In English

4H Finland

4H in Finland arranges leisure activities for children and young people between ages 6 and 28. Six-year-olds easily find new interests in the 4H club, where children learn new skills together under the guidance of a club leader.

We encourage young people aged 13 and older to start their own projects. We also teach them skills that will be useful in working life, give them the opportunity to get their first work experience and support their first steps as entrepreneurs.

4H is an international organisation through which young people can learn about the world for themselves, by taking part in an exchange programme or attending our international events and courses.

The Finnish 4H Organisation 

The Finnish 4H organisation is the biggest youth organisation in Finland with about 70,000 members. The average age is 13 years.

Local activities are organized by 234 different 4H associations around Finland. Activities in Swedish are provided by Finlands svenska 4H, which has over 5,000 members.

Values and principles

The highest decision-making body of the Finnish 4H Federation and the whole 4H organisation is the Meeting of Representatives, which convenes every three years. The Meeting of Representatives elects the Committee (23 members), which in turn elects the Board (six members). The Meeting of Representatives approves the organisation’s strategy for the following three-year period.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry provided EUR 3.8 million to 4H activities in 2015. The core funding received from the Ministry creates the foundation for local 4H activities. State funding together with extensive fundraising by the organisation itself, as well as service provision, creates a substantial tax revenue for municipalities.
4H is a non-profit -making, politically independent organisation.

The idea

In the 4H organisation, children and adolescents grow to become responsible and enterprising adults. The activities take into account the different stages of children’s development, focusing on learning by doing.
The 4H Club instils practical skills and knowledge with the help of professional instructors. Training and courses provided by 4H further build on these competencies. The activities help children become active citizens, entrepreneurs and employees.

The goal

The Finnish 4H Federation is a national, unified and constantly evolving civic organisation supporting children’s life management skills and entrepreneurship. 4H is Finland’s leading organization producing activities for adolescents.

Values

The basic values of the Finnish 4H organisation are the 4Hs:

Head
Head represents the importance of continually developing your thinking and always aspiring to be honest and fair.

Hands
Hands refer to the practical skills that are taught in all 4H activities. A positive attitudes, diligence and enterprise are a big part of 4H activities.

Heart
Heart stands for respecting and taking care of other people, including communication skills and good manners.

Health 

Health combines physical and mental status and well-being. 4H members are able to create everyday well-being for themselves and others.