University of California 4-H Latino Initiative: Experiences of Bicultural and Bilingual Staff

Authors

  • Steven M. Worker University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0670-4741
  • María G. Fábregas Janeiro University of Missouri, Extension
  • Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Katherine E. Soule University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2019.667

Keywords:

Latino youth development, diversity initiative

Abstract

We report data from the first year of an initiative to engage Latino youth and families in the 4-H Youth Development Program, managed by the University of California. Through qualitative questionnaires and focus group interviews, we analyzed experiences of 6 new bilingual and bicultural program staff, hired specifically to implement youth development programming to reach Latino youth. Staff reported a steep learning curve, with competing demands to build relationships, engage youth, and show results. Lessons learned may help shape activities that other youth development programs may consider in similar efforts.

Author Biography

Steven M. Worker, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Associate Cooperative Extension Advisor, Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Ed-Data. (2017). California Public Schools. Ed-Data partnership of the California Department of Education (CDE), EdSource and Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT). Retrieved from http://www.ed-data.org/

Erbstein, N., & Fabionar, J. (2014). Latin@ youth participation in youth development programs. Internal white paper for review, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved from http://cesantaclara.ucanr.edu/files/261436.pdf

Fábregas Janeiro, M. G. (2017, April). Working with people from other cultures: A challenge or an opportunity? 2017 National Extension and Research Administrative Officers Conference (NERAOC). San Antonio, TX. Retrieved from https://neraoc.tamu.edu/2017/01/06/session-1/

Fábregas Janeiro, M. G., & Horrillo, S. (2017). Welcoming Latino youth to California 4-H! Cambio de Colores/Change of Colors | 2016 Conference Proceedings. Retrieved from http://www.cambio.missouri.edu/Library/2017/2017_fabregas.pdf

-H Mission and Direction Committee. (2003). The California 4-H youth development program. University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Gregory, P., Camarillo, J., Campbell, D., Dasher, S., King, N., Mann, M., . . . Willmarth, K. (2006). Learning from Latino community efforts. Journal of Extension, 44(3), Article 3FEA3. Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2006june/a3.php

Hobbs, B. B., & Sawer, B. (2009, November). Engaging Latino youth in community-based programs: Findings from the first ten years of the Oregon 4-H Latino outreach project. Corvallis: Oregon State University Extension Service. Retrieved from http://www.nc4il.org/images/stem-in-libraries/diversity/Engaging-Latino-Youth-CommunityBased-Programs.pdf

Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2015). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2014). Culturally relevant pedagogy 2.0: a.k.a. the remix. Harvard Educational Review, 84, 74–84. doi:10.17763/haer.84.1.p2rj131485484751

Maley, M., Chen, E. K., McCarthy, M. (2014). Community engagement in practice. Systematic Translational Review. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research. Retrieved from https://www.bctr.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Systemic-Translational-Review-community-engagement.pdf

Merriam, S. B., & Tisell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Moncloa, F., Horrillo, S., Diaz-Carrasco, C., Espinoza, D. M., Hill, R., Soule, K.E. (2018). Using a translational process to adopt Latino youth development research into practice. Journal of Extension, 56(6), Article 6IAW3. Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2018october/iw3.php

National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Qualtrics. (2017). [Computer software] Provo, UT. Available from http://www.qualtrics.com/

Panzar, J. (2015, July 8). It’s official: Latinos now outnumber whites in California. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-census-latinos-20150708-story.html

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Russell, S., & Van Campen, K. (2011). Diversity and inclusion in youth development: What we can learn from marginalized young people. Journal of Youth Development, 6(3), 95-108. doi:10.5195/jyd.2011.177

Scales, P. C., Benson, P. L., Leffert, N., & Blyth, D. A. (2000). Contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving among adolescents. Applied Developmental Science, 4(1), 27-46. doi:10.1207/S1532480XADS0401_3

Smith, J. & Soule, K. E. (2016). Incorporating cultural competence & youth program volunteers: A literature review. Journal of Youth Development, 11(1), 20-34. doi:10.5195/jyd.2016.431

State 4-H Office. (2017, July 28). ES237 (All Reports) [California 4-H Enrollment Report to the U.S.D.A.]. Davis, CA: University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2016). 4-H implementation: The working relationship. Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Walter, A., & Grant, S. (2011). Developing culturally responsive youth workers. Journal of Extension, 49(5), Article SFEA9. Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2011october/a9.php

Downloads

Published

2019-09-12

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2019)

Section

Feature Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
  2. Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
  3. The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
    1. Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;
    with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
  4. The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  5. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
  6. Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
  7. The Author represents and warrants that:
    1. the Work is the Author’s original work;
    2. the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
    3. the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
    4. the Work has not previously been published;
    5. the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
    6. the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
  8. The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.

Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link.