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Life Skills Aren’t Just Fair…..They Are Sooo Much More!

Youth shows and fairs provide a valuable opportunity for young people to develop a wide range of life skills. From responsibility and communication to planning and organization, these events offer a unique learning experience that can help young people build important skills for success in all areas of life.

Can a youth’s participation in County fairs and Shows help to develop them into responsible adult?  The answer is yes! The Florida 4-H Program seeks to be inclusive to all youth by using a variety of vehicles to teach youth life skills in traditional and non-traditional settings. A recent article in The Journal of Extension by Oregon State professionals found that “having fun” “spending time with friends” and “teamwork” were the highest-rated motivators for youth that participated in fairs.

The study also revealed that participation in fairs through 4-H had a significant positive effect on participants’ levels of caring, contribution, and character.  These characteristics are also part of the Essential Elements of 4-H that youth experience by being in an active 4-H program throughout the year.  Those elements are Belonging, Independence, Generosity, and Mastery.

One of the most important skills that youth learn through participation in youth shows and fairs is responsibility. Whether they are caring for animals, plants, or other projects, youth must take on the responsibility of ensuring that their projects are healthy, well-cared for, and ready to be presented to judges and visitors.

Communication is another key skill that youth develop through participation in youth shows and fairs. Through active participation youth learn the ability to articulate complex ideas, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully to questions and feedback.

In addition to these skills, youth shows, and fairs also emphasize important values such as sportsmanship and fair play. Participants are encouraged to respect their competitors, accept both victories and defeats graciously, and uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior. This helps young people develop important social skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with others and build positive relationships.

Finally, participation in youth shows and fairs can help young people develop resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges and setbacks. These events can be competitive and stressful, but they also offer opportunities for young people to learn from failures, bounce back from disappointments, and remain motivated to achieve their goals.

A few of the Florida 4-H Shows and Fairs are as follows:

    • State 4-H Dairy Show                 Okeechobee                    March
    • 4-H Chick Chain Show               Chipley                             April
    • Area North Horse Show             Green Cove Springs         May
    • North Florida Fair                       Tallahassee                     November

*For additional opportunities to participate in 4-H Shows and fairs please contact your local 4-H office.

In conclusion, participation in youth shows and fairs can offer a unique and valuable learning experience for young people. By developing important skills such as responsibility, communication, planning, and organization, as well as important values such as sportsmanship and fair play, youth can build the foundation for success in all areas of life.

References:

More information on this study can be obtained by visiting the Journal of Extension at www.joe.org and viewing volume 45, number 6.(Arnold, Meinhold, Skubinna, and Asthton)

Life Skills Focused on Teens

Figure 1. Hendricks, P. (1998) “Developing Youth Curriculum Using the Targeting Life Skills Model”

During the summertime, 4-H typically offers more opportunities for our teen audience since school is not in session as their schedules are more flexible. Because of this, we want to ensure that we are targeting skills that are specific to our teens’ immediate and future wellbeing and success.

 In this article, I will discuss why life skills are so important, what 4-H programs already established target, which life skills are most beneficial for our teens and what, when, and how teens can get involved.

WHY DO WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT LIFE SKILLS?

We know that life skills are abilities learned that help individuals reach their full potential in life. They assist in helping folks successfully handle day-to-day life experiences. We believe they are developed through hands-on learning, activities, and practice.

Life skills are the foundation of 4-H. Utilizing the Targeting Life Skills Wheel (Hendricks, 1998), we connect life skills through 4-H projects, programs, and events to real life experiences based on our Head, Heart, Hands and Health model. By helping youth achieve these life skills, 4-H professionals and volunteers are providing the framework for future academic and employment success, as well as youth thriving and community outreach.

