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How-To's For Planning and Conducting Successful Programs
1. Every participant should be significantly involved.
As Father Time is fond of saying, "People support
what they help to create", and "People don't
drill holes in boats they helped build." The importance
of involvement cannot be over estimated in terms of the
success of long-term 4-H teen leadership development
programs.
It is critically important for every participant in long-term
4-H teen leadership programs and groups to have significant
responsibilities, appropriate to their needs and interests.
Teenagers are more likely to stick with (and thus gain
the maximum benefit from) a program in which they feel
needed, have a sense of belonging, and are recognized
for their contributions.
As the program for the year is being planned, make sure
that every participant has at least one major responsibility
and at least three or four other assignments for which
the other members of the group depend on him/her to provide
leadership.
2.Specify and affirm the program's purposes and goals at the beginning of each program year or cycle
Enabling participants to develop leadership knowledge, attitudes, skills, and
aspirations is a basic goal of all long-term 4-H teen leadership programs. However,
specific purposes and goals should also be identified which meet the needs and
interests of the individuals involved. For example, one group may be most interested
in developing greater cross-cultural understanding through a series of out-of-county,
interstate, or international experiences. Another group of participants may wish
to focus on developing social skills and confidence in using proper etiquette
in business settings; in dating; at formal dinners and restaurants; at dances,
plays, and concerts; and in other unfamiliar settings. Another year they may
wish to focus on personal leadership development issues such as life management
and stress management; reducing violence and crime; achieving personal health
and fitness; etc.
In addition, the group organizers may have specific purposes and goals they wish
to accomplish through the program. For example, it is perfectly legitimate for
an agent with an area of specialty emphasis in recreational leadership to incorporate
developing abilities for leading songs, dances, games, and adventure activities
into the program objectives.
The goals and purposes of long-term 4-H teen leadership programs should be reviewed,
revised, and affirmed with all participants at the beginning of each program
cycle, and at least on an annual basis. It may be helpful to review the purposes
several times throughout the program to make revisions as needed and to assure
that you are making progress. This process does not need to take much time, particularly
with programs which have been in existence for a long time. It can sometimes
be done through a simple interest survey and/or a ten minute discussion at a
meeting. However, it does need to be done.
Many groups find it helpful to divide the purposes and goals into three categories
for discussion:
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Givens
These include both the over-riding goals and purposes
of the program, and the specific goals and purposes
the program organizer insists upon in order to
conduct the program. It is important to clearly
communicate and reach agreement related to such "givens" to
avoid misunderstandings and conflicts later. |
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Participant Goals, Purposes, and Expectations
It is important to identify and reach consensus
on the most important goals, purposes, and expectations
participants have of the program. At the beginning
of each program year or cycle, take time to survey
participant views and work with them to develop
major program purposes and goals. |
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Negotiable Goals, Purposes, and Expectations of the Program Organizers
Most program organizers have ideas for things they
would like to see accomplished, but which they
would be willing to forego if other better or
more popular ideas emerge. Although these ideas
should be shared with the group, it may be beneficial
to bring them up after participant views are
expressed. By using this approach, you can avoid
stifling participant contributions, as sometimes
happens when teens automatically defer to your
opinions due to a lack of confidence or a perception
that you are in a more powerful position. |
3. Be positive in your attitude and actions, and treat teens appropriately
The attitude and actions of the 4-H professional and/or volunteers who work with
long-tern 4-H teen leadership development programs have as much impact on the
success or failure of the program as anything else. It is important to teens
that the adults with whom they work treat them with respect, confidence, and
trust.
Teenagers often express this notion by saying, "I wish they'd treat us like
adults". However, it is important for the adults in the working relationship
to remember that teenagers are not adults, but rather adolescents. They should
be treated accordingly.
In other words, it's important NOT to treat teenagers like children. As outlined
in the "ages and stages milestones of youth development" section, children
cannot think abstractly. Adolescents can. Children need a lot of adult direction,
supervision, support, and guidance in everything they do. Adolescents don't.
The list of differences goes on and on. It is important for adults who to feel
and consistently demonstrate high expectations, confidence, and respect for the
teens with whom they work.
At the same time, it is important for adults not to treat the teens with who
they work as peers, either. For example, when adults come up with a really dumb
idea, you can usually confront the issue head-on. Adults have attained a level
of emotional and cognitive development which enables them to easily cope with
such challenges. Adolescents haven't. Teens need for adults to be more understanding,
patient, and helpful to them than they would need to be with fellow adults.
It is essential for professionals and adult volunteers to remain in a respected "adult" role
at all times when working with teens. More than a few agents and advisors have
fallen into the "trap" of trying to be a "friend" or "peer" with
the teens with whom they work. Even when you're a twenty year old who doesn't
feel that much older than the teens in your program, it is essential to your
effectiveness that you remain in the "adult" role at all times. Do
not be tempted to drink, party, or otherwise adopt the status of a "peer" when
working with teens. Get your own friends, and allow teens to get their own friends
as well. As outlined earlier, even when teens are in control in a program, they
need an adult to legitimize the program and to fall back on when problems occur.
