Speaking scheduled for April 18, 2020 in Middle Lake will be postponed to allow for district and regional events to be held. More information will be provided when it is available.
  • 4-H Citizenship Day scheduled for April 17, 2020 in Saskatoon will be postponed.
  • Spring and Summer Programs like Equine Symposium and Summer Camp are presently scheduled to proceed as planned**.
 
DISTRICT & REGIONAL EVENTS
  • District and Regional Public Speaking events are to be postponed.  The 4-H office will work with hosting committees to reschedule their events.
  • District Meetings scheduled between March 16 and April 13 must be postponed or transitioned to a conference call. Contact your specialist for support hosting a conference call.
  • Regional Spring and Summer Programs like judging and livestock shows are presently able to proceed as planned for after April 13**.
 ** These programs could change depending on circumstances as we reassess. We will continue to assess and communicate information as it becomes available and notify all affected attendees if there are any changes
 
LOCAL CLUB EVENTS
  • Clubs must suspend any planned in person events or activities between March 16 – April 13 (including general meetings, project meetings, fundraisers, Achievement programs, community service activities, etc).
    • Clubs or project groups can meet virtually, provided there are two screened volunteers.
    • Members, project groups, or clubs can participate in virtual challenges and activities
    • Members can continue to work on their own individual projects with their own families at home (eg. Completing record books, working with project animals or on project articles or activities). Youth under 18 years old must be under the supervision of their parents/guardians as individual work is not considered insurable 4-H activity.

ADMINISTRATION
  • (Updated March 19) The Saskatchewan 4-H Council office is CLOSED to the public. 
  • 4-H Staff are still available to support you by phone or email.  Please be aware that some staff are working remotely or have modified hours, but will respond as soon as they are able. 
  • The Saskatchewan 4-H Council board of directors will be meeting by conference call. We will be examining options for postponing the Annual General Meeting as well as options for hosting it remotely.

We encourage all 4-H’ers to practice good hygiene and remind them to follow all of the recommendations from Saskatchewan Health Authority to take precautions to protect themselves and the most vulnerable in our communities. 
  • Wash your hands using soap and water frequently
  • Avoid touching your face
  • Practice good cough and sneeze hygiene (into the bend of your elbow)
  • Practice social distancing measures (no handshakes, hugs, kisses and avoid public gatherings)
  • Learn about self-monitoring and self isolation. Those that have traveled internationally or out-of-province recently, or are showing any flu-like symptoms, may need to be isolated.
  • Avoid visiting those at a higher risk to protect them (including seniors and those with underlying medical conditions)
  • If you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or if you have symptoms, stay home and call Health Line 811 for instructions
  • Use your best judgement to keep yourself, your families and fellow 4-H’ers safe and healthy.
 
​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.

FAQ

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.

Since we cannot meet in person, what can we do?
  • Hold virtual meetings
  • Work independently and with parental supervision on your projects
  • Refer to the “What can we do” document for more ideas
 
Can we still complete our 4-H year?
  • Yes, all 4-H in person events have been temporarily postponed. Please use technology to your benefit to host digital meetings. The 4-H office will provide support to all of our stakeholders as information becomes available.
 
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 clubs, districts, regionals, provincials, fundraising and sanctioned events 
  • This includes general meetings, district meetings, project 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 club events should be postponed and suspended.
  • 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.
 
What 4-H activities can we still do?
  • Anything you can do at home is still acceptable.
  • Participate in the 4-H and SCA trivia, work on your record books, participate in webinars, do your leader screening, fill out scholarship applications and play Journey 2050 and Farmer 2050. 
  • We will have a list of other fun activities you can do at home!
 
Can my club still do fundraising?
  • No, please do not host any in-person fundraising events. This includes selling lottery tickets. Currently active or planned digital fundraising is acceptable. 

What about our Achievement Day or Regional Show? Can they go ahead?
  • As of now, 4-H programming is suspended until April 13. If your Achievement Day or Regional Show is after this date, it can still continue as planned.
  • The Board of Directors will continue to monitor the situation, and review and confirm whether further suspension of programming is required beyond April 13.
  • If further suspension is required, it will be corresponded out to general leaders and 4-H families. 

What about our event planned for after April 13?
  • We understand a number of your events are planned for shortly after our April 13 date. 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 April 13 date. Given the fast-changing nature of the situation, at this time 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. If the regional shows will be cancelled, we will post that on this page so you know, but as of now regional shows will continue as planned. 

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.