Extension
It Starts With Us
Engaged Communities
Healthy Homes and Communities
Linda Combs, Dora Centers, Chad Conway
Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Situation:
The community assessment indicated:
·The lack of jobs in the area is an important issue for Knott County. An additional challenge for participants was that lower waged jobs leave little income, particularly with the high cost of commuting.
·Drug use also was identified as a priority issue within the community. Substance use has negative consequences for individuals directly affected and their families. Community level impacts from drug abuse include costs for emergency response, policing, incarceration, and recovery, as well as impacts on employers. The associated issues of “grandparents raising kids,” “money,” and “health,” are also a concern.
·Roads, infrastructure, and the overall condition of the county were raised as concerns.
· 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.
·Volunteers are important in building engaged and empowered communities.
·KEHA - The Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (Knott County Homemakers) mission is to improve the quality of life for families and communities through education, leadership development and volunteer service. With membership totaling more than 13,000 statewide, KEHA members are engaged leaders and active volunteers.
·Promote positive personal finance behaviors prepares Kentuckians for any future economic shift. The United States has been in an extremely long period of economic expansion; however, expansions are cyclical, meaning growth is eventually followed by recession. Securing financial stability for Kentuckians will help families thrive no matter the economic outlook. Financial stability is achieved when families are able to secure and manage resources needed to supply food, clothing, and shelter. Through increased financial knowledge, families may be able to make wise financial decisions, increase buying power, avoid overextended credit, develop savings habits, and manage risks.
- More effective employees and community leaders.
- Improved financial capability for Kentuckians, results in better quality of life and stronger families.
·KEHA - KEHA members (Knott County Homemakers) serve as active Extension and community volunteers engaged in addressing community needs.
- Better family money management skills, such as reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning.
- More effective employees and community leaders.
- Improved financial capability for Kentuckians, results in better quality of life and stronger families.
- 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.
·KEHA- KEHA (Knott County) leaders will practice personal leadership skills through leadership roles at the club, county, area and/or state level.
·The number of Knott County Homemaker volunteer service hours reported annually for KEHA, Extension and Community activities will increase.
- Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting in increased savings or investments.
- Adopt financial planning strategies for short-, mid-, and long-term goals.
·Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and aspirations, to improve employability through work and practical living skills and continuing education practices.
·KEHA- KEHA members (Knott County) will gain organizational knowledge through annual officer and chairman training.
·KEHA members (Knott County) will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through club lessons and special interest workshops.
- Increased knowledge and skills related to managing financial resources, including savings, credit, and financial planning.
- Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and aspirations, to improve employability through work and practical living skills and continuing education practices.
Increase financial literacy (knowledge and skills) related to savings and investments
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
Outcome: KEHA members (Knott County) will gain organizational knowledge through annual officer and chairman training.
Indicator: Number of KEHA members (Knott County) who report knowledge gained through county and/or area officer and chairman training.
Method: program evaluation with pre and post assessment questions
Timeline: on-going
Outcome: KEHA members (Knott County) will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through club lessons and special interest workshops.
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting improved personal and interpersonal leadership knowledge and/or Number of individuals reporting improved personal and interpersonal leadership skills.
Method: end of program evaluations, surveys
Timeline: on-going
Outcome: KEHA leaders (Knott County) will practice personal leadership skills through leadership roles at the club, county, area and/or state level.
Indicator: Number of KEHA members (Knott County) who utilized knowledge gained through officer training to fulfill a KEHA leadership role at the club, county, area and/or state level.
Method: Observation, review of officer directories
Timeline: on-going
Outcome: Increased awareness of sound financial behaviors
Indicator(s): Number of individuals who implemented at least one
strategy to reduce expenses or manage money
Number of individuals who made a sound financial decision
(regarding credit, budgeting, savings, and/or debt)
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Outcome: Increase knowledge and skills related to
managing financial resources
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of
understanding in the area: confidence in handling money issues
or specific financial matters
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Outcome: Increase knowledge and skills related to
estate planning
Indicator: Number of individuals who took action toward implementing at least one estate planning strategy in regard to the subject matter presented.
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Audience: Working-age adults and young adults preparing for the workforce
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: TBD
Project or Activity: Conveying Your Message
Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources, local
employers and community leaders
Date: TBD
Project or Activity: Networking for Success
Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources, local
employers and community leaders
Date: TBD
Audience: Knott County Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: KEHA Officer and Chairman Training / County KEHA Kickoff
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Training Toolkit, KEHA Manual, KEHA Website
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Annually each fall
Audience: Adults, young adults, and teens
Project or Activity: Money Habitudes Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Money Habitudes
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources,
Money Habitudes cards
Date:
Audience: Adults, young adults, and teens
Project or Activity: Financial Education
Content or Curriculum: Real Skills for Everyday Life
Inputs: FCS Agents
Date: on-going
Audience: Recovery Centers
Project or Activity: Financial Education
Content or Curriculum: Recovering Your Finances
Inputs: Coordination with community stakeholders
Date: on-going
