Extension
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Developing life skills of youth through family and consumer sciences
Developing life skills of youth through family and consumer sciences (4-H)
Christy A. Martin, Sherri A. Coffey
Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Over the last 25 years, the number of stay-at-home parents have decreased. Parents have increasingly relied on schools to teach concepts and skills once taught within the family. With societal changes and cuts in school budgets, many schools have eliminated family and consumer science labs and no longer include of have decreased FCS instruction in the curriculum. In nutrition alone, the lack of basic life skills is evidenced by alarming rises in childhood obesity, poor diets of youth of all ages, and an over-reliance on packaged/fast food.
Life choices are often based more on personal desires rather than on factual information. Those who seek information often turn to the internet which may not be researched-based. Decision-making may be based on product marketing claims, family tradition, myths, faulty information, and lack of knowledge. Today’s massive health and economic problems are due in part to the lack of instruction in the home by parents and in the school through Family and Consumer Sciences classes.
4-H offers projects in FCS which assist youth in becoming responsible and contributing members of the family and contributing members of Kentucky communities. At the same time, these life skills prepare youth for the families they will establish as adults.
Youth develop into responsible, contributing individuals and family members.
Youth gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
Youth contribute to a safe, pleasant, and productive home and family.
Youth utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations.
Youth project a positive image and self-confidence.
Youth practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making.
Youth make healthy food choices.
Youth adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the futures.
Youth gain knowledge and develop skills in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Youth understand the decision-making process.
Youth gain skills in setting a goal and developing an action plan.
Youth can identify healthy food choices.
Youth learn to read and follow instructions.
Outcome: Youth make healthy food choices based on MyPlate.
Indicator: 25%
Method: Post-program evaluation
Timeline: After 5th lesson
Outcome: Youth can prepare a recipe by reading and following the instructions.
Indicator: 50% of participation
Method: observation and evaluation
Timeline: end of program
Outcome: Youth participate in meal preparation at home.
Indicator: 50% of participation
Method: discussion with youth; survey
Timeline: during the program
Outcome: Youth gain sewing skills and display projects at county fair.
Indicator: 33% of participation
Method: observation
Timeline: throughout program
Outcome: Youth attain skills to be a responsible baby sitter and use their skills to provide child care for families.
Indicator: 70%
Method: pre- and post-program survey
Timeline: before and at the end of the program
Outcome: Youth learn to comparison shop to make the best use of their money.
Indicator: 1/3 of youth manage their money well
Method: post-program evaluation
Timeline: end of program
Outcome: Youth gain and use knowledge of soft skills necessary to maintain employment in the workforce.
Indicator: 50%
Method: observation and discussion with leaders and businesses
Timeline: throughout program
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: MyPlate nutrition education
Content or Curriculum: Professor Popcorn and other 4-H FCS curricula
Inputs: volunteer leaders, funding
Date: September 2018 – March 2019
Project or Activity: Cooking skills
Content or Curriculum: 4-H cooking curricula; SNAP resources
Inputs: volunteer leaders; funding
Date: Fall 2018 – Spring 2019
Project or Activity: Sewing skills
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky and CCS 4-H sewing resources
Inputs: volunteer leaders, grant funding
Date: one week of summer day camp 2018
Project or Activity: Babysitter education
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H babysitting curriculum
Inputs: community speakers, facility, funding
Date: winter/spring 2019
Project or Activity: Employability and soft skills
Content or Curriculum: 4-H World of Work
Inputs: volunteer leaders; curricula
Date: throughout school year 2018-2019
Project or Activity: Everyday Manners
Content or Curriculum: various 4-H and FCS resources
Inputs: printed materials
Date: throughout year
Project or Activity: Needlework
Content or Curriculum: 4-H and FCS needlework resources
Inputs: volunteer leaders
Date: summer 2018
Author: Christina A. Martin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Russell County 4-H sewing volunteer leaders offered a five-day 4-H sewing day camp to seven youth. Developing life skills and crafting skills such as sewing have been shown to increase hand/eye coordination, improve critical thinking skills, and helps develop creative thinkers. Learning to sew produces a sense of confidence and accomplishment in youth as they learn new skills and complete projects. It also gives youth the opportunity to understand textiles, construction techniques
Author: Christina A. Martin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The 4-H program offered two summer cooking classes; the program was taught by the 4-H Agent, 4-H/FCS Assistant, and SNAP assistant. Youth cooking programs are part of life skills development that the local County Extension Council and 4-H Council indicated as important youth development skills. The youth learned basic measuring skills, recipe reading, knife skills, and food and kitchen safety. They youth also identified the placement of their food items into the MyPlate food groups. The the
