Conference

Building Capacity for Access, Equity, and Belonging--Iowa 4-H Youth Development

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Abstract

Iowa 4-H Youth Development has been engaging young people for over 100 years, offering high-quality learning experiences that support and empower youth as leaders. 4-H is challenged of addressing disparities to meet today’s changing demographics and social realities with compassion and future youth audiences’ needs, while also maintaining its heritage. Iowa 4-H Extension's traditional clientele is white, and rural. The rapidly growing, ethnically diverse population remains under-represented in its Programs. Iowa 4-H Youth Development Program has recognized the need to grow equity within its Programs, and to serve diverse youth and families, yet there is progress to be made. In its efforts to grow more diverse and inclusive Programs, Iowa 4-H has embarked on a commitment to focus on equity and youth work to strategically expand access and remove institutional barriers and practices that limit who can join, feel welcome, and lead. The main purpose of this presentation is to showcase the efforts Iowa 4-H has undertaken: to address cultural diversity more creatively; and to increase equity across the Iowa 4-H Program to improve participation of all youth.