OSU Extension
Ohio 4-H Youth Development

4-H Afterschool Overview

After-school programs have attracted considerable attention as a way to enhance positive youth development.

Afterschool Programs

Why the focus on after-school programs?

There is a great need for quality after-school programs for young people. Youth spend only 20% of their waking hours in school - so they spend more hours out of school than in school. During this time, youth need places to go, people to be with, and things to do.

The after-school hours hold the potential for great risks as well as the promise of great opportunity. There is compelling evidence that organized, structured activities during the out-of-school hours play a valuable and a highly valued role in the lives of young people.

Programs in the out-of-school hours can support youth, families, and communities by:

  • Providing safe, supervised places to spend time
  • Offering chances to develop interests and learn new skills
  • Creating meaningful time for interaction with peers and adults

In other words, it's people, places, and programs that are at the heart of after-school programs.

How is Ohio 4-H Youth Development working with after-school programs?

In response to the need for high quality after-school programming and the opportunity to address specific needs during the after-school hours, Ohio 4-H Youth Development has identified after-school programming as a priority area. It is one of seven such priority teams within Ohio 4-H Youth Development.

4-H professionals can provide support to existing after-school programs in a variety of ways, including:

  • Conducting training for staff on a variety of topics related to positive youth development
  • Providing curriculum resources
  • Promoting program quality

Our Goals:

  • Improve the quantity and quality of after-school programs in Ohio.
  • Offer practical training for professional staff through the use of research-based curriculum.
  • Develop best practices based on our work in local communities.

What is 4-H Afterschool?

4-H Afterschool is a way to bring the 4-H experience into after-school programs. Just like 4-H clubs, 4-H Afterschool can takes many shapes and forms. Because 4-H programming is responsive to local needs and situations, there is no typical program or model that fits everyone's needs. Some variations include:

  • 4-H professionals introduce after-school staff to 4-H curriculum they can use in their programs. After-school staff members lead these activities in their programs.
  • 4-H professionals or volunteers lead activities within after-school programs on a regular or periodic basis.
  • 4-H professionals assist after-school staff to form a 4-H club within their after-school program.
  • 4-H professionals work with networks of after-school programs and provide training for after-school staff.
  • 4-H professionals work with community partners to start new after-school programs.
  • 4-H professionals and after-school staff work together to use some combination of these methods.
What is 4-H Afterschool?

4-H Afterschool is part of a national initiative begun in 2002. Working along with 4-H professionals from across the country, the National 4-H Council created a definition of 4-H Afterschool.

Whatever form it takes, you can expect to find similarities among all the different program models within 4-H. 4-H programs focus on a four-fold model that engages the whole child: Head, Heart, Hands & Health.

Learn more about 4-H Fundamentals by visiting the Ohio 4-H website.

To learn more about 4-H in your county, contact your county's OSU Extension office.

Contact:
4-H Afterschool Priority Team Co-Leaders
4-H Youth Development
Ohio State University Extension
Theresa M. Ferrari, State 4-H Office
Nate Arnett, Adventure Central, Dayton
Priority Team Members pdf