Basic Life Skills for Youth and Adults in Scott CountyPlan of Work

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Scott County CES

Title:
Basic Life Skills for Youth and Adults in Scott County
MAP:
Acquiring Basic Life Skills
Agents Involved:
Allen, Flynt, Redmon
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Leadership
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Communications and Expressive Arts
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Situation:

How we live life is ever-changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Learning to practice healthy habits, select clothing to emphasize one’s best appearance, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe and pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others—all of these skills are basic to everyday life. Many schools no longer include family and consumer sciences classes in the curriculum. Reality is that today’s youth and adults are busier than ever. Many of these basic life skills are not consistently taught to youth at home or at school. 4-H family and consumer sciences projects equip youth with these skills.

As with any other Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum area, when it comes to development of life skills, a strong case can be made for the need to go beyond mere transfer of knowledge to giving youth the opportunity for a variety of supportive, related learning experiences to significantly increase the program’s influence.

4-H often offers basic learning activities on a topic of interest to youth but the addition of activities which support that interest (such as fair exhibits, related subject matter workshops or day camps, field trips, and decision-making judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills in youth. In a study by Olson, Croymans and Ji (2014), 4-Hers reported that participating in 1 or 2 educational opportunities influenced the development of critical thinking and decision making skills, and participating in 6 to 8 opportunities significantly increased the program’s influence by adding development of life skills in leadership, planning/organization, wise use of resources, useful/marketable skills and accepting differences.

While many FCS skills can be learned through self-directed projects or school enrichment, it’s beneficial for youth to have the added experience and guidance of a trusted adult and the opportunity to form relationships with caring mentors. For many adults, long-term volunteering is not always possible but shorter-term volunteer roles create doable opportunities for more people to tuck volunteering into busy schedules. Special interest clubs and groups that meet for a few weeks or months broaden the possibilities. The volunteer efforts of multiple adults may be required to take the 4-H experience from club meetings alone to also include exhibits, field trips and more.

Through the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program, adults develop horticultural skills while at the same time experiencing leadership and comradery, with other adults with similar interest .  They are able to set goals and develop action plans to achieve horticulture projects, volunteer time to community and mentor other adults.

The consequences of the Pandemic and the period of slow economic growth encouraged Kentuckians to become more aware of their financial and food security situation. Kentucky consistently lags behind other areas of the United States in key household economic indicators, including: personal income, population living below the poverty line, food insecurity, unemployment, and revolving debt. These indicators, especially unemployment numbers became more exaggerated during the period of the Pandemic. It is important to acknowledge the impact of current economic conditions on family financial management. The goal of the Securing Financial Stability Initiative is to help Kentuckians understand and respond to changing economic conditions, while promoting healthy financial behaviors across the lifespan.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Youth / Adults will:

Intermediate Outcomes:

Youth / Adults will:

Initial Outcomes:

Youth / Adults  will:

Evaluation:

Outcome: Participants learn and practice life skills

Indicator: Knowledge gained

Method: Pre test and post test questionnaires, Common Measurements 

Timeline: Throughout the year


Intermediate Outcome: Apply soft skills to attain and retain employability

Indicator: ability to successfully implement soft skills

Method: mock job interviews, soft skills curriculum

Timeline: year round


Long-term Outcome: Adults and youth will be able to practice financial literacy

Indicator: Ability to apply knowledge

Method: financial related workshops and information

Timeline: year round

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Extension Homemakers/General Public

Activity: Lesson Leader Training/Seminar

Content or Curriculum: FCS/SNAP Curriculum 

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Throughout the Year


Audience: Master Gardeners/General Public

Activity: Classes, Workshops, EXPO

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Year Round 


Audience: 4-H Members/Youth

Activity: Youth clothing, knitting & crochet project group organization and leader training

Content or Curriculum: 4-H project material

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Speech & Demonstration Contest

Content or Curriculum: Communication

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring


Audience: Youth/Adults

Activity: Training Adults, Youth Leadership

Content or Curriculum: Leadership, 4-H Camp Counselor Manual

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Summer/ Fall 


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Club Officer Training

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Officer Handbooks & Notebooks

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Council Evaluation Training

Content or Curriculum: Community Conflict Resolution Materials

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: November


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Life Skills School Club Lessons

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Growing On My Own Curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring/ Fall 


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Summer Camp

Content or Curriculum: Summer Camp

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: June


Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Cloverbuds

Content or Curriculum: Penn State Cloverbuds/Arts and Crafts

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Monthly


Audience: Youth

Activity: Truth and Consequences

Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring


Audience: Youth

Activity: It's your Reality

Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: November 


Audience: General public

Activity: Estate planning workshops

Content or Curriculum: estate planning

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: annually


Audience: 4-H Youth 

Activity: 4-H Cooking 

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking Curriculum 

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Monthly 


Audience:  4-H Youth

Activity:  Outdoor Living

Content or Curriculum:  Survival, Navigation, Cooking

Input:  Nature Reliance School, equipment, Volunteers, Staff

Date:  Year round 


Audience:  General public/including Master Gardeners

Activity:  Virtual classes

Content or Curriculum:  Extension Specialists, Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications

Input:  Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials

Date:  Year round


Audience:  General public/Master Gardeners

Activity: Scott Co. Cooperative Extension Horticulture Demonstration Gardens

Content or Curriculum:  UK Cooperative Extension publications, Monarch Watch, 

Input:  Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, labor

Date:  Year round


Audience:  General public/Master Gardeners

Activity:  Community Garden website, videos, projects

Content or Curriculum:  Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications, Monarch Watch,

