Better Together Community Pop Up Program Kit
FAQ: Why do I talk about “X” when I talk about 4-H?
Youth Empowerment Focus: Critical Awareness
Social Justice Principle: Makes Identity Central
Further Objectives: True Leaders Part II- Cultural Identity
Example Documents: Pop Up Program Kit materials and book titles referenced can be found on this Better Together Google site.
Development Team
Div. of Extension: Laura Vander Veen, Erin Conway
Partners: Rene Bue, Megan Fisher (Hedberg Public Library)
Funded by:
Wisconsin 4-H Foundation
What We Knew
Initial conversations taught us that public libraries are key community educators and connectors, especially for under- resourced audiences. However, libraries lack staff capacity to develop and pilot new programming. During COVID-19, we observed that a lot of work was put into virtual programs that only a handful of people attended live. We partnered with a local library during COVID-19 on programming for Día de los Muertos. We wanted to extend the community engagement, activities, and learning. The library offered ‘kits’ which included materials for activities and 4-H provided resources to engage youth and adults together in the experiential learning cycle. This experience made us believe we could expand our pop up program kit idea.
What We Did
First, we chose activities and books for the kit. The activities were intentionally selected to utilize DO-REFLECT-APPLY.
The physical portion of the kit included:
- Books
- Hands on exploration such as games, role play or art
supplies
The virtual portion of the kit was stored in an album on the library’s Facebook page. It included:
- Themed activities. Themes were family, food, celebrations, for example.
- Resources to explore. Resources provided more information about identity and culture.
The virtual kit was linked to the physical kit and giveaway books with a QR code.
Second, we practiced using the kits in individual pieces, one book and/or activity at a time. In the months of September and October, in person events in three Rock County libraries kicked off a variety of opportunities for continued conversations, exploration in family and a public venue for sharing (i.e. Padlet, Mentimeter). Libraries had the opportunity to receive their own kit of materials. The materials in the kits highlighted the experiential learning model during programs which included Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de los Muertos.
Third, we implemented formal programs together. Since the original work, the kit was used for Día del Niño/Libros by the library independently. In the summer the pop-up program kit is used in community storytimes coordinated with HPL Bookmobile stops. The HPL Bookmobile serves Janesville and many other underserved areas in Rock County in the summer months. We developed storytime activities that have a physical element to which we can attach the QR sticker so youth and families always take the virtual kit home with them.
Anchor Content
Initially our focus was on books that elevated representation of ‘success’ in the Latino community. Our community partner added the need for specific stories about community and identity because families, parents even, need support celebrating identity with their children.
When deciding on materials to purchase, we considered if 1) materials could be used in groups with multiple ages, 2) which materials did not contain large amounts of text.
Taking a Breath
We had many conversations about our primary audience for this text. We chose to err on the side of making it appealing to educators since they would be likely partners in sharing the materials. We are still learning how best to provide access to the activities.
Our goal is to add resources to existing programs so it was important to us to donate kits to be stored and used in community partner sites. This extended the conversation from a one time program.
Brave and Safe Space
We loved providing this resource to our community AND we know we need to accompany its use to model conversations. First, our community partners need to become familiar with the content. Then, we need to observe families interacting with it. Finally, we will be able to plan intentional activities that support the conversations people choose.