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4-H Global Citizenship & Cultural Diversity Project

Program Contact: Yakima County 4-H Program Coordinator
(509) 574-1600 • yakima.4h@wsu.edu

In the Global Citizenship & Cultural Diversity project, youth learn what it means to be an engaged member of the global community, developing their skills connecting to people with different beliefs, backgrounds, traditions, and cultures from their own.  They learn how to communicate with diverse audiences in ways that are professional, respectful, and culturally competent.  Youth also gain an understanding of their own culture and communities and the lessons they have learned from their traditions.

Objectives

Youth will:

  • Inspire a sense of understanding and confidence in relating and connecting to other people
  • Develop and refine international thinking skills needed to thrive in a culturally diverse world- whether it be in a school, neighborhood, social, or workplace setting
  • Practice skills to communicate effectively within an intercultural context
  • Develop a sense of self and exhibit social responsibility

Five youth present at a conference, their presentation title on the slide show behind them reads "Anti-Racism: Upstander vs. Bystander". There are two tables iwht their presentation materials at the front of the room, two youth stand behind it, three in front

4-H Global Citizenship and Cultural Diversity Curriculum

Available through the Extension office or online.

WeConnect: A Global Youth Citizenship Curriculum 2nd Edition- Facilitator Guide

WeConnect is a Global Citizenship Curriculum that prepares youth to thrive in our culturally diverse world!  This book is written for the facilitator, and there are not separate youth guides.

WeConnect is a program model and curriculum designed to show youth that they are participants in a global society, inspiring a sense of understanding and confidence in relating and connecting to other people.

The curriculum, authored by the University of Minnesota, is for middle school youth (grades 6-8 and ages 11-14), but can be adapted to suit both younger and older age groups. Perfect for afterschool programs, clubs, or camps, and cultural exchanges, the curriculum includes 20 lessons in four sections: exploring, stretching, challenging, and connecting.

Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming & Fair Environments

Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments is designed to help young people aged 11 to 14 and adults work in partnership to create environments that are physically and emotionally safe. It draws from extensive research from a variety of key disciplines – as well as evidence-based bullying prevention programs.

Be SAFE includes engaging activities that promote social and emotional learning and development, address and prevent bullying and foster positive relationships with peers and adults. Designed for use in out-of-school time settings (such as 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Scouts and afterschool programs), Be SAFE also applies to middle school settings.

True Leaders: Culture, Power and Justice

The True Leaders: Culture, Power and Justice curriculum was designed to engage youth in critical dialogue and collective action in order to contribute to a more empathetic and just society. Youth have an incredible opportunity to see the world as bigger than themselves. This curriculum offers dynamic opportunities for youth to explore their identities, different cultures, new perspectives, and the histories that have shaped power and privilege within our communities. Youth will engage with peers, adult support systems, and communities to increase the resources and tools they need to advocate for positive community change. These lessons are rooted in a social justice youth development framework. Additionally, as a facilitator, it is important that you use these lessons as a guide but allow for adaptations to ensure each discussion and activity is culturally relevant for your audience.

This is a Facilitator Guide intended for use with youth in Grades 6-12.

Diversity: The Source of Our Strength

Explore the many forms diversity takes in your daily life. See life from various perspectives and have fun learning about new situations and people who are different from you. Finally, show what you have learned with a capstone project in any creative format you choose.

Just In Time Equity Dialogues For Youth Digital Download

Just in Time Equity Dialogues for Youth is a series of lessons designed to bring youth together to deliberate, reflect, and take action on social justice issues. Just in Time is a resource for volunteers and adult mentors who work with youth ages 12-18 seeking support to have meaningful and direct conversations on potentially uncomfortable topics. The Just in Time Equity Dialogue Guides provide facilitators with a framework in which to have honest and transparent conversations with youth on current social justice issues. Drawing from news headlines and current events, youth will be challenged to critically think about topics such as race, racism, and marginalization. The goal in developing this guide is to provide a format to support educators’ and youths’ learning and understanding of current social justice and equity issues. The 43-page guide entails six (6) lessons, and is accompanied by a resource guide of readings, videos, and other informative content on covered and related topics.

