North Dakota State University  |  NDSU Extension Service  |  4-H Youth Development

    A curriculum for
parents/caring adults
   who are helping
     young people make
  career choices

Welcome to It's a Big World Out There: A Curriculum for Parents, Guardians and Caring Adults who are Helping Young People Make Career Choices

Thank you for taking on the task of working with parents/caring adults to help them learn about assisting the young people they work with in making career choices. Facilitators who are trained to conduct the program are essential to its success.

If you would like more information please contact:

Linda A. Crow
Family Life Center 219
Box 5016
Fargo, ND 58105-5016
(701) 231-8365
lcrow@ndsuext.nodak.edu

An Overview of the curriculum

It's a Big World Out There curriculum is designed as a workshop to introduce parents/ guardians/caring adults ways they can begin to help young people to prepare for the future.

Many of today's youth state that one of the biggest challenges they face is selecting a career. More occupation and career preparation possibilities are available than ever before, but with so many choices, it becomes very confusing. Youth want advice and help making career plans. Career counselors and teachers often have too many students and other issues to address, so it may be very difficult for them to provide much career guidance. Young people look to their parents and caring adults for advice. These adults have a great influence on young people's career choices; however, things have changed from when they were choosing a career. If parents/caring adults are to be effective, they need to know what resources are available, where to find them and how to use them. This program is planned to help caring adults be better prepared to help young people enter the world of work. It has been designed to be the first step in this process. Further workshops will be needed for parents/caring adults to continue to assist youth in planning for their future.

A printable Adobe Acrobat version of the It's a Big World Out There curriculum can be downloaded as follows:

Section 1	Contents, Welcome, Overview and Goals
Section 2	Preparing, Planning, Checklist, Promoting and Order Form
Section 3	How to use and Other Pointers
Section 4	Workshop Part 1
Section 5	Workshop Part 2
Section 6	Workshop Part 3
Section 7	Workshop Part 4
Section 8	Workshop Part 5, Questions & Answer, Closing and Follow Up

The Materials for this curriculum can be downloaded at their individual sites:

Overheads Handouts Signs

Activities Promotion

It's a Big World Out There curriculum was developed by DeAnn Johnson, Extension Agent/Cass County, 4-H Youth Development of the NDSU Extension Service.

It was adapted from:

Helping Your Child to Choose a Career, Luther B. Otto, Ph.D., 1996. Published by JIST Works, Inc., Indianapolis, IN 46202

Parents, Youth and Careers, Luther B. Otto, Ph.D., 1996. Career Development Center, Raleigh, North Carolina

Parent's Youth and Careers Seminar, Luther B. Otto, Ph.D., 1997, Utica, New York

Linda A. Crow, 4-H Youth Curriculum Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
Deb Tanner, Publication Coordinator/Designer, NDSU Ag Communication

Support for developing the curriculum came through a grant by Cargill, Inc. from the National 4-H Council.

The video It's a Big World was produced by the NDSU Agriculture Communication Department in 1997 with the support from the Fargo/Moorhead Chamber of Commerce.

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NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
This publication will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities upon request, 701/231-7881.

North Dakota State University  |  NDSU Extension Service  |  4-H Youth Development