5 Common Life Skills Developed in 4-H: Communication, Problem-solving, teamwork, responsibility, interpersonal relationships

Five essential life skills from the Targeting Life Skills Model commonly developed by participating in 4-H are:

  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Teamwork
  • Responsibility
  • Interpersonal Relationships

 

PROJECTS & EVENTS RELATED TO LIFE SKILLS FOR TEENS

Below are just a few 4-H projects and events in Florida 4-H for teens to get involved in to develop and strengthen essential life skills:

  • 4-H Tailgating Contest – This program teaches healthy living and the science of grilling seafood, pork, poultry and beef safely outdoors. This program teaches decision making, healthy lifestyle choices, and communication life skills, among others.
  • Gator Pit – The Gator Pit is a program open to all teens ages 14-18 in Florida. Youth are taught how to develop entrepreneurial skills through mentorship, competition, and networking to the business community.
  • 4-H Legislative – Florida 4-H Legislature provides an opportunity for teens ages 14-18 to experience state government procedures and prepare them for potential leadership in the American democratic process. Youth learn, practice, and defend public policy.
  • 4-H University – Florida 4-H University is an opportunity for teens to participate in educational workshops lead by UF faculty, explore potential careers, strengthen interpersonal relationships with peers, and develop critical life skills that will help them become leaders and engaged citizens in their communities.

The Florida 4-H Curriculum Clearinghouse is a list of 4-H resources available, including project curriculum, record books, club resources and other educational publications that meet the standards of Florida 4-H. In this site you can view resources for specific projects. To learn more about 4-H opportunities for teens, please contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office, or visit http://florida4h.org.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES:

Hendricks, P.A. (1998). Developing Youth Curriculum Using the Targeting Life Skills Model: Incorporating Developmentally Appropriate Learning Opportunities to Assess Impact of Life Skill Development. Iowa State Extension Publication. https://extension.purdue.edu/4-H/about/impact-targeting-life-skills.

 Irvine, K. (2019). What are Life Skills? https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2019/02/04/what-are-life-skills/

Life Skills: Planning programs with the life skill wheel

Introduction


Figure 1: 4-H Life Skills Wheel Sources: (Hendricks, 1998) and (Norman & Jordan, 2018)

The goal of a 4-H program is for youth to learn about and develop life skills that will help them, in both the short term and long term, become contributors to their communities (Norman & Jordan, 2018). Life skills are the competencies or traits that relate to helping individuals’ function and navigate their lives.

When we begin planning 4-H programs with the end in mind, life skills are one of the considerations we should focus on. These skills should be identified during the planning process at the same time you are planning the objectives for each meeting. The life skills wheel illustrated in figure one serves as a tool to help visualize the most common life skills 4-H programs focus on. When we identify these skills, we can intentionally plan our programs to provide experiences that are specific and challenging without being overwhelming.

Often, we use projects and special interests as a hook to teach youth life skills. While some subjects are best suited to developing certain life skills, there are skills to be learned and developed no matter the exact subject being taught.

Getting Started


On the life skills wheel, all the life skills are categorized under the headings of head, heart, hands, and health which relates back to the 4-H pledge. By identifying the skills, you are targeting then planning activities to help you build those skills, you can build impactful programs that will continue to build on each other.

Let’s look at a scenario. We are working with a group of club officers at a training day preparing for the new 4-H year. The objectives for the meeting are for officers to learn their roles and for the youth learn more about each other so they are more comfortable working together. From here, we need to identify the skills we are hoping to build.

When you look at the life skills wheel there are numerous skills which could fit and be developed during this training. While some skills are built passively through experience, identifying three to five skills will help us identify activities and focuses that align with our objectives.

Picture 1: Volunteers participating in the bull ring activity at the 2023 NWD Volunteer Forum in Destin, Florida.

For this scenario, if we identify teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and planning/organizing as the life skills we intend to build, we need to identify activities that will build these skills. When working with activities we need to keep in mind that we need time for the do, reflect, apply model. So, once we do the activity, we need time for reflection, and a discussion on how we could apply what we have learned in the future.

