Extension
It Starts With Us
Foster individual and family stability, resiliency and fincial well-being across the life span.
Nurturing Individuals and Families Through All Life Stages
Tiffany Bolinger, Kaitlyne Metsker, Matt Futtrell, Jeremiah Johnson, Mary Anne Garnett
Embracing Life as We Age (general)
4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
Securing Financial Stability (general)
4-H Communications and Expressive Arts Core Curriculum
Healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Co-habiting, same-sex, divorced, widowed and single households are the new majority. Stresses on military families are more difficult and prolonged because of the demands on military personnel to serve multiple deployments, frequently in combat zones. Children who live absent from their biological fathers are two to three times more likely to be poor, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parents. In 2013, 25 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty, ranking Kentucky 40th in the nation. Children who live in poverty are more likely to have learning disabilities and developmental delays. Furthermore, children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. More than half of Kentucky’s 56 judicial circuits have some form of mandated divorce education; more such education is needed.
The consequences of the Great Recession and the extended period of slow economic growth which followed, encouraged Kentuckians to become more aware of their financial 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, unemployment, and revolving debt. These indicators, especially unemployment numbers became more exaggerated during the period of the Great Recession. However, at present economist are cautiously optimistic regarding future economic forecasts. 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.
People are living longer. Kentucky’s current population of seniors (65+) is 13.3%, a number that is expected to double in the next 40 years due to the aging Baby Boomers (post WWII babies born between 1946-1964). Approximately 25% of Kentucky’s population includes Boomers, who, in 2011, started turning 65. Meanwhile, babies born in Kentucky in 2011 are projected to live to be 75 years old (3 years younger than the national average). Whether it is the graying of America or extended life expectancies, aging is a lifespan process. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the changes that accompany aging, in regard to health, independence and life quality throughout all stages of life. The goal of the Embracing Life As We Age Initiative is to develop programs and work with other FCS initiatives to help individuals, families and communities manage the challenges and discover the positive aspects of life transitions and growing older.
Kentucky families are able to:
•Care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over the long term
•Foster the optimal development of children and youth
•Practice parental leadership skills
•Build personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making.
•Access community resources when needed
•Maximize or extend resources to maintain or increase finances.
•Number of individuals reporting improved family financial stability and economic well-being.
•Number of individuals who avoided breaches in personal or financial security.
•Improved the quality of their life resulting in a stronger family.
Change in social, economic, and environmental issues related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging:
•Decrease falls
•Increase physical activity
•Increase caregiving knowledge and quality relationships
•Improve financial education
•Improve quality of life for Christian County’s aging families
The number of people who:
•Set and used family rules, routines and limited screen time
•Reduced stress levels, made time for selves, and/or made wise decisions about money, time, etc.
•Reported using preventive and positive discipline techniques in response to misbehavior, and setting and enforcing logical consequences
•Practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships
•Accessed community agencies and resources when needed
•Engaged in community outreach activities
•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).
Change in behavior related to healthy
aging, independent aging and quality aging.:
•Change behavior to decrease risk of falling.
•Increase communication and enhance relationships and social support.
•Enhance brain activity
•Improve mental health
•Create a legacy
•Increase skills to interact/work with older adults
•Commits to set family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play and exercise, set routines
•Intends to manage stress; make time for self; listen, talk, bond with family members; read with child daily; teach responsibility in use of money, time, etc.
•Verbalizes realistic behavior expectations
•Discusses discipline vs. punishment, and preventive and positive discipline techniques
•Commits to using logical consequences for misbehavior
•Intends to contact community agencies for assistance
•Intends to participate in volunteer activities
•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.
Change in awareness, knowledge, and aspirations related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging.:
•Risk of falling
•Healthy lifespan behaviors
•Life story and legacy
•Ageism
•Empathy
•Death, dying, loss and bereavement.
