Youth Building 4-H Across the Province By Kyra, Jessabelle and Amy

This May Long Weekend, 17 dedicated 4-H members from across BC came together in Langley, BC to learn how to support 4-H in their communities. Ranging in home towns from Saanich to Cecil Lake, these 4-H BC Ambassadors came to participate in classes, seminars, and activities to become better resources and leaders to their regions. The 4-H BC Ambassadors from each of the seven 4-H regions are available to their communities to foster meaningful conversations about 4-H with members, leaders, and the public. They are also an invaluable resource to allow 4-H functions, programming, and promotion to run as well as it does, providing members and the community alike with opportunities for personal development and agriculture education.

From May 16th-19th 2025, we had classes covering topics like current events within 4-H BC and Ambassador skills. As the Ambassador program is a two year program, the more senior Ambassadors are able to take on more responsibility working together to provide knowledge and experience to the program members in their first year. After this weekend of training, the Ambassadors are able to bring this knowledge back to their communities. They are more equipped to run events, act as official judges, speak about how 4-H functions, and have meaningful conversations about agriculture and 4-H with the public. Aside from the learning provided by second year Ambassadors and program facilitators, we also welcomed two guest speakers who have maintained their connection to 4-H as alumni. Natalie Veles from the 4-H BC Foundation gave a workshop on the importance and role of the Foundation. Ambassadors were encouraged to spread awareness and promote support of the 4-H BC Foundation in order to generate more opportunities for members. Tars Cheema from Western Canadian Dairy News provided a seminar on article writing to help improve the Ambassadors’ ability to share 4-H through written mediums. This knowledge passed from one generation of 4-H members to the next will continue to build the program from the community level up.

            The Ambassadors built community amongst themselves through team building activities led by OMADA and group games and challenges. With OMADA, a challenging high ropes course on campus at Trinity Western University, the Ambassadors learned about solving problems through teamwork, supporting others in times of adversity, and trusting peers, even high in the treetops. The games and challenges led by the program facilitators created a fun environment for the delegates to get to know each other while gaining a wealth of activities to share with their communities. This one year of connection between the first- and second-year Ambassadors creates a continuity of knowledge passed down within regions to improve support of the program. Each Ambassador Training Weekend is the best opportunity the Ambassadors have each year to learn from each other and share how 4-H can be celebrated in BC and their communities. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming an Ambassador, watch for 2026-27 Ambassador applications to open on the 4-H BC website this fall. Don’t hesitate to utilize your regional Ambassadors and be on the lookout for the social media content headed to your feeds!