BUILDING 4-H’S URBAN APPEAL

John Drummond, Kitchener Market 4-H Club

Elaine Manor, Prairie Winds 4-H Club

WHY URBAN 4-H CLUBS? Teaching new skills while staying current

with times and trends Shrinking agricultural base means fewer

farms and rural kids Time to break the perception that “4-H

is just for farm kids” Opportunity for “bleed over” into

agricultural clubs New ideas, new challenges, new

learning Reduce tedium and burnout for

volunteers

URBAN 4-H CLUBS

Are not changing the face of 4-H!

Still deliver the “core values” of 4-H Members still expected to meet

Minimum requirements

CORE VALUES OF 4-H - ONT

Hands on learning

Oral communications

Skill development

Parliamentary procedure

Judging

Community outreach

Social recreation

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS - ALTA

Attend 70% of meetings

Complete Record Book

Complete a communications project

Community service as a club

Attend Achievement Day

URBAN 4-H BY THE NUMBERS

2005, 25% of U.S. clubs were urban

2013, 13% of 4-H Ontario members

were urban

2014 – 3 Urban clubs in Calgary – 60+

members

CHALLENGES Affordable meeting space Lack of awareness of what 4-H is all

about Overcoming the stigma of 4-H being

only livestock related or for Farm kids Finding ways to incorporate the rural

aspect of 4-H into our clubs/projects

OPPORTUNITIES

Increased understanding of what 4-H is

all about

Agriculture awareness

Incorporating agriculture into urban

clubs

Recruiting urban members into

agriculture clubs

New projects/clubs to engage members

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

THE KITCHENER MARKET 4-H CLUB

LEGO 4-H CLUB

LEGO 4-H CLUB

LEGO 4-H CLUB

LEGO 4-H CLUB

GEOCACHING 4-H CLUB

GEOCACHING 4-H CLUB

GEOCACHING 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

PAINTBALL 4-H CLUB

URBAN 4-H: BRINGING THE COUNTRY TO THE CITY

ACHIEVEMENT DAY

BOOT CAMP

CRAFTS

CURLING

DISC GOLF

ARCHERY

FIRST AID CERTIFICATION

FOODS

GPS COMPETITION

HIGH/LOW ROPES COURSE

HIKING

DANCE – HIP HOP

CAKE DECORATING

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE

ROCK CLIMBING

SNOW SHOEING

YOGA

PHOTOGRAPHY

How do we get more urban 4-H Clubs?

How do we recruit more urban 4-H members?

How can we incorporate the rural roots of 4-H into

the urban clubs?

NEW YORK 4-H 4-H Urban Outreach has been in operation for 35

years, with a highly effective delivery model. 100% of youth involved in our programming are considered high-risk, living in challenging downtown neighborhoods. Without the 4-H Urban Outreach Program, these youth and families would have little access to opportunity, community, and positive youth development. Youth involved in programming stay out of the juvenile court system, and nearly 100% show some improvement in academic and life skills. Youth involved in consistent programming have improved academically, taken part in the community, shown leadership skills, and have stayed away from risky behavior, among many other benefits.