Quality child care remains in short supply in Oregon. A 2019 report from Oregon State University found that child care “deserts” existed in all 36 of the state’s counties. During the COVID-19 pandemic many youths were positioned unexpectedly to care for younger siblings, neighbor children and extended family. Dani Annala, former 4-H program coordinator for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Hood River County, had been offering a certified babysitter workshop for several years that provided teenagers with tools to successfully care for children for short periods of time. The workshops had been effective for both entrepreneurial skill-building, and has become a pathway to early child care and education careers.
In response to the pandemic, Annala redesigned the classes to a virtual format when OSU Extension suspended in-person programming to help limit the spread of COVID-19. As a result of her 2020 workshops, 38 teen babysitters received a virtual Oregon 4-H Babysitter Certificate. They were trained in the basics of child care including baby care, toddler care, healthy snacks, business tips, age-appropriate games, first aid and safety.
Sandra Carlson, 4-H program coordinator in Clatsop County, then organized two statewide virtual workshops for 10-year-olds and up. Two-dozen Extension 4-H faculty taught a total of 156 youths representing 25 of Oregon’s 36 counties. Additional workshops were held that drew 20 attendees.
The virtual workshops have continued to this day. In 2021, 26 educators from 20 counties helped teach the classes. Youths from 24 counties took the training as well as youths from New York, Washington and Texas. Extension taught a total of 295 youth in 2021.
In 2022, 255 youths from 30 Oregon counties earned a virtual certificate.
In post-workshop surveys, 95% of the respondents indicated that after taking the class they felt prepared to babysit. Also, 55% of participants said they are interested in a future career working with children. Nearly all of the respondents said they would recommend the class to a friend.
One of the participants said, "I went from being overly confident to realizing that babysitting would not be as easy as I had imagined it would be! Although I am not as confident now, I feel more genuinely prepared."
Since 2020, nearly 700 youths have completed the virtual training.