USU Extension Receives 4-H Families Count Award

Brian Higginbotham, assistant professor in the department of family, consumer, and human development at Utah State University, applied for a Families Count Award to recognize the Youth and Families with Promise Mentoring program. The YFP has been awarded a 2006 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Award. The award includes a $15,000 grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

“The YFP program is more than just 4-H,” said Kevin Kesler, director of USU Extension’s 4-H and youth programs. “It is also more than just mentoring. The YFP program is a prevention program for youth at-risk, ages 10-14, and their families. Targeted risks include below-average school performance, poor social skills and weak family bonds. Youth are referred by school counselors, teachers and administrators, as well as other youth organizations. Approximately 50 percent of participants live in rural counties. There are 32 sites offering YFP, and each site averages 20 youth. This translates to reaching about 700 Utah youth each year.”

 

The original YFP program, established in 1994, was supported by the USU Extension office in Iron County. Over time, the program expanded to all Utah counties and support came from multiple federal, state, county and local sources.

 

In an effort to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency, USU Extension has made it a priority to promote the “developmental assets” of youth at-risk and their families, Kesler said. This means giving youth the tools to increase their chances of success and reducing risky behaviors. The 4-H program has led this effort as part of its overarching mission to “assist youth in acquiring knowledge, building character and developing life skills in a fun learning environment that will enable them to become self-directing, productive members of society.”

 

“For the past 10 years, 4-H YFP has served an ongoing need to strengthen Utah's disadvantaged youth and rural families,” said Chuck Gay, associate vice president for University Extension. “The program meets this need by cultivating positive behaviors and mentors as role-models. Since the development of 4-H YFP, thousands of children and families have received the benefits of a caring mentor, supportive 4-H clubs and the opportunities to strengthen family bonds. Our communities also benefit as local advisory boards, partners and concerned citizens come together to assure that youth and mentors are supported. The program is particularly valuable to our youth in rural counties where positive youth development programs are in short supply.”