It is important that they be able to rely on you to maintain that respected adult
role.
Refer to the Leadership Link articles on pages 13-15 and the Working With Teenagers
section on pages 16-18 for additional information related to working appropriately
with adolescents.
4. Work with teens to plan, conduct, and evaluate a well-rounded, well-balanced
program
As outlined earlier, long-term 4-H teen leadership development programs should
incorporate a balance of educational, service, and social experiences:
a) Educational Experiences
All 4-H programs should be educational. Every participant should learn something
through the long-term 4-H teen leadership development program that they wouldn't
otherwise learn.
These educational experiences can take many forms, include a wide variety of
topics, and use any number of methodologies. However, they do need to be planned
with care, and deliberately incorporated into the development of the program.
Approximately one-third of participants' time in long-term 4-H teen leadership
programs should be spent in experiences in which education is the primary purpose.
b) Service Experiences
As the last line of the 4-H Pledge indicates, 4-H youth development is done for
a reason...that of making better clubs, communities, the country, and the world.
Service experiences are an important means by which this improvement is accomplished.
Approximately one-third of participant's experiences in long-term 4-H teen leadership
programs should be of a service nature.
c) Social Experiences
Long-term 4-H teen leadership development programs make a major positive contribution
to the social development of adolescent participants. In addition, most teens
report their primary reason for participating is "making new friends and
having fun". It is essential that positive, fun, social opportunities and
experiences be incorporated into the program. Approximately one-third of participants'
time should be spent in experiences in which social development is a major purpose.
The method by which this balance of programming is most effectively achieved
varies from group to group and from year to year. Some groups may prefer to schedule
a series of meetings, each with part of the time devoted to educational speakers
and programs, part of the time spent in service activities, and part of the time
spent in recreation and social activities. Other groups may prefer to plan two
or three major conferences or workshops to learn more about a particular topic
or skill, a couple of major weekend service projects, and two or three major
social activities such as a canoe trip, dance, or talent night. Whatever method
works best for you and your group is acceptable. A variety of program planning
methods and educational "gimmicks" are effective in working with teens
to develop leadership programs. It is important to keep things fresh, interesting,
and moving as programs are planned, conducted, and evaluated. However, at the
same time, it is essential that the following four steps be addressed in some
way during the process:
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Step 1: Deciding What's Needed
The first step in planning a 4-H teen leadership program is to decide what's
needed. Review your purposes and goals, and decide what needs to be done
to accomplish those objectives. Survey your group and keep up on what's
happening in their lives as the program progresses. A good way to decide
what's needed to involve 4-H'ers in brainstorming, a "knee to knee" activity,
or other decision-making techniques to figure out what the alternatives
are. Try to generate at least twenty ideas for educational, service,
and social program topics before moving to step 2.
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Step 2: Deciding What Should Be Done
To decide what should actually be included in the program, the group should
look at the list of all the alternatives for achieving the group's purposes
and goals which were generated in step one. Then decide together the
highest priorities for your group and situation. Techniques which involve
everyone in the decision-making process are especially effective and
appreciated by teens. For example, you might list every idea on sheets
of paper which are posted around the room, and after a period of discussion,
involve everyone in marking their top three choices.
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Step 3: Deciding What The 4-H Group Can
Do
Next the group will probably need to narrow the focus of the experiences
identified as priorities. For example, if the group decides that what needs
to be done most in community service is to get rid of the drug dealers
and marijuana growers, it's likely that they won't be able to get the job
done by themselves.
Decide together what portion of the program is realistic for the group
to do. Then find ways to involve others to do the other things which should
be done, but which the group cannot or has decided not to do. For example,
a teen leadership group that wants to eliminate drugs from their community
may want to limit their efforts to doing an educational campaign to discourage
drug use, to peer-counseling efforts, and to establishing neighborhood
watch programs to report drug-related activity. People who might be asked
to do other things are police and sheriff deputies to monitor and arrest
suspects, landlords to evict drug-trafficking tenants, volunteer groups
to remove trash and clean up the area, legislators to pass stringent drug
laws, judges to impose harsher sentences, schools and potential employers
to provide meaningful training and job opportunities, etc.
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Step 4: Deciding What Will Be Done And Who
Will Do It
Making sure each participant has at least one major assignment to do during
the course of the program is essential for success! Believing you're an
important part of an important effort is one of the best motivators in
the world! Assignments should be tailored to the interests, abilities,
ages, and potential of each participant.
