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4-H Youth Development

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Beginning: (9-11 Year Old)  Life Skills and Activities
Concept or Skill Development Life Skills Behavioral Indicators/Ages and Stages Activities to Help Learn Life Skills
Identifying your leadership interests – leader, follower, worker, helper, etc.
  • Hands - Leadership
Like to explore new things, idolize older children and adults.
Leadership roles and opportunities to develop skills – committee member, committee chair, helper, sub-committees, officer.
  • Hands – Teamwork
  • Head – Marketable Skills
Like to help and want to demonstrate new skills. Imitate older boys and girls.
Committee work – what is a committee and the various opportunities through committee work.
  • Heart – Cooperation, Social Skills, Communications, Sharing
  • Hands – Teamwork
Eager to try new things.
Communications – accepting difference, conflict resolution, verbal vs. non-verbal.
  • Heart – Communications, Conflict Resolution, Accepting Differences
Enjoy working in same gender groups.
Teamwork – leadership is about leading a meaningful life and having a heightened awareness and understanding of our individual strengths and weaknesses when contributing to group efforts.
  • Health – Self-responsibility, Self-discipline
  • Hands – Contributions to Group Effort
Group and club membership is important and they enjoy symbols and ceremony.
Cooperation - compromise.
  • Heart – Concern for Others, Nurturing Relationships
  • Health - Managing Feelings
Don’t accept failure well, sensitive to criticism. 
Learning to learn – Planning and organizing.
  • Head – Planning/Organizing, Goal Setting, Problem Solving
Short attention span; often don’t like to keep records.
Developing responsibility – doing what is right, keeping your word.
  • Health – Character
  • Hands – Responsible Citizenship
  • Head – Decision Making
Youth have limited decision-making abilities, activities should be chosen to ensure early success and build confidence.

 

 Intermediate: (12-14 year old) level skills and activities
Concept or Skill Development Life Skills Behavioral Indicators/Ages and Stages Activities to Help Learn Life Skills
Refining Leadership Skills –committee chair, officer, time management, working within limitations and boundaries.
  • Hands – Teamwork, Marketable Skills
  • Health – Stress Management, Character
  • Head – Goal Setting
Want to participate in decisions and be independent.
Developing teaching skills with the aid of a mentor – planning, organizing and conducting a workshop.
  • Heart – Sharing, Cooperation
  • Head – Planning/Organizing, Critical Thinking, Keeping Records, Wise Use of Resources, Learning to Learn
  • Hands - Volunteering, Marketable Skills
Still needs adult guidance, enjoy attention from older youth.
Community Service - Service learning and volunteerism, helping others, participating for the good of the whole (organizations, club, county, etc.).
  •  Heart – Concern for Others, Empathy
  • Hands – Teamwork, Contribution to Group Effort
  • Head – Service Learning
Prefer action oriented activities.
Communications – accepting difference, conflict resolution, verbal vs. non-verbal.
  • Heart – Communications, Conflict Resolution, Accepting Differences
  • Health – Managing Feelings
Concerned about being liked and developing social graces.
Teamwork – Nurturing relationship (club, community, family, school, etc.).
  • Heart – Cooperation, Accepting Differences, Social Skills, Empathy
  • Health – Managing Feelings
Enjoy working in coeducational groups.
Celebrate Yourself – confidence, self-respect, identifying strengths and weaknesses and how to use to your advantage.
  • Health – Self-esteem, Character
  • Heart – Accepting Differences
Concerned about physical development, preoccupation with the body and belonging.
Increased Responsibility – making choices/decisions, taking responsibility for coordinating school and extracurricular activities.
  • Head – Critical Thinking
  • Health – Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Personal Safety, Self-discipline
  • Hands – Self-motivation
Youth are striving for increased freedom from adult controls.
Opportunities to develop skills at developmental level of 12-14 year old.
  • Head – Resiliency
  • Hands – Marketable Skills
  • Health – Healthy Lifestyle Choices
  • Heart – Social Skills
Youth want to feel wanted and enjoy opportunities to show their skills in a group where they feel at ease.

 

Advanced: (15-19 year old) level will focus on
Concept or Skill Development Life Skills Behavioral Indicators/Ages and Stages Activities to Help Learn Life Skills
Applying Leadership Skills – take full responsibility for office, club, committees, and leadership roles. Counsel and communicate with adult mentors/volunteers. Conduct ones self as a role model, mentor, counselor and teen leader.
  • Hands –Marketable Skills, Community Service Volunteering
  • Health –Character, Personal Safety
  • Head – Critical Thinking
  • Heart – Concern for Others
Want and need a strong voice in planning their own programs. Want adults to act as advisors instead of leaders.
Plan, organize and conduct educational programs and serve as a mentor for younger members.
  • Heart – Sharing, Nurturing Relationships, Communications
  • Head – Planning/Organizing, Critical Thinking, Keeping Records, Wise Use of Resources, Problem Solving
  • Hands - Volunteering, Marketable Skills
Are developing community consciousness, enjoy sharing their skills and talents.
Civic Involvement/Youth Governance – Identify needs of the community, environment, organization or individual. Take action for improving social needs by utilize the laws and the democratic process.
  • Heart – Concern for Others, Empathy
  • Hands – Community Service Volunteering, Contribution to Group Effort
  • Head – Wise Use of Resources, Service Learning, Resiliency, Problem Solving
Are developing community consciousness. Enjoy discussions and debates on social and economic problems.
Communications – accepting difference, conflict resolution, verbal vs. non-verbal (panel discussions, debate, extemporaneous, etc.).
  • Heart – Communications, Conflict Resolution, Accepting Differences
  • Health – Managing Feelings
  • Head – Critical Thinking
Have high social needs and desires. Often need an adult to talk to outside of their family.
Teamwork – Nurturing relationship (involving and preparing others for leadership roles - mentor) and sharing and delegating responsibilities.
  • Heart – Cooperation, Accepting Differences, Social Skills
  • Health – Character
  • Head – Wise Use of Resources, Decision Making
Want to improve decision-making skills, enjoy democratic group procedures and group discussions. Like their independence.
Health Lifestyle Choices – serve as a role model in word, deed, thought and action.
  • Health – Self-responsibility, Self-discipline
  • Heart – Concern for Others
  • Hands – Self-motivation
Have the ability to recognize their position as a role model to younger youth. Developing a sense of purpose and future.
Opportunities to develop and apply skills at developmental level of 15-19 year old. (Resume, applications, etc.).
  • Head – Record Keeping
  • Hands – Self-Motivation, Marketable Skills
  • Health – Healthy Lifestyle Choices
  • Heart – Concern for Others, Conflict Resolution
Are beginning to think of leaving home for college, employment, etc.
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