4-H volunteer attainment of quality positive youth development practices

Abstract

The University of Florida 4-H program evaluated volunteer perceptions of behavior adoption resulting from the completion of training focused on best practices that promote positive youth development. The evaluation effort was a quasi-experimental design that surveyed all enrolled volunteers electronically. The survey was designed to determine the types and frequency of training that 4-H volunteers participated in, their satisfaction with the training, the volunteer’s role of service, and outcomes of adopting best practices of program quality. A response rate of 27% (n = 340) provided a representative sample of the enrolled volunteers across demographic categories and geographical regions of the state. The results show that volunteers report practicing elements of positive youth development as categorized by the Essential Elements framework and that correlations between the type of training volunteers participate in and their implementation of quality practices are significant. Implications for volunteer trainings include the consideration of frequency, expanding opportunities beyond traditional delivery, and incorporating training elements that promote high-quality youth programming. This evaluation effort provides baseline data that informs future research for the Florida 4-H program.