Professional Development Offerings:

We are pleased to offer professional development workshops to support the 4-H System to reach its National 4-H Grows & Opportunity vision.

To solicit a workshop, we ask you complete this survey and have a minimum of 10 interested participants from your state or region. Workshop presenters will follow up with you.

1. Identity Inclusion in Extension Programming

In this workshop we will provide PYD practitioners with a toolkit for approaching outreach within Indigenous communities. Presenters will conduct a close overview of the Peoplehood Site Assessment Tool and review strategies for making program spaces identity focused. Presenters will discuss essential/common themes of identity, and the positive impacts that identity inclusion can have on program relevance and impacts.

Discussion and presentation topics will include:

Overview of the Peoplehood Site Assessment Tool.
Overview of existing resources that inform efforts with First Nations.
Provide guidance on structuring programs and evaluations to focus on participant identity as primary.
Identifying community assets.
Developing social capital and community recognition.

Mode of Delivery: Virtual and Recorded Module

Duration: 60 minutes

Contact Person: Josh Farella / farella1@arizona.edu

2. Understanding Poverty: A Six-Week Series of Readings with Discussion Groups

The objectives of these sessions are to:

better understand poverty, including barriers and constraints those living in poverty may face.
understand personal biases or assumptions about poverty.
familiar with varying dimensions of poverty (i.e., urban; rural; intersectionality with race, gender, etc.).
learn strategies for implementing 4-H programs that are accessible to all regardless of income or possible barriers faced by youth living in poverty.

In this six-week virtual series, participants will read 2-3 short reading weekly. The readings will be followed by a 45-60 minute opportunity to talk about the readings using discussion questions.

Mode of Delivery: Virtual

Duration: 45-60 minutes for each session

Contact: Jen Hargrove / hargrove@iastate.edu

3. Providing 4-H Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care

Learning objectives:

Learn strategies to collaborate with foster care agencies.
Greater understanding of how working with foster care case workers can facilitate the identification wrap around services to support youth in foster care and their families.

Trauma informed care is different with every child in a foster care situation. While working with Alaska Center for Resource Families, a 4-H program was created to address some of the more common challenges such as change management, identifying and working through emotions, etc. Input from case workers was also important in identifying additional services for youth and resources for foster parents. A family club environment provided opportunity for the entire family to participate, with 4-H club programming for youth and a time for parents to discuss the life skills that were being focused on with the youth.

Mode of delivery: Virtual

Duration: 1 hour.

Contact: Candi Propp Dierenfield, PhD / dierenfieldc@ufl.edu