Extension
It Starts With Us
Implementing Life Skills for Youth and Adults in Scott County
Acquiring Life Skills
Brewer, Faris, Flynt, Redmon
Economic Development and Workforce Preparation - ANR
Communications
Master Gardener
Nutrition and Food Systems General
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, 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.
Add ag thing here.
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.
Youth / Adults will:
- Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
- Gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
- Contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.
- Improve family financial stability and economic well-being.
- Avoid breaches in personal or financial security.
- Improve the quality of their life.
Youth / Adults will:
- Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
- Project a positive image and self-confidence
- Practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
- Practice healthy eating choices
- Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
- Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
- Adopt one or more short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
- Practice one or more resource management behavior(s) resulting in increased savings or investments
- Apply practical living skills to advance education or employability
- Examine personal and financial stability on a regular basis (at least annually)
Youth / Adults will:
- Gain knowledge and develop skills in core areas and other programs
- Understand the decision-making process
- Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
- Learn to read and follow instructions
- Teenagers and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to managing available financial and non-financial resources (social marketing and program participants).
- Participants will increase understanding of consumer rights and privacy protection measures.
- Teens and young adults will simulate life situations to recognize importance of education and employability skills.
- Participants will identify short, medium and long term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability.
Outcome: Participants learn and practice life skills
Indicator: Self reporter/surveyed knowledge gained
Method: Pre test and post test questionnaires, Common Measurements, formative assessments
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcome: Demonstrates skills for positive employability
Indicator: Ability to successfully implement positive employability
Method: Mock interviews, positive employability employability
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
Audience: Extension Councils
Activity: Council Evaluation Training
Content or Curriculum: Community Conflict Resolution Materials
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: November
Audience: Extension Homemakers/Volunteers/General Public
Activity: Lesson Leader Trainings/Seminars/Workshops
Content or Curriculum: FCS/SNAP Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Throughout the Year
Audience: Youth
Activity: Botvin (Addiction Prevention)
Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: Adults, Youth
Activity: Rehabilitation Garden Program
Content or Curriculum: Recovery Garden Toolkit; grant money, SNAP-Ed and UK - CAFE publications, staff, equipment, volunteers
Date: Spring, Summer and Fall
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 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: General public
Activity: Estate planning workshops
Content or Curriculum: estate planning, Transferring Cherished Possessions
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: 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
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Aging-General
Estate planning allows people to control what happens to their possessions after their passing. Without a legally recognized plan in place, the government may dictate how someone’s assets are distributed. While there are numerous informal approaches to estate planning, not all are legally recognized. This may create confusion and spark conflict among families during an already challenging time. To increase consumer knowledge on estate planning and asset distribution, the Scott County
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Recipes for Life
The Scott County Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension Agent collaborated with Southern Elementary School administrators and teachers within the Scott County School District to offer the Recipes for Life Program to 77 fifth-grade students. Over 30 volunteers worked with students in a hands-on educational setting to teach important life skills. Additionally, Scott County Extension Office Staff assisted with the program. Prior to the program the FCS Agent taught lessons at Southern Ele
Author: Sharon Flynt
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
The problemResearchers at Rutgers University attested to an increasingly large body of research that demonstrates activities in horticulture can be used “as a therapeutic modality for people with physical, mental, emotional, and social disabilities, as plants are non-discriminating and non-threatening, and anyone can be successful utilizing this medium.” It was further stated that working plants and successful participation in horticultural activities “have unique qualiti
Author: Madison Adkins
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
