Volume 5, Issue 3

Positive Youth Development

Beginning with Volume 3 Issue 4 of The Cloverpatch, we have featured a series of nine articles related to the topic of positive youth development. This issue deals with the eighth of the eight critical elements.

PYD Critical Elements – – An Appropriately Structured Environment

The 4-H Cloverbud group becomes an excellent educational experience if the setting is an appropriately structured environment. Youth need established rules and norms regarding appropriate and non-appropriate behavior. Rules and guidelines make it easier for youth to understand what’s expected of them as well as how to conduct themselves appropriately and successfully. The premise is that youth need to be provided with consistent messages about how to participate in programs and activities.

The following are a few tips to consider in providing your 4-H Cloverbud group an appropriately structured environment.

• Involve youth reviewing, clarifying, and if necessary, revising the group’s behavior guidelines. Giving youth a say in determining their groups’ rules makes sense for several reasons. It will help them recognize that rules are not meant to be harsh but rather to support the smooth functioning of their group. Youth who understand the reason for rules -- as well as the consequences for breaking them -- will be far more likely to follow them. Discussing the rules or guidelines ahead of time with youth will help to ensure that the rules meet the needs of youth rather than just the convenience of adults. Behavior guidelines help to provide balance between adult supervision and youth autonomy. When youth have a voice in the behavior guideline discussions, they will be more likely to take them seriously.
• Clear and consistent rules of behavior need to be communicated to participants and parents. Rules or behavior guidelines need to be voted upon by the 4-H Cloverbuds and volunteers. Once rules have been created, they need to be posted at meetings. They also need to be shared with families, both verbally and in writing. Members and volunteers can help to enforce the rules in a fair and consistent manner. These rules help to provide structure and boundaries for the group.
• Insure that adult volunteers and other helpers know the behavior guidelines and that they treat all youth fairly in their implementation. Guidelines can help identify expectations. 4-H Cloverbud volunteers need to be consistent and fair in dealing with inattention or misbehavior. However, if the volunteers are going to ignore the rules, then it doesn’t make sense to expect youth to follow rules. When you allow youth to break rules, then you imply that the rules weren’t really important or don’t apply to all people equally.
• Create a consistent meeting structure and format for each session. Cloverbuds thrive in structured environments. Volunteers may want to explain the “parts of the meeting” or outline the meeting on a poster so that members can see the progression of the activities and the timeline. If there is going to be a change in the format, it is wise to explain this ahead of time and why it is happening. 4-H Cloverbuds will then enjoy coming to meetings.
• Use a structured curriculum like the Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Series to provide age appropriate activities for your meetings. Volunteers should have a plan for 4-H Cloverbud meeting with goals and objectives outlined.
• Maintain regular and ongoing communication with parents. A telephone tree, group newsletter, group web site, family nights or activities, and the pairing of new and tenured youth will help families feel welcome and knowledgeable. This will help to sustain your group and will help families participate more fully in the program.

Behavior Guidelines

4-H Cloverbud volunteers can prevent many behavior problems from occurring by engaging 4-H Cloverbud members in a brainstorming activity to determine their own group rules. Once rules have been determined, and reviewed at each meeting, members become familiar with the behavior expectations of adult volunteers.

After brainstorming, work to select rules that are:

• Needed and necessary. If there isn’t a good reason for the rule, it probably shouldn’t be included.
• Enforceable. If a rule can’t be enforced, then it probably shouldn’t be created.
• Easy to understand. Rules should be written for everyone and be the same for everyone.
• Stated in a positive way. Good behavior should be the result of the rules.

Rules should be written in simple language appropriate for 5 – 8 year olds. Rules should also be illustrated if possible to assist pre-readers in identifying the rules. Members might be asked to review the rules at the beginning of each meeting.

4-H Cloverbud volunteers need to review and update their group’s behavior guidelines each year. Remember that new members and families join each year. In addition, each year your members are another year older. So the same rules may not be necessary or effective year after year. For additional training on “Behavior Guidelines,” contact your local Extension Office and ask about the 4-H Cloverbud training on developing 4-H Cloverbud group rules and on techniques for handling behavior problems.