Eight Key Elements
of
Positive Youth Development
Eight educational components have been
identified as essential for promoting positive youth development.
Ohio 4-H has adopted these "Eight Key Elements of Positive Youth
Development". They include:
Positive
Relationship with a Caring Adult
How young people understand what it means
and what it takes to be a productive citizen, as well as the belief in
themselves, depends largely on the adult role models and connections they
have. A caring 4-H adult volunteer serves as a guide, mentor and
role model. The 4-H caring adult helps set appropriate boundaries
and expectations.
Opportunity
for Mastery
These are opportunities for success and
achievement of our 4-H members. Mastery is the building of knowledge,
skills and attitudes and then demonstrating the competent use of this knowledge
and skill. Through hands-on 4-H projects and activities, youth gain
new knowledge and have the opportunity to immediately apply that new knowledge
to individual projects and activities in which they are engaged.
The development of mastery is a process that occurs over time and is increased
with repetition.
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Opportunity
to Value and Practice Service for Others
Service is a way for 4-H members to gain
exposure to the larger community and the world. It is necessary to
actively practice and treasure service. Service is more than a product;
it is a process that provides developmental opportunities for 4-H members.
Opportunity
for Self-Determination
Our 4-H youth must believe that they can
have impact over life's events rather than life's events having control
over their lives. We must help our 4-H youth foster that personal
sense of influence over their lives, exercising their potential to become
self-directing, autonomous adults.
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An
Inclusive Environment
An inclusive environment is one that allows
for a sense of belonging, encourages and supports its members and offers
encouragement with positive and specific feedback. Healthy 4-H groups
celebrate the success of all members - taking pride in the collective efforts
of all.
Opportunity
to See Oneself as an Active Participant in the Future
To provide 4-H members the opportunity
to see themselves in the future gives them the hope and optimism to shape
their life choices accordingly. We can teach all the facts and figures
we want, but if we don't link them to the future, those facts and figures
may go unused.
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Engagement
in Learning
An engaged 4-H youth is one who is not
only mindful of the subject area, but building relationship and connections
in order to develop understanding. Through self-reflection, the 4-H
youth's brain has the ability to learn from experience. The engaged
4-H youth has a higher degree of self-motivation and an inexhaustible capacity
to create.
An
Emotionally and Physically Safe Environment
4-H youth should not fear physical or
emotional harm while participating in the 4-H experience, whether from
the learning environment itself, adults, other participants or spectators.
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