Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural and Extension Education

Major Professor

Randol G. Waters

Committee Members

Roy R. Lessly, M. Ruth Henderson, Ben T. Powell

Abstract

The major problem of this study was to determine if the perceived leadership skills 4-H volunteers needed twenty years ago had changed when these volunteers were classified according to the same variables and hypotheses as in the study originally conducted by Couch in 1980. The purpose of this study was to determine if 4-H volunteers' leadership skills and needs had changed over the past twenty years. There were two primary purposes of this study and Couch's (1980) study. They were to: 1) determine how current 4-H volunteers rate themselves on 28 volunteer leadership skills, and 2) determine the level of community leadership development provided by the 4-H program. The first purpose had four objectives. They were to: 1) provide a descriptive view of 4-H volunteers; 2) distinguish the origin of leadership skills training; 3) determine if the 4-H volunteers' personal 4-H membership has an effect on the self-rating leadership skills and needs, and 4) derive the implications for training 4-H volunteers. The second purpose of this study and Couch's (1980) study was to accomplish two objectives. They were to: 1) determine if 4-H volunteers are actively or passively involved in other associations of volunteers, and 2) determine if 4-H volunteers were actively or passively involved in other associations of volunteers before and/or after becoming a 4-H volunteer. The data were collected at the Southern Region 4-H Leader Forum in Eatonton, GA, October 5-7, 2000. Survey forms were collected and returned to the researcher by 290 (37.86 percent) of the 552 volunteers, who attended the 2000 Southern Region 4-H Leader Forum. Data were analyzed using appropriate descriptive statistics in the reported findings. Significant results of the study can be summarized as follows: 1. There were significant differences among the mean self-rating leadership skills survey scores of 4-H volunteers when they were classified according to age. Volunteers who were 51 -60 years of age scored the highest on the mean self-rating leadership skills survey and volunteers who were 61 years or more in age scored the lowest on the mean self-rating leadership skills survey. 2. There was a significant difference between the mean self-rating leadership skills survey scores of 4-H volunteers when classified according to the number of 4-H volunteer roles. The highest mean score of 57.32 came from the volunteers who were involved in six or more volunteer roles and volunteers who were involved in five or less volunteer roles had the lowest mean score of 72.48. 3. There was a significant difference between the mean self-rating leadership skills survey scores of 4-H volunteers when classified to whether volunteers possessed vital leadership skills training for their volunteer roles. Volunteers who possessed leadership skills training for their volunteer roles scored higher on the mean self-rating leadership skills survey than volunteers who possessed no leadership skills training. 4. There was a significant difference between the mean self-rating leadership skills survey scores of 4-H volunteers when classified to whether volunteers had been 4-H members. Volunteers who had been 4-H members scored higher on the mean self-rating leadership skills survey than volunteers who had not been 4-H members. 5. There was a significant difference between the mean perceived general leadership skills survey scores of 4-H volunteers before and since they became volunteers. Volunteers perceived themselves to have higher general mean leadership skills scores since they became 4-H volunteers than before they became 4-H volunteers. Comparison of findings of this study to Couch (1980): The following significant results was found in both studies with regards to the volunteers perceived leadership skills survey score: 1) age, 2) number of volunteer roles, 3) possession of leadership skills training, and 4) past 4-H membership. The significant results found in both studies pertained to how volunteers perceived themselves to have a higher general mean self-rating leadership skills survey score since they became 4-H volunteers than before they became 4-H volunteers. The following results was found not to be significant in both studies with regards to the volunteer's perceived leadership skills survey score: 1) gender, 2) number of children in family, 3) number of children in 4-H, 4) annual income, 5) ethnic background, 6) active or passive involvement in other associations of volunteers before or since becoming a 4-H volunteer, and 7) primary source of leadership skills training.

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