Scott County CES

Title:

Implementing Life Skills for Youth and Adults in Scott County

MAP:

Acquiring Life Skills

Agents Involved:

Brewer, Faris, Flynt, Adkins

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Economic and Business Development - ANR

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Communications & 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, 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:

• 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.

Intermediate Outcomes:

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)

Initial Outcomes:

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.

Evaluation:

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

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Extension Councils 

Activity: Extension Council Trainings 

Content or Curriculum: Community Conflict Resolution Materials

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

Date: Year Round 

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 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:  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

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