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After a year like 2020, there is lots of excitement and anticipation around the arrival of 2021. Here at 4-H in the Panhandle, we have been making plans to grow together with our 4-H families and volunteers over the next several months. This past year has been tough, but 4-H members, volunteers and families are resilient! We have decided to go back to the basics and focus on building skills that every 4-H agent, staff, volunteer and member needs to be successful in 2021 and beyond. The Volunteer Knowledge and Research Competencies are six essential skills that every youth and adult needs to be successful 4-H leaders. The skills include: communication, organization, 4-H program management, educational design and delivery, positive youth development strategies, and cooperative interpersonal characteristics. Each quarter will focus on a different skill. Our blog articles, social media posts, and webinars will all focus on building that skill into our personal, professional and most importantly- 4-H culture!  Each week will will have tools and videos to help our 4-H community across the panhandle grow.

We are kicking our series off with communication skills- one of the most basic, but most important skills to have!  Over the next few weeks, we will dig deep into cultivating listening skills, speaking skills, writing skills, advocacy skills and how to use social media effectively (and safely) to communicate the value of your 4-H club or project. To take advantage of this series, you will want to make sure you are signed up. We have intentionally provided several different ways you can receive materials (and it is all free of course!).

  1. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest (Twitter and Instagram coming soon!)
  2. Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, 4-H in the Panhandle, with links to all of our blogposts, videos, checklists and tools
  3. Sign up for our monthly webinar, where we meet to network, share and develop our skills

We hope that you will join us on our journey this year to build strong 4-H clubs, programs and communities across the panhandle of Florida!  For more information about your local 4-H program, please contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office.

Heather Kent
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