Educating Youth and Adults on Life Skills, safety, personal and family developmentPlan of Work

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Bourbon County CES

Title:
Educating Youth and Adults on Life Skills, safety, personal and family development
MAP:
Enhance Life Skills and Consumer Awareness
Agents Involved:
Carter, Denniston, Tackett
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Financial Education - General
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Food Preparation and Preservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family Development General
Situation:

4-H Youth Development is part of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. Extension’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of Kentucky citizens through non-formal education for the entire family. Extension agents and volunteers take the results of university research and explain it in such a way that different age groups can learn and apply the information to their own lives. 4-H is a youth organization committed to building outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. According to the Kentucky Department of Education (2018-2019), the graduation rate for Kentucky students was 91.1%, which did not meet the state goal of 95%.   Research also shows us developing a strong sense of personal identity, responsibility, caring, compassion, and tolerance are essential first steps toward being engaged at the community level (National 4-H Council) Research consistently shows a correlation between involvement in the arts, academic success and civic engagement Kentucky 4-H Youth Development has an opportunity to fill this void across the Commonwealth.

In the United States, only 1/3 of high school seniors are college-ready.  Only 1/3 of high school graduates are work-ready

Kentucky Student Transitions - (2016-2017)

College        54.7%

Technical Training    5%

Military            3%

Working        23.4%

Other            13.8%

Sources: Kentucky Dept of Education (2019)  US Dept of Education (2019) 

Promote positive personal finance behaviors prepares Kentuckians for any future economic shift. The United States has been in an extremely long period of economic expansion; however, expansions are cyclical, meaning growth is eventually followed by recession. Securing financial stability for Kentuckians will help families thrive no matter the economic outlook. Financial stability is achieved when families are able to secure and manage resources needed to supply food, clothing, and shelter. Through increased financial knowledge, families may be able to make wise financial decisions, increase buying power, avoid overextended credit, develop savings habits, and manage risks.

96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care.  Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care settings in the country.  15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home.   Kinship care providers need support.


Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increase in  College and Career Readiness

Indicator:  Number of 4-H Members and Participants in College and Career Educational Programs 

Method: Recorded attendance in events

Timeline: year round


Intermediate Outcome:  Students demonstrate knowledge of interview and resume writing skills

Indicator:Number of youth participating in workshops

Method: surveys

Timeline:year round


Long-term Outcome:  High School Graduates College and  Career Ready

Indicator:

Method:

Timeline: May 2021


Outcome:  Increased awareness of sound financial behaviors

Indicator(s):  Number of individuals who implemented at least one 

strategy to reduce expenses or manage money

Number of individuals who made a sound financial decision 

(regarding credit, budgeting, savings, and/or debt)

Method:  Retroactive pre-post

Timeline: Following financial education workshops


Outcome:  Increase knowledge and skills related to 

managing financial resources

Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of

understanding in the area: confidence in handling money issues

or specific financial matters

Method:  Retroactive pre-post 

Timeline:  Following financial education workshops


Outcome:  Increase knowledge and skills related to 

estate planning

Indicator: Number of individuals who took action toward 

implementing at least one estate planning strategy in regard to the subject matter presented

Method:  Retroactive pre-post 

Timeline:  Following financial education workshops


Outcome: Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.

Indicator: How many children increased their ability to express emotion after attending the program?

Method:  Stories, Songs, and Stretches Survey

Timeline: July - June


Outcome: Increase skills and resources of caregivers to provide effective care for young relatives

Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many caregivers improve skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy)

Method: Parenting a Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation 

Timeline:  Post program evaluation 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Shooting Sports Education Club

Content or Curriculum: State Curriculum

Inputs: agents, state shooting sports, KY Hunter ed

Date: year round


Activity: 4-H Communications Program

Content or Curriculum: State curriculum

Date: November, March & April


Audience: Tweens and Teens

Activity: 4-H Middle & High Teen Program

Content or Curriculum: State curriculum

Date: Year round


Audience: 5th grade students

Activity: 4-H Dollars & Sense Program

Content or Curriculum: Dollars & Sense Curriculum

Date: January


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Sewing and Needlework Workshops

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum

Inputs: agents

Date: year round


Audience: Youth - 13 and up

Activity: 4-H Babysitting Workshop

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum

Inputs:agents, community resources

Date: May 2021


Audience: High School Jr.& Sr.

