As Extension reaches out to first- and second-generation Latinos, changes must be made in the design and delivery of programs. These changes often cause concern among existing audiences and some staff who wonder about the need for them and their impact on programs and Extension\u27s future. Part of the challenge of Extension outreach includes bringing concerned participants and staff along to understand the cultural characteristics of diverse community members and how these affect programming. New approaches do not mean the mission of Extension has changed; they mean that Extension is becoming more capable of serving all audiences

Hobbs, Beverly B

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The Journal of Extension Volume 42 Number 4 Article 2 8-1-2004 Latino Outreach Programs: Why They Need to Be Different Beverly B. Hobbs Oregon State University, beverly.hobbs@oregonstate.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Hobbs, B. B. (2004). Latino Outreach Programs: Why They Need to Be Different. The Journal of Extension, 42(4), Article 2. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol42/iss4/2 This Commentary is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesAugust	2004	//	Volume	42	//	Number	4	//	Commentary	//	4COM10Latino	Outreach	Programs:	Why	They	Need	to	Be	DifferentAbstractAs	Extension	reaches	out	to	first-	and	second-generation	Latinos,	changes	must	be	made	in	thedesign	and	delivery	of	programs.	These	changes	often	cause	concern	among	existing	audiencesand	some	staff	who	wonder	about	the	need	for	them	and	their	impact	on	programs	andExtension's	future.	Part	of	the	challenge	of	Extension	outreach	includes	bringing	concernedparticipants	and	staff	along	to	understand	the	cultural	characteristics	of	diverse	communitymembers	and	how	these	affect	programming.	New	approaches	do	not	mean	the	mission	ofExtension	has	changed;	they	mean	that	Extension	is	becoming	more	capable	of	serving	allaudiences.IntroductionIncreasingly,	Extension	programs	across	the	country	are	working	to	meet	the	needs	and	interestsof	Latino	Americans.	The	rapid	growth	of	the	Latino	population	since	1990	has	caused	manycounties	that	previously	had	little	or	no	Latino	representation	to	become	home	to	significantnumbers	of	Latino	residents.	Often	Latinos	represent	a	new	audience	for	county	Extensionprograms	and	one	that	is	not	readily	integrated	into	existing	programs.To	successfully	engage	Latino	audiences,	particularly	first-	and	second-generation	Latinos,programs	must	be	culturally	responsive;	that	is,	they	must	reflect	the	cultural	traditions,	beliefs,and	values	of	the	people	(Koss-Chioino	&	Vargas,	1999).	When	we	do	this,	Latino	participationincreases	dramatically.	But	the	changes	we	make	often	cause	concern	among	our	traditionalaudiences	and	even	some	Extension	staff.	They	question	the	need	for	these	changes	and	to	acertain	extent	feel	threatened	by	them.	Is	Extension	creating	a	new	identity?	What	will	be	the	costto	existing	programs?	For	Extension	staff,	what	new	skills	are	needed?As	Extension	seeks	to	diversify	its	audience,	it	must	work	to	bring	traditional	audiences	along.(Schauber	&	Castania,	2001).	An	important	step	in	that	process	is	to	help	them	better	understandthe	cultural	characteristics	of	diverse	community	participants	and	how	they	relate	to	anontraditional	design	and	delivery	of	educational	programs.	Knowledge	of	cultural	differences	willhelp	explain	the	need	for	change	and	will	reassure	existing	audiences	that	the	addition	of	newapproaches	does	not	mean	the	mission	and	goals	of	Extension	are	changing,	only	that	Extension	isbecoming	more	capable	of	addressing	the	needs	of	a	diverse	population.An	Example	of	ChangeThe	experience	of	the	Oregon	4-H	program	provides	a	good	example	of	what	kinds	of	programmodifications	may	be	made	in	outreach	programs	targeted	to	Latinos.	Although	outreach	4-Hprograms	share	many	of	the	characteristics	of	the	traditional	4-H	program	(the	same	goals,delivery	modes,	member	and	leader	application	processes,	use	of	the	4-H	symbol	and	pledge,	etc.)there	are	differences.	These	differences	include	the	following:Spanish	is	often	used	in	4-H	settings;New	content	is	introduced,	like	soccer,	mural	painting,	and	traditional	dance;Beverly	B.	