The buzz words of volunteering often focus around terms such as: service Learning, advocacy, and mentoring. However, if you were to ask many youth today as to why we volunteer, their quick response is usually “to help people in need”. That is a correct response, however; what is the definition of a “need”, how are they determined and why do we do it?
Over the past couple weeks we have discussed ways to promote positive behavior, discourage disruptive behavior and thus go from frazzled to dazzled in our work with youth! Remember, the ultimate goal of all 4-H clubs/groups is positive youth development. We want 4-H members to have the opportunity to participate in physically and emotionally safe environments, in welcoming and inclusive environments, and in appropriately structured environments when they participate in 4-H programs. These are three of the essential elements of positive youth development (PYD).
Each person brings their own unique talents and experiences in working with youth to their role as a 4-H volunteer. While there will inevitably be a youth or two that disrupt group learning and fun; key techniques can help prevent many of those behaviors and leave the group feeling dazzled rather than frazzled!
Do you leave your time with youth feeling frazzled or dazzled?! The ultimate goal of all 4-H clubs/groups is positive youth development. We want 4-H members to have the opportunity to participate in physically and emotionally safe environments, in welcoming and inclusive environments, and in appropriately structured environments when they participate in 4-H programs.
4-H Community Clubs are located throughout the state in nearly every county. These long standing youth groups are more relevant than ever in providing positive opportunities for youth to learn, grow and have fun! The positive outlet also serves as buffer against negative pressures and situations today’s youth commonly face.
Successful club meetings are interactive engaging youth through meaningful learning experiences. Three general areas for a 90 minute period include 15 to 20 minutes be spent on “Business,” 40 to 45 minutes on ”Education,” and 20 to 25 minutes on “Recreation.” Previously, we discussed the short “Business” portion, now it’s time to focus on the “Education” section.
Being part of a community 4-H club can provide many factors that help promote positive youth development. Successful 4-H club meetings can make a real difference in participation and help everyone enjoy themselves, learn and feel excited about participating. Normally, meetings contain three parts; business, education and recreation. For a 90 minute period, experienced volunteers suggest that 15 to 20 minutes be spent on “Business,” 40 to 45 minutes on ”Education,” and 20 to 25 minutes on “Recreation.”
Do you want youth in your community to make good choices, be involved in their community and develop genuine positive character traits? The answer to helping young people reach those goals may lie in a well-known organization likely already established in your community.
Leaders are not born, they are developed! While some youth are more adept at public speaking or are exceptionally quick thinkers, that does not make them leaders. To be a true leader takes years. Attitudes and skills need to be encouraged and developed over time. That is why leadership practice begins the moment a child enrolls in 4-H, regardless of age. As a Cloverbud, leadership training begins by learning how to express ideas and feelings appropriately, by taking responsibility for one’s actions, and by doing things for the good of the group – like helping to clean up after a craft.
Every year, there are many questions about using the name and emblem for 4-H events and activities. Did you know the 4-H Clover carries the same authority and clout as the White House Seal.
View all of the resources for 4-H State Fair Judges, coordinators and volunteers.
State and County Exchange programs are a series of learning experiences in which individuals from a club, community or county visit in the homes/communities of 4-H members in another geographical area, and are visited by them in return. Counties usually host a group one year and return to visit the homes/communities of their guests the following year.
We are always in search of opportunities and programs that will allow youth the chance to recognize, understand and appreciate diversity and multiculturalism. It is even better when they use hands on experiences that allow them to grow and contribute as active citizens through service and leadership.
Learning how to speak is an important skill and very valuable throughout your life. Even as an infant learns to form words they are gaining the skill of speech. Learning how to speak in front of your peers is hard for most people. Overcoming that fear can be can be difficult.
Youth ages 12 to 14 are experiencing rapid changes. Youth in early adolescence are transitioning to different school settings that offer more independence and at the same time threaten their sense of self. They are in the process of “becoming” in their search for identity.
Just as you are feeling comfortable being around elementary-aged youth, you may find that they are changing again as they reach fourth grade. Children have mastered basic reading and writing skills and are poised to independently pursue things that interest them.
Early childhood is generally defined as ages from birth to eight with an emphasis on the ages between 5 and 8. At age five, many children begin their formal education in the school setting. Meanwhile, they also begin joining in other group activities where informal learning occurs, such as, afterschool groups, teams and clubs. For adults who guide, coach or mentor children in these organizations, it is important to plan activities thoughtfully and intentionally based on the developmental characteristics of early childhood.
Have you ever watched a five year-old trying to master the art of tying his shoelaces? The child may become frustrated and give up, at least for a time. But, he will usually come back to it in the next few days and accomplish it.
