National Juntos Consortium
The mission of NJC is to foster communication, cooperation, and professional development among Extension professionals, educational systems, and their partners to ensure the Juntos Program mission advances.
Vision
The vision for NJC comes with a structure focused first on ensuring access to educational opportunities, increasing youths’ academic potential and success while embracing the lessons Extension and the overall community can learn from the families who make up the Juntos Program. NJC builds on the program’s culturally responsive practices to build professional development opportunities, provide coaching and training, monitor program fidelity, build partnerships and opportunities around program investment, and advance collaborative research and scholarship. NJC is committed to the land-grant mission to “provide readily available research-based programs and educational resources to improve the lives of the individuals, families, and communities within states.” NJC concurs with the USDA and National 4-H Council’s priority around equity, opportunity, accessibility, and workforce development/readiness.
Membership
If you are interested in learning more about starting Juntos in your state and joining the National Juntos Consortium, please contact National Director, Diana Urieta, at dmurieta@ncsu.edu or 919-515-3854.
National Initiatives
Juntos is Expanding!
Juntos was awarded 7.8 million dollars from USDA NIFA to implement the YEA initiative: Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America. The YEA initiative aims to advance youth development projects in climate change, nutrition security challenges, agriculture, and encouraging interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Through this funding, Juntos will launch a 5th component called Caminos a Careeras | Career Pathways. This component will serve students in Wake and Lee County in North Carolina as well as Chelan, Skagit, and Whatcom counties in Washington. In year 3 of the project, Juntos will expand its program and 5th component in three new states. Read this article for more information.
Caminos a Carreras | Career Pathways
The 5th component will serve students in high school (11th -12th) and post-secondary students (1st- 2nd year). This component allows students to be served throughout high school and post-secondary education.
Caminos a Carreras | Career Pathways guide provides students with the opportunity to learn about various careers in agriculture and offers various benefits:
- Career Exploration: It provides students with a structured way to explore different career options, offering information on job roles, industries, required skills, and potential career paths.
- Guidance and Support: The guide can help students navigate the complexities of career planning by providing advice, resources, and actionable steps, such as how to secure internships or choose a mentor.
- Mentorship Connections: The guide could include tools for connecting with mentors who can offer personalized advice, share their experiences, and help students set realistic goals for their careers.
- Internship Opportunities: By highlighting various internships and providing guidance on how to apply, the guide can help students gain practical experience in their fields of interest, which is crucial for building resumes and securing future employment.
- Skills Development: A companion guide can offer tips on developing soft skills (communication, teamwork) and technical skills (job-specific abilities) needed to succeed in different careers.
- Confidence Building: By offering step-by-step advice and success stories from peers or professionals, the guide can empower students to take proactive steps toward their career goals and reduce the overwhelm often associated with career planning.
- Networking: The guide can encourage students to build professional networks by connecting them with industry professionals, peers, and alumni, which can open doors to future opportunities.
