Calgary (Rural Roots Canada) – Seventy 4-H members from across Canada are heading to Calgary for five days packed with career workshops, mentorship circles and practical life skills training. 

The 93rd annual 4-H Canada Members Forum will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4. It brings together youth aged 15 to 21 from all provinces for programming focused on preparing them for life beyond 4-H. 

Chelsea Crawford, youth programs manager at 4-H Canada and a 4-H Nova Scotia alum herself, has been planning national youth programming for the past three years. 

“One of 4-H’s goals and missions is to give youth opportunities to engage and network,” said Crawford.  “Members Forum is really providing that opportunity.” 

Crawford is trying something new this year. During registration, she surveyed members about which transferable skills they needed the most help with, then built an “adulting bootcamp” around the top responses. The activity will rotate stations on resume building, interview skills and turning 4-H experiences into career opportunities. 

“These are things that I wish I had the opportunity to learn more about when I was in school or even when I was in 4-H. Even to this day, some of these I’m like, I could use a crash course,” said Crawford. 

Members will attend the GrowCanada Conference, a major agriculture industry event where they’ll be the only youth among agricultural leaders in the country. 

“It’s very noticeable that there are 70 youth at this big conference,” Crawford said. “4-H’ers love to chat and network, and so we’ll be preparing the members ahead of time to talk about 4-H and why we’re here. It’s a pretty unique time to get those types of people in a room,” Crawford said. 

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Erin O’Hara, CropLife Canada’s vice-president of communications and member services, is a part of the organizing team for the GrowCanada Conference.  

“It’s really an opportunity to bring the leaders of tomorrow out to interact with the leaders of today,” said O’Hara. 

During the conference, members will participate in mentorship circles with 14 industry professionals. Members ranked potential mentors ahead of time and will meet with them over lunch to talk about career paths. 

O’Hara says the smaller mentorship setting allows for more intimate conversation than the larger conference room. 

“It really gives the 4-Hers an opportunity to engage directly and have some dedicated time with these leaders to ask them questions and pick their brains,” she said. “While I know the 4-H participants get a lot out of it, I think the mentors get a lot out of it too by hearing what’s on the minds of the younger folks.” 

Crawford says connections made through past mentorship circles have led to job opportunities and internships.  

The week also includes tours of the University of Calgary and Olds College, sessions on stress management and boundaries, and presentations on social media and the 4-H brand. Members will present provincial spotlights throughout the week, teaching others about aspects of their home provinces. 

“I love getting to see when they arrive at the airport, and sometimes they’re very shy, or they don’t know anyone else from their province,” said Crawford. “Then on the last night we always have a dance and seeing people connect and everyone gets up and dances, it’s so nice to see that sense of community that 4-H can build.”