4-H program gets $15,000 grant to help disadvantaged children

A 4-H program at USU dedicated to helping disadvantaged children and their families has received a $15,000 award from the National 4-H Council and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

4-H Mentoring: Youth and Families with Promise, YFP, works with families statewide to strengthen life skills in order to increase the chances of success in their future.

Because of their successful work, YFP received the 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Award which recognizes and honors programs which help disadvantaged, rural families by developing economic opportunities and social networks.

“We are tickled to death,” said Dr. Kevin Kesler, director of the 4-H in Youth program in the state of Utah. “This was earned by the people in the field. We received the award because of all the great people who work very hard every day to make a difference in kids’ lives.

With the $15,000 award received, Kesler said they plan to expand their program and conduct research about their work.

“This is very significant. It is one of the bigger awards we give out. The whole purpose of this program is to help strengthen families. When there is a strong family, a child succeeds. They are using the right process,” said Amee Patel, marketing and communications coordinator for the National 4-H Council.

YFP is a statewide program servicing an average of 600 people a year in about 20 counties, Kesler said. YFP is part of USU’s Cooperative Extension Service which serves as its headquarters.

Craig Dart, 4-H in Youth development specialist, said that as a program, they focus on improving the children’s skills in different aspects of life which can be summarized in four primary goals-increasing youth academic achievement, social competency, family bonds and youth delinquent behavior. They also have activities for parents geared to better parental efficiency.

In working to achieve these goals for each child and family, the program has three components-one-on-one mentoring, 4-H activities and family night out.

Children are paired with an adult, often a college student, with whom they spend about an hour a week. The volunteers work with the kids to achieve the four goals mentioned above. Dart said it is important that they not only be a teacher, but also a friend and a good example.

“The mentors initially build a good meaningful relationship. They try to be a friend, someone to talk to,” Dart said. “Then they involve the developmental assets like school work, interpersonal skills, reading and school involvement.

4-H activities are those directly connected with the 4-H Club. Through group projects, leadership exercises and community service, children are taught social skills that will help them have greater success in their future.

“We are teaching the skills they need to survive,” Kesler said. “We teach self-confidence, leadership, reliability, character, decision making and problem solving.

Family night out involves the children as well as their parents. These events are designed to strengthen family bonds.

“This is a great program. There is a multi-program approach, not one specific intervention; they can latch on to one of the three that will help them. It is multidimensional,” Dart said.

Children who are involved are referred by teachers or counselors at school.

Earlier this year, YFP was named as a Program of Distinction by the National 4-H Foundation. As a Program of distinction, YFP could be considered for the $15,000 Annie E. Casey Foundation Award.

For more information regarding 4-H Mentoring: Youth and Families with Promise, visit utah4h.org.

ariek@cc.usu.edu