NCERA215: Contribution of 4-H Participation to the Development of Social Capital Within Communities

While the benefits of 4-H participation are well documented for youth, little is known about the impact of 4-H participation on community social capital, largely due to measurement challenges. 4-H programs foster youth-adult partnerships that encourage active participation by youth and adults, often over many years. The development of habits of community contribution is a key outcome of 4-H programs (Lerner et al, 2008) and a marker of community health that requires renewal in each generation. We wish to determine how these unique partnerships contribute to the well being of youth and of the greater community in which the 4-H development program is based. For the purposes of this project, the words 4-H and 4-H youth development have the same meaning and refer to any youth program of Cooperative Extension, unless 4-H club is singled out for specific purposes.

This is a multi-state research project focusing on determining the impact of 4-H participation on community social capital.