At the centre of all 4-H programs is the Positive Youth Development (PYD formula). Positive youth development is an approach to understanding and working with children and adolescents that focuses on building assets and celebrating strengths.
At 4-H, our positive youth development programming is centred around learning to do by doing, which empowers youth, and gives them the skills to contribute, create and lead for a lifetime, and the confidence, independence, and resilience to carry them through their academic and professional careers.
Our world-class positive youth development programs provide measurable impact as our members are supported by high-quality, skilled, and engaged leadership. Using the 4-H Canada positive youth development formula, we are enabling 4-H’ers to achieve their goals by equipping them with tools, opportunities, and support from caring adults so they can lead the way to a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future for all.
The 4-H Canada PYD Formula
Our honeycomb PYD formula is designed to create and empower future generations of responsible, caring, and contributing leaders.
The formula is designed around three key elements:
- A safe, fun, and inclusive environment
- Caring adults
- 4-H Canada’s motto: ‘Learn To Do By Doing’
These three key elements are at the core of 4-H Canada’s PYD formula to ensure that all our members feel comfortable and encouraged to participate in activities, feel supported and valued by the adults involved, and feel encouraged to try new things, and apply their newly developed skills to their everyday lives.
Surrounding our core key elements, our PYD formula has six key assets:
- Positive Values
- Responsibility
- Skill Mastery
- Leadership Development
- Planning and Decision Making
- Sense of Purpose
These key assets are what 4-H strives to achieve in all our programs and activities, providing our youth with the confidence and tools to collaborate, act, and advocate for what they believe in.