By Megan Thorson

Megan Thorson is a County 4-H program coordinator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service for Freeborn County.

Last year in 2016, a logic model was revised by a team of colleagues in 4-H youth development. This logic model was put together to help people understand Minnesota 4-H youth development in particular. The overall program goals of 4-H encompasses two words: learning and leading. Youth will learn by developing a passion in their areas of interest and youth will lead by being innovators and social change agents.

Some of the inputs that are used to help with these goals include: 67,000 youth, 150 staff and 9,000 volunteers. Our volunteers give over 988,300 hours of service to the organization. It takes partnerships and financial support from the nation, state, county and locally to fund 4-H in each county. Some strategies used by Minnesota 4-H is delivering programs guided by research based curriculum and methods that support the learning and positive youth development of young people. 4-H also develops 4-H clubs/groups that offer quality learning environments and creates multiple opportunities for youth to grow and expand their leadership skills to serve as social change agents to improve communities.

4-H creates opportunities for youth to build relationships with adults and peers through low youth to adult ratios and teaches volunteers and youth workers to create high quality, culturally responsive learning environments. 4-H is striving to get youth to become innovators that use their passions to advance society and learn and lead in a global society.

This logic model was revised in 2016 by a team of 4-H Youth development professionals. J. Skuza, S. Grant, R. Harrington, H. Haugen and N. Pokorney.

For more information about 4-H in Freeborn County, contact Megan Thorson or Amy Wadding, 4-H program coordinators at 377-5660.