Leadership Summit
Leaders create leaders.
Leadership Summit is an exciting opportunity for 4-H volunteer leaders and professionals to showcase the communities they are building, share innovative program ideas, and hear from experts on emerging topics. It includes a mix of workshops, an expert keynote, knowledge sharing, networking, and fun!
4-H is all about the “Learn To Do By Doing” approach. The best way to create a 4-H club where youth feel valued, connected, and supported is to experience these things when you attend Leadership Summit!
Leadership Summit 2026
Date: February 6-8, 2026
Location: Calgary, AB
Open to: 4-H leaders, professional staff, and 4-H Canada Youth Advisory Committee
Theme: Boots on the Ground, Eyes on the Horizon
For more information, check out the Leadership Summit 2026 Overview
Schedule at a glance
We've got a jam-packed summit planned for you. Check out the schedule below for more details.
Please note, sessions may change.
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LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Workshop Topics
- Program Excellence with workshops being held with experts in each of the four Leadership Development Pillars. Additional workshops sub-themes may include program evaluation, project success stories from clubs, 4-H Canada and provincial sharing.
- Leadership Excellence with sub-themes such as youth-adult partnerships, Positive Youth Development, leadership styles, building communities, community engagement, club operations (finances, retention, and succession), and issues impacting youth.
- Professional Development workshops with sub-themes such as sponsorships and partnerships, brand and communications, risk management, emerging models, and growing 4-H.
How To Attend
Leadership Summit is open to 4-H volunteer leaders from across Canada. Registration to attend is managed through your provincial 4-H. Please contact your provincial 4-H office for details.
Each province, with the exception of AB, is allotted space for 14 delegates. These 14 spaces include:
- Provincial Supervisors or Executive Directors
- One representative of the provincial Council, Foundation, or PLAC.
The remaining provincial delegate spots are intended for volunteer leaders and provincial staff.
Provinces should keep a waiting list of interested leaders and staff once their spaces are filled. Should any vacant spots become available, they will be offered to provinces with waiting lists fairly and equitably.
Please note: once registration is submitted, 4-H Canada will confirm good standing with the applicable provincial association. Registration is not confirmed until you receive a “Good Standing Confirmed” email from 4-H Canada. Should any issues arise in confirming good standing, the registration fee paid will be refunded.
What’s included in the registration fee?
Optional: Pre-Summit
Delegates attending our optional Pre-Summit will receive 3 additional hours of learning on Friday, February 6.
Pre-Summit delegates will receive access to:
- All Pre-Summit programming, including all training, workshops, materials and sources.
- Ground Transportation to/from airport/hotel* (see travel section below for additional details)
- Hotel accommodation (double occupancy) Thurs. Feb.5
- Meals (Lunch and break on Fri. Feb. 6)
Pre-Summit registration can be added to any registration option for $125 and takes place only on Friday, February 6, 2026.
Regular Summit Registration
Cost: $550
Registration for Leadership Summit 2026 will include:
- Access to full Leadership Summit programming, including all workshops, keynotes, sessions, and activities.
- Delegate kit
- Ground Transportation to/from airport/hotel* (see travel section below for additional details)
- Meals - breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breaks, beginning with dinner on Fri. Feb. 6 and ending with lunch on Sun. Feb. 8.
- Double occupancy hotel accommodations Fri. Feb. 6 and Sat. Feb. 7.
Registration opens July 2, and closes November 28, 2026.
Apply to be a presenter
We're looking for proposals from 4-H leaders and professionals who would like to share their experience and expertise with other Leadership Summit participants. We will also be calling on external experts in various fields. Presentation proposals must be received no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2025.
How will presentations be selected?
All submissions will be reviewed by the 4-H Canada Leadership Summit program team. Selection criteria will include:
- Quality and clarity of the proposal: i.e., clear, concise writing, practical application, topic relevance to 4-H, Leadership Summit streams, and summit theme.
- Workshop approach: i.e., whether it is engaging, participatory and interactive, offers discussion time, or a 'Learn To Do By Doing’ opportunity.
- Whether it addresses a unique or emerging issue, need, or approach.
- Whether it presents a model or practice that can be replicated within 4-H and/or a Positive Youth Development approach.
What can presenters expect?
- All applicants will be notified about the outcome of the review process by August 26, 2025.
- Workshops will be held Sat. Feb. 7 between 8:30 am – 3:30 pm and Sun. Feb. 8 between 8:30 am – 11:30am.
- Workshops should be between 75 and 90 minutes in length, including time for Q&A.
- Workshops should be participatory, hands-on where possible, engaging and use a “Learn To Do By Doing” approach.
- Rooms vary in size and will either be in a classroom layout or with participants seated at round tables. Presenters should be prepared to deliver their session to an audience of between 20 and 150 individuals.
- Please specify all technology and material needs in your submission.
- Each presenter will be given access to our digital schedule and Leadership Summit information using our event app. 4-H Canada staff will upload the presenter session and bio information, as well as any presentation materials, to this platform.
How to Apply
Please complete the proposal form by Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Questions?
Please contact Leslie Noble, Program Director at lnoble@4-h-canada.ca
For more information, check out the Leadership Summit Presenter Overview
Thank you to our partner
Government of Canada