Partnering with Youth...

Challenges facing Colorado's young people today are greater than ever before. Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program helps youth grow in life skills such as decision making and responsibility, self-esteem, and social and leadership skills. Youth participate in career exploration and gain important knowledge in areas such as nutrition, environmental responsibility and the sciences. The mission of Colorado State Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program is to help young people develop to their fullest potential and become self-directing, productive, contributing members of society through quality interaction with adults who demonstrate care and concern.

Nancy Zuschlag Channels Energy into Partnerships for Youth

Thanks to Nancy Zuschlag's efforts to partner with other organizations, Denver-area inner-city children learn about environmental responsibility and stewardship through new and established programs that inspire a genuine interest and excitement about science. Zuschlag is the Extension natural resources agent and program director for natural resources and environmental education in Jefferson County and the Denver metro area.

The efforts are grounded in Eagle's Nest and Owl's Roost, an environmental discovery 4-H program started more than 25 years ago for third and fourth grade students in the Jefferson County School District. The program teaches such social skills as decision making, leadership, responsibility and team work, while showing kids how they can make a difference in the environment. After completing the six-week camp, 90 percent of the students say they are committed to helping care for the environment. And interns, often former program participants, use their experiences as a spring-board to land their first job out of high school or while in college.

"This program not only gives children the opportunity to experience nature first-hand and learn that they make a difference, it also helps get entire communities involved in urban and rural environmental education," Zuschlag said. "Through the years, this program has involved more than 11,300 children. As a result, nearly 20,000 Denver-area parents are involved and learning about Colorado's natural resources through their children. We're also able to provide employment and mentoring experiences for students and teachers."

A host of other natural resource and 4-H-based partnerships are active in the Denver area. Among them is the Denver Urban Resources Partnership, which has an impact on the entire Denver metro community. DURP incorporates the efforts of 10 federal, state and local natural resource agencies, including Extension in Jefferson and Denver counties. Through educational coalitions and funding for projects, the program helps citizens make positive changes in their urban environment while learning about the state's rural foundation.

An environmental summer camp, a partnership that also includes the Aurora police and fire departments and the Nuñez Foundation, is another DURP project that teaches about 40 inner-city kids responsible outdoor behavior and fishing skills. In addition to learning about natural resource conservation at the camp, the youth also develop social skills such as teamwork, cooperation and listening. Until they participated in the camps, many of the kids hadn't traveled outside the Denver area.

"These partnerships show that a spirit of cooperation between agencies can provide a model for the community," Zuschlag said. "Environmental and natural resource education benefits from partnerships through shared understanding and a wider network of perspectives. Federal, state and local agencies and community groups in partnerships work to enhance their collective expertise, empowering adults and youth to complete projects that have far reaching and positive community-building outcomes."

4-H Youth Development Program Connects with Youth

Colorado residents value their children and want to provide programs that will create positive futures for them. Community and family structures have become inadequate to help young people acquire all the knowledge, attitudes, skills and values they need to become positive, productive members of society. The Extension 4-H Youth Development Program has a long history of helping youth acquire these life skills. The 4-H Program is committed to deliver high-quality programs to Colorado youth and to help kids develop self esteem, social and leadership skills, career interests and sound knowledge in areas such as nutrition, environmental responsibility and the sciences.

Last year, more than 101,000 Colorado youth ages 5 to 19 participated in projects and activities through organized clubs, individual studies, after-school and school enrichment programs. Enrollments show a steady increase in participation and keep pace with population growth in Colorado by reaching a larger portion of the eligible population. Success is partially attributed to the diversity of the programs and to focusing programs on life skill development. Programs are directed to the real needs of youth and society by empowering youth to address issues and problems in their local communities. Contributing to the success of the 4-H program is the work of volunteers--10,455 adults and older youth dedicated time and knowledge to 4-H in 1997.

4-H Reaches Youth in Low-Income Housing Project

When the Fort Morgan School District documented a need in the late 1980s for after-school programs for elementary students, the Extension 4-H Youth Development Program began providing a one-day a week program for youth. The program has been on-going for eight years and recently expanded to target low-income youth who can't or don't participate in after-school programs and often end up home alone after school.

In cooperation with apartment managers at Gateway, the area's primary low-income housing complex, 4-H began a drop-in program to reach these youth with positive educational activities and community service projects. As many as 100 children have turned out for the weekly programs. The program efforts at Gateway have expanded to include a family adventure club offered in the evenings and a five-week daily summer program that serves 113 youth in this small community. Recent survey results from the children in the after-school programs indicated 94 percent felt good about helping their community, 93 percent learned better decision-making skills and 90 percent benefitted from working as a group. Adult volunteers indicated an improvement in attitudes among the "higher-risk" youth from participation in 4-H programs.

Extension Team Creates Workforce Preparation Tool

A program developed by 4-H/youth agents from Mesa, Eagle, Grand and Delta counties with assistance from Jan Carroll, Extension workforce preparation specialist, is aimed at helping young people get a job. The "Tools for Your Future" notebook contains brief, easy-to-read sections that offer advice for youth on topics like filling out job, college or scholarship applications; resume writing and interviewing.

The team wanted to focus on helping 4-H members understand the importance of record-keeping and to document their accomplishments in sports, academics and other activities. The record-keeping skills kids learn through 4-H projects can be extremely valuable as they apply for jobs or for college. The project began as a result of the Extension 2000 challenge to create regional teams to develop new programs that provided client-oriented services with an impact. The resource is targeted mainly to young adults getting ready to enter the workforce or prepare for college. But the notebook also is designed to help 8- to 13-year-olds learn how to compile their accomplishments and experiences.

For more information, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.

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