Building Strong Families through Life Skill DevelopmentPlan of Work

Back to Plans for the County

Allen County CES

Title:
Building Strong Families through Life Skill Development
MAP:
Youth and Family Life Skills
Agents Involved:
Kelly Burgess (FCS), Anna Meador (4-H), Adam Huber (ANR)
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Family and Consumer Science
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Science, Engineering, and Technology
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Financial Education - General
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family Development General
Situation:

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), parents with children between the ages of 6-12 spent less than one hour a day providing primary childcare and even less time dedicated to play and educational activities. We know that just as play and educational activities prepare young children to enter school, youth development opportunities prepare teens to enter college or the workforce. In the United States, only 1/3 of high school seniors are college-ready, and 1/3 are work-ready according to Kentucky Student Transitions (2016-2017). In Kentucky, 54.7% of high school students enter college after graduation, 5% pursue technical training, 3% join the military, 23.4% begin work, and 13.8% categorize their post-secondary activities as “other” per the Kentucky Department of Education (2019).

The goal of providing opportunities for families to spend quality time together in formal and informal play and educational settings is to have more students who are college and career ready after high school graduation, as well as increase current graduation rates (81% in Allen County, census.gov). This will serve as a path for Allen County to build a diverse economy that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and small business development. In Allen County, there is a need to develop, train, and create a workforce that is prepared to safely work with the rapidly changing technology in order to create a promising future for individuals and the local community. 

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

Initial Outcome:Youth have learned about and can apply practical life-skills (leadership, financial education, career development, cooking, 4-H Skills, etc.) obtained in Extension Program in their daily life.

Indicator: Number of youth who indicated they like to learn new things, Number of youth who applied the skills they learned in 4-H to home, school, or community, Number of youth who indicated they are willing to work hard on something difficult, Number of youth who indicated they keep trying until they reach their goals, Number of youth use knowledge & skills they learned from 4-H SET programs in daily life.

Method:  Combination of Annual Common Measures Evaluation and Matching Program Survey Indicators 

Timeline: Annually, beginning winter 2022


Intermediate Outcome: Youth and Families can apply financial education and spending smarts in their daily lives through budgeting and need vs. wants assessments.

Indicator:  Number of individuals who identify their needs and wants and secure needs first, Number of individuals who demonstrate skill in listing their expenses and income and totaling each, Number of individuals reporting improved knowledge (such as knowledge of ways to reduce expenses; cut spending; and save for emergencies)

Method:  Match Program Indicators with Reality Store, Dollars & Sense and Piggy Bank Challenge Evaluations 

Timeline:  Annually, beginning spring 2022


Long-term Outcome: Youth and families to increase planned family-time and increased communications through intentional parent/child family bonding baking/grilling activities.   

Indicator:  Number of youth who indicated they are connected to a caring adult, Number of individuals who reported preparing more healthy home-cooked meals, Number of individuals who reported eating more healthy foods, Number of individuals who report intention to cook more, Number of individuals reporting improved knowledge, opinions, skills, or aspirations regarding the safe storage, handling, and preparation of food

Method:  Combination of Annual Common Measures Evaluation and Matching Program Survey Indicators

Timeline:  Annually, beginning spring 2022

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Families with youth ages 5-17

Project or Activity:   Mothers & Kids Bake Together Event

/Fathers and Kids Grill Together Event

Content or Curriculum:  Family Focused Cooking, 4-H 101-104 Cooking Series

Inputs:  4-H Agent, FCS Agent, ANR Agent, Kitchen, Cooking Supplies, Volunteers, Grills

Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024

Project or Activity:  Family Fishing Event 

Content or Curriculum:  Fishing Basics and Safety

Inputs:  4-H Agent, ANR Agent, FCS Agent, Partnership with Barren River, Fishing Supplies, Volunteers, Grills, Transportation, Sound system 

Date: Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024


Audience:4-H and School Age Youth

Project or Activity:  Computer Safety & Coding

Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Code Your World & Code Name Home Alone: Cracking the Code Online Safety

Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum Kit, Volunteers, Computer Lab/Computers

Date: Spring/Summer 2022

Project or Activity:  Dollars & Sense Program 

Content or Curriculum: Dollars & Sense Curriculum

Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum, Volunteers, Posters/Props, Vol. Meals

Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024

Project or Activity:  Reality Store Program 

Content or Curriculum: Reality Store Curriculum

Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum, Volunteers, Posters/Props, Vol. Meals

Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024


Audience: Boys & Girls Club Participants

Project or Activity:   Life Skill Development Lessons & Gardening 

Content or Curriculum: Various 4-H/ANR/FCS/NEP Curriculum

Inputs: ANR Agent, FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, NEP Assistant, Lessons Supplies, Gardening Equipment

Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024


Audience: High School Students

Project or Activity:  Piggy Bank Contest 

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Saves, Money Wise

Inputs: FCS Agent, School & Local Sponsors, Curriculum, Awards

Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024



Success Stories

Meal Kits: Financial Savvy meets Homemade Meals

Author: Kelly Burgess

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Meal Kits: Financial Savvy meets Homemade Meals

With over 100 companies in the United States providing meal kit delivery services and 39% of adults in the United States having at least tried a meal kit, learning to discern if meal kits are the right fit for you and your family is an essential skill. Online advertisements and marketing for meal kits may make them seem very appealing, especially to people who do not usually cook at home. Many meal kit delivery services boast meals designed for weight loss, which may appeal to Allen County famil

Full Story

Members Excel in Project Work Despite COVID-19

Author: Anna Meador

Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)

Members Excel in Project Work Despite COVID-19

While many organizations halted their programs due to COVID-19, Allen County 4-H stayed the course by tailoring their programs throughout the changing tides of the pandemic to ensure our 4-H youth remained actively engaged through a wide variety of project areas.  Despite having fewer in-person programs and workshops, Allen County youth proved their determination to persevere as they submitted over 155 entries for the County 4-H Project Showcase, 83 4-H Project submissions which advanced to

Full Story

Botvin LifeSkills Training at Allen County's James E Bazzell Middle School

Author: Kelly Burgess

Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents self-report illicit drug use in the past month.  Substance use prevention programming is critical to the prevention, delayed onset, and/or early identification of substance use.  The Life Skills Training (LST) program, developed by Botvin and colleagues, is one of the most successful substance use prevention programs available for use. It teaches a variety of personal self-management skills and social s

Full Story

Bringing Families Together over a Weekend at 4-H Cloverbud Camp

Author: Anna Meador

Major Program: Camping

Bringing Families Together over a Weekend at 4-H Cloverbud Camp

         With the primary goal of the Kentucky 4-H Cloverbud program being to promote children’s healthy development – mentally, physically, socially and emotionally, the West KY 4-H Cloverbud Family camp and its team of agent coordinators worked hard to provide an excellent opportunity for children ages 5-8 and their families to learn about the world around them, develop positive attitudes about learning new things by hands-on involvement, develop a deeper r

Full Story

Strengthening Family Bonds & Reducing Risky Behaviors in Pre-Teens through the SFP 10-14 Program

Author: Anna Meador

Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health – 4-H Youth Development

Strengthening Family Bonds & Reducing Risky Behaviors in Pre-Teens through the SFP 10-14 Program

According the Community Assessment conducted in 2019, Allen County community members identified these three areas of need in their community: More support for families with mental and emotional health issuesStronger parenting and relationship building skillsAvailability of substance use prevention programsIn response to these community concerns, Allen County Cooperative Extension Agents, Anna Meador and Kelly Burgess, partnered with community organizations in order to present the Strengthen

Full Story
Back to Plans for the County