All youth should be provided opportunities to develop skills that will help them deal with the pressures they face and help them become supportive and contributing members of society. The youth of Robeson County face the same challenges as the youth of any other area of the state or nation. Peer pressure and a lack of parenting skills often prevent often prevent the development of positive learning situations. The 4-H agent will work with other agents and paraprofessionals on staff to provide an interdisciplinary approach of addressing issues and providing meaningful learning experiences for these youth. This approach will extend Extension's resources to the entire family and will provide continuous and on-going educational programs that should stimulate all citizens to improve the quality of their lives.
Health education is a major issue facing the citizens of Robeson County.
Many individuals fail to recognize the need for healthy diets and developing lifestyles that help prevent diseases and health problems. Many citizens live on fixed incomes making it necessary to provide educational opportunities about how to better manage financial resources. If properly educated, individuals can use strategies to better manage their resources. In addition, assistance can be provided to individuals to help them develop methods to increase the earning potential of the family and to develop supplemental income for the family. As in any other county, the lack of proper parenting skills lead to higher crime rates, higher drop-out rates, teen violence, drug abuse, and lack of responsibility.