The 4-H Thriving Model of Positive Youth Development (PYD) is based on research from Oregon State University. It shows that youth in 4-H programs with a high-quality, safe and caring environment will grow and thrive. Thriving youth can reach essential life goals.
Supporting Growth
4-H builds a foundation to support young people to grow and succeed. It includes four key building blocks:
- Helping Youth Discover Their Sparks – Giving youth a chance to explore what they love and are passionate about.
- Creating Quality Programs – Offering activities that make youth feel included and supported.
- Building Supportive Relationships – Connecting youth with caring mentors who encourage them, challenge them, and involve them in decisions.
- Youth are Engaged - Youth voice and choice is heard and acted upon with strong youth-adult partnerships as the foundation.
Growing from a strong foundation
By building a foundation based on the four key building blocks, 4-H helps youth thrive. Thriving youth:
- Enjoy taking on new challenges and learning from them (Challenge & Discovery).
- Believe they can get better through hard work and effort, not just natural talent (Growth Mindset).
- Have hope for the future and feel a sense of purpose in life (Hopeful Purpose).
- Feel connected to something bigger than themselves that gives life meaning and guides their actions (Transcendent Awareness).
- Show values like respect, honesty, responsibility, empathy, and helping others (Pro-Social Orientation).
- Understand and manage their feelings in a healthy way (Positive Emotionality).
- Set goals and work hard to achieve them, even when it’s tough (Goal Management).
A positive environment helps youth grow into confident and successful individuals, reaching essential life goals.
Results of Thriving
Youth in 4-H are more likely to:
- Work hard in school and do well.
- Build good relationships with others.
- Set high goals for themselves and achieve them.
- Help their families, communities, and beyond.
- Be part of strong friendships and community groups.
- Take responsibility for their actions and care about the world around them.
Long Term Outcomes
The work we do today helps youth thrive long into the future. After spending years in 4-H, with supportive 4-H adults sharing quality learning experiences on topics they are interested in, youth grow into adults who are more likely to:
- Succeed in the career or job of their choice.
- Give back to their communities with their time and skills.
- Be happy and feel good about themselves as they grow older.
Participating in 4-H can impact the long-term well-being of every young person.
Additional Resources to Understand 4-H Thriving
The following resources help educators and volunteers understand how to help create that positive, supportive 4-H foundation today to support youths’ tomorrows.
4-H Thriving Model Summary Booklet