International Research

Indiana 4-H International Exchange Program - Poland: Northeast Indiana and Swietokrzyski Voivodship, Poland

This 4-H Exchange Program grew out of the initial efforts of the Purdue-Poland Extension project in the 1990's. This was an eight-year collaboration between Purdue University and the Agriculture Universities of Krakow, Poznan and Warsaw. The project was funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Part of this project included study tours to Indiana for key Polish agricultural professors and Extension staff. Several of the professors then initiated 4-H Club activities in southern Poland. Today the national 4-H Program in Poland has over 8,000 members, with 4,000 4-H members concentrated in the Swietokrzyski Voivodship.

Polish youth participants to Indiana stay with a host family that has a child of the same gender and approximate age. We try to place one Polish youth per family. Other host families host one or more adults. Host families apply, references are checked and a home visit is made, and an orientation session held prior to arrival of their exchangee(s). Families also receive supportive written materials.

Statistics

2005: From Poland—19 youth and 11 adults visited Northeast Indiana
2006: To Poland—10 youth and 14 adults traveled to Poland
2007: From Poland—12 youth and 8 adults visited Northeast Indiana
2008: To Poland—10 youth and 5 adults traveled to Poland
Travel to Indiana has been for approximately 2 weeks, late May through mid June.
Travel to Poland has been for approximately 2 weeks, mid June through early July.

For more information contact any of the Committee Members:

Roger Sherer, Extension Educator, Bluffton IN [Chair]
Cindy Barnett, Extension Educator, Columbia City IN
Lee Stanish, Indiana 4-H International Programs Coordinator, West Lafayette IN
Barb Thuma, Extension Educator, Fort Wayne IN