Nebraska 4-H participating in national campaign to empower young people with leadership skills

April 14, 2016

Lincoln, Neb. — As the presidential election hoists leadership to the forefront of national dialogue, a new survey asks America’s youth to weigh in on the topic – finding that today’s leaders are believed to have their own agendas and demonstrate weak leadership. Additionally, young people would like better preparation as leaders.

More than 1,500 youth nationwide responded to the 4-H National Youth Survey on Leadership conducted online by Harris Poll, which revealed:

•  Most youth (81%) think leaders today are more concerned with their own agendas than with achieving the goals of their organizations.
•  Seventy-six percent (76%) say leaders are focused on different priorities than what matters most to them.
•  Half of youth rate government and political leaders as having weak leadership (51%), among the highest relative to other groups of leaders examined in the survey. Overall, weak leadership is related to not accomplishing what is promised (59%); not working collaboratively (56%); and not offering new solutions (53%).
•  Most youth (96%) think leadership is important to addressing the country’s most pressing issues; but only one in three young people says they have the skills they need to be prepared to lead.

Nebraska 4-H is doing its part to address these results by participating in the 4-H Grow True Leaders Campaign.

The 4-H Grow True Leaders Campaign is designed to give young people across the nation a forum to put their voices into positive action and rally the nation to invest in the next generation of true leaders.

"From traditional to transformational, Nebraska 4-H continues to evolve," said Nebraska Extension Associate Dean Kathleen Lodl. "Currently 4-H reaches one out of three young people who are age eligible with innovative youth development programs around STEM, career and college readiness, leadership, entrepreneurship, healthy living and more.”

As part of the campaign, Nebraska 4-H is asking everyone to join in using social media to call attention to the impressive things kids are doing every day. Share positive messages and photos or videos using #TrueLeaders and #NE4H to shout out a young true leader who exemplifies a positive example of courage, responsibility and resilience.

For more information about the 4-H Grow True Leaders Campaign, contact Nebraska Extension Educator Tracy Pracheil at 402-472-9016 or tpracheil2@unl.edu.

The Nebraska 4-H Youth Development Program strives to empower youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership with caring adults. 4-H programming is present in all 93 counties across Nebraska. To learn more visit www.4h.unl.edu.