If we look at this scenario a little bit closer, you will notice that some skills can be built during the same activity. An example of this would be if we were to use the bull ring activity, which has a tennis ball balanced on a ring by multiple strings are held by multiple participants standing in a circle as demonstrated in picture one, participants are going to use a bunch of life skills including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and even planning. All these skills are necessary to successfully move the ball from point A to point B without dropping the ball. It is the intentional reflection and future application discussion of the skills that pulls in the impact and development of a skill beyond the passive learning that occurs.

Conclusion


4-H projects and meetings are an ideal environment for passive learning of life skills. However, it is the intentional planning of club and project leaders that results in active life skill development. So, as you are planning your next meeting, start with the end in mind. Identify your objectives and the life skills you want to develop, then intentionally plan activities and discussions which will lead youth through active thoughts and practice of the skills you are focusing on.

Resources


Hendricks, P. (1998). Developing youth curriculum using the targeting life skills model: Incorporating developmentally appropriate learning opportunities to assess impact of life skill development.

Norman, M., & Jordan, J. (2018, July 30). Targeting Life Skills in 4-H. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/4H242

 

 

What Does a Strong Youth Leadership Team Look Like?

One of the things I love about 4-H is that it offers so many different opportunities for youth to learn leadership skills while pursuing and exploring their sparks. And leadership roles are not confined to the club level- there are opportunities for youth to serve at the district, state, and even national levels. Youth leaders are grown, not born. And just like any living thing, they must be nurtured over time in an intentional way to develop strong leadership skills. This article will describe what a strong youth leadership team looks like and provide some resources to help grow your team.  Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with some amazing youth leadership teams at all levels of the 4-H organization. But it was something that we had to cultivate over time- we didn’t start out as a high-functioning team. A strong youth leadership team can be identified by the following five characteristics (download this graphic):

  1. Clarity
  2. Cohesiveness
  3. Communication
  4. Confidence
  5. Collaboration

Clarifying the roles of each team member

It’s essential that everyone in the group understands their role and that they have something valuable to contribute to the team. Youth are usually pretty quick to understand their role- often it involves planning an event or solving a community issue through service learning. But the roles of the adults are much vaguer. Some adults view the role as advisory the same way they would a dictator. They want to tell the youth what they should do when they should show up, and how to do everything. But as advisors, our role is to empower youth- make sure they understand their role, and that they are cohesive, or have ground rules for how the group will function.

Establishing a sense of cohesiveness

Once everyone is clear about their roles on the team, the group needs to establish ground rules, or group norms to create a sense of cohesiveness. If the adult mentor sees the group wandering away from the group norms, then it is their job to call the youth out on it and bring them back to a more cohesive state. Not too long ago, I was working with a group of teens to plan a retreat. We had a new member who was constantly putting down other youth’s suggestions. The group got quiet except for the outspoken youth. It was my job to remind everyone that one of our group norms is that each person gets an opportunity to speak, and we don’t put down others’ ideas. Holding the group accountable for these group norms keeps the group cohesive and focused, which is essential for building the next characteristic, communication.

Communication

Leadership teams are a great place for youth to practice communication skills- particularly if they are nervous about speaking in front of large groups. Typically the youth leading the team is responsible for making sure everyone is recognized and heard. However, some youth might need encouragement to speak up- that’s when the adult advisor can help!  It is also important to discuss how the team wants to communicate outside of meeting times- reminders about meetings, or any other issues that might come up in-between meetings.  As the advisor, make sure everyone comes to a consensus on how and how often the team wants to communicate within meetings (and outside of meetings). As youth become more comfortable with communicating, their confidence will grow.

Confidence

When the members of your youth leadership team are clear about their roles, are cohesive in their approach to leadership, and communicate well with each other, they will be empowered to lead. Teams that are empowered understand that every person on the team has something to contribute. As adults, it’s often easier to just “do it ourselves,” but instead we need to empower youth to take responsibility for a different part of the program the youth are leading. However, we do need to make sure they have the information and tools they need to be empowered. For example, if they want to do an activity they have little experience with, such as sewing dog toys for a pet shelter, connect them with people who have experience and expertise with that type of activity.

