Harrison County CES

County Emphasis:

Strengthening Workforce Readiness and Life Skills Training

Concentration 1:

Work and Life Skill Development

Situation:

America’s future hinges on a prepared workforce and engaged communities collaborating to tackle society’s most pressing challenges. As of 2024, there are 2,465,949 job openings in Kentucky and nationwide there are 10 million unfilled jobs. Fasted growing jobs are in the fields of vocational education and higher education teachers, agriculture professionals, and digitally enabled roles: ecommerce specialists, digital transformation specialists, and digital marketing professionals (World Economic Forum, 2023). 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet (Dell Technologies, 2019). 77% of employers say focus less on traditional school subjects, more on real-world skills (Kauffman Foundation, 2021). Skills like analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, adaptability are key (World Economic Forum, 2023). According to the National 4-H Index Study 2024, 80% explored career options, 50% received guidance for college decisions, and 95% reported 4-H helped them identify things they were good at. To ensure a sustainable society, it is crucial that our youth are equipped to fill these positions. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension System Community Needs Assessment (2023) has identified key priority issues related to life skill development for young people. These priorities include youth life skill training opportunities, youth workforce readiness, and maximizing youth voice in matters that directly impact them1. Empowering our youth to actively participate in addressing societal issues is essential for a thriving future.

County Situation:

Based on the most current needs assessment, Harrison County survey participants indicated an overwhelming emphasis on youth life skills and workforce readiness as top priorities. Harrison County 4-H has a tremendous opportunity to utilize local resources, county leadership, and a club focus in many areas that develop work or life skills.  4-H began an Entrepreneur club in 2022 that has reached numerous young people in the program and connected many community business men and women to youth with a passion for business and community service. Eleven businesses partnered with a young entrepreneur for job shadowing in 2025. The local Chamber Director is heavily involved in club meetings and providing opportunities for young people to vendor at community events.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Youth will demonstrate necessary leadership, teamwork, and communication skills needed to be successful in the workplace. 

• Youth participation in community involvement increases.
• Youth will serve in leadership roles in their community.
• Youth will more effectively communicate, work with others, and contribute to driving change and shaping the future. 
• Youth will become engaged, healthy, and productive members of their communities.
• Improved quality of workforce

Intermediate Outcomes:

Increased implementation of employability strategies/skills Youth will practice teamwork, responsibility, communication, conflict resolution techniques, and problem-solving skills. Youth will plan and implement a service project. Youth will choose to take on leadership roles in their community.

Initial Outcomes:

• Developed skills related to workforce development
• Improved employability and interpersonal skills

• Youth identify personal strengths that contribute to life and work skill development.
• Youth will practice civic engagement, leadership and communication skills.
• Increased knowledge of career pathways.

Evaluation:

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported learning new skills to prepare or improve themselves for the workforce as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach.
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of volunteers who coordinated service activities (community service, service learning, personal service to others).
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported serving in a leadership role.
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Medium Term
Indicator	Number of youth who gained an increase in salary/income as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach.
Method	Survey
Timeline	End of program year

 

Outcome	Long Term
Indicator	Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study.
Method	Survey or Interview
Timeline	1 + years

Learning Opportunities:

Audience	4-Hers and Volunteers
Project or Activity	4-H Sewing and Needle work projects
Content or Curriculum	Sewing, knitting, crochet, quilting, and embroidery skills
Inputs	Volunteers, 4-H staff, Extension Office, Fairgrounds- Fashion Revue
Date(s)	Weekly/monthly meetings September – May

 

Audience	4-Hers and Community Leaders
Project or Activity	Chamber and 4-H Entrepreneurship
Content or Curriculum	Build Your Future Curriculum, Marketing, Vendor opportunities, presentation skills
Inputs	Chamber Director, Local Bank, Volunteers, 4-H Agent, Local Business Owners
Date(s)	September - August

 

Audience	Advanced Agriculture Students in the High School
Project or Activity	Farm Inc.
Content or Curriculum	Developed Farm Inc. Curriculum, UK extension resources
Inputs	Soil Conservation, Ag Credit, Local agribusiness men and women, Fairgrounds, Harrison County High School Ag Department, Extension Staff
Date(s)

 

Audience	4-Hers (6th-12th grade)
Project or Activity	LifeSmarts
Content or Curriculum	National Life Smarts educational resources
Inputs	4-H Agent, Extension Office, National LifeSmarts.org, local business resources, KY State Fair
Date(s)	September - April

 

Audience	4-Hers (6th-12th grade)
Project or Activity	National 4-H FCS Competitions
Content or Curriculum	National 4-H FCS competition educational resources
Inputs	4-H Agent, Extension Office, National FCS in TX, KY State Fair
Date(s)	August - January

 

Audience	4-Hers and volunteers
Project or Activity	Photography
Content or Curriculum	Camera settings, photography skills
Inputs	Boyd’s Station Art Gallery, Harrison County Fairgrounds, KY State Fair
Date(s)	Spring

 

Audience	4-Hers and Volunteers
Project or Activity	Tractor Driving and Lawnmower
Content or Curriculum	Petroleum Power curriculum
Inputs	Harrison County Fairgrounds, KY State Fair, Extension Office
Date(s)	Summer

 

Audience	Preschool
Project or Activity	Laugh & Learn
Content or Curriculum	Laugh & Learn curriculum
Inputs	Extension agents and staff, volunteers
Date(s)	September-May

 

Audience	Public
Project or Activity	Quilting, Sewing, Knitting, Arts, Scrapbooking, Project Days, Embroidery, basket making, applique
Content or Curriculum	UK resources, patterns
Inputs	Extension staff, volunteers
Date(s)	All Year

 

Audience	Youth
Project or Activity	Life Skills 101
Content or Curriculum	Laundry, self-defense, car maintenance, balancing checkbook, first aid
Inputs	Extension staff, HMH, volunteers
Date(s)	Summer
Audience	4-Hers and Community Volunteers
Project or Activity	Communications Contest
Content or Curriculum	Speech, Demonstration, Mock Interview
Inputs	Community College, Extension Staff, Volunteers
Date(s)	End of March (County), April/May (Area), July (State)

 

Audience	4-Hers (6th grade-12th grade)
Project or Activity	Social Media Club
Content or Curriculum	Social media etiquette; film making for newsletter audience
Inputs	Extension film equipment, teachers, 4-H Agent and Program Assistant, monthly newsletter
Date(s)	End of month August- April

 

Audience	4-Hers (6th-12th Grade)
Project or Activity	4-H Teen Council
Content or Curriculum	Step up to leadership, Officer Training, Robert’s Rules of Order, Communication, Committees
Inputs	4-H UK Specialists, neighboring 4-H agents and programs, KY 4-H, SRTLC, Teen Retreat, Middle School Retreat, Teen Summit, Teen Conference, State Teen Council, 4-H Issues, Area Teens
Date(s)	All year

 

Audience	4-H Volunteers
Project or Activity	KY Volunteer Forum
Content or Curriculum	Workshops – content based, award recognition
Inputs	Hyatt Regency, Lexington, KY, Extension Staff, Office Vans