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| Teen Leadership
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4-H Teen Leaders
It is generally through long-term 4-H teen leadership development
programs that adolescents have the opportunity to develop
advanced leadership abilities through a variety of real-life
leadership roles. For example, each year approximately
2,000 4-H teens serve as 4-H camp counselors, another
2,000 serve as members of junior fair boards, more than
1,000 as peer helpers in a variety of issue-based programs,
and others serve in a variety of other capacities. Teens
receive formal training, supervised internships, and
finally on-going hands-on practical experience in each
of these roles.
However, it is also acceptable to conduct such programs
as opportunities separate from the long-term 4-H teen leadership
experience. For example, rather than relying on the Teen
Leadership group for a "pool" of candidates from
which to choose camp counselors and 4-H board representatives,
some counties find it more beneficial to recruit, train,
and involve a separate group of teens for these specific
leadership role opportunities. In such settings, camp counselors
may be considered as participants in one program entity,
teen council representatives as another entity, etc.
Regardless of the approach used, if 4-H professionals can
effectively train and channel the energies and abilities
of these teen 4-H members, they can strengthen and expand
their programs to reach wider audiences. However, solid
teen programming does not happen consistently by chance
or accident. In order to conduct an effective leadership
program it is important that 4-H professionals and volunteers
have an understanding of what leader ship is, characteristics
of leaders, how to communicate leadership skills to youth,
and how to provide the learning experiences that combine
actual leadership experience within a controlled risk setting
(assuring high levels of success).
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