The goal of 4-H is to assist youth and adults in becoming competent, coping, and
contributing members of a global society, developing essential life skills through
planned "learn by doing" experiences.
4-H is a human development program of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Service involving youths and adults. 4-H is:
Community based and locally determined
Primarily group focused and family oriented
Volunteer operated, and
Coordinated by professional staff
4-H uses the university knowledge base as a means of facilitating the design,
development, and delivery of experiential youth education programs.
4-H emphasizes subject-matter related projects and activities, networking the
resources of extension land-grant universities, and other universities, and
youth-serving agencies.
4-H structures the learning environment using knowledge from the social and
behavioral sciences and the humanities to promote the acquisition of life skills.
The mix of subject-matter and educational methods in the presence of a democratic
environment provides the vehicle for the human development process.
4-H is operated by volunteers under the guidance of Extension professionals.
A necessary corollary of the youth development goal is the development of volunteers
as individuals and leaders in the 4-H program.
Volunteers structure group learning experiences for youths using the social and
behavioral sciences.
Volunteers render services in support of 4-H'ers, other volunteers, and the 4-H
program in general.
Extension professionals teach volunteers to use subject matter, educational methods,
and the democratic process to achieve human development objectives.
Learning experiences are enriched by support from individuals and private resources. 4-H is publicly supported by county, state, and federal governments.
