ATHABASCA – Local 4-H clubs are eager for new funds and programming from the provincial government, but concerns about the when and how are still lingering.
In a Nov. 14 release, the provincial government announced $731,000 over the next five years for three new 4-H programs: an intro to 4-H stream, aimed at urban audiences, the agriculture safety and mental health workshop, and an extension to the senior spring symposium.
“It will probably be a gradual difference for the Athabasca area,” said key leader Virginia Wasieczko, who works with all four Athabasca County 4-H clubs. “It depends how much money Alberta 4-H puts towards leaders doing these webinars, or having province wide webinars for these items.
“It all depends on whether there’s leaders to do some of the programs or not.”
Wasieczko said the mental health programming was something the clubs would benefit from. Across the province farmers mental health has been suffering, with 1 in 4 farmers reporting suicidal ideation over the last 12 months.
“In the past, there wasn’t so much mental health programming in there, it was more leaders watching and being able to talk to members,” she said. “The mental health is nice, they can have lessons and be able to talk to the members and leaders about it.”
For more information on mental health and agriculture, check out Sandy Doucet’s coverage of the DO More AG Foundation’s Nov. 14 virtual mental health workshop on page 4 of Town and Country This Week.
Ninety-two per cent of the funding will go towards the Intro to 4-H program, which condenses the first year of 4-H into a quicker course and is aimed at bridging the gap into urban audiences.
“Through this shared investment in 4-H Alberta, I’m so pleased to support their efforts to build connections between urban and rural kids, develop safety and mental health programming, and guide our agriculture section into the future,” said Lawrence MacAuley, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
In the ag safety and mental health program, members will take what they had already been learning about agricultural safety — members could receive a green certificate before, which featured different ag programs — and combine it with experiential programs like equine therapy to improve mental health.
“For more than 100 years, 4-H Alberta has been dedicated to empowering youth with skills and experiences that last a lifetime, deeply rooted in agriculture and community,” said Kurt Kinnear, 4-H Alberta’s CEO. “This new grant allows us to expand on that legacy — bridging urban and rural perspectives, sharing time-tested skills, and inspiring the next generation of leaders in Alberta’s agriculture sector.”
The grant is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) program, a five-year investment of $3.5 billion between federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen ag-based industry. The money comes in addition to the $1 million a year Alberta already provides the provincial 4-H branch.
“We’re proud to support this great organization and help introduce even more youth to valuable 4-H programming,” said RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. “4-H Alberta has a long, proud legacy of teaching kids skills they’ll use throughout their entire lives, from livestock care to public speaking and career development.”
