Elaine Long Bailey

4-H Youth Development Educator

Calvert County, MD

University of Maryland

Extension-Calvert

County 4-H Uses Social

Media as an Educational

and Recruiting Tool

4-H: Where We Were & Where We Are . . .

Then . . .

• Captive audience

• Rural emphasis

• Corn clubs & canning clubs

• Different societal pace

Now . . .

• Latch-key kids

• Rural, urban, suburban

• High-tech projects

• “Wired” at all times

How Do We Serve Youth Today?

• Mastery

• Generosity

• Independence

• Confidence

• Competence

• Caring

The Challenge: Get to the PEOPLE (Kids, Parents, Supporters)

• Get the message of 4-H out!

– Almost 200 project areas available

– Something for EVERYONE

• Facebook touted 800 million users as of 2011

• Projections to reach 1 billion users in 2012

UME Calvert County 4-H Facebook

• Goals:

– Show what 4-H offers today (dispel myths).

– Share our 4-H members’ projects, activities, and accomplishments.

– Provide educational links about timely topics

Let’s Take a Peek . . .

• University of Maryland Extension Calvert County 4-H

• HootSuite

Lessons Learned

• HootSuite can be helpful in scheduling posts.

• Make a plan for posts/marketing.

• Share current news (EHV-1 outbreak in horses) to benefit others.

• Photos of kids’ activities, awards, projects, etc. seem to draw the most interest.

• Educational information impact is difficult.

• Keep it fresh to draw people to the page.

Thank you!

Elaine Long Bailey elbailey@umd.edu 410-535-3662