Level of youth voice in the decision-making process within the 4-H youth development program as perceived by State 4-H Program Leaders, State 4-H Youth Development Specialists, and 4-H Agents/Educators

This study aimed at determining the level of inclusiveness of youth voice in the decision-making process in the 4-H youth development program. It described the 4-H program’s position on youth voice among State 4-H Program Leaders, 4-H State Youth Development Specialists, and 4-H Youth Agents/Educators. The information gathered was utilized in identifying the level of inclusiveness of youth voice in the decision-making process to better understand how to suit youth’s needs, identify promising practices, and barriers. Three underlying constructs were identified that represented State 4-H Program Leader’s, 4-H Youth Development Specialist’s, and 4-H Agent’s/Educator’s personal views on youth voice in the decision-making process. They are as follows: Adult Initiated, Youth Involved; Youth Led, Adult Supported; and Youth Involved, Adult Decision-Making. Findings indicated that as an organization, 4-H, has to gather emerging research on youth voice and base trainings that address the primary issue of youth voice. Four-H needs to become more directional in its purpose and focus on trainings and issues that will aid youth development professionals in becoming true youth developers that address the needs of youth in our nation. Most interaction with youth within the 4-H program takes place at the county/parish level. It is evident that 4-H needs to include youth voice at the state level to ensure that youth needs are being met at the higher levels within the organization. While aware of emerging research on youth voice, 4-H state faculty, need to value the benefits of this new ideology. When viewing youth voice inclusion from the standpoint of organizational culture, it was found that as a youth development program, 4-H has a double standard on including youth voice in the decision-making process. The 4-H youth development program can not include them as full partners and let them have little choice on how and when they participate. Four-H creates a sense of mistrust with youth, and this type of inconsistency will negatively affect youth voice on all levels. It will take time for the organizational culture to shift the paradigm and recognize and adjust the value of, and respect youth voice in the decision-making process

A Qualitative Examination of Youth Voice in the Decision-Making Process within the 4-H Youth Development Program: Promoting Promising Practices in Overcoming Barriers

This paper discusses a national study designed to identify and describe obstacles to youth voice in the decision-making process in the 4-H youth development program from the perception of three distinct populations - State 4-H Program Leaders, 4-H State Youth Development Specialists, and 4-H Youth Agents/Educators. When examining these professionals’ views on the barriers affecting youth voice in the decision-making process, time and scheduling seem to consistently present the largest barrier to youth voice. Involvement in the decision-making process provides a wide range of hurdles including the opportunity structures, involvement procedures, representation and dynamics within the process. Adult power and control provides a significant hurdle to authentic engagement of youth voice in the decision-making progress. Respect barriers were described by concepts such as preconceived notions, trust and valuing input. Additional barriers were identified including organizational culture, lack of transportation, lack of knowledge/experience, lack of preparation, lack of training, fear, misguided leadership, unclear expectations, participation, staffing and lack of resources

Factors Affecting Youth Voice in Decision-Making Processes within Youth Development Programs

Results of a study aimed at determining the factors affecting the level of inclusiveness of youth voice in the decision-making process of the 4-H youth development program are discussed in this paper. State and field level 4-H professionals identified potential factors which affect youth voice in the decision-making process. The information gathered was utilized to identify the degree to which youth voice was incorporated in the decision-making process, to better understand how to suit youth’s needs, identify promising practices, and diagnose barriers towards fostering youth voice within the 4-H youth development program. This feature article presents the findings of the study, and discusses potential ramifications and remedies

Teaching qualitative research methods through service-learning

This paper is the result of a voluntary service-learning component in a qualitative research methods course. For this course, the service-learning project was the evaluation of the benefits to volunteers whom work a crisis hotline for a local crisis intervention center. The service-learning course model used in this paper most closely resembles the problem-based service-learning course model where students work as consultants. This paper focuses on the processes involved and the benefits to students in improving their qualitative research skills through the service-learning project