Activity: Survival 101 for High School Seniors

Content: 4-H Curriculum, FCS materials

Input: Agents, Volunteers, Community partners

Date: 2021


Audience: 5th graders

Project or Activity:Recipe for Life

Content or Curriculum: State curriculum - Recipe for Life

Inputs:All agents time, organization and monitoring

Date: Fall 2020


Audience: 5-8 year olds

Project or Activity: 4-H Cloverbuds

Content or Curriculum: State Curriculum

Inputs: agents, state staff, volunteers

Date: year round


Audience: Adults, young adults, and teens

Project or Activity: Money Habitudes Workshop

Content or Curriculum: Money Habitudes

Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources, Money Habitudes cards

Date:  Winter

 

Project or Activity: Credit Education 

Content or Curriculum: Good Credit Game

Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources, Good Credit Game set

Date:  January


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Estate Planning Workshop

Content or Curriculum: Estate Planning

Inputs: FCS Specialist (family finance and resource management), curriculum publications and resources, and local partners such as an attorney, CPA and/or financial planner

Date: 2023


Audience: Recovery Centers

Project or Activity: Financial Education

Content or Curriculum: Recovering Your Finances

Inputs: Coordination with community stakeholders

Date:  January


Audience: Parents and/or Caregivers for Youth

Project or Activity:  Parenting/Family Development

Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches

Inputs: FCS Agent, Local Preschool, Library

Date: On-Going


Audience: Kinship Caregivers

Project or Activity:  Relatives as Parents Program

Content or Curriculum: Parenting a Second Time Around,  AARP Prepare to Care

Inputs: FCS Agent, community partners, schools FRYSC

Date: Monthly



Success Stories

4-H Camp in a Box

Author: Lois Carter

Major Program: Camping

The Targeted Life Skills model (Hendricks, 1998) has been an important guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating 4-H youth development programs.  This model provides a holistic youth development approach, referred to by multiple researchers (Barkman & Machtmes, 2002; Garton, Miltenberger, & Pruett, 2007; Pittman & Yohalem, 2002; Scales, 1996; Wright & Bersamin, 2004.)  4-H based studies using Targeted Life Skills identified a positive relationship between particip

Full Story

4-H Holiday Workshop

Author: Lois Carter

Major Program: Family and Consumer Science

The 5 C’s of Positive Youth Development (according to the NE Department of Health & Human Services) include: Connection: A feeling of safety, structure, and belonging; positive bonds with people and social institutions.Confidence: A sense of self-worth and mastery; having a belief in one’s capacity to succeed.Character: Taking responsibility; a sense of independence and individuality; connection to principles and values.Competence: The ability to act effectively at school, i

Full Story

4-H Club Meetings during Covid

Author: Lois Carter

Major Program: Leadership

Due to COVID, 4-H School Club meetings abruptly ended in March 2020.  Through a portion of that time, all students were virtual.  Once school started in fall 2020, teachers and the 4-H Agent worked  together to come up with ideas to still incorporate 4-H into their classrooms virtually.  Schools were still not allowing outside individuals into the buildings.  We were able to set up zooms and "meet" with all but 1 4th and 5th grade classroom in the community. &n

Full Story

Teen Conference

Author: Lois Carter

Major Program: Leadership

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down programming in March 2020 youth, families, and communities experienced long-term isolation and alteration of their typical lives related to in and out of school activities. Youth out-of-school time programs, such as 4-H, are essential ecological assets and their disruption during the pandemic may have a major impact on youth’s developmental pathways (Ettekal & Aganas, 2020). For many youth COVID-19 will be the defining issue of their lives

Full Story

Digital Estate Planning

Author: Karen Denniston

Major Program: Aging-General

In the modern age of technology, the nature of estate planning has changed. Because so much personal information is stored online, new strategies must be undertaken in order to protect one’s digital assets. Digital estate planning helps loved ones to locate and access important digital information, it may clarify disputes regarding final will and testament, and it may simplify the transition for family members.   Fayette Co. Extension FCS partnered with Bluegrass Elder Law to present

Full Story
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