Focus
- Our program aims to continue raising expectations, building self-esteem, improving lifestyles and involving youth and adults together in developing solutions to everyday personal and community related problems.
- Efforts will continue to build on short term and on-going special interest projects exposing youth to the full spectrum of 4-H activities that nurture character and life-long learning habits.
- After school and curriculum enrichment programs include but are not limited to:
> Food & Nutrition > Leadership > Fine Arts > Photography
> Horticulture & Gardening > Technology > Arts & Crafts > Ag Literacy
> Computer Science > Recreation > Entomology >Public Speaking
> Natural Resources & Wildlife >Personal Development & Community Service
Goal
- Place emphasis on preventive education rather than intervention and treatment by using traditional 4-H curriculum that addresses problems facing our target population from primarily at-risk, minority, economically challenged and military communities.
- Enable youth to reach their full potential by acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will enable them to become competent, caring and productive members of society.
4-H Community Partnerships
Partner Organizations
Partnerships with other youth-serving agencies are a critical part of our efforts to offer 4-H opportunities to all youth in our community. 4-H has many high quality projects and learning experiences to offer youth. And, there are many site-based youth organizations in need of hands-on programs to keep the young people they work with engaged, challenged, and in a positive peer setting. By bringing our 4-H youth development model, project resources and volunteers to partnership sites we can increase both our impact and that of the partner organization.
We work with many other youth agencies in Bexar County including:
- Alamo Area Mutual Housing
- Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department
- Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio
- Community Housing Corporation Apartment Complexes
- Good Samaritan Community Services
- U.S. Army Child, Youth & School Services-Fort Sam Houston, U.S.
- Air Force Child, Youth & School Services – Lackland AFB & Randolph AFB
- The San Antonio School for Inquiry & Creativity
Some of these organizations have their own long-term 4-H clubs and others bring youth to our special program opportunities. We are always looking for more organizations where we can help make a positive impact on youth.
What do we look for in our partner organizations?
There are specific types of community organization models that would be suitable for the long-term commitment necessary to make a positive difference in the live of youth and families in need of support. Certain ingredients should be included to enhance potential success of the partnership. Those elements are as follows:
- Serving youth is a part of their mission.
- Understanding the circumstances and family structures from which youth the families live.
- Willingness to be involved in the specific neighborhoods and communities from which youth and families reside.
- Currently involved in successful projects in these neighborhoods and communities.
- Willingness to devote ample time for long-term beneficial outcomes.
- Solicit involvement of youths’ parents, guardians and other family members in the process.
- Documenting the learning experience received by youth.
- Sharing the process with other community organizations.
- Stress academic and social development.
- Emphasize developing leadership and other life skills.
- Expose youth to careers and business opportunities for adult life.
- Provide role models to youth and families.
What Do Kids Do at 4-H Outreach Sites?
4-H members at Outreach Sites can do anything in 4-H! We encourage all 4-H members to:
- Complete at least one 4-H Project (at least 6 activities)
- Do at least one community service project
- Participate in at least two county level contests or events
Some of the most popular projects at our community partnership sites are:
- Arts & Crafts
- Community Service
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Photography
- Junior Master Gardeners
We need Project Leaders! If you have special skills in a subject or hobbies such as gardening, aerospace, public speaking, sewing, cooking, small business and more, we need you. Check out our Volunteer Resource page to learn more about how you can work with youth through Bexar County 4-H.
How can you help?
4-H always needs more adult volunteers. We tell people that there is no limit to the number of youth who would enjoy being part of a youth organization such as 4-H. Our membership is limited only by the number of caring and responsible adults who can devote time and energy to work with them. If you would like to be part of our efforts to take 4-H opportunities to limited resource youth, please call our office TODAY at 467-6575. You can also read more about volunteering by going to the Volunteer Resources page of this web site.
How can youth become a member?
4H is 4U ! PPT