Input:  Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, labor

Date:  Spring, Summer, Fall


Audience: General Public

Activity: Georgetown Tree Week

Content or Curriculum:  Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications, Urban Forest Initiative, City of Georgetown

Input:  Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, labor

Date:   Fall





Success Stories

Afterschool Middle School Programs

Author: Patrick Allen

Major Program: Leadership

Is 4-H the middle school aged audience is a very underserved audience. We spend a lot of time and energy developing and implementing programs for 4th and 5th grads with the hope that the students will join other programs in our county 4-H program. With in the 4th and 5th grade we have a once-a-month club meeting in all classrooms, as well as send all 4th graders to North Central 4-H Camp for Environmental Education (EE) Camp. In high school youth can attend several leadership conferences, be com

Full Story

Scott County Extension Office Partners with State and National Organization: PCAK and AARP

Author: Alivia Faris

Major Program: Family Development General

Scott County Extension Office Partners with State and National Organization: PCAK and AARP

Scott County Extension Office Partners with State and National Organizations: PCAK and AARPRoughly 36% of Kentucky’s population is over the age of 50. Kentucky has one of the highest percentages of people aged 30 and over raising grandchildren. According to the Kentucky School Board Association, we must work to support and understand this new family demographic. With this in mind, the Scott County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences applied for a grant with the help of th

Full Story

Jobs for American Graduates (JAG)

Author: Sarah Redmon

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

JAG is becoming a popular class in the school systems today. JAG, which stands for Jobs for American Graduates provides life skills and help them overcome barriers while preparing them for the work force, secondary education, or the military. The 4-H Agent was asked to come and provide educational lessons for the JAG student at Great Crossing High School. One of the educational lessons was public speaking, public speaking is the #1 fear for Americans. The 4-H Agent spent one day for three weeks

Full Story

Horticulture Therapy and Substance Abuse

Author: Sharon Flynt

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

In June 2022, the director of a local rehabilitative transitional house for women with substance abuse, reached out to the extension office  to provide classes and activities in gardening and nutrtion. Research indicates, according to Rutgers University,  that the use of  horticulture therapy  is beneficial for people with physical, mental, emotional, and social disabilities. Horticultural activity and working with plants – which are  non-discriminating and non-thr

Full Story

Middle School Retreat

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Leadership

According to research, middle school is a time where young people explore their strengths and interests in order to find their place in the world (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is essential to provide positive experiences in which young people are able to explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, Kentucky 4-H sees a decline in enrollment numbers for middle school age youth. In an effort to retain this age group, the Area C1-C4 Teen Council worked to plan, implement, and evaluat

Full Story

Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program.

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Family and Consumer Science

Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program.

The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information about the country, and a worksheet to help them explo

Full Story

Country Ham Project creates public speakers

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts

4-H Country Ham Day at the Kentucky State FairOn the opening day of the Kentucky State Fair in 2022, 75 counties participated in Ham Day, where over 800 youth participated in giving a 3-5 minute speech on a top designed around country ham. Over 800 hams were judged by the University of Kentucky Meats Lab professor and workers. With the 4-H Country Ham Project youth are given a topic to write a speech and two green hams to cure. From January to August the youth cure, clean, and prepare their hams

Full Story

Reality Store

Author: Patrick Allen

Major Program: Family and Consumer Science

Reality Store:Reality Store is a program designed to teach students the importance of education by placing them in the shoes of an adult for a shot time. Students are given a scenario that includes a career, salary, expenses, children, and the ability to make decisions on purchasing everyday items. The concept behind the program is to show youth the importance of having certificates that show there are qualified to carry out the tasks being asked from an employer. This program teaches youth that

Full Story

C1-C4 Teen Retreat 2023

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Leadership

The objectives of C1-C4 Area 4-H Teen Retreat are to develop leadership and teamwork skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, have fun, make new friends, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills, and develop positive youth-adult partnerships. This overnight educational experience is a culminating event for the C1-C4 Area Teen Council, who worked for several months to plan implement, and evaluate this 2-night, 3-day program for their

Full Story

4-H Summit 2023

Author: Patrick Allen

Major Program: Leadership

University of Kentucky : College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment Kentucky 4-H Summit 2023 West Kentucky 4-H CampDr. Rachel N. GuidugliAccording to research, middle school is a time where young people find their place in this world, they are exploring where their strengths and interests align (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is impreative to provide positive experiences where young people may explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, there is a decline in enro

Full Story

4-H Capital Experience

Author: Patrick Allen

Major Program: Civic Engagement

In a 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, one in four youth were unable to name the three branches of government. In addition, in July 2018 the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.141 stated a student must pass a civics test at a rate of 60% or higher, composed of 100 questions to graduate from a public high school with a regular diploma. To address this need, Kentucky 4-H Capitol Experience was established with the objectives of: Developing a positive relationship be

Full Story

COMMUNITY OF GARDENERS: A Boom in Gardening

Author: Sharon Flynt

Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial

A recent study showed that 55% of American households engage in gardening activities. The study also found that 67% of adults are growing or planning to grow edible plants, including vegetables (52%), herbs (33%), and fruits (31%). This has led to a boom in sales in garden centers and promotion of the benefits of growing your own food. This “boom in gardening” and gardening businesses was demonstrated in April, 2023, at the Scott County  Extension  Master Gardener Volunteer

Full Story
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