HobbsAssociate	Professor	and	Extension	4-H	SpecialistOregon	State	UniversityCorvallis,	Oregonbeverly.hobbs@oregonstate.eduLatino	youth	are	usually	enrolled	in	clubs	that	have	predominantly	Latino	members;Volunteer	training	may	be	held	separately;	andStaff	time	is	specifically	dedicated	to	Latino	support.There	is	sound	rationale	for	each	of	these	practices.Spanish	or	Bilingual	CommunicationAlthough	Latinos	overwhelmingly	believe	learning	to	speak	English	is	key	to	success	in	the	UnitedStates,	many	Latino	adults,	and	some	youth,	have	limited	proficiency	in	English	(Pew	HispanicCenter,	2002;	Tse,	2001).	While	youth	quickly	learn	English	in	school,	adults	have	less	opportunityto	gain	English	skills.	They	often	work	long	hours	and	have	irregular	work	schedules,	and	ESLclasses	either	may	not	be	available	or	only	offer	basic	English	instruction	(Portes	&	Rumbaut,1990).	If	Latino	adults	are	going	to	be	involved	with	4-H	as	parents	and/or	as	volunteers,	it	maywell	be	necessary	to	communicate	with	them	in	Spanish,	both	in	oral	and	written	formats.Additionally,	it	also	means	that	4-H	activities	led	by	monolingual	Spanish	speakers	will	be	deliveredin	Spanish.There	is	another	consideration	that	supports	the	use	of	Spanish.	Language	and	culture	are	closelyintertwined	(LAB	at	Brown	University,	2002).	Even	when	Latino	adults	are	fluent	in	English,	theyappreciate	the	respect	for	their	culture	that	is	conveyed	when	Spanish	is	used.	The	Spanishlanguage	affirms	their	culture;	therefore,	programs	that	support	Latino	families	incorporate	theSpanish	language	as	warranted	(Family	Support	America,	2003).Nontraditional	Projects	and	Program	DeliveryIn	4-H,	youth	and	their	leaders	are	able	to	explore	any	topic	that	sparks	their	curiosity	and	interest.While	4-H	project	areas	found	nationwide,	such	as	foods,	horticulture,	and	computer	technology,appeal	to	many	Latino	youth,	Latino	members	have	also	expressed	an	interest	in	nontraditionalprojects	such	as	soccer	and	cultural	dance.	The	latter	project	areas	fall	under	the	4-H	umbrella	justas	a	new	project	in	fishing	or	softball	would.The	goal	of	4-H	is	positive	youth	development	through	experiential	learning,	not	mastery	ofparticular	subject	matter.	Including	projects	that	affirm	the	Latino	culture	help	Latino	youthdevelop	an	understanding	and	acceptance	of	their	ethnicity	and	thus	contribute	to	thedevelopment	of	a	positive	self-concept	(Phinney,	1997).	It	also	addresses	parents�	desires	thattheir	children	learn	about	and	take	pride	in	their	culture.Latino	outreach	programs	may	also	introduce	a	family	approach	to	program	delivery.	More	thanEuro-Americans,	Latinos	often	participate	in	activities	as	a	family	(National	Latino	Children�sInstitute,	2003).	Thus	some	4-H	programs	may	involve	youth	and	adults	in	the	same	activities	orthere	may	be	an	adult	component	that	occurs	at	the	same	time	as	the	youth	program	(Bairstow,Berry,	&	Driscoll,	2002).Predominantly	Latino	Club	MembershipInitially,	4-H	clubs	that	involve	Latinos	are	largely	made	up	of	just	Latino	youth.	This	may	leadsome	to	conclude	that	there	is	a	separate	4-H	program	for	Latinos.	There	is	not.	The	emergence	ofclubs	that	serve	a	majority	of	Latino	youth	is	an	expected	outcome	of	outreach.	Latino	familiesoften	have	limited	understanding	of	the	expectations	of	the	majority	culture,	including	theexpectations	of	the	4-H	program,	and	many	have	experienced	discrimination	in	largely	Euro-American	settings	(Pew	Hispanic	Center,	2002).	They	are	uncertain	how	they	will	fit	in,	whether	ornot	they	will	be	accepted.Therefore	it	is	hard	to	bring	families	into	the	existing	4-H	framework.	They	need	to	be	in	asupportive,	comfortable	environment	that	reflects	their	culture	while	they	build	understanding	andskills	that	will	allow	them	to	successfully	interact	in	the	greater	mainstream	program	(Cortes,1999).	As	confidence	and	skills	develop,	youth	and	families	should	be	encouraged	to	participate	inother	parts	of	the	4-H	program	that	include	members	from	across	groups.	The	ultimate	goal	is	theestablishment	of	a	fully	inclusive	county	and	state	4-H	program.Separate	Training	for	Latino	VolunteersThe	lack	of	both	fluency	in	English	and	a	deep	understanding	of	Euro-American	culture	make	itnecessary	in	many	cases	to	provide	separate	training	for	Latino	volunteers.	