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4-H Teen Leaders
Leadership skills can be learned and developed by anyone. They include all of the qualities necessary to guide a group from one point to another. Leaders use their personal knowledge, skills and influence to establish relationships with people and help others meet their goals. Leaders need to understand varieties of leadership styles, skills and qualities and know in which situations to use them. Ideal leaders are able to lead and teach leadership at the same time. They share their talents with group members so that everyone may benefit and grow. Leaders become effective by modeling the skills and characteristics they seek to pass on to others. They acquire trust by being a person of good character and they achieve power by empowering others. Leadership is something you believe in, but also something you put into action! A great way to learn about leadership is through developing leadership skills. 4-H offers youth the opportunity to learn about leadership skills and practice them at the same time. Deciding to be a teen leader in 4-H means looking at your involvement in your club and community and changing the way you participate by kicking it up a notch! By learning leadership skills, teens can take on new roles, and more effectively put their ideas into action. Annually, more than 5,000 teens registered as 4-H teen leaders. Learn what a 4-H teen leader is, what you can do as a teen leader and how to get involved. What is a 4-H teen leader? For the purpose of using the 4-H Teen Leadership materials, a 4-H teen leader will be defined as a young person who is:
Though a 4-H teen may be learning and developing leadership skills, to be a 4-H teen leader, the young person also needs to be practicing what he or she has learned and reflecting on the leadership experiences. First-time activities should be designed so that the teen can gain confidence in his or her skills and abilities. Experiences should become more challenging as the teens develop their leadership skills. Overall objectives of 4-H teen leadership
What does a 4-H teen leader do? A 4-H teen leader is a youth between the ages of 13 and 19 who is interested in developing and practicing his or her leadership skills. Teens can become a 4-H teen leader in two general ways: by developing their personal leadership skills and/or by completing a 4-H teen leadership project. Teens can develop their leadership skills in lots of ways and places. They can attend Kettunen Center workshops, regional events like Leadermete, statewide events like 4-H Exploration Days or 4-H Capitol Experience, or national events like Citizenship Washington Focus. Teens can participate in Web-based learning, like Teens Reaching Youth through Innovative Teams (TRY-IT). Most importantly, teens can personally develop leadership skills in their community and club by putting what they have learned into action. 4-H teen leaders take the time and commitment to develop leadership skills. Commonly, teen leaders take on more responsibility in their club, work closely with adults and 4-H staff, serve on committees or counsels, and/or help younger 4-H’ers in their project area. Annually, 4-H teen leaders choose to complete at least two teen leader activities. (See Examples of 4-H Teen Leader Activities and Long-Term Projects for suggested examples of teen leader activities.) At the most basic level, 4-H teen leaders will generally be expected to regularly attend club meetings, reflect upon their experiences with the 4-H Teen Leader Portfolio, assist younger 4-H’ers and assist club leaders with meetings. Through 4-H teen leadership, teens gain practical skills by achieving set goals they have defined. How is being involved in a 4-H teen leadership project different from just being a 4-H teen leader? An excellent way for 4-H’ers to discover what makes a leader successful is to become involved with a 4-H teen leadership project. 4-H teen leaders doing a 4-H teen leadership project can choose to take on a leadership role defined by themselves and their chosen adult advisor, which involves more responsibility, time and work. 4-H teen leaders who have been involved in developing their leadership skills for some time can expand their experience by taking on a specific project. The 4-H teen leadership project allows teens to actively participate in project planning, become involved in leadership tasks, and help younger 4-H members learn by example. 4-H teen leaders who are involved in a 4-H teen leadership project have different requirements and complete the 4-H Teen Leadership Project Guide, which allows teens to discuss and reflect upon their project plan and project goals. What is a 4-H teen leadership project? A 4-H teen leadership project is a community service-learning activity (such as designing and implementing a community service event, leading an existing volunteer project or identifying and addressing a community issue). The 4-H teen leadership project takes place over the course of the 4-H year. The project includes one activity or series of activities that benefits an individual or group outside of the teen leader’s local club. Teens completing a 4-H teen leadership project are encouraged to be involved in 4-H as a teen leader at least one year prior to taking on a leadership project. 4-H club leaders, 4-H staff members, parents and community members advise and work with teen leaders to complete the specific project. An advisor should consider the personal goals and abilities of the teen leader and also the needs of the specific 4-H club and the community. The advisor and teen should work closely to decide what the teen leader’s responsibilities will be. How can a teen in 4-H get involved with leadership?
What can teens get out of being involved in 4-H teen leadership? Teens can gain a lot from learning about and acting in leadership roles!
Examples of leadership skills teens learn and practice as a 4-H teen leader
(Above examples of leadership skills adapted with permission from: Ohio State 4-H Youth Development, Teen Leadership: Background, Leadership, 2005) 4-H Teen Leadership Resources The following resources are available in either Adobe Acrobat PDF format or Microsoft Word. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the pdf (Portable Document Format) files. If you don't already have the Acrobat Reader, you can download it from the Adobe site.
4-H Teen Leader Training Opportunities Kettunen Center in Tustin, Michigan, offers statewide Michigan 4-H leader training opportunities. Acknowledgments Authors who contributed to this Web site: Monica Borgman, 4-H Program Associate and Natural Helpers State Coordinator, Isabella County; Michelle Neff, 4-H Extension Educator, Clare County; Cyndi Mark, Ph.D., Program Leader, State 4-H Office; Amy Rosechandler, Collegiate Program Assistant, State 4-H Office; Kathy Walters-Surratt, 4-H Extension Educator, Barry County An Overview of 4-H Teen Leadership was adapted from:
Contact Information For more information on how to get involved as a youth or volunteer, contact your county MSU Extension office or: Cyndi Mark, Program Leader4-H Youth Development Michigan State University 160 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 USA Phone: 517-432-7602 Copyright
© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Michigan State University
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What is a leader?
Be a youth mentor.