Texas 4-H putting new SPIN on program participation

‘Special Interest’ model will have short-term, high-impact design

COLLEGE STATION – Texas 4-H is developing and implementing a new club model for youth and families who may not want to participate in a year-long experience, according to program administrators and coordinators.

“Society changes, people change and programs change, and Texas 4-H is no different,” said Dr. Chris Boleman, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 4-H and Youth Development Program director, College Station. “We, too, have to evaluate our program and make changes to most efficiently and effectively meet the needs of our ever-changing audiences.”

Texas 4-H is administered by AgriLife Extension. More than 640,000 youth ages 8-18 are involved in 4-H programs and activities throughout the state each year.

Boleman explained that Texas 4-H is not a “one size fits all” program and that the new Special Interest, or SPIN, clubs being developed will allow kids ages 5-18 with common interests or hobbies to meet as a club and share their special interest.

He said SPIN clubs would be short-term — from a few weeks to a few months — “high-impact” clubs that are flexible and focus on specific activities and skill development related to the chosen special area of interest.

“Whatever their passion is, kids can gain knowledge and enhance their skills through a positive group experience,” Boleman said.

He said some possible special interest areas that might be conducive to the SPIN format could include archery, clothing and textiles, consumer education, entrepreneurship, food and nutrition, photography, poultry, rabbits, recreation, robotics, safe-sitters and wildlife.

According to Boleman, a committee of 4-H and youth development specialists is working out details of SPIN club development and implementation. Details on the new club design will be available on the Texas 4-H and Youth Development website at http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/.

Boleman said a SPIN club could be started with a minimum of one adult volunteer and five young people with an interest in a particular topic.

“SPIN clubs reach out to youth and families with common interests and bring them together,” said Garry Branham, AgriLife Extension 4-H program specialist in San Angelo and Special Interest Club committee member. “These will be a great way to introduce young people to a specific hobby or interest they might not otherwise have an opportunity to develop within a group setting.”

“While the adult provides expertise and guidance, club members will take an active role in planning and running their own activities,” Branham said. “SPIN clubs reach out to youth and families with common interests, bringing them together in a smaller, more personalized group setting.”

Branham is working in cooperation with two other AgriLife Extension 4-H and youth program specialists, Montza Williams in Overton and Kelli Lehman in Vernon, to develop and implement the new club design.

Boleman said the SPIN Club concept recognizes that youth and adults often have a limited amount of free time as a result of multiple interests and commitments.

“These clubs will have the flexibility to provide positive youth development and adult mentorship through varying time frames giving both youth and leaders more flexibility in when and how long they meet,” he said.

Boleman said some of the characteristics of the new SPIN clubs might include:

— Taking the programming to the participants by meeting where it is convenient for them.

— Offering five to six sequential learning experiences — at least two hours of education.

— A flexible and variable time frame for projects or activities, such as meeting once a week for six weeks, twice a week for three weeks or twice a month for three months.

— Offering different curriculum/project-material levels ranging from beginner to advanced.

— A smaller youth-to-adult ratio so more leaders and volunteers can serve as mentors.

“We’ll also want to recruit volunteers for specific roles, including project leaders and to train for specific 4-H criteria,” Boleman said. “4-H programs, at all levels, are only as successful to the extent they tap the creativity, nurturing, wisdom, involvement and skills of volunteers.”

Boleman and the committee members said they hope to interest both active Texas 4-H participants and youth not currently involved in the program in the new SPIN model.

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