Extension
It Starts With Us
Improve Income and Workforce Development
Empowering Youth, Individuals and Families to Succeed
Lee Ann McCuiston, Jill Harris
Workforce Preparation – 4-H Youth Development
Family and Consumer Science
Home-Based Microprocessor Program
The Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Statewide Report 2019 indicates that money management for families and youth and employee “soft/essential skills” training continue to be important issues statewide. Research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center indicates 85% of job success comes from having well developed soft and people skills, and only 15% of job success comes from technical skills and knowledge (hard skills). Employers are often prepared to teach technical job skills; however, the intangible skills of being a team player, time management, and positive attitude are difficult to teach on-sight but critical to success.
All youth, individual and families in Todd County need to enhance their economic opportunities and quality of life by learning how to further obtain and use the resources at their disposal, including money, time, human capital, material resources and community services. In 2009, 26 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty, ranking Kentucky 48th in the nation. The Todd County Extension Council identified developing basic life skills in individuals and families as a major area of concern for 2020-2024. The Todd County Extension Office will build protective factors in a young person’s environment to promote resiliency and thriving behavior.
Over the last 25 years, the number of stay-at-home parents has decreased. Parents have increasingly relied on schools to teach concepts and skills once taught within the family. With societal changes and cuts in school budgets, many schools have eliminated family and consumer science labs and no longer include or have decreased FCS instruction in the curriculum. Those who seek information often turn to internet sources which may not be based in research. Decision-making may be based on product marketing claims, family tradition, myths, faulty information, and lack of knowledge.
4-H offers projects in FCS which assist youth in becoming responsible and contributing members of the family and contributing members of Kentucky communities. At the same time, these life skills prepare youth for the families they will establish as adults.
Extension agents will help youth and adults manage the changing economic times by learning money management skills and workforce development practices that lead to an employable future and debt free lifestyle.
Long-term Outcomes:
4-H Youth and other youth involved in 4-H programming will:
--Improve their academic standing and job readiness skills that will lead to gainful employment.
--Successfully enter an institution of higher learning
--Increase practical living skills and make more effective decisions.
--Become a contributing member of society.
--Contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and families
--Become more comfortable sharing their thoughts with others
--Establish good credit through proper money handling skills
FCS
- More effective employees and community leaders.
- Improved financial capability for Kentuckians, results in better quality of life and stronger families.
Intermediate Outcomes:
4-H Youth and other youth involved in 4-H programming will:
--Practice communication and team work skills among peers.
--Develop thoughts and present them orally and effectively to a group in the communications contest.
--Build strong decision making and oral communication skills.
--Safely operate and maintain a camera or bicycle
--Practice goals and objectives through the 4-H achievement program
--Study more effectively.
--Gain confidence in front of a group.
--Interview for a position.
--Prepare a 4-H project such as foods, photography dog, clothing, wood, etc.
--Communicate positively with their parent(s)/family more frequently.
--Use proper etiquette at a banquet.
--Watch children properly in a babysitting experience.
--Participate in cultural experiences.
--Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employ-ability in the future
--Practice responsible money handling procedure, check writing, etc.
--Balance a check book.
--Save money and decrease debt.
--Learn how to open a checking account (online banking)
FCS
- Practice better employee “soft/essential skills” such as communication, networking, teamwork, time management, problem-solving, etc.
- Improve employability through practical living skills and continued education practices.
Initial Outcomes:
4-H Youth and other youth involved in 4-H programming will:
--Learn what educational opportunities away from home are available and how to attend.
--Acquire study skills and memorization techniques.
--Learn how to communicate effectively, make informed and effective decisions.
--Learn how to be responsible for oneself away from home (managing money and resources).
--Learn how to exhibit self-confidence in front of a crowd.
--Learn how to research a topic and present it to a group of peers, family, etc.
--Learn life skills (cooking, sewing, budgeting, managing, and working, etc.).
--Learn proper job skills (interviewing, writing, communicating, resume writing, thinking, problem solving.
--Learn proper etiquette when serving food to others.
--Gain knowledge in infant and child care.
--Learn how to market oneself as a babysitter
FCS
- Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and aspirations, to improve employability through work and practical living skills and continuing education practices.
