Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development (Assistant, Associate, or Full)

About the role

The Extension 4-H agent will be located in Chatham County and will be responsible for directing and growing a comprehensive 4-H professional youth development program, meeting the relevant needs of all youth, ages 5 through 18. These programs will engage youth in positive life-skill development activities to address issues of everyday life, enhance the community and environment where they live, and give them access to high-quality, experiential programming to build life skills.

Primary Function Of Organizational Unit

NC Cooperative Extension is the educational outreach arm of the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, in collaboration with NC A&T State University. The two Land-Grant institutions provide research-based information, programming and technical assistance to all North Carolina citizens, addressing a varied range of issues in four programmatic areas – Agriculture & Natural Resources; Family & Consumer Sciences; Community and Rural Development, and 4-H Youth Development. Together, with its partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture, state and county governments, Cooperative Extension is able to bring a wide variety of resources to all 100 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Be responsible for assuring that the principles of positive youth development are being utilized across the program to help youth identify and develop their passion and life skills.
• This includes but is not limited to assuring that qualified adult leadership is present at each 4-H activity, meeting, and event; that appropriate curriculum is being used to enhance the educational experience; that programs are being evaluated appropriately and that program impacts are identified and reported.
• Be responsible for forming relationships in the county that lead to recruiting, training, managing, and rewarding the volunteer leaders who will guide 4-H clubs, assist with the planning and coordination of events and activities, and generally support and promote the 4-H agent and program.
• Raise funds in support of youth participation in local, district, state, and national events and activities.
• Manage a county-wide 4-H advisory council that will help identify programmatic needs, support programmatic efforts, and champion 4-H in the local community.
• Develop a marketing/recruiting program that attracts youth and volunteers from all sectors of the county, to drive desired programmatic impact.
• Be responsible for program administration: maintaining accurate records, assuring that the program is in compliance with local, state and national regulations – to include but not be limited to the NC State University Programming with Minors regulations, general financial management and county 4-H club accounts, charters, as well as USDA - NIFA and IRS compliance.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 overall or a 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) in child or youth development or related field. The minimum GPA requirement will be waived for NCCE Program Associates with a Bachelor’s degree.
• A Bachelor’s degree and the completion of at least one-half of coursework in a Master’s degree curriculum with a cumulative grade point average 3.0 or higher with at least one of the degrees in child or youth development or related field, or
• Completion of a Master’s degree with at least one of the degrees in child or youth development or related field.

Skills

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a field related to child or youth development, education, or a combination of education and work that would prepare someone for this role.
• Experience developing and/or managing community gardens for youth programming.
• Experience planning programs and working in varied communities, including in urban.
• Experience working effectively as a team member.
• Experience and knowledge in mass media, marketing, and presentations.
• Skills in leadership, citizenship, budget management, and public relations.
• Ability to recruit, train, and supervise volunteer leaders to extend youth programming to the broadest audience possible.
• Experience writing grants in support of programs.