Youth Development Insight

By Karyn Santl One of my roles is to develop training, tools and resources for Minnesota 4-H volunteers. We depend on volunteers to deliver high-quality, culturally relevant programs for youth. I am always looking for ways to use different modes to reach volunteers with the tools and resources they need to be successful in their roles. At the National Extension Conference on Volunteerism (NECV), I attended a workshop by Florida 4-H staff that introduced me to the concept of Networked Knowledge Activities (NKA). NKA is an instructional design framework that describes the knowledge activities that people use in networked online contexts (e.g., online classes, social media, virtual communities of practice). The framework’s purpose is to guide the design and development of social media-based learning activities in a formal learning context. Florida 4-H staff gave the example of their Network Knowledge Activities with this diagram: Graphic created by Heather Kent, UF/IFAS Extension Northwes

By Karen Beranek Camp is an amazingly unique and powerful experience - especially residential or overnight camps. For many first-time campers, this is the first time away from family and with so many other youth their age for an extended period of time. This new environment - physical and social - often comes with some big feelings.  A well-designed, high quality youth camp can be a great opportunity for campers to learn about and practice navigating their emotions and reactions. Let’s dig into some tips... Design programs to support campers: Create space in the schedule for smaller groups of campers and counselors to get to know each other. Have the opening session of camp outside! An open space can be easier to hear than a loud room. Share a basic schedule both verbally and posted in writing so campers know what to expect. Staff can model interactions with youth - specifically during transitions and meal time. Think about the location or space for each activity. The size of the spac