Other	contributingfactors	may	include	a	lack	of	understanding	of	youth	development	organizations	and	the	role	ofvolunteers	and	low	literacy	levels	in	both	English	and	Spanish.	Volunteers	may	also	need	moresupport	in	completing	paperwork.	As	a	result,	training	for	Latino	volunteers	may	need	to	beconducted	in	Spanish,	may	require	incorporating	more	demonstration	and	oral	presentation	asteaching	methods,	needs	to	be	set	within	the	cultural	context	of	participants,	and	will	require	moreinformation	about	the	organization	and	how	volunteers	contribute.Dedicated	Staff	SupportGaining	the	involvement	of	Latino	families	in	4-H	often	takes	dedicated	staff	time.	Latinoinvolvement	is	premised	on	establishing	personal	relationships	with	Latino	community	membersand	developing	a	level	of	trust,	two	very	time	consuming	tasks	(Hobbs,	2000).	Once	Latino	familiesare	interested	in	4-H,	it	is	often	necessary	for	staff	to	be	very	involved	in	program	delivery.	Beforeadults	will	volunteer,	they	have	to	see	programs	in	action	so	they	know	4-H	is	a	worthwhile	use	oftheir	family�s	time	and	so	they	will	understand	how	they	can	contribute.	Staff	may	deliverprograms	alone	or,	as	time	passes,	they	may	co-teach	with	volunteers	or	otherwise	provide	themwith	direct	support.	Staff	support	is	facilitated	if	staff	members	are	bilingual/bicultural.ConclusionThere	are	good	reasons	why	Latino	outreach	programs	may	look	different	and	be	conductedseparately.	This	does	not	make	them	less	a	part	of	the	Extension	program.	They	simply	representan	expansion	of	the	ways	Extension	uses	to	fulfill	its	mission.	In	the	case	of	4-H,	for	example,	all	4-H	members,	whether	Latino	or	not,	belong	to	the	same	county	and	state	4-H	programs	and	shareequally	the	privilege	of	participating	in	4-H	activities	or	events.As	the	United	States	increasingly	becomes	more	multi-cultural,	Extension	must	continue	to	expandits	ability	to	serve	people	from	culturally	diverse	groups.	Extension	staff	as	well	as	the	audiencesthey	serve	must	be	ready	to	entertain	new	perspectives	and	new	ways	of	doing.ReferencesBairstow,	R.,	Berry,	H.,	&	Driscoll,	D.	(2002).	Tips	for	teaching	non-traditional	audiences.	Journal	ofExtension	[On-line],	40(2).	Available	at:	http://www.joe.org/joe/2002december/tt1.shtmlCortes,	C.	(1999,	January	1).	Building		community	from	communities.	NetResults.	RetrievedOctober	10,	2003	from	http://www.naspa.org/netresultsFamily	Support	America.	(n.d.).	Principles	of	family	support	practice.	Retrieved	October	10,	2003from	http://www.familysupportamerica.org/content/learning_dir/principles.htmHobbs,	B.	(2000).	Recruiting	and	supporting	Latino	volunteers.	Corvallis,	OR:	Oregon	StateUniversity	Extension.Pew	Hispanic	Center/Kaiser	Family	Foundation.	(December	2002).	The	2002	national	survey	ofLatinos.	Retrieved	October	10,	2003	from	http://www.kff.orgKoss-Chioino,	J.,	&	Vargas,	L.	(1999).	Working	with	Latino	youth:	Culture,	development,	andcontext.	San	Francisco:	Jossey-Bass	Publishers.LAB	at	Brown	University.	(n.d.).	The	diversity	kit:	An	introductory	resource	for	social	change	ineducation.	Retrieved	October	10,	2003	from	http://www.lab.brown.edu/tdl/diversitykitNational	Latino	Children�s	Institute.	(n.d.).	National	Latino	children�s	agenda:	Guiding	principles.Retrieved	October	10,	2003	from	http://www.nlci.org/org/About%20agenda.htmPhinney,	J.,	Cantu,	C.,	&	Kurtz,	D.	(1997).	Ethnic	and	American	identity	as	predictors	of	self-esteemamong	African	American,	Latino,	and	White	adolescents.	Journal	of	Youth	and	Adolescence,	26(2),165-185.Portes,	A.,	&	Rumbaut,	R.	(1990).	Immigrant	America.	Berkeley,	CA:	University	of	California	Press.Schauber,	A.	&	Castania,	K.	(2001).	Facing	issues	of	diversity:	Rebirthing	the	Extension	Service.Journal	of	Extension	[On-line],	41(5).	Available	at:http://www.joe.org/joe/2001december/comm2.htmlTse,	L.	(2001).	Why	don't	they	learn	English?:	Separating	fact	from	fallacy	in	the	U.	S.	languagedebate.	New	York:	Teachers	College	Press.	Discussion

Latino Outreach Programs: Why They Need to Be Different

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Latino Outreach Programs: Why They Need to Be Different

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