•Financial Planning
•Age-related family issues (e.g. dementia, power of attorney, living wills, failing health, end-of-life)
Initial Outcome: Increased Knowledge of Effective Parenting Skills
Indicator: Parenting Classes
Method: pre/post test
Timeline: Spring 2020
Intermediate Outcome: Improved Quality of Personal Relationships/Communication
Indicator: Relationship Smarts
Method: post-evaluation
Timeline: Fall 2019
Initial Outcome: Increased knowledge and awareness of the risks and consequences related to drugs and substance abuse in both teens and their families
Indicator:Truth & Consequences
Method:post-evaluation
Timeline: Fall 2019 & Spring 2020
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will be able to apply budgeting practices in their life outside of a school setting
Indicator: It's Your Reality
Method:post-evaluation
Timeline: Fall/Spring of School Year
Initial Outcome: Youth will gain increased knowledge on budgeting skills and practices
Indicator: Dollar & Sense
Method: Post-Evaluation
Timeline: Fall/Spring of School Year
Audience: Adults, Teens
Project or Activity: Healthy Relationships Classes
Content or Curriculum: Relationship Smarts
Inputs: Extension Agent; curriculum materials
Date: Winter/Spring 2019/2020
Audience: Parents, Grandparents, Guardians
Project or Activity: Parenting Classes
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Parenting
Inputs: Extension Agent; Curriculum Training/materials
Date: Spring 2020
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Money Sense for Women
Content or Curriculum: Day-long seminar, guest speakers, panels
Inputs: local resources, Community Agencies that serve on committee, Extension Agent, facilities
Date: August 2019
Audience: High School 10th Graders
Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences
Content or Curriculum: Experiential Activity on Consequences of Drug Use
Inputs: Extension Agents, curriculum materials, Community Partners, School facilities/staff
Date: Fall 2019/Spring 2020
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Keys to Aging
Content or Curriculum: Aging classes
Inputs: Extension Agent, curriculum materials, facilities
Date: Spring 2020
Audience: Youth in Christian County and Ft. Campbell
Project or Activity: Its Your Reality-Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality/ Dollar & Sense
Inputs: Extension Agents, Community Volunteers, Chamber of Commerce, Christian County and Ft. Campbell public high school, Hopkinsville Community College
Date: Fall 2019/ Spring 2020
Audience: Parents of Preschoolers
Project or Activity: Preschool Pages
Content or Curriculum: newsletter
Inputs: UK extension resources, FCS agents of district 7
Date: All year
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Bullying
Content or Curriculum: Character Counts
Inputs: Extension Agents, Christian County Public Schools, Ft. Campbell CYSS, 4-H Teen Leaders & Volunteers
Date: Fall/Spring
Audience: Middle School Students
Project or Activity: Dollars and Sense
Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality/Dollar & Sense
Inputs: Extension Agents, Christian County Public Schools, 4-H Teen Leaders and Volunteers, Military Volunteers
Date: Fall 2019/Spring 2020
Audience: Homemaker Members, General Public
Project or Activity: Leader Trainings, Workshops, Seminars
Content or Curriculum: Holiday Traditions Around the World; Friend & Family Game Night
Inputs: Specialist Support, Extension Homemaker resources, other university extension resources, eXtension resources
Date: August - May
Audience: Preschool Students and Families
Project or Activity: Week of the Young Child
Content or Curriculum: Kindergarten readiness and family bonding activities
Inputs: CECC, Meeting Space, FCS Agent, Program Support Funds
Date: Spring 2020
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: 4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
In a community needs assessment performed in 2019, it was determined that the youth of Christian County are in need of more youth life skills training (money management, life decision making, etc.) and better family skills in reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning. For several years the Christian County Extension Service has provided It’s Your Reality, a financial management program, to youth in Christian County. Students assume the role of the sole financial provider of
Author: Mary Anne Garnett
Major Program: 4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
Revamping a long running traditionChristian County Mary Anne Garnett In a community needs assessment performed in 2019, it was determined that the youth of Christian County are in need of more youth life skills training (money management, life decision making, etc.) and better family skills in reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning. For several years the Christian County Extension Service has provided It’s Your Reality, a financial management program, to youth
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Nurturing Parenting
COVID-19...In a short matter of time, Extension programs as we know came to a halt. Events, clubs, and programs were cancelled in their traditional manner and agents began planning and preparing ways to continue to reach clientele. With schools being closed and students at home, a strain was placed on parents and caregivers, who might also be working from home, to provide educational and fun activities for youth. As Extension Agents, we are familiar with adapting to any situation and meetin
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)
It is well known that one of the major contributing factors to stress is financial insecurity. Unfortunately, many times individuals lack the information and skills needed to make financially sound decisions and end up having to dig themselves out of debt. Often those uneducated decisions happen following high school graduation as students transition into the next phase of life. During the 2019 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment for Christian County community members identified the followin
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)
In a community needs assessment performed in 2019, it was determined that the youth of Christian County are in need of more youth life skills training (money management, life decision making, etc.) and better family skills in reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning. For several years the Christian County Extension Service has provided It’s Your Reality, a financial management program, to youth in Christian County. Students assume the role of the sole financial provider of
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: 4-H Leadership Core Curriculum
Youth are more likely to be productive citizens in their communities by getting involved in activities outside of school. This year our county 4-H teen club went through a rebuilding process and now allows middle and high school youth in Christian County to participate. The club focuses on leadership, team building, career exploration and civic engagement. Teens identified needs in the community and have developed plans to combat those needs. Through a rebranding in our
