Administrators’ perspectives on organizational environmental factors facing 4-H youth development

Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Donna M. Westfall-Rudd, Megan Seibel, Eric Kaufman and Rama Radhakrishna

Children and Youth Services Review, 2024, vol. 156, issue C

Abstract: 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States and is the youth development program of the Land-Grant University’s Cooperative Extension system. A qualitative study of 13 4-H Program Leaders and seven Cooperative Extension Directors was conducted to explore the perspectives Extension Administrators hold about the organizational environmental factors facing the 4-H program. Data were analyzed using a qualitative open coding methodology. Five themes emerged from the study in response to the identified environmental factors: 1) key components of the traditional club model need to be ensured in all programming conducted; 2) the need to develop a club programming matrix to help county-level staff manage the impact and their workload; 3) good partners will expand the 4-H programs’ capacity; 4) increased involvement of first generation youth and families is needed; and 5) intentional marketing and raising awareness of the “new 4-H brand.” Adaptation poses important questions, challenges, and opportunities for the 4-H program. Because administrators represent a national population of Administrators, these insights can inform youth organizations in the United States and internationally.

Keywords: Youth Development; Organizational adaptation; 4-H; Environmental context (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:156:y:2024:i:c:s0190740923005546

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107358

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