Thriving Forward

Recently I [Matt] had a chance to interview 4-H Miner's Ravine Club President Ava from Placer County. The prior week, I had met Ava at the Placer County Gold Country Fair while helping 4-H volunteers set up pig pens. The following are Ava's responses to my questions.

Starting next week, we will offer a series of hands-on workshops for 4-H project leader volunteers. The workshops will focus on four primary areas: Session 1: Best practices in youth development with a focus on youth "sparks" (i.e.

Volunteerism is a public health issue. Research has shown that volunteering for youth programs can increase attainment of skills (Grant, 2020). Further, volunteering can improve well-being and connection with others (Worker, 2020).

This past year, 4-H, CalFresh Healthy Living, and the Master Gardener Program in Sutter has been collaborating together to serve youth and their families.

Poverty is a reality for many youth and their families. According to the Children's Defense Fund, nearly 10.5 million children were considered economically disadvantaged ("poor") in 2019. Many youth experience housing instability. During 2017-18, over 1.