Extension/4-H Support For Military Youth And Family Programs

CSREES has developed partnerships with both Army and Air Force to support youth and family programs on installations around the world. In addition to wise use of public resources, these collaborations promote mission readiness for soldiers and airmen and women. With the support of 4-H Extension professionals, military staff provide strong educational programs for children so that military men and women can pursue their critical, high risk assignments knowing that their children are in safe and nurturing environments. 4-H clubs provide quality educational experiences using research-based curricula in photography, computer technology, arts, and citizenship for military youth ages 5 -19. The goal is for military youth to join a 4-H club and to be able to continue their 4-H work wherever they move when their parents are deployed. Extension provides resources and programs in a wide variety of subject areas which can benefit military staff as they serve their youth and families. This site links to information about those programs and contact information for all Land Grant University Extension Services and 3,150 county Extension offices across the country.

How to Reach Extension 4-H and Family Programs:

State 4-H Leaders

State 4-H Leaders at Land-Grant universities in all states and territories provide state-wide programmatic leadership and administrative support for 4-H youth development programs. Use the State 4-H Web Map to locate state 4-H contact information.

State 4-H Military Liaisons

The 4-H Military Liaison is a 4-H specialist who acts as a liaison between local Army and Air Force installations, counties, and CSREES/USDA, and provides guidance and assistance in establishing 4-H clubs and programs on military installations. Locate your State 4-H Military Liaison.

State Family and Consumer Sciences Leaders

Family Consumer Science State Leaders at Land-Grant universities in all states and territories provide state-wide programmatic leadership and administrative support for family development and resource management programs. Find your State Family and Consumer Sciences Program Leader.

USDA/Army Youth Development Project Specialists

USDA/Army Youth Development Project Specialists are Land-Grant university faculty assigned to Army Regional Offices to provide youth development and technology training and technical assistance to Army Child and Youth Services staff.  Specialists provide technical assistance in areas including school age accreditation, youth technology, and in establishing and supporting installation 4-H clubs.  See the list of USDA/Army Youth Development Project Specialists.

Resources:

National 4-H Headquarters

Located at CSREES, US Department of Agriculture. Web site for the 4-H program in the US. Includes: Guidelines for use of the 4-H name and emblem, information about 4-H and how to become a member or volunteer, resources for 4-H members, volunteers, families, and staff, and a directory of 4-H State and County web sites and offices/contacts. Learn more at the National 4-H Headquarters web site.

USDA/Army Youth Development Project

This partnership between CSREES and US Army  Community Family Support Center provides  youth development and technology training and technical assistance to Child and Youth Services program and to help establish 4-H clubs on Army installations world wide.  This partnership includes the “Military 4-H Club Grant Program” which provides s upport to county 4-H programs working with military staff to establish 4-H Clubs on military bases.  The grants are jointly funded by CSREES, Air Force, and Army. For more infromation, visit the USDA/Army Youth Development Project web site.

CYFERnet

'Children, Youth, and Family Education and Research Network” is sponsored by CSREES and partner Land Grant Universities. CYFERnet's web site brings together the best children, youth and family resources of all the public land-grant universities in the country. Materials are peer reviewed by college and university faculty. Materials cover a wide range of research, program, technology, and evaluation areas which could be useful to staff of military children and family programs including Information specifically for military youth and families in times of high deployment and family separation and resources for helping young children and teens deal with violence, terrorism, tragic events, and war. Explore the CYFERnet web site.

USDA/U.S. Air Force Partnerships

CSREES partners with U.S. Air Force on family advocacy research projects and for youth development collaborations in Air Force base communities.  Through the Family Advocacy Research Projects, Land Grant University and Extension professionals help make research, resources, databases and best practices available to support Air Force families.  Projects include a family violence prevalence rate algorithm, risk assessment tools, and conferences for senior military and federal managers.

Air Force Family Member Programs is working with CSREES to provide training for Air Force and 4-H county agents who are collaborating on 4-H clubs and programs on the bases.   This partnership also includes the “Military 4-H Club Grant Program” which provides s upport to county 4-H programs/professionals working with military staff to establish 4-H Clubs on military bases.  The grants are jointly funded by CSREES, Air Force, and Army.

• Air Force Partnership Programs
• Flight Chief Contacts
• Family Outreach Manager Contacts