4-H Professional Research, Knowledge and Competencies
Equity, Access and Opportunity
Ensuring that each young person has a chance to succeed
- Understand my own cultural/social identity and communication styles and how they impact relationship building
- Aware of and open to youth and volunteers who are diverse
- Understand differing cultural values, norms, practices and traditions and how those impact potential programming
- Value and incorporate multiple perspectives without prejudging individuals
- Understand the historical impact of power and privilege and develop then apply program polices to promote and support diversity
- Use non-defensive language and cross-cultural communication skills to prevent/minimize conflict in a cross- cultural setting
- Apply active listening techniques in accordance with cultural context
- Develop and conduct community needs assessments to gain meaningful input from diverse audiences
- Apply program design strategies appropriate for the intended audience(s)
- Recruits, supports and retains diverse volunteers and advisory committee members
- Develop meaningful, constructive relationships with local, grassroots organizations and informal community-based groups to expand outreach to diverse audiences
Youth Program Development
Creating experiences for young people
- Develop an effective advisory council
- Use existing data sources to identify program opportunities
- Obtain citizen perspectives through community forums, focus groups, interviews, or surveys
- Set program priorities
- Lead a committee or design team through the process of developing a local program
- Use a logic model to represent how a program operates
- Utilize knowledge of youth development and the learning process to create high quality learning experiences for young people
- Teach effectively using basic principles of instruction
- Design effective evaluations
- Utilize quantitative and qualitative evaluation methodology
- Analyze and interpret evaluation data
Volunteerism
Preparing volunteers to make a real difference
- Develop and apply personal and organizational philosophies of volunteerism
- Apply societal changes to volunteer administration strategies
- Advocate for the benefits of volunteerism through education and change management processes
- Create and support a positive organizational environment through effective volunteer staffing models
- Develop and conduct organizational and community needs assessments relative to volunteer engagement
- Identify potential volunteer positions within the organization and develop
or utilize existing written position descriptions in a comprehensive recruitment process - Implement appropriate selection strategies to engage potential volunteers for available position(s)
- Develop and conduct new volunteer orientation programs and ongoing educational programs for volunteers
- Develop and conduct ongoing educational programs for volunteers based on identified needs and organizational requirements
- Recognize volunteers through appropriate intrinsic and extrinsic methods or strategies
- Develop and conduct impact assessment of volunteer efforts and communicate to stakeholders
Partnerships
Uniting young people and adults for stronger communities
- Assess the readiness of youth and adults to work together
- Create environments which foster positive youth-adult interactions
- Facilitate youth involvement on 4-H boards and committees
- Understand and apply various models for youth action (organizing, advocacy, leadership, governance, and service learning)
- Understand and apply principles of community youth development
- Establish and maintain effective professional networks
- Assess readiness for community alliances
- Create and manage appropriate community alliances
- Develop and conduct a community analysis
- Apply community development tools and processes
- Facilitate workforce development through 4-H youth development
Youth Development
Understanding how young people learn and grow
- Understand and apply how youth grow physically and how these changes influence youth development programming
- Understand and apply how youth grow cognitively and how these changes influence youth development programming
- Understand and apply how youth grow socially and emotionally and how these changes influence youth development programming
- Understand and apply the intentional process that promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing support, relationships, and opportunities
- Understand and apply a model that demonstrates how multiple contexts have influence over the growth and development of youth
- Understand and apply the theory that all youth are affected by risk and
protective factors and how programming can maximize protective factors and minimize risk factors - Understand and create positive relationships with youth, families and community partners
- Set up environments and programs to promote positive behavior while implementing strategies to deal with negative behaviors in appropriate ways
- Demonstrate understanding of conflict management and resolution
- Articulate and develop programs that allow youth the opportunity to practice life skills
Organizational Systems
Connecting people and priorities for the greatest impact
- Understand the Cooperative Extension Service/4-H history and mission
- Establish effective program governance and management structures (i.e. committees, boards, policies, etc.) in accordance with organization policy and procedures
- Establish priorities and manage time, priorities, and resources effectively
- Apply strategies to balance work/life issues in a healthy manner
- Demonstrate effective and diverse interpersonal communication skills and strategies
- Develop and manage budgets in accordance with organization/university policy and procedures
- Secure and manage financial/human resources to support youth development programs in accordance with organization/university policy and procedures
- Plan for and manage safe, inclusive program environments for all persons
- Apply ethical standards of the profession
- Apply strategies to enhance the profession through the integration of research practice
- Advocate for positive youth development in all aspects and levels of work

Click Here for a complete copy of the 4-H Professional Research & Knowledge Competencies (2004)