Youth learning and readiness

Students drawing with chalk in front of a neoclassical building on the UMN campus with columns labeled "School of Chemistry."

The University of Minnesota Extension offers research, resources and partnership programs to support youth development professionals in preparing young people for college and life beyond the youth program.

Helping young people be beyond ready means ensuring they have opportunities to:

Explore their sparks
Engage in real-world activities and projects
Work in teams
Take on meaningful roles

Our resources and programs can help you prepare the youth in your program to explore their interests, build their confidence and take the next step in their education journey.

Research and resources

Two girls in front of a classroom taking questions from the group.

Youth aspirations for higher education

Youth aspirations are a process of young people hoping and imagining what their lives will be like in the future.

A group of kids around a table with activity supplies and one girl has her hand raised.

Youth development curriculum library

Individual lessons and curricula on a variety of topics, such as gardening and agriculture, social and emotional skills, healthy living, college readiness, and STEM.

Curricula

Youth Aspirations: A 4-H guidebook

Explore 4-H programs

Partner with 4-H to help the youth in your program be beyond ready

Minnesota 4-H offers a variety of activities and experiences for youth to explore in their classrooms, after-school programs, home-school co-ops and youth groups through our Explore 4-H programs.

Together, we can empower young people to explore their interests, build skills and thrive.

Program offerings

A man wearing a neon safety vest talking to a youth member wearing a helmet on an ATV.

ATV safety

Two girls leading a group of teens walking around UMN campus.

BrainWaves Discovery

Three boys wearing matching orange shirts examining a small plant.

Great Microgreen Caper

Youth Development Insight

A group of boys around a wooden table watching an Edison robot make its way through a Lego maze.

June 17, 2026

Engaging homeschool co-ops

Extension Educator Savannah Scott outlines strategies for engaging homeschool co-ops to expand youth program reach and increase collaborative learning opportunities.

A woman guides a girl holding a piping bag, both focused on a book on a table.

May 20, 2026

Micro-belonging cues: Small behaviors that help youth feel seen

Belonging grows through small, consistent actions — greetings, check‑ins and strengths‑based feedback — that research shows help young people feel seen, valued and connected.

John Vreyens, Jennifer Skuza, Kaiya Novacek and Katie Becker visiting with a Kenyan banana production manager in Kisii.

May 6, 2026

Inflection points in practice: Lessons from youth development experiences in Kenya

Jennifer Skuza, youth development department head and associate dean, reflects on the collaborative partnership work in Kenya that reshaped her team's understanding of youth development across contexts.

Newsletter: Youth Development Update

Monthly newsletter of youth development events, research and opportunities for youth development professionals.

Learn more about youth development

Contacts | News | Events | Facebook

University of Minnesota Extension has a long history of youth development leadership. We're best known for running Minnesota 4-H for more than 100 years. Our mission is to improve the lives of all Minnesota young people — no matter where they live or which youth program they choose to join.

Discover resources, research briefs, practical guides, insights, webinars and custom training we offer on foundations of youth development to integrate research-based practices into your youth program to ensure youth thrive.

For general questions or training opportunities, please contact [email protected] or 612-624-2116.