Youth-Friendly Parliamentary Procedure

Introducing Parliamentary Procedure to Youth

Simplified versions of parliamentary procedure can help your 4-H club run quick business meetings and make decisions. For more information on how parliamentary procedure can be used to create a more accessible club experience, check out our page on Empowering Youth Through Parliamentary Procedure. For scripts and a step-by-step example of how parliamentary procedure could look in a 4-H setting, visit Parliamentary Procedure in a 4-H Business Meeting.

But don’t get caught up in the perfect use of parliamentary procedure!

• A 4-H Club isn’t the Senate Floor; focus on the basics. The basics are the most necessary components to give everyone a voice.
• Only accepting perfection or attempting to follow the nitty-gritty of all parliamentary procedure rules will likely make youth feel unsure of how to participate instead of empowered.
• Remember, your 4-H club’s most important mission is to create a place for youth to feel they belong and experience a safe space to make mistakes.

A simplified version of parliamentary procedure for middle to high school youth may include just using a repeated pattern of motions (“I move…”), seconds (“I second that motion…”), calls for discussion (“Any discussion before we vote?”), and voting (“All in favor..”).

A simplified version of parliamentary procedure for elementary school youth may include just using a repeated pattern of sharing ideas (“I think…”), seconds (“Who else agrees?”), calls for discussion (“What other ideas do we have?”), and voting (“All in favor..”).

If your club is using a system, simplified or not, it’s vital that all youth members have an interactive opportunity to learn how it works!