4-H Professional Research, Knowledge and Competencies
Equity, Access and Opportunity
Ensuring that each young person has a chance to succeed
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
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
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
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
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
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)