My attention was drawn towards the Southerns, Blondes, and Lawyers workshop. I had no idea what to expect, the only thing I knew was that it was a diversity workshop. Right away when I walked into the room I sat down at a table with six other 4-Her’s. (There was about a total of 40 kids in this workshop.) I noticed signs on the walls spread across the room which were labeled: Jocks, Blondes, Southerns, Lawyers, and Asians. Other signs that were next to those were: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, and Strongly Agree.
The 4-H Shooting Sports project is a dynamic program serving 2800 youth annually. Certified shooting sports volunteers assist youth in learning marksmanship and the safe and responsible use of firearms or archery equipment. The program provides a unique opportunity for caring adults to help young people develop life skills, self-confidence and conservation ethics. Discipline certification classes will be held at two locations on January 7, 2012.
As I have been working on developing a program that will require teens to complete a “community challenge”, I have been looking at resources and research on how to make youth and adult partnerships work cohesively and be productive. I found the following article from Michigan Extension that shows how to make youth “partners” in the process.
As the 4-H year draws to an end, it is time to start contemplating plans for the upcoming year. School is in session, fall sports have begun and the sudden question of “Where do we go from here” begins. The answer to the question is simple. It is goal development time. What is it that you want to achieve in the upcoming 4-H year? And most importantly, how are you going to make it happen?
4-H judging is a good way to develop decision-making skills, and it enables youth to see the strengths and weaknesses in a specific thing or situation. Judging teaches youth to make choices based on sound reasons, and in result they will discover that judging will train their mind to use sound reasoning.
Project leaders have a vital role in developing youth’s skills in a project and need to keep youth motivated in the project all year long. This can be difficult with the many activities youth are involved in today; nevertheless, it is important to promote the responsibility and life skills youth develop from animal projects by providing fun and new learning opportunities beyond the typical club meeting.
A major aspect of the 2011 National 4-H Congress was an emphasis on teamwork and leadership. Each delegate attended both a leadership and a teamwork workshop filled with various activities.
Setting goals can be one of the most challenging and frustrating things for adults to do and it can be even harder for youth to accomplish. However, it has been shown people who write out their goals and share them with others are more likely to reach their goals than people who have unwritten or unspecific goals. As a project leader, advisor, or parent; sitting down with youth and helping them write down goals will provide a more positive learning experience within a project and hold the youth accountable for accomplishing their set goals.
With a new project year comes time for selecting new animals to have as part of your 4-H project. Youth interested in selecting their own animals are encouraged to work with their project leaders, parents, or area producers to help guide them through this process. Published resource materials, within specific projects, are also great starting tools to see what is current in the industry when selecting an animal.
Of course there are many questions as to how 4-H will be stronger in the future amidst all the changes taking place.
With the State Fair coming up quickly, any information you need for entering and scheduling should be found in the 2011 State 4-H Fairbook. From lot numbers and descriptions to times and events, you will find the book full of all the information necessary for this year’s State Fair. Hope to see you there.
Most people are familiar with community service and know that it is important to help out and volunteer, but the new term/initiative is service learning.
As a youth leader you may have completed many community service projects with your youth and now want to know how you can take your Community Service Project to the next level which is Community Service Learning or Civic Engagement. In this article I will be addressing Community Service Learning.
The 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame was established as part of the 100th Centennial Birthday Celebration for 4-H in 2002. Its purpose then, and now, is to recognize and celebrate those individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of the 4-H program in South Dakota. Their time, effort, and dedication have benefited thousands of youth over the history of South Dakota 4-H. More than 160 4-H volunteers have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 2002.
Community Service is an important function among 4-H youth. The longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development reported a notable trend indicates that 4-H youth are 3.3 times more likely to actively contribute to their communities when compared with youth who do not participate in 4-H.
In June, the delegates of Teen Leadership Conference endorsed the 4-H Youth Council’s suggestion of selecting Operation Smile as the state-wide community service project for 2011-2012.
I had the privilege to attend a service learning workshop while I was at National 4-H Congress. I thought I knew what service learning was before going into the workshop but I soon came to find I did not. Service learning is not synonymous with community service, volunteerism, youth service, or experimental education; it is more.
The South Dakota 4-H Youth Council is an organization composed of 4-H teens from across South Dakota.
Welcome to iGrow 4-H! On behalf of the South Dakota State University Collegiate 4-H Club and the North-Central Region Colligate 4-H, I welcome you.
The South Dakota 4-H Youth Council has selected Operation Smile as the Statewide Community Service project for the 2011-2012 year.
We often ask ourselves: How we can create a strong foundation for youth development? What should the structure look like? How should it operate? How should it be maintained? What is the best stimulation for growth? 4-H offers youth and communities an opportunity to address all of these questions through Youth and Community Learning Partnerships.
Communication. Its definition sounds so simple; an act or instance of transmitting information. However for many it can be a struggle just to get the words out. And once they do, the question becomes: ”Did I do it effectively?” Communication is used to convey information, to ask for help, to influence a listener or audience, and for entertainment.