Extension
It Starts With Us
Developing Necessary Life Skills
Enhancing Life Skills for Youth and Adults
Shane Bogle, Rhonda Jewell, Ashley White
Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Securing Financial Stability (general)
Farm Management
In a constantly changing world, having life skills is an essential part of being able to adapt and meet the challenges of everyday life. Learning to how to communicate with others, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe a pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others – are basic to everyday life. Many of these basic life skills are not taught to youth at home or at school therefore they are not prepared to be successful in today’s changing world.
The Kentucky Family and Consumer Science and the 4-H FCS Curriculum equip youth and adults with these skills by giving them hands-on learning opportunities. Kentucky Family and Consumer Science programs 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, decision-making, and judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills in youth and adults.
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, club meetings or school enrichment, it’s beneficial for youth and adults to have the added experience and guidance of a trusted volunteer and the opportunity to form relationships with caring mentors and peers. Long-term volunteering is not always possible for many adults, but shorter-term volunteer roles create doable opportunities for more people to work 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 learning experience from club meetings alone to also include exhibits, field trips and more.
Youth and 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
*Number of clientele reporting improved family financial stability and
economic well-being.
*Youth will utilize the skills gained through education and involvement in Extension programs to serve as leaders in 4-H and other organizations.
*Youth become more comfortable sharing their thoughts with others.
Youth and adults will:
*Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
*Project a positive self-image and self-confidence
*Practice healthy eating choices
*Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
*Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability
*Demonstrate practical living skills
*Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting increased
savings or investments.
*Youth construct a speech that has a clear introduction, body and closing.
*Youth use their communication skills to assume a leadership role in 4-H and other organizations.
Youth and adults will:
*Gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Science 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
*Youth and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to
managing available financial resources
*Change knowledge opinions, skills and attitudes to improve employability
through practical living skills
*Youth create a formal presentation, speech or outline using the written outline.
*Youth research a presentation topic prior to developing a speech or demonstration.
Initial Outcome: Youth will enter Family & Consumer projects into county exhibit day and Kentucky State Fair Exhibits.
Indicator: An increase in projects entered
Method: Comparison from year to year
Timeline: On-going
Intermediate Outcome: Youth demonstrate an increased level of confidence when presenting in front of groups.
Indicator: The number of youth that have confidence speaking in front of groups.
Method: Observation over time / survey
Timeline: On-going
Long-term Outcome: Individuals will learn cooking skills
Indicator: Individuals will gain skills needed to prepare nutritious meals
for themselves and their families
Method: Survey 6 months after completion
Timeline: On-going
Audience: 8th grade Students
Project or Activity: Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality
Inputs: Community leaders, volunteers, community partners, funding, school system
Date: Spring 2018
Audience: High School Juniors and Seniors
Project or Activity: A,B, C's of College
Content or Curriculum: High School Financial Planning
Inputs: Extension resources, community leaders, volunteers, donations
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: Community Families
Project or Activity: Money Matters Meals
Content or Curriculum: MITT Curriculum
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: Community Members
Project or Activity: Where Does Your Money Go?
Content or Curriculum: MITT Curriculum
Date: 2017-2018
Audience: Community Members
Project or Activity: Estate Planning
Content or Curriculum: MITT Curriculum
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: Caldwell County High School Juniors
Project or Activity: Life 101
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H "It's Your Reality"
Inputs- Community leaders, volunteers, community partners, funding, school system
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: Youth ages 5-18
Project or Activity: Communications Contest
Content or Curriculum: KY CES Resources, National 4-H Resources
Inputs- Parents, volunteers, school system, donations,
Date: Spring 2018
Audience: Middle / High School
Project or Activity: Teen Cuisine
Content or Curriculum: Teen Cuisine
Dates: September 2017-May 2018
Audience: Middle / High School
Project or Activity: Self-Esteem Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Relationship Smarts
Dates: September 2017-May 2018
Author: Rhonda Jewell
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
4-H Camp4-H Camp provides an opportunity for youth to develop essential life skills that help them build character, develop a sense of independence, and become responsible individuals. There are many life lessons to be learned at camp from learning to respect others, money management, and responsibility for oneself to name a few. According to the American Camping Association, child development professionals recognize camping experiences as a valuable tool in helping children mature socially, emo
Author: Rhonda Jewell
Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum
Kentucky 4-H Summit seeks to engage middle school aged youth and retain their involvement in 4-H activities through the middle school years, along with empowering youth to become active 4-H leaders on the local and state levels. Objectives of Kentucky 4-H Summit are centered on the developmental needs of middle school aged youth: 4-H Summit aims to provide youth from across the Commonwealth with the opportunity to develop leadership skills through acquiring new knowledge to take back and impleme
Author: Ashley Board
Major Program: Nurturing Families (general)
According to the 2017 Early Childhood Profile, only 63.4% of children in Caldwell County are ready for kindergarten. 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. The Family & Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Caldwell, Crittenden, and Lyon Community Early Childhood Council and the Caldwell Family Resource and Youth
Author: Ashley Board
Major Program: Managing in Tough Times
In a constantly changing world, having life skills is an essential part of being able to adapt and meet the challenges of everyday life. Learning how to communicate with others, create and live within a budget, and prepare nutritious meals safely are necessary skills for life. The Caldwell County 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources, and Family & Consumer Sciences Agents as well as the Expanded Nutrition Education Program Assistant collaborated to offer the #Adulti
Author: Rhonda Jewell
Major Program: Natural Resources 4-H Core Curriculum
The Caldwell County 4-H Shooting Sports program has been a mainstay in the county 4-H program since 1994. This long tradition is due to dedicated leaders and 4-H’ers that know the value of the 4-H program. As in many programs, leaders have come and gone, but several have dedicated many years to the program and continue to do so. Caldwell County is fortunate to have a volunteer leader that was a main force in the initial start-up of the county shooting sports program 24 years ago and contin
