Safety Academy

A PAF Safety Academy would be an ideal offering or project for:

• FFA members completing a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) project.*

• 4-H members completing a Lead the Change or other leadership project.*

• 4-H clubs in need of community service or service-learning projects.

• High school seniors who need to complete a project as part of a graduation requirement.*

• Summer program assistants or interns (4-H/Extension, AmeriCorps, etc.).

• Scout leaders who want their members to earn a safety or health-related merit badge.

• Boy Scouts pursuing an Eagle Scout ranking or Girl Scouts pursuing a Gold Award project.*

• Camp counselors or instructors at one-day or multi-day camps (4-H, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club camps, etc.).*

• School teachers looking to enhance classroom or after-school programming.

A PAF Safety Academy could also be a great follow-up to an already existing Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program. For example, if you are offering a school-based PAF Safety Day program in the spring, you can promote a PAF Safety Academy (summer day camp) for the participants to continue their education.

*All minors coordinating a PAF Safety Academy should work under the guidance of an adult mentor also serving as a coordinator.

We recommend a minimum of two (2) hours of instruction for a PAF Safety Academy. This can be accomplished in one day or over the course of several days. For example, if conducting a PAF Safety Academy with a 4-H club or scouts, you may choose to offer a session at one meeting and follow up with a second session at a future meeting; however, if offered at a one-day camp, all programming will be offered during that set time frame.

PAF Safety Academy will have preferred or recommended topics; however, we encourage Safety Day Coordinators to select topics that are relevant to children in your community and align with your local program goals and objectives.

While there is not a specific number of sessions for a PAF Safety Academy, we recommend focusing on no more than two (2) safety and/or health topics that complement each other. These may include:

• Healthy Living (which could include Mental Wellness, Healthy Lifestyles, Food Safety, Substance Abuse, Hearing Safety, Sun Safety, etc.)

• Preparedness (Weather Safety, First Aid/First on the Scene, Home Alone, Internet Safety, Outdoor Safety, etc.)

• Prevention (Fire Safety; Firearm Safety, Electrical Safety, Underground Utilities, Water Safety, Propane Safety, etc.) 

• General Farm Equipment & Machinery (PTO Safety, Tractor Safety; Lawn Equipment Safety, Farm Equipment Safety, Hand Tool Safety, etc.)

• Rural Roadway Safety (Bicycle Safety, ATV/UTV Safety, Railroad Safety, Tractor Safety, Farm Equipment Safety, etc.)

When selecting topics consider the relevance to the community, ages of the participants, access to resources, and local statistics (what are the biggest hazards or safety concerns for local youth).

Coordinators are the backbone of the PAF Safety Day program. Coordinators are responsible for helping plan and implement the program in their local community. Each year, we educate and equip hundreds of local volunteers for the role of PAF Safety Day Coordinators. These trained coordinators then engage with other local community volunteers to plan and implement the program. Coordinators come from a variety of organizations including Extension/4-H; Ag education/FFA; Soil Water Conservation Districts; local farm bureaus or ag societies; health care and emergency service agencies; ag-related businesses; and more.

If you are interested in learning more about the coordinator role or want to learn more about what our program could look like in your local community, please email safetyday@progressiveag.org.

During the implementation, a PAF Safety Academy Coordinator may spend between 4 to 12 hours of time in this role. This includes completing training, planning, marketing, evaluating, and reporting.

Coordinators MUST complete an on-line, self-paced training course annually; conduct pre-and-post surveys with the participants; and complete a coordinator report following within two weeks of the program completion.

The first step is to complete a brief, online interest form. Once your interest form is received, a member of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation team will follow up with the next steps, including application submission, annual program fee payment, and information on your online, self-paced, customized training course.

Some programs may request a participant fee to help offset the cost of meals/snack, facility rental, transportation, supplies or equipment rental, etc. In many cases the support of the Foundation’s national partners and local program sponsors help with the many expenses, keep this fee minimal.

