4-H Citizenship & Service Learning

Since its inception, 4-H has placed emphasis on the importance of young people being engaged, well-informed citizens. By connecting to their communities and leaders, youth understand their role in civic affairs and are able to expand their role in decision-making processes. It's clear that civic engagement provides the foundation that helps youth understand the big picture of life and learn the skill sets that will allow them to become wise leaders for the 21st century. The 4-H Citizenship Mission Mandate is one of three missions from the CSREES and USDA. The implementation of the Citizenship Mission is co–facilitated by both USDA and National 4-H Council. Link to the National 4-H Council.

The Citizenship Service-Learning Advisory Council is challenging you to build your citizenship skills.

Take the California 4-H Citizenship Challenge!!

Citizenship

Citizenship development is a basic part of 4-H, and is reflected in many projects and activities conducted by 4-H members and their leaders. What does citizenship mean to you? How do you act as a citizen of your community, your country, your world? There is no limit to the activities you may participate in to become a better citizen. They can be interesting, challenging and fun and can help you learn more about your role as a citizen. Together we develop relationships between ourselves and others. Then we enhance the way you think, feel and act toward family, friends, peers, and people in our community, county, state, nation and world.

What do others think about when they thing of the word "citizenship"? For some, it's pride in country; for others it's involvement in problem-solving and community issues; and still others, it's preservation of natural resources. What about you? How will you use your citizenship and leadership ability to improve your world?

The California Citizenship Program emphasizes five focus areas for citizenship project development. Groups may concentrate in one of these five focus areas, or you may choose to have a learning experience in each. The important point is to make a personal commitment to yourself and your team, and use your citizenship experiences in a positive way so that other individuals and communities benefit from your activities.

Five 4-H Citizenship Focus Areas - (Word) (PDF)

How do you act as a citizen of your community, your country, your world?

See what 4-H members and volunteer leaders in California have done -

Citizenship Focus Plans of Action

Service-Learning

"Service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives with the intent that the activity change both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content." - National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

"Service-learning is a method through which citizenship, academic subjects, skills, and values are taught. It involves active learning--drawing lessons from the experience of performing service work. There are three basic components to effective service-learning:

The first is sufficient preparation, which includes setting objectives for skills to be learned or issues to consider, and includes planning projects so they contribute to learning at the same time work gets done.
The second component is simply performing service.
Third, the participant attempts to analyze the experience and draw lessons, through such means as discussion with others and reflection on the work."

Developed by the Corporation on National and Community Service as part of their briefing materials for national community service. Service-Learning Defined (PDF)




		"The University of California 4-H Youth Development Program Engages Youth in Reaching Their Fullest Potential while Advancing the Field of Youth Development."