{"id":4604,"date":"2015-03-10T16:37:25","date_gmt":"2015-03-10T20:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/?page_id=4604"},"modified":"2025-11-24T15:20:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T20:20:37","slug":"eight-essential-elements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/table-of-contents\/eight-essential-elements\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight Essential Elements of 4-H\u00a0(a.k.a. \u2018The BIG-M\u2019)"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter how you choose to volunteer, every 4-H volunteer is involved in high-quality youth development through these essential elements and concepts.<\/p>\n

Concept:<\/em> Belonging<\/strong> \u2013 young people don\u2019t just join 4-H, they belong!<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A positive relationship with a caring adult who acts as an advisor, guide and mentor. The adult helps set clear, supportive boundaries and expectations.<\/li>\n
  2. An inclusive environment is one that creates a sense of belonging and encourages members with positive and specific feedback. All members are celebrated, and everyone takes pride in their collective efforts.<\/li>\n
  3. A safe emotional and physical environment is part of the 4-H experience for youth, whether it\u2019s the learning environment itself, other participants, adults or spectators.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Concept:<\/em> Independence<\/strong> \u2013 young people have opportunities to choose and learn.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The opportunity to see oneself as an active participant in the future is to have hope and self-confidence in shaping life choices.<\/li>\n
    2. The opportunity for self-determination encourages critical thinking, personal responsibility and discipline.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Concept:<\/em> Generosity<\/strong> \u2013 young people become active and engaged citizens.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. The opportunity to value and practice service to others encourages connection, compassion, and the ability to approach problems as a member of an interconnected global society.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Concept<\/em>: Mastery<\/strong> \u2013 young people master skills that are relevant.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Mastery, sometimes called self-efficacy, is the development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes with competent demonstration and use of each. Mastery is a process over time.<\/li>\n
        2. Engagement in learning involves self-reflection, building relationships and connections in order to develop understanding, and meaningful challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Eight Essential Elements of 4-H (Word) <\/span><\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          No matter how you choose to volunteer, every 4-H volunteer is involved in high-quality youth development through these essential elements and concepts. Concept: Belonging \u2013 young people don\u2019t just join 4-H, they belong! A positive relationship with a caring adult who acts as an advisor, guide and mentor. The adult helps set clear, supportive boundaries […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":138,"featured_media":0,"parent":4580,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-withsidebar.php","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4604","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"taxonomy_info":[],"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Amanda Miles","author_link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/author\/amiles\/"},"comment_info":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/138"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4604"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21365,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4604\/revisions\/21365"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/plugged-in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}