Chapter 2: Roles of State and National 4-H YDP Partners

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I. Introduction

This section describes the roles and responsibilities of the people involved in California 4-H YDP who design, create and evaluate 4-H YDP educational programs for youth and their families. It also recognizes the collaborative relationships between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administrators; UC specialists and faculty; county directors and 4-H YDP staff at the county level; and the statewide 4-H YDP office.

II. Roles and Responsibilities of UC/ANR Staff

The UC ANR Vice President is the Director of UC Cooperative Extension (CE) and the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), and is responsible for all UCCE programs including the UC 4-H YDP. See ANR Vice President.

The UC ANR Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives is the Associate Director for the AES and UCCE; the Associate Director for Cooperative Extension is the convener of the ANR Program Council and provides program liaison between UCCE, the AES and county programs. See Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives.

The Associate Vice President for Business Operations is the primary administrative leader for ANR research and extension activities and chairs the Administrative Review Council and is responsible for fiscal and planning oversight for ANR activities and maintains administrative liaison with Cooperative Extension, the AES and campus deans. See Associate Vice President for Business Operations.

The ANR Controller and Business Services Director is responsible for financial oversight, internal controls, administrative policies, business contracts, risk management, insurance, business and financial services and computer services. See Office of Controller and Business Services.

The ANR Executive Director for Staff Personnel and Affirmative Action provides materials, resources and training for staff and volunteers on clientele documentation and outreach activities. The affirmative action office also handles discrimination complaints and supports the process of decision-making about outreach activities and interpretation of policies and regulations related to diversity, civil rights and affirmative action. See ANR Employees Staff Personnel and Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The ANR Youth, Families and Communities (YFC) Statewide Program encompasses the 4-H Youth Development Program (YDP), Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and other ANR youth, nutrition, family and community programs.

The State 4-H Youth Development Program provides statewide leadership and direction to the 4-H YDP, programmatically and administratively coordinates state level 4-H YDP activities and programs and identifies and secures funding for the program.

The Statewide 4-H Director provides statewide programmatic leadership and administrative and operational support for the California 4-HYDP; fosters team building with academic peers, youth professionals, volunteers, youth and other partners; and serves as liaison between the California 4-HYDP and various internal and external stakeholder groups. The Statewide 4-H Director is responsible for the development, interpretation and implementation of UC policies related to the 4-HYDP.

The Associate Director of Research - 4-H YDP gives guidance and direction to 4-H YDP's research agenda.

4-H Youth Development Specialists in the Department of Human and Community Development at UC Davis train, counsel, and support 4-H YDP staff as they develop, implement, and evaluate research and education programs for youth. See UC Davis Human and Community Development Department.

The California 4-H Foundation functions as an official support group to ANR to raise funds on behalf of statewide and local priority 4-H YDP needs. See the California 4-H Foundation website.

The California 4-H Foundation Director reports to the Development Services Director and the AVP Administrative Services, serves as the Associate Director of Development for the 4-H YDP.

The County Directors are responsible for the program staff and the administration and management of county extension programs, including the county 4-H YDP. County directors are responsible for ensuring that the county 4-H YDP conforms to: university policy; federal, state and local laws; safety and health regulations; affirmative action guidelines; and the mission, core values and educational objectives of the 4-H YDP. See County Offices.

4-H Youth Development Advisors develop applied research and education programs in response to the needs of California’s youth, families and communities and provide academic leadership and support to the 4-H YDP.

4-H Academic Coordinators provide programmatic and operational support to a variety of delivery modes of the 4-H YDP.

4-H Program Representatives plan, implement and deliver educational programs for the 4-H YDP at the county level.

III. Roles and Responsibilities of UC/ANR Committees

Statewide 4-H YDP Advisory Committees are comprised of a representative group of 4-H members, 4-H adult volunteers, program partners, county 4-H YDP staff, state YDP staff, UC Administration and ex-officio members to create recommendations for the operation and management of the 4-H YDP. The committees are recruited and appointed annually by the Associate Director of 4-H Program and Policy.

Program advisory committees and task forces are appointed by the Associate Director of 4-H Program and Policy to offer insight, review and input on statewide 4-H YDP direction and administration. See Advisory Committees.

IV. National Partners

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), part of the executive branch of the Federal Government. USDA/NIFA is the federal partner in the Cooperative Extension System. Congress created NIFA through the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. NIFA replaced the former Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CREES), which had been in existence since 1994. NIFA provides federal funding to the system and, through program leadership, helps the system identify and address current issues and problems. 4-H is the youth development program of NIFA, which houses the 4-H National Headquarters in Washington, DC. See NIFA and UC 4-H Youth Development Program Framework. See Organization_Chart - USDA.

4-H National Headquarters, USDA/NIFA provides national leadership for 4-H programming and in youth development research, education and program implementation, which includes providing information, resources and support related to current and relevant youth issues.

National 4-H Council is the national, private sector non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters and the CE system. National 4-H Council focuses on fundraising, generating revenue, marketing and providing legal and fiduciary support to national and state 4-H programs, and the Shop4-H.org, the authorized agent for items bearing the 4-H Name and Emblem. National 4-H Council is governed by its own Board of Trustees made up of youth; representatives from 4-H, CE and land-grant universities; and corporate executives and other private citizens from a wide array of backgrounds. See National 4-H Council.

Chapter 2: Roles of State and National 4-H YDP Partners

I. Introduction

II. Roles and Responsibilities of UC/ANR Staff

III. Roles and Responsibilities of UC/ANR Committees

IV. National Partners

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