4-H Youth 4-H Youth Conservation CouncilConservation Council

(4-HYCC)(4-HYCC)

What’s in it for you? What’s in it for you? • Network with other youth (ages 13-19)Network with other youth (ages 13-19), adult and peer , adult and peer

mentors, agency professionals and government officialsmentors, agency professionals and government officials• Increase knowledgeIncrease knowledge of science, natural resource of science, natural resource

management, social science, political science and management, social science, political science and economicseconomics

• InvestigateInvestigate environmental issues and identify solutions environmental issues and identify solutions• Increase knowledge in Increase knowledge in using the Internetusing the Internet and computer and computer

technology as an educational tooltechnology as an educational tool• Explore careers and build your resumeExplore careers and build your resume• Improve Improve presentation skillspresentation skills• Improve Improve research skillsresearch skills• Gain Gain self-confidence andself-confidence and group work and processing group work and processing

skillsskills • Enhance youth Enhance youth commitmentcommitment to environmental to environmental

stewardship & citizenshipstewardship & citizenship

Work hard, play hard!Work hard, play hard!

The 4-HYCC program includes:The 4-HYCC program includes:• Recreational activitiesRecreational activities• TeambuildingTeambuilding• Energizers Energizers • Field tripsField trips• New friendshipsNew friendships• Youth and adult Youth and adult

partnerships- empowering partnerships- empowering teens!teens!

• Overnight retreatsOvernight retreats

How you can make a How you can make a difference difference

as a 4-HYCC teen?as a 4-HYCC teen?• Select a conservation issueSelect a conservation issue as a group as a group

• Research the issue individuallyResearch the issue individually and as a team: using Internet, written and as a team: using Internet, written resources, field trips, hands-on activities, guest speakers and moreresources, field trips, hands-on activities, guest speakers and more

• Prepare a Prepare a group written report & electronic slide show presentationgroup written report & electronic slide show presentation

• Give testimonyGive testimony to local and state government officials: County to local and state government officials: County Commissioners, Township Board, School Board, or State Legislators.Commissioners, Township Board, School Board, or State Legislators.

• Give presentationsGive presentations on the researched issue on the researched issue to other community to other community groups groups

• Plan and implement local conservation projectsPlan and implement local conservation projects related to your related to your selected issueselected issue

Choosing Your IssueChoosing Your Issue• What environmental issues What environmental issues

are are important to our important to our communitycommunity residents, local residents, local government and natural government and natural resource agencies? resource agencies?

• What topics What topics interest the 4-interest the 4-HYCCHYCC teens and where they teens and where they can make an impact?can make an impact?

• Select 3 priority topics to Select 3 priority topics to learn more aboutlearn more about by utilizing by utilizing guest speakers and field guest speakers and field trips.trips.

• Group discussion & voting to Group discussion & voting to select one final topic/issue to select one final topic/issue to research.research.

Break Down Your IssueBreak Down Your Issue

• Write a focus statementWrite a focus statement

• Identify aspects of the Identify aspects of the research topic for small research topic for small group and individual group and individual research to totally involve research to totally involve everyone on the councileveryone on the council

Research Your IssueResearch Your Issue• MeetingsMeetings

– Guest speakers on topic Guest speakers on topic – Sharing research with othersSharing research with others– Field trips and hands-on Field trips and hands-on

activitiesactivities• Interviews:Interviews:

– Businesses, organizations, Businesses, organizations, associations and interested associations and interested citizens, citizens,

– Experts: --government Experts: --government agencies personnel & agencies personnel & resources resources

• InternetInternet• BooksBooks• Asking questions and Asking questions and

sharing information usingsharing information using e-mail, & other e-mail, & other technology technology

Learning About Your Learning About Your GovernmentGovernment

• Study the structure Study the structure and purpose of the and purpose of the governing boardgoverning board

• Attend a government Attend a government meetingmeeting

• Write a letter or call a Write a letter or call a government official government official and ask about and ask about conservation issues conservation issues that exist in your local that exist in your local communitycommunity

• Make an appointment Make an appointment to visit with a to visit with a government official at government official at his/her office or after a his/her office or after a meetingmeeting

Putting it all together!Putting it all together!• Arrange a date with the Arrange a date with the

government board for the 4-H government board for the 4-H YCC presentation/testimonyYCC presentation/testimony

• Each youth member writes a Each youth member writes a research report with research report with bibliography & end notesbibliography & end notes

• The reports are combined into The reports are combined into a complete Council report with a complete Council report with an intro, conclusion and an intro, conclusion and summary of recommendationssummary of recommendations

• A 10-30 minute oral A 10-30 minute oral presentation is created with an presentation is created with an electronic slide show, and each electronic slide show, and each member gives a one minute member gives a one minute report of their research report of their research

Keep the Fun Going!Keep the Fun Going!

• Participate in other 4-H learning Participate in other 4-H learning opportunities:opportunities:– 4-H Capitol Experience4-H Capitol Experience– 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resource 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resource

Camp Camp– 4-H Communications Day4-H Communications Day– 4-H Exploration Days4-H Exploration Days– And More And More

• Celebrate with an awards programCelebrate with an awards program

Get Involved in Get Involved in Community Service Projects!Community Service Projects!

• Water quality Water quality monitoringmonitoring

• Community recyclingCommunity recycling• Tree plantingTree planting• Litter pickupLitter pickup• Teens teaching othersTeens teaching others• Wildlife surveysWildlife surveys• Community Community

presentationspresentations• And much more…And much more…

Why join a 4-H youth conservation Why join a 4-H youth conservation council?council?

4-H Youth Conservation

Council

Improve leadership

skills

Meet new

friendsResearch environmental issues

Participate in youth led

community service project

Present to local government officials Good preparation

for college and future careers

Two Ways to Get Involved in Two Ways to Get Involved in a a

4-H Youth Conservation 4-H Youth Conservation CouncilCouncilMichigan 4-H Youth Michigan 4-H Youth

Conservation Conservation CouncilCouncil

• State-wideState-wide• State-level issuesState-level issues• State governmentState government• Meetings at Meetings at

Kettunen CenterKettunen Center• Visit website for Visit website for

application & application & information-information-

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/m4hycc.htmlcyf/youth/m4hycc.html

• Give Give presentations at presentations at state and county state and county 4-H workshops 4-H workshops and local and local community eventscommunity events

County-based 4-H County-based 4-H Youth Youth Conservation Conservation CouncilCouncil

• Local communityLocal community• Local issuesLocal issues• County, township, County, township,

school or city school or city governmentgovernment

• Meetings at a Meetings at a location close to location close to your homeyour home

• Ask you county 4-Ask you county 4-H Program staff H Program staff about forming or about forming or joining a council in joining a council in your local areayour local area

• Plan & implement Plan & implement local community local community service projectsservice projects