Equine-based community service offered through horse breed association youth programs: Parent and community partner perceptions of participation, benefits, and program growth.

Overview

• This study explored how parents and community partners perceive equine-based community service activities within horse breed association youth programs, focusing on benefits, participation patterns, challenges, and potential growth opportunities.

Research Purpose and Objectives

• To understand the perspectives of parents and community partners involved in equine-based community service programs for youth.
• To assess perceived benefits of participation, how youth engage in these activities, recruitment methods, challenges faced during implementation, and possibilities for program improvement.

Methods

• Participants:
  • Parents of youth participants (n = 39)
  • Community partners hosting the service activities (n = 26)
• Recruitment through horse breed association state affiliates.
• Data collection via individual, face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 10 open-ended questions.
• Data analysis employed descriptive qualitative content analysis with categorization summarized by frequencies and percentages.

Participants and Activities

• Youth volunteers ranged from ages 13 to 19.
• The majority (95%) volunteered at horse shows.

Perceived Benefits

• From parents’ perspective:
  • All parents noted their youth showed a positive mood after participating in activities.
  • Key developmental benefits included leadership skills (82%) and increased self-confidence (72%).
• From community partners’ perspective:
  • Most community partners (81%) valued the volunteer assistance their equine events received from youth participants.
  • There was strong interest in sustaining these volunteer activities in the future.

Challenges and Barriers

• Time Commitment:
  • Recognized as a significant barrier by 92% of parents and 96% of community partners.
• Financial Costs:
  • Noted by 51% of parents and a larger 85% of community partners as a participation barrier.

Areas for Improvement

• Both parents and community partners identified recruitment strategies as a key opportunity for enhancement to increase participation and engagement.

Conclusions and Implications

• Equine-based community service programs are broadly viewed positively by key stakeholders.
• These activities support youth engagement, promote leadership and confidence, and provide valuable assistance to host organizations.
• Stakeholder feedback highlights specific challenges such as time, cost, and recruitment which can inform strategies for program enhancement.
• The study sets the foundation for further evaluations of youth outcomes and offers insights for expanding and refining equine volunteer programs within horse breed associations.