WINNIPEG — Social media can play a role in raising awareness of 4-H and engaging youth, say 4-Hers.
The numbers have doubled on 4-H Canada’s Facebook page in the last year, growing to 10,000 followers from 5,000.
Rob Black, past-president of the Canadian 4-H Council, said 4-H Canada uses a host of sites.
“You have to be using the mediums our members are using to connect with them,” said Black.
Valerie Stone, a Youth Advisory Committee member from Ontario, agrees.
“If you create a presence in those electronic social media atmospheres that kids are going to be interacting on, then you create the platform, you provide the information to them and they’ll want to know more, want to be interested, want to join,” she said.
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“They’ll realize it’s not just going to the fair, it’s so much more than that.”
Stone said connecting with youth is key to YAC’s goals.
“4-H is geared toward youth. If there’s no youth at the national level, how’s it going to know what youth is saying?” she said.
YAC was created in 2005, with the chair sitting on the national board for the last two years.
Former YAC chair Kirsten Bevandick said YAC is a voice for youth from each province and an information exchange.
“Our biggest strength was our liaison, strengthening the relationship and communication between YAC and the board of directors in order to make us a successful working group,” she said.
Breanne Durie, YAC chair from Alberta, said the group is also exploring a future leaders program at the university level to retain 4-Hers longer by offering professional development and skills training.
“It gives them a chance to work on those skills,” she said.
Stone cited other examples such as the Sen$e program in Ontario, which provides training on topics ranging from the dairy industry to marketing.
4-H Canada raised the age limit for 4-H to 25 years old last year.
