Mississippi 4-H Volunteer Leaders' Association - MVLA

Mississippi 4-H Volunteer Association members at the 2024 MVLA Conference

Tammy Parker, MVLA coordinator and Extension agent in Alcorn County, recognizes Ruby Beckley for her 50 years as a 4-H volunteer.

Volunteer today. Inspire for a lifetime. Join the Mississippi Volunteer Leaders Association!

MVLA members are motivated by the same goal—to support youth development through 4-H.

MVLA’s mission is to provide a collective voice to promote youth and adult development through teamwork, support, leadership opportunities, motivational encouragement, and inclusive activities in partnership with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Join

Become a registered 4-H volunteer.
Start/join a Volunteer Leader Association in your county.

Lead

Run for office.
Serve on a committee.

Participate

Attend the annual MVLA conference.
Attend the MVLA fall forums.

Promote

Encourage others to join.
Encourage others to attend.

Support

Contribute to scholarships.
Be a mentor.

Advocate

Make legislative contacts.
Partner with Extension.

Communicate

Join the MVLA Facebook group!
Participate in the nationwide volunteer network.

Have fun!

Build lifelong friendships!
Learn by doing!

Advantages of MVLA membership

"4-H people" all seem to have one thing in common: They love 4-H and want to share the 4-H experience with everyone.

The Mississippi Volunteer Leaders Association was established to channel this positive energy across the state. You never leave an MVLA activity without feeling recharged and ready to make a difference!

Members of MVLA share a vast network of resources and people who are motivated by the same goal—to support youth development through 4-H. But MVLA goes one step further and intensely promotes adult leadership development. Through MVLA forums and conferences held throughout the year, MVLA members receive information on how to improve their 4-H programs, and they have the opportunity to network and share real-life experiences with other volunteer leaders across the state and country.

Members can talk to Extension specialists and personnel to gain valuable insight into Extension programs. Members gain a greater understanding of the needs and challenges of Extension personnel, as well as educate Extension personnel on the needs of volunteer leaders. MVLA serves as a bridge to help Extension staff reach more youth throughout the state, even in times of budget constraints and personnel shortages.

The most important personal advantage of being a member of MVLA, however, is the face-to-face connection you have with other adult volunteer leaders who share the same challenges and opportunities. This connection can provide you with a lifetime of memories and a network of friends and resource people across the state and country.

MVLA does one more very important thing: It serves as a collective voice to ensure that 4-H provides opportunities for young and old alike well into the next century. Through this collective voice, we are able to: