Exploring the impacts of state 4-h council service on career readiness

Abstract

The State 4-H Council of Missouri 4-H is an experiential leadership opportunity that engages youth as valued, contributing partners and ambassadors of the 4-H organization. While several state programs have a state 4-H council, there is little research regarding these councils or the impacts of state 4-H council service. This study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the experience of State 4-H Council service among alumni within a framework of positive youth development theory. Council membership was found to carry expectations for lasting relationships and a sense of connectedness. In the area of leadership, State 4-H Council service was found to enhance understanding, develop strategies, and foster specific skills that allowed members to utilize these abilities in the early stages of their careers.