Youth Development Insights

We’ve made it to yet another program year! Congratulations. Some of you are still on break, while others are just getting to your fall fairs. The new 4-H year officially began July 1st, but there is so much variation in the state on when things start to ramp up again. No matter where you’re at in preparing…

It Started with an EmailIn December 2022, Courtney Ackerman, then a research scientist with California's Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC), contacted Russell Hill and Nathaniel Caeton. Both are University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources 4-H Youth…

Youth are an asset in our community which are often under-utilized – they’re a formidable and able group in communities who bring their own unique value to conversation and decisions. Choosing to intentionally include youth in leadership and decision making can be challenging, yet extremely rewarding for all…

My favorite part of our Sacramento 4-H volunteer orientation comes when we introduce the 4-H Thriving Model (Arnold, 2018). Think back to when you were a child or a teenager, we ask.

Volunteering may be the answer to bringing people together, in a time where there seems to be more division than ever. The Census Bureau and AmeriCorps report that while formal volunteering rates have declined, informal volunteering rates have remained steady.