YOUth Have a Voice!

Youth in Governance and Civic Engagement Program

icon for the YOUth Have A Voice! 4-H programYouth Have a Voice is a teen leadership program open to any Maine high school age student who is interested in taking a more active role in serving their local communities, the state, or the country. Youth will learn leadership skills and ways to participate in civic action by completing a service project on a topic of their interest. New members are admitted on a rotating basis as open spots become available.

4-H teenagers, 2022 Youth in Action Winners in Washington DC, civic engagement
Click image or click the following link to visit the Program Requirements page to learn more about the program.

Youth projects will include participating in at least two of the following categories of activities:


Youth Board Member

Join a board or advisory council as a youth representative.


Policy Leader

Provide input to a policy or rule being developed or a public forum about a community need.


Public Service Leader

Carry out a community service project.


Teens are matched with adult mentors and 4-H staff advisors to provide guidance on their projects, assist their learning of civic processes and plan ways to meet project goals. The program will admit new members in fall 2024 as resources become available. The total time commitment may vary from 30 to 80 hours depending on the type of project. The program is open for teens ages 14+ years old or entering high school in the fall of 2023.

Registration will open in August 2024!

Letters of interest are welcome anytime and may be emailed to Andrew Hudacs at andrew.hudacs@maine.edu.

If you believe, after reviewing our program requirements, you are eligible and agree to meet all requirements of this program, proceed to complete and submit the following:

Application Form: YOUth Have a Voice: Youth in Governance and Civic Engagement Program

The number of new members admitted will be limited by the number of available mentors and other resources.

icon for a mentor/mentee relationship in the YOUth Have A Voice! 4-H program

Be a Mentor!

Attention UMaine students: Ask us about becoming a mentor for this awesome 4-H teen leadership program!

Opportunity for UMaine Students

Roles and Expectations

Application: University and College Students

ipad with a calendar on its displayApproximate Program Timeline,
2024-2025 for YOUth Have a Voice

View the Timeline

Please contact Andrew Hudacs, Assistant Extension Professor, 4-H Statewide Teen Leadership and Workforce Development (UMaine Extension), by email at andrew.hudacs@maine.edu, or call 207.581.8204.


In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).