Purpose:
The overall mission of Youth Futures: College and Careers Within Reach is to help youth identify and aspire to reach personal postsecondary goals based on their strengths and values and to expand accessibility to the paths leading to such goals.
Participants:
4-H Youth Futures: College and Careers Within Reach is designed for middle and high school youth who need access and resources on college and career opportunities as well as support navigating such pathways. Participants include youth who may need help identifying their strengths and passions and who would significantly benefit from extra mentorship and inspiration to pursue future endeavors.
Objectives:
- Youth will identify their unique strengths and values and expand their awareness of college and career opportunities.
- Youth will meaningfully connect with caring and relatable mentors.
- Youth will create personal future college and career goals.
- Youth will be equipped with intention, competence, tools, skills, and confidence to pursue their goals.
Curriculum:
Youth Futures: College and Careers Within Reach is a mentoring program in which caring adults and near-peer mentors inspire youth to pursue pathways; expose them to a variety of pathways; assist in accessibility to pathways; and to provide opportunities to be future-ready. Facilitators use the Youth Futures curriculum (for the full and abbreviated club programs) that includes activities in five general categories:
- Self-Awareness
- Exploring Pathways
- College and Career Preparation
- Financial Literacy
- Durable (Life) Skills