A good way to do this is to list everything that needs to be done. Ask
each person to list their top three preferences for the assignments they'd
most like to do, and give each person one of their preferences as their
main responsibility. Then divide up the remainder of the jobs evenly so
that everyone does their fair share of the less popular responsibilities
as well. Make sure there are more than enough jobs to go around so that
everyone has at least one important and interesting assignment, and so
that no one gets "stuck" with more than one or two "mundane" jobs. |
5 Provide orientation for new group members, and when there are significant
changes in the group's purposes, structure, or organization
Orientation needs to be provided for all group members whenever there is a major
change in some aspect of the program. For example, when a new advisor or program
organizer assumes responsibility for the group, he or she should spend some time
to acquaint participants with his or her perspectives on the various who's, what's,
when's, where's why's, and how's associated with the program. For example, new
organizers should share their views on the purposes to be achieved through the
program, what is going to be done, who will be involved, how things will be organized
and accomplished, when things can be expected, what will change, what will remain
the same, and why.
Regardless of the type of change within the group, orientation can be accomplished
through one or several methods. Major goals and ideas might be introduced in
a newsletter or meeting announcement. Others successfully complete such orientations
through a half-hour discussion conducted at one of the first meetings conducted
after the changes are decided upon. Work with the officers or other leaders within
the group to determine the best plan for orienting the group with which you work
to any changes which are implemented.
New members in a pre-existing group need special orientation Teenagers can be
an intimidating audience...especially to each other. It is important that new
members to the group be oriented to the group, and made to feel welcome.
A variety of approaches can also be used in this situation. For example, some
counties involve new teen leaders in a series of self-study experiences in conjunction
with a special orientation meeting to discuss the group's purposes, expectations
of members, opportunities for involvement and recognition, etc.
Other programs use a three-meeting approach to orientation. The first meeting
involves social mixers, get-acquainted games and activities; a short slide show,
video, or other program to show the highlights of the program; and a presentation
about some of the opportunities new members can participate in. The second meeting
provides an in-depth review of the major purposes and experiences available through
the program, expectations of participants, etc. The final meeting usually consists
of deciding on, signing up for, and receiving orientation for individual program
assignments, followed by a welcome ceremony of some sort to make the new members
feel they are appreciated as full-fledged and important members of the group.
Such orientation programs may be planned and conducted entirely by the 4-H professional,
adult advisor, or other adult program organizer. However, they are generally
more effective if current teen leadership participants are involved in significant
roles as well. Work with your teen leadership group to determine what will work
best in your situation.
6 Maintain communications within the group
Program booklets are good "basic" communication tools which are useful
in many settings. Features which many successful 4-H teen leadership programs
find useful to include in program booklets they develop and distribute to all
participants at the beginning of each year include:
a) a table of contents for quick and easy reference
b) a list of important dates
c) space for participants to note their individual assignments throughout the
year or program cycle
d) the names, addresses, and phone numbers of each of the participants and their
major responsibilities for the year. (Note: Continuously update this list to
make sure no one is being left out or overlooked as assignments are distributed.
In addition, make sure no one is overburdened with too many jobs.)
e) the constitution, by-laws, or other rules and guidelines by which the group
is governed
f) agendas, program outlines, and related information for each meeting or other
activity planned for the group
g) space for other notes and insertions
Another method which works well for some programs is to publish a periodic 4-H
Teen Leadership Newsletter which communicates the information listed above, as
well as new of interest, idea sharing articles, etc.
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Phone chains" are another idea for making sure all participants are kept
informed of and involved in 4-H teen leadership programs. For example, the week
before each meeting or activity, the chairperson calls five officers or committee
members with the information to be communicated. They in turn call five other
people, who in turn call five more. In this example, a total of 156 individuals
would be reached if all call were completed. Of course, the success of such a
system depends on everyone completing his or her responsibility.
There are many other ideas which are effective for maintaining communications
within a group. Work with your group to determine which is most useful and appropriate
for your situation.
7 Publicize and market the program
4-H programs are infamous for their tendency to be the world's best-kept secrets.
Pages 8.22 through 8.27 of the Ohio 4-H Agent's Program Handbook includes tips
for public relations and marketing which can be directly adapted for use in marketing
and publicizing 4-H teen leadership programs. Use it:
8 Evaluate and report results
Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods may be used to obtain the
formative "make the best better" information needed to develop successful
youth leadership development programs. Ideas and inputs should be solicited and
considered from participants, from each of the constituent groups of the program,
and from sponsors and other partners.
Post-pre-post evaluations, using the process outlined by Rockwell and Kohn in
the Journal of Extension (1989, Summer, pp 19-22) may be used to evaluate the
impacts of each of the major components of the program. Critical questions measure
to the extent to which the objectives and purposes of the program are achieved.
Statistical analysis may be completed using the Sign Test, the Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks
Test, T-Tests, and Summed Scales will be reported along with descriptive statistics.
Of course, the program and teaching evaluation instruments provided through Extension
should also be used regularly, and accomplishments should be reported. It is
important for the continued growth and development of the 4-H program that professionals
take the time to market, promote, and share the programs on which they have been
working with resource providers, the public, their fellow professionals, and
others. This evaluation, marketing, and professional contribution needs to take
place not only in the popular media and Extension evaluation and reporting system,
but also in professional journals, professional associations, etc. |
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