Collaboration

The ultimate characteristic of a strong leadership team is collaboration. It is the combined effect of the other four characteristics working together in unison. The collaboration stage is also when youth become role models- not only for other youth but for adults as well. And that is when organizations begin to grow. People will be curious about why and how your youth are working so well together.

Additional Resources:

The UF IFAS publications listed below are free downloads that include hands-on, experiential activities you can do with your youth to help build a strong leadership team:

The best-selling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens written by Stephen Covey is a must-read for any 4-H faculty, staff, or volunteer working with teen leaders.

  • Covey, S. (1998). The 7 habits of highly effective teens: the ultimate teenage success guide. New York Simon & Schuster.

Overview of 4-H Positive Youth Development

What is Positive Youth Development?

While 4-H isn’t new, the field of positive youth development (PYD) is. For over a century, educators and parents have seen the positive effect 4-H programs had on the way youth developed into productive and compassionate adults- we just didn’t have a fancy name for the process. PYD garnered attention in the early 1990s as society looked for ways to address risk behaviors in teens. Rather than looking at youth as “problems to be fixed,” scholars began to look at youth as “partners.”  Through that lens, PYD leaders in PYD research like Karen Pittman and Peter Benson (founder of the Search Institute) emphasized helping youth build assets and nurture skills rather than “fixing behavior deficits.”

PYD research continued to advance with Dr. Richard Lerner’s longitudinal study conducted in the early 2000s. This led to the 5C’s Model, which provided insight into the outcomes youth gain. The 5Cs include competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring, which leads to the 6th C of contribution. Participation in PYD programs leads to young people who care about others, provide leadership, and are civically engaged (Lerner & Lerner, 2013). Youth development programs play an important role in supporting and shaping the lives of young people.

Most recently, research has shown that the 4-H Thriving Model of Positive Youth Development (developed by Mary Arnold, and published in 2018 and 2019) forms a solid foundation for the 4-H approach to positive youth development. It is what scientists refer to as a “predictive model.” When youth experience quality 4-H programs and are engaged, we can predict they will thrive. Youth thrives when they grow up to experience academic or vocational success, and economic and emotional stability, are civically engaged, and have happiness or well-being.

How do we “do” PYD?

It begins with the developmental context or the “soil.” Looking at the 4-H Thrive graphic, plants need high-quality soil to grow. Youth need the same thing, but we call it the “developmental context.” The “soil” young people need to grow includes opportunities for sparks, quality programs where youth feel they belong, and caring relationships that foster youth voice and engagement.

Sparks

A spark is a passion for a self-identified interest or skill or a capacity that metaphorically lights a fire in a young person’s life, providing energy, joy, purpose, and direction. 4-H plays an important role in helping young people discover and pursue their sparks. Project work, contests, exhibitions, and other 4-H activities are designed for youth to develop life and leadership skills while learning about their spark. Because learning in 4-H is driven by a young person’s interest, 4-H programs provide a rich context for youth to identify, explore, and sustain their personal interests, often resulting in the development of a young person’s sparks.

Program Quality Principles Where Youth Feel They Belong

Research shows that youth programs must be done well to make a positive difference in a young person’s life. There are eight program quality principles that guide our 4-H programs.

