Selected organizational and program characteristics, staffing patterns and problems of 4-H Club work in urban Tennessee counties

Supervisors and Associates, County Leaders, 4-H Agents, Program Assistants, and Teachers involved in urban-oriented 4-H programs in six Tennessee counties were surveyed via mail questionnaire to bench-mark the work being done. Specific objectives were: 1. To determine some key organizational characteristics of Tennessee's urban 4-H Clubs. 2. To determine some key program characteristics of the urban 4-H Clubs. 3. To determine 4-H Club problems and needs, both organizational and program, in the urban areas. 4. To consider some training needs of urban 4-H Club Program Assistants. 5. To identify some personal characteristics of urban-oriented 4-H Club workers. 6. To survey some opinions and attitudes regarding the urban-oriented 4-H Club work held by those associated with the program. Major findings of the study included the following: 1. The vast majority of urban clubs (i.e., 619 of 649) met at the school during school hours, were composed of both boys and girls, and were led by 4-H Agents with Program Assistants taking some responsibility. 2. Relatively few of the urban 4-H Clubs, 13 of 649, had the active support of an adult group. 3. Twenty five projects, three judging teams, and two other activities of the 62 total offered were confirmed as being offered by at least one-half of the total respondents. 4. There was a great amount of variance among the respondent groups confirming whether or not particular projects and county events were being offered. 5. Fifteen major problems were reportedly encountered by those associated with the urban 4-H program approximately one-half of which had been overcome as Understanding Responsibilities. The other one-half of the problems were still being faced as Recruiting and Training Volunteer Leaders. 6. A majority of respondents indicated a desire to implement 32 of the 72 widely varying new projects suggested in the study, while an additional 14 of the 72 projects were favored by less than 30 percent of the respondents< 7. The majority of Program Assistants felt that their initial training was adequate although they felt more emphasis was needed in the areas of Recognition and Public Relations; History, Philosophy, Objectives and Scope of 4-H and other youth work; Projects and Activi-ties; Recruitment and Training; and Sponsorship. 8. Most respondents were at least familiar with 4-H as indicated by a slight majority of respondents who had been 4-H members as youths. 9. Most of the respondents had held their present position for less than one year with the great majority of these being Program Assist-ants . 10. Attitudes and opinions of all respondents toward the urban 4-H work were generally favorable as indicated by the facts that the pro-gram was felt to be beneficial to the boys and girls; the 4-H Agents and Program Assistants felt comfortable and competent in their work; Teachers enjoyed working with the program, and also felt it was well-planned and organized. Implications for use of findings and recommendations for use of data and further study were included.