This curriculum was developed by members of the 4-H Program Leaders Working Group and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.


Global Gourmet

Create rich and delicious meals from Mexico, Africa, Japan, India, Italy, Greece, and Germany as you explore food history, customs, and nutrition to better understand our world.

4-H Around the Globe

Are you curious about other countries? This intermediate-level project takes a look at 4-H through an international lens, with close-ups of Ghana, Kosovo, Nicaragua, and South Korea. Key factors make each country’s 4-H program different, and dedication to 4-H makes us all the same.

State 4-H Global Citizenship Resources State 4-H Diversity and Inclusion Resources
A circle of hands with varying skin tones form the shape of a heart, in the center of which is the 4-H clover. To the right of it, the title "Global Citizenship & Cultural Diversity" in black on a dark blue to purple gradient

Helpful Resources

Activity Ideas

Seeing i2i: Adventures in Diversity and Cultural Awareness

Seeing i2i: Adventures in Diversity and Cultural Awareness is a downloadable 4-H curriculum intended to help youth gain ‘global competence’ and ‘cultural competence,’ which are skills needed in today’s increasingly interconnected world and culturally diverse communities. The curriculum is designed for youth ages 11-14, but can be adapted for younger and older age groups. Activities can be used in clubs, camps, classrooms, afterschool programs, and other youth settings.

Curriculum content centers around five areas, namely:

  • Self-reflection and exploring one’s own heritage, culture, and cultural lens
  • Gaining cultural knowledge and gaining an appreciation for increased cultural awareness
  • Culturally competent attitudes and beliefs
  • Culturally relevant skills and behaviors (e.g., empathy, perspective-taking)
  • Applying knowledge including advocating for others

The Leader’s Guide contains all the information needed to conduct the activities in the Seeing i2i: Adventures in Diversity and Cultural Awareness curriculum, including activity descriptions, school standards, instructions, and other instructor resources.

Culture – University of Minnesota Extension

Youth learn about culture by decorating a tree with elements of their own!

Understanding yourself and your culture is a critical initial step to understanding how to work with people who bring a different cultural perspective.

Intercultural Communication – University of Minnesota Extension

In this lesson, participants learn about cultural differences in communication by watching examples of miscommunication, talking about what they have experienced and thinking of ways to better communicate with people from cultures different from their own.

Washington Specific Reference Material

Yakima County 4-H Food, Culture, & Reading Project

Yakima County 4-H Latino Cultural Arts Project

Yakima County 4-H Native Foods Project

Washington State 4-H Teen Equity & Inclusion Task Force

​The purpose of the Washington State 4-H Teen Equity and Inclusion Task Force is to facilitate and support an inclusive 4-H youth organization. Using compassion and empathy, we strive to create an open and safe environment to celebrate and embrace our diversity.

Other Reference Material

From 4-H Programs

Diversity and Inclusion issue Overview – National 4-H

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging must be more than words to be effective in addressing the widening opportunity gap affecting young people. Lack of access to positive relationships and the sense of belonging young people need to thrive through challenge is negatively affecting them in various ways, including a teen mental health crisis that encompasses loneliness, depression and anxiety. For more than 100 years, 4-H has given youth voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better. Today, 4-H strives to reflect America and celebrate the diverse population from all beliefs and backgrounds. 

Team Cuisine – University of Minnesota Extension

Team Cuisine is a series of seven lessons demonstrating how youth can create nutritious meals while building and identifying cultural awareness and differences among recipes.

This series can be used with youth in grades K-13 in a 4-H club, after-school setting, day camp, at home or family events. Use the whole series, or individual lessons can stand alone for single-session programming.

National 4-H Council Equity Toolkit

4-H Expert Series: Cultivating Diversity And Inclusion In Agriculture Blog Post – National 4-H

Honoring Differences + Eliminating Barriers = Creating Opportunities Blog Post – National 4-H

4-H Global Citizenship Members Manual – Colorado 4-H (PDF)


From Higher Education Institutions

 


From Related Organizations, Journals, and Professionals

Diversity and Inclusion as Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Programs – Journal of Extension


 

Kits, Projects, and Activities from National 4-H

National 4-H Diversity and Cultural Education Curriculum Collection

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