  1. Physical and psychological safety- youth need to feel safe in 4-H programs and be able to interact positively with others.
  2. Appropriate structure – whether it is a club meeting or leadership camp, 4-H programs must have clear and consistent rules and expectations, with clear boundaries and age-appropriate monitoring.
  3. Supportive relationships- all youth need to feel the warmth from and closeness to others in 4-H. Youth need to feel others care about and support them. They also need to receive clear guidance and communication from 4-H volunteers and staff.
  4. Opportunities to belong- all youth need to feel included in a meaningful way in 4-H, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, race, or ability. Youth should have opportunities to share their culture and heritage with others and to forge a positive identity.
  5. Positive social norms – Youth should experience clear rules and expectations for participating in 4-H, including the values, morals, and ethical expectations of being a 4-H member.
  6. Support for efficacy and mattering – Youth in 4-H should be taken seriously and respected for their ideas and contributions. Youth should be given opportunities to develop responsibility and be challenged to set and achieve goals.
  7. Opportunities for skill building – Youth need to develop physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional and social skills as they grow and develop. 4-H provides opportunities for youth to develop these skills, skills that support a young person into adulthood and the workplace.
  8. Integration of family, school and community – Youth in 4-H do best when there is a connection to their 4-H experience with their family, school, and community. This is why 4-H programs begin at the local level, in the community where youth can practice their emerging leadership skills as they grow and develop.
Developmental Relationships that Foster Engagement and Youth Voice

Research shows that the relational quality between the 4-H leader and member is connected to positive youth development. Developmental relationships begin by creating a secure attachment between the 4-H member and adult volunteer, reflected in mutual warmth, respect, and trust. These relationships increase in complexity over time. As such, healthy developmental relationships shift power over time and should reflect strong youth-adult partnerships- particularly as a young person’s competence, personal autonomy, and decision-making skills increase.

There are five dimensions of developmental relationships:

  1. Expressing care, through listening, warmth, and dependability;
  2. Challenging growth by holding youth accountable, expecting them to do their best, and helping them reflect on failures;
  3. Providing support by empowering and advocating for youth as well as helping them navigate situations and systems, and setting appropriate boundaries; 4. Sharing power through inclusion, respect, and collaboration;
  4. Expanding possibilities by exposing youth to new ideas and opportunities and connecting them to others who can help them reach their goals

Over the next few weeks, we will explore these “ingredients” a little more closely, and share tips and activities 4-H volunteers, parents, and families can do to help youth thrive. For more information about how your child can thrive in 4-H, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office

References

  1. Arnold, M. E., Gagnon, R. J. (2019) Illuminating the Process of Youth Development: The Mediating Effect of Thriving on Youth Development Program Outcomes. Journal of Human Sciences, 7(3), 24-30. Retrieved from https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/901/750
  2. Arnold, M. E. (2018). From context to outcomes: A thriving model for 4-H youth development programs. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 6(1), 141–160.Retrieved from https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/653/564
  3. Lerner, R. M., & Lerner, J. V. (2013). The positive development of youth: Comprehensive finding from the 4-H study of positive youth development. National 4-H Council. https://4-h.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4-H-Study-of-Positivr=Youth-Development-Full-Report.pdf

Building Youth-Adult Partnerships with 4-H Groups

What is a Youth-Adult Partnership?

“Youth-adult partnership” is a frequently used phrase among 4-H leaders, volunteers, and members. Volunteer club leaders are encouraged to foster youth-adult partnerships in the community club environment.  What is a youth-adult partnership? How would a volunteer club leader begin to create this type of partnership? What is the adult role in the youth-adult partnership?  Research shows that “caring, knowledgeable, and skilled adults can contribute to the success of young people as they grow and develop (Norman and Jordan, 2006). The first step in creating a youth-adult partnership is being the adult who wants to foster that environment in their 4-H club.

Positive Youth Development

4-H programs are built on a Positive Youth Development foundation. To further unpack what that phrase means, let’s begin with defining youth development. Norman and Jordan (2006) define “Youth development as an ongoing process through which young people attempt to meet their needs and to develop the competencies they perceive as necessary for survival and transition to adulthood.” When youth development is positive, this development has positive benefits and outcomes for the youth and the community.  While youth development is a youth-focused process experienced by the youth, adults can and do play a role in this process.  Adult leaders have the unique and special role of creating environments that provide opportunities to develop and grow in positive ways.

