Extension
It Starts With Us
Developing Leadership, Life Skills, and Volunteer Skills
Leadership and Life Skill Development
Lisa Hagman, 4-H
Leadership
Volunteer Development
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Leadership is a needed and important programming emphasis in Kentucky 4-H. The Cooperative Extension Service provides opportunities for youth and families to help improve their leadership ability and create a positive impact on their future. Leadership opportunities for youth create a setting that reduces the access of youth to risk factors that can negatively impact their success.
Basic leadership knowledge & skills are essential for success in almost any field. The skills associated with leadership are necessary when working in a group or communicating with others. Employers look for leadership skills in future employees. Developing leadership in the youth and adults who are involved in the 4-H program is a priority. By assisting the development of leadership skills in today’s youth, we improve their ability to face the challenges of tomorrow (Unlock Your Leadership Potential, University of Florida, 2017).
Kentucky 4-H provides opportunities for youth to actively engage locally and globally to promote life skills [such as leadership] that prepare them for the global marketplace. Through 4-H youth exercise critical thinking skills, learn to appreciate diversity, practice tolerance, develop socio-emotionally, and strive to contribute to their environment (United States Department of Education International Affairs Office of International Strategy). 4-H participants rate their leadership life skills above average, have a positive view of their leadership ability, and have a positive attitude toward diversity and acceptance of others (Locke, Boyd, Fraze, and Howard, 2007).
Many leadership scholars and youth development professionals agree that leadership development is an important, but often overlooked facet of youth development and education (MacNeil,2000). The development of leadership contributes greatly to the positive development of young people and their
communities. Leadership skills, such as goal-setting, problem-solving and sound decision-making, are not just necessary for leaders -these skills are needed for success in today's world (MacNeil,2000).
Furthermore, helping young people develop leadership competencies makes them better able to solve community problems and enhances their civic participation (O'Brien & Kohlmeier, 2003). Young leaders also demonstrate higher career aspirations, increased self-esteem, and improved high school completion rates (Bloomberg, Ganey, Alba, Quintero, & Alcantara, 2003).
*Youth will serve as teen and adult leaders for local 4-H Clubs and 4-H camps and in their communities, community organizations, and as mentors for younger youth.
*Youth will be productive,contributing adults in the future.
- Communities are equipped with competent, effective leaders
- Community members engage others to initiate projects
- Civic engagement is possible and desirable for community members
- Communities become more prosperous
*Youth will demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.
*Youth will utilize leadership skills learned during their time in 4-H in clubs, activities and other venues with 4-H and other community organizations.
*Senior 4-H members will become leaders or co-leaders of a 4-H project club, day camp, overnight, or other project based group of younger 4-H members.
*Youth will learn the communication, leadership and procedural skills that will allow them to run a meeting.
*Youth will increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader, team player and communicator.
*Youth will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.
- Youth put skills into practice by becoming more engaged, taking on leadership roles
- You improve skills in communication or problem solving in addressing community issues and needs
- Youth participants become more engaged in non-formal leadership roles which increases involvement/action
- Youth participants initiate projects that meet the needs of their community
- Youth are inclusive of all individuals
- Youth will volunteer and participate in community service
- Youth will engage in civic involvement
- Youth will maintain future intentions for civic engagement
Initial Outcome: Youth will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.
Indicator: Youth will participate, discuss, and evaluate leadership styles.
Method: observation, discussion
Timeline: September 2020-April 2021
Intermediate Outcome: 4-H Teen Club members will utilize leadership skills in the 4-H Camp Setting.
Indicator: leadership skills displayed while working with younger 4-H members
Method: observation, self-evaluation
Timeline: June 2021
Long-term Outcome: 4-H youth will attend camp and serve as adult and teen counselors.
