4-H 101 Fact Sheets

Introducing 4-H Youth Development

Marilyn N. Norman and Joy C. Jordan

Youth development has been defined 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. Positive Youth Development is development that is positive and productive for both youth and their communities.

Reviewing Youth Development Principles

Marilyn N. Norman and Joy C. Jordan

Because 4-H is the youth development arm of Land Grant University outreach, 4-H youth development professionals are responsible for knowing and applying to their programs the most current and valid information regarding support for the growth and development of the youth in their communities.

Targeting Life Skills in 4-H

Marilyn N. Norman and Joy C. Jordan

Using an Experiential Model in 4-H

Marilyn N. Norman and Joy C. Jordan

4-H Youth Development relies heavily upon the five steps of the experiential learning model to teach life skills. The sequential steps of the model help youth identify what they have learned from a 4-H experience or activity and to apply that learning to other experiences or situations. This model requires that the “teacher/leader” be very clear about the skill or concept targeted and that the experience and the processing questions are designed to support that learner goal. The experiential learning process engages the learners in all phases of the activity, resulting in the ability to generalize this learning to new situations.

4-H FAQs

Marilyn N. Norman and Joy C. Jordan

This article answers common questions about 4-H in Florida.

4-H Projects: Frequently Asked Questions

Joy C. Jordan