Zone of Proximal Development and the Role of the Adult Leader

Sociologist Lev Vygotsky studied how children learn and acquire skills.  Through his research, he was able to determine that children can develop and learn to a certain point based on prior experience and knowledge.   With the help of an adult teacher or leader, the child can learn more and acquire skills beyond what he or she might be able to accomplish without adult help.  This learning theory is known as the “Zone of Proximal Development” (Vygostky, 1978).  In 4-H, reaching the zone of proximal development where the youth-adult partnership empowers youth members to achieve is the goal we work to reach.

Working with Youth as Partners

The origin of today’s 4-H youth-adult partnership model is rooted in the work of sociologist William Lofquist. Lofquist (1989) developed the “Spectrum of Attitudes” to describe adult attitudes and approaches to working with youth.   The Spectrum of Adult Attitudes places attitudes towards young people into three categories: Youth as objects; Youth as recipients; and Youth as partners (Williams, 2016).  Lofquist noted that adult attitudes and the behaviors that result from these attitudes were not necessarily linear or clear cut.  Youth needs may drive adult behaviors at different points in the learning and partnership process. In 4-H, adult leaders strive to transition youth from being knowledge recipients to being partners in learning and doing.

youth work on a science project at a table

High school-age 4-H youth members plan and lead a 4-H robotics club.

Getting Started

Adults can foster and support successful youth-adult partnerships by creating and “providing environments for youth that are safe and nurturing and by expanding opportunities for experiences that will help young people develop skills they need for adulthood” (Norman and Jordan, 2006).

The idea of moving from an adult-led club to a club that operates as a youth-adult partnership may seem intimidating.  Where do we start? How does it work? Volunteer club leaders may find that it takes a while to develop a community club that functions as a successful youth-adult partnership.  Adults and youth may learn together as adults yield control and youth step into expanded leadership roles.

Tips for Establishing a Youth-Adult Partnership

In the club setting, creating space for shared decision-making can help build the youth-adult partnership. When adults make decisions “with” rather than “for” youth, space is created for youth voices to be heard, for youth decisions to be validated, and for youth to develop as leaders.

When youth make decisions about activities and projects, they begin to have ownership over the club experience and move toward acting as fully empowered partners with adult leaders.

How can adults create an environment that gives youth space to develop and grow as partners? Adult leaders can start building the youth-adult partnership by helping youth develop key skills to lead and run club meetings. Steps to reaching an effective youth-adult partnership include the following activities:

  1. Electing youth officers and providing officer training.
  2. Providing whole club training in parliamentary procedure with meeting procedure practice.
  3. Agenda planning that includes youth and adults.
  4. Adults joining youth-led meetings as participants.
  5. Setting ground rules so that everyone is heard and respected

Getting Started

For more information and resources on 4-H clubs and youth-adult partnerships, reach out to your local Extension office or 4-H agent.  

We also have several tools and resources for office training, parliamentary procedure games, and agenda planning on our Northwest 4-H Volunteer Google Site. If you would like some hands-on training, make plans to attend our Northwest 4-H Volunteer Forum January 20-21 in Destin, Florida. Registration is available on 4HOnline

References

Lofquist, W. 1989. The technology of prevention workbook: A leadership development program. Tucson, AZ: Associates for Youth Development Publications.

Norman, M.N.  and Jordan, J.C. 2006.  Introducing 4-H youth development. EDIS 4HFFS101.2, one of a series of the 4-H Youth Development Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date February 2006. Reviewed July 2018. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Vygotsky, L. 1978. Interaction Between Learning and Development. In Gauvain & Cole (Eds.) Readings on the Development of Children. New York: Scientific American Books. pp. 34-40

Williams, C.D. 2016. What is authentic youth engagement? The Governor’s Office for Children.  Maryland.gov. https://goc.maryland.gov/authentic-youth-engagement/.

Additional Resources

A 4-H Club Meeting

4-H Club Management

4-H Clubs that Youth Choose to Attend

Running a Smooth 4-H Business Meeting