Indicator: Camp attendance
Method: observation
Timeline: June 2021
Audience: 4-H Camp Volunteer Adult and Teen Leaders
Project or Activity: 4-H Camp
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Camp Leader Training materials
Inputs: 4-H Camp, State 4-H Office
Date: June 2021
Audience: 4-H Campers
Project or Activity: 4-H Camp
Content or Curriculum: overnight camp
Inputs: 4-H Camp, State 4-H Office
Date: June 2021
Audience: 4-H Shooting Sports Certified Coaches
Project or Activity: Shooting Sports Practices and Competitions
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Shooting Sports Coaches' manual per each discipline
Inputs: State 4-H Office, County 4-H Council, Volunteer Coaches
Date: July 2020-June 2021
Audience: 4-H Members, Livestock Club Members, 4-H Rabbit Club Members, Afterschool Members
Project or Activity: Speeches/Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Communications Core Curriculum
Inputs: Hancock County Public Schools, Afterschool programs, Volunteer Leaders
Date: September 2020-April 2021
Audience: High School, Middle School, and Afterschool 4-H Club Members, Livestock Club, Rabbit Club, Cloverbud Club
Project or Activity: Leadership Skill Development, 4-H Summit, 4-H Teen Conference, Green River Area Teens, 4-H Teen Council
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership Core Curriculum
Inputs: Hancock County Public Schools, State 4-H Office
Date: September 2020-May 2021
Audience: 4-H Culinary Arts Club
Project or Activity: cooking and nutrition
Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences and Health Core Curriculum
Inputs: Hancock County Middle School, Hancock County High School, Youth Service Center, Community Education
Date: Spring 2021
Audience: Homemaker Club members
Project or Activity: Homemaker Leader Trainings
Content or Curriculum: Homemaker Leader Training
Inputs: Green River FCS Agents
Date: October 2020-May 2021
Audience: All 8th and 10th Grade Students
Project or Activity: 4-H Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences Core Curriculum
Inputs: Hancock County Middle and High Schools, Youth Services Center and numerous community volunteers
Date: October 2020
Audience: 4-H Livestock Club Members
Project or Activity: Speech/Demonstration and Record Book
Content or Curriculum: Speak Up publication, How to Give a 4-H Demonstration publication, and the Hancock County 4-H Livestock Record Book
Inputs: Hancock County 4-H Livestock Club leader, Hancock County Fairboard, 4-H Volunteer Leader
Date: July 2019-June 2020
Audience: 4-H Cloverbud Club
Project or Activity: 4-H Public Speaking
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Communication Curriculum
Input: Volunteer Leader
Date: November 2020
Audience: 4-H Rabbit Club
Project or Activity: Parliamentary Procedure
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership Curriculum
Input: Volunteer Leader
Date: September 2020-June 2021
Audience: 4-H Family
Project or Activity: 4-H LABO
Content or Curriculum: State Curriculum/Program
Input: State 4-H Office
Date: July 2020
Audience: 8th-12th Grade Students-4-H Teen Club members
Project or Activity: Green River Area 4-H Teen Leadership Academy
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership
Input: 4-H Agents, State 4-H Office, 4-H Camp, 4-H core curriculum areas, etc.
Date: September 2020-April 2021
Audience: 8th-12th Grade Students-4-H Teen Club members
Project or Activity: 4-H Teen Conference
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership
Input: State 4-H Office
Date: throughout year
Author: Lisa Hagman
Major Program: Health
The COVID-19 pandemic was a public health crisis that halted the daily routines for nearly all of us. One of the biggest impacts was on our youth and our school systems. Students were sent home to finish out the school year virtually. While we were staying “Healthy at Home,” the Hancock County 4-H program had to discover a new way to reach local youth and families.The Tuesday Take and Make Kits were created to reach our youth who were sent home from school and into a situation no one
Author: Lisa Hagman
Major Program: Leadership
A world-wide pandemic changed nearly all things as we knew them in 2020. The Hancock County Fairboard decided to have a modified County Fair for 2020 to continue some form of normal. They decided to do this utilizing the local 4-H program and the Hancock County Cooperative Extension Service. The only events were the 4-H exhibits, 4-H Rabbit Show, and an open 4-H/FFA Market Lamb and Goat Show. Guidelines provided by the Ky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and the local Healt
Author: Lisa Hagman
Major Program: Civic Engagement
The National Council for the Social Studies contends: “The primary purpose of Social Studies is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.” These skills, habits and qualities of character will prepare students to accept responsibility for preserving and defending their liberties and empower them to think critically, reason and problem so
Author: Lisa Hagman
Major Program: Camping
In Hancock County 4-H, one of the largest programs is the overnight, summer 4-H Camp. Hancock County campers and volunteer leaders attended the 4 day camp along with others from Caldwell, Lyon, Logan, Trigg, and Livingston Counties. Hancock County 4-H had 3 high school leaders and 5 adult volunteers to assist the campers. These volunteers are required to have extensive training and dedicate many, many hours to the youth. A study reported in the Journal of Extension looked at the long
