Extension
It Starts With Us
FCS in 4-H: Building Life Skills
Nutrition and Wellness for Bracken County Residents
4-H
4-H Communications and Expressive Arts Core Curriculum
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.
Youth 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.
Youth 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
Youth will:
Gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Sciences projects and programs
Understand the decision-making process
Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
Learn to read and follow instructions
Initial Outcome: Gain knowledge and develop skills in FCS
Indicator: Number of participants reporting an increase in knowledge or gain of skills
Method:evaluation, personal testimonies
Timeline: 2018-2019
Intermediate Outcome: Practice life skills and make responsible choices
Indicator: Number of participants who practice life skills, responsibility, and make good choices
Method: observation, evaluation,
Timeline: 2018-2019
Long-term Outcome: Become contributing individuals and family members
Indicator: Number of participants that achieve this in life
Method: observation, follow-up surveys, evaluation
Timeline: 2018-2019
Audience: Youth ages 9-13
Project or Activity: Cooking and Arts/Crafts
Content or Curriculum: various curriculum, My Plate, UK resources
Inputs: agents, day camps, projects days, volunteers
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: Youth ages 9-13
Project or Activity: Marvelous Manners Program
Content or Curriculum: Various UK/4-H Publications
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: High School Students
Project or Activity: Adulting
Content or Curriculum: UK resources
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, School Staff
Date: 2019-2020