PAF only requires a minimal annual program fee, which is paid for by the PAF Safety Day Coordinator prior to receiving training. The program fee covers:

• Annual online, self-paced training for all lead and up to one assistant Safety Day Coordinator.

• Planning materials and peer-reviewed curriculum covering 30+ topics, with hundreds of hands-on activities and "how-to" videos.

• Risk management coverage, including professional, liability, and excess medical insurance.

• Drawstring take-home bags for all participants.

• Year-round support and access to materials through a password-protected Coordinator Portal. 

We never want funding to be a reason not to partner with us. Therefore, if funding is a concern, please reach out to us at safetyday@progressiveag.org 

A PAF Safety Academy can be conducted with minimal volunteer support, and you can utilize individuals already involved with the program, like 4-H or Scout leaders, camp counselors, etc. Depending on the format and size of your program, volunteers may be needed for on-site logistics (i.e., registration, meals or snacks, photographers, etc.); group leaders or moderators; and guest speakers and presenters.  All volunteers must register and complete a Volunteer Code of Conduct Form.

A PAF Safety Academy can range in size, but they are generally smaller and more intimate, ranging from 12 to 50 participants, compared to our other delivery modes that can reach hundreds of children. The coordinator determines the maximum number of participants on their application, which is often based on local volunteer support, budget, facility accommodations, etc.

A form of pre-registration is often required for PAF Safety Academy programs to assist the coordinator in knowing how many to prepare for regarding meals/snacks, supplies for activities, and quantities of items for the take-home bags. The registration also helps identify the participant’s emergency contact and shares if the participant needs any form of special accommodations the coordinator should be prepared for (i.e., allergies, permission for photos, accessibility or sensory issues, etc.).

Both an individual Participant Release and Consent Form and Group Enrollment Forms may be utilized for the PAF Safety Academy. Here are a few suggestions:

• If you are offering a PAF Safety Academy at a residential or day camp setting where you are collecting pre-registration, ensure you are capturing all the items requested on our Participant Release and Consent Form (i.e., participant demographics, permission for photos, emergency contact, etc.) to assist with completion of your Coordinator Report Form.

• If you are offering a PAF Safety Academy in a classroom or club setting, where you already collected enrollment for the participants, the coordinator can use this data to complete a Group Enrollment Form to assist with completion of your Coordinator Report Form.

• If you are offering a PAF Safety Academy and do not intend on having a separate registration component, it is best to utilize the Participant Release and Consent Form completed by a parent for each individual participant to assist with completion of your Coordinator Report Form.

PAF Safety Academy programs can always benefit from an individual’s time, talent, or treasure.

Time - The gift of time is one of the most valuable resources a person can give. Volunteers are greatly needed for a variety of roles before, during, and after a program. In addition to coordinators, volunteer roles include stations presenters, group leaders, and other on-site logistics (i.e., registration support, meal prep, take-home bag stuffer, photographers, set-up/tear-down, etc.). If interested, you can reach out directly to the local coordinator, or we can make the introduction by completing the Volunteer Form under the Get Involved section.

Talent – Individuals with unique skills or professional expertise in a specific area of safety or health can utilize their talents as a station presenter. Individuals may also be needed to build or assemble safety-related props. Individuals with experience in organizing or hosting events may be an asset to the planning committee. If interested, you can reach out directly to the local coordinator, or we can make the introduction by completing the Volunteer Form under the Get Involved section.

Treasure – Individuals can support the local Progressive Agriculture Foundation programs through both generous monetary and in-kind donations (i.e., meals or snacks, items for hands-on activities or props for demonstrations, resources for take-home bags, etc.). Donations are also welcome year-round to support the program’s growth throughout North America and can be made “in honor of” or “in memory of” someone special. Click here to initiate a donation. Those interested in becoming a partner or donor of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation and its programs, should e-mail partnerships@progressiveag.org.