Progress 09/30/24 to 09/29/25

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for our program areyouth from rural Duchesne County. Utah 4-H Mentoring identifies 60-75 youth who are at risk of unhealthy and deliquentbehaviors who will benefit from a positive experience with the Utah 4-H Mentoring program. Youth are in the 4th to 8th grades who come from economically disadvantaged rural neighborhoods that are at risk of junenile deliquency, high-risk behaviors, and struggle with positive mental health. Youth are referred to the program by school counselors, teachers, principals, cultural/religous organizations and treatment centers. Changes/Problems:The only major change that has taken place since the start of the grant is the change from our original proposal of one site in Carbon county. This site was not able to meet the site requirements and goals. With permission from our grant manager, we were able to add an additional site to Duchesne County to replace the site in Carbon County. Christina Pay is no longer serving a Co Project Director. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The 4-H Mentoring Youth and Families with Promise (YFP) program is dedicated to providing quality training and support to our volunteer mentors. Potential mentors complete the 4-H volunteer application and interview process to ensure volunteers meet the safety requirements and standards of a quality volunteer. After completing the intial screening process, volunteers participate in a 4-H volunteer and protection of minors training. The 4 modules in the 4-H volunteer traininginclude; Volunteer roles and relationships, Safety and inclusive enviornments, Positive youth development, and Learning by doing 4-H. Volunteer mentors also engage in quarterly trainings with 4-H staff to provide help and support to the volunteer mentors, and provide additional training on relevant and evidence-based topics and cirriculum. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Youth involved in the 4-H Mentoring YFP program engage in 3 program components specifically designed to reduce juvenile deliquency, decrease substance misuse and other unhealthybehaviors, along with increasingeducational outcomes and social competencies and strengthening family bonds and community ties. These progam components include; group mentoring with a positive and influential volunteer mentor, 4-H after-school club and other 4-H enrichment opportunities, and monthly family strengthening workshops. The youth and volunteers involved in the 4-H Mentoring YFP program are achieving higher academic success, becoming more involved in the community through 4-H service projects and opportunities, and are less likely to enage in unhealthybehaviors. School counselors, teachers and parents have reported noticinga significant change in academic motivation, social engagement and positive behaviors of the youth involved in the program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The 4-H Mentoring YFP program plans to continue recruiting efforts for youth and volunteer mentors to acheive the target goal of 75 youth and 18 volunteer mentors within the 3 sites in Duchesne county. Over the next year we also plan to continue to provide quality volunteer training and support to help mentors meet their mentoring goals and establish and maintain successful mentoring match relationships. We will also continue engaging youth and volunteers in community service projects to develop a passion and appreciationfor leadership and community outreach through 4-H club activities and monthly family strengthening workshops. Lastly, a majorpriority for our program is to provide youth with a quality and impactful mentoring relationship experience, and therefore, it is our goal to continue to support successful mentoring relationships through providing opportunities for youth and mentors to engage and provide training and support to foster quality relationships.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal #1: Reduce deliquent behaviors, focusing on juvenile deliquency, substance misuse, and other risk factors. In an effort to accomplish this goal we have matched 60 youth with a positive and influential mentor volunteer. These mentoring relationships have been proven to reduce deliquent behaviors. The youth in our program also engage in 32 weeks of 4-H after-school club and other 4-H enrichment activities using evidenced-based cirriculumfocused on buidling self-esteem, problem solving and navigating challenges, positive mental and emotional health, and building healthy relationships. Goal #2: Improve educational outcomes and social competencies among at-risk youth. According to the 4-H impact survey taken by program youth this year, our program youth report higher academic motivation and increased social competencies as a result of participating in the mentoring program. The 4-H after-school club component of the program is designed to help youthengage in social groups and learn to navigate challenges in social situations. Youth are also able to engage in leaderships roles within the 4-H after-school club setting to help plan and carry out 4-H activities. In addition, the mentoring relationship also has been shown to have positive impacts on academic performance and social compentencies. Goal #3: Strengthen family relationships and community ties Each month the youth engage with their families in a family strengthening workshop called Family Night Out ( FNO).An essential part of our family strengthening workshops is providing families the opportunity to connect with each other by sharing a family meal and participate in a hands on activity together. The youth in the program are heavily involved in the family strengthening workshops and meals. Not only does the meal significantly increase the likelihood families will attend, but research has shown the positive outcomes of regular family meals, including decreased delinquent behavior, increased academic performance and overall better behavior. At least 65% of youth enrolled youth attend these family night out events each month. Families and youth have reported positive outcomes from attending these events and an increased motivation to strengthen family bonds.

Publications