Evaluation
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator: The number of youth who obtain and maintain a job in the workforce or attend a higher education institute will be reported.
Method: Focus group with teen council members will be administered.
Timeline: Spring/Summer of 2024
Intermediate Outcome:
Indicator: The number of youth who use a skill that they learned while participating in a camp, club or other 4-H programs will be reported.
Method: end of program evaluation
Timeline: Spring/Summer 2024
Initial Outcome:
Indicator: the number of youth who attest to the acquisition of responsibility, independence, conflict resolution and the acquisition of other college readiness skills through a 4-H program.
Indicator: The number of youth who completed a resume or interview through 4-H programs.
The impact of the mock interviews and workforce prep programs will be determined by an end of program focus group and follow up survey of participants.
Method: End of program survey and four-six month follow-up survey after program.
Timeline: Spring 2024 end of program survey and follow up in June.
Long-term outcome: 4-H youth in their teen and adult years will be able to plan for unexpected costs in life by incorporating lower spending habits and a more deft free lifestyle.
Indicator: The number of 4-H youth who graduate high school will have lower spending habits and more money saved due to the impact of the Reality Store and other financial stability programs.
Method: A 3 year follow up survey of the 8th graders who are now juniors will result in the data collection of lower spending habits among teens.
Timeline: 3 year follow up in 2025 of the junior class.
Intermediate Outcomes: 4-H youth will be able to see the relationship between good grades and a good salary and therefore will study and work harder in school due to the impact of the 4-H Reality Store.
Indicator: 8th graders entering high school will show more effort to do well in school.
Method: Follow up survey of the freshman class (9th graders) who as 8th graders participated in the 4-H Reality Store.
Timeline: Follow up in the Fall after the 2024 Reality Store.
Initial Outcomes: 8th graders will be more aware of how to budget money and make wise financial choices.
Indicator: 8th graders will increase awareness of how to budget and make wise financial choices through the Reality Store experience.
Method: End of program survey.
Timeline: End of Reality Store program.
FCS
Outcome: Improved workforce communication
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported the intent to utilize etiquette practices to improve verbal, written, and electronic communication practices (Communicating Effectively)
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of understanding in the area: demonstrate strong verbal and nonverbal communications (Conveying Your Message)
Method: Pre/Post Evaluation
Timeline: Following Positive Employability
Outcome: Improved workplace listening skills
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of understanding in the area: how to utilize listening cues (nonverbal, quaisverbal, and verbal) in conversation (Listening and Inquiry)
Method: Pre/Post Evaluation
Timeline: Following Positive Employability
Outcome: Networking Skills
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of confidence in the area: participate in a productive business conversation (Networking for Success)
Method: Pre/Post Evaluation
Timeline: Following Positive Employability
Learning Opportunities:
Education:
4-H Youth Development Agent and volunteer leaders will:
--Train all 4th and 5th grade students and community club members on proper public speaking during the January school club meetings. Provide lesson materials to middle school teachers on public speaking.
--Train leaders to work with youth in livestock and horse judging, speeches, and demonstrations and other projects during monthly club meetings.
--Coordinate 4-H project club meetings and activities including horse, clothing, cooking, crafts, dog, etc., throughout the year.
--Provide a leader training opportunity for project club leaders in the fall.
--Provide opportunities for teens to attend teen retreats, council meetings, and other teen activities throughout the 4-H year.
--Coordinate the Reality Store for 8th grade students in the spring.
--Coordinate the 4-H Talk Meet program in the school clubs and county 4-H Clubs from January through April.
--Provide opportunities for youth to get involved in community service through the Todd County Mentoring program and other services.
--Coordinate a 4-H/Youth Service Center Babysitting Clinic in the spring/summer for middle school student
--Provide a Managing in Tough Times tool kit to clientele to build financial resiliency.
--Provide information to teens on teen spending, debt, credit cards, etc.
--work with the high school to provide a financial management seminar for high school seniors educating them on checking, savings, loans, credit, etc.
FCS
Audience: Junior Homemakers
Project or Activity: 10 Soft Skills for Success
Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources, local employers and community leaders
Date: January 2025
Audience:FCS/4H Homeschool Group
Project or Activity: Soft Skills for Success
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications a
Date: January 2025
