When many families hear 4-H they still picture animals and agriculture, but 4-H has grown into a hands-on youth development program focused on life skills, leadership, and real-world learning for ages 9 to 15 in both urban and rural communities.
Traditional 4-H clubs run for a full year and include member led meetings, youth leadership opportunities, project work, record keeping, and Achievement Days. Intro Clubs are different. They are short term experiences designed for families who want to explore 4-H before committing to a full club year.
4-H Intro Clubs are now expanding beyond Calgary into North Central Alberta and are being delivered in partnership with community associations, schools, and homeschool groups. To date, Intro Clubs have delivered eleven short term clubs across Alberta, including nine in Calgary and two in Edmonton, engaging 128 youth aged 9 to 15. Three additional clubs are already scheduled in Calgary, Vermilion, and Bonnyville this summer.
Over six weeks, youth explore a variety of hands-on workshops while building confidence, communication, problem solving, and teamwork skills. Recent activities have included pottery, reptiles, baking and sourdough, food science, chocolate making, horsemanship, microgreens, robotics, painting, and behind the scenes tours.
For many families, Intro Clubs provide an easy way to discover whether 4-H is a good fit while meeting other youth and learning new skills.
To help families learn more, 4-H Intro Clubs is hosting a free Park Party at Dalhousie Community Association in NW Calgary on Sunday, September 13, from 2:30 to 4:00 pm. The event is open to new families, returning members, curious youth, local 4-H clubs, and community supporters.
The afternoon will include outdoor games, light snacks, gelato, hands-on activities, and opportunities to connect with local leaders and learn about upcoming programs.
For more information or to rsvp for the Park Party, contact [email protected].
