There's a youth development organization in your
community that helps young people gain citizenship, leadership, and life skills . . .

It's called 4-H.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is in every county in California. You will recognize 4-H by its green clover. What you may not know is that 4-H is for everybody, for all young people in California, whether they're in small towns, big cities, or anything in between. Today, 4-H is 130,000 young people learning, achieving, and giving back to their communities, supported by 20,000 caring and enthusiastic adult volunteers.

4-H is a place where young people are given many opportunities to build confidence, learn responsibility, and develop skills that will last them a lifetime. It's a place where youth make friends and share interests, ranging from building robots to raising rabbits, from designing web pages to landscape design. It's a place where youth work together to make a positive difference in their community, and adult volunteers make a powerful difference in the lives of young people. Get involved in the 4-H community and make a lasting difference!

LEARNING TOGETHER . . .

The 4-H Youth Development Program is open to all youth, ages 9-19. In some counties, additional programs for "primary" members allow youth to join 4-H beginning at age 5!

BUILDING IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS . . .

With a youth to adult volunteer ratio of 6:1, young people have the opportunity to develop a strong, positive relationship with a caring adult. Research suggests that this may be one of the most important factors for positive youth development.

UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP . . .

Because of the unique partnership between USDA, University of California, and county governments, private funds raised for 4-H go directly to support programs for youth.

How do youth participate in 4-H?

The California 4-H Youth Development Program provides opportunities for youth with experiences in camping, in afterschool settings as a part of 4-H clubs or in community-based 4-H clubs.

4-H also facilitates a variety of in-school programs focused on understanding principles of science. Youth can participate in foreign exchange programs, fairs, shows, and competitions. Youth have opportunities to be leaders at local, regional, state, and national events.

This program promotes hands-on learning and relies on caring adults as volunteers. Youth can participate in project-based learning that is self-directed or in group activities!

The California 4-H Youth Development program gives young people a chance to learn new skills, gain self-confidence and to contribute to their communities. The common theme is youth learning and growing in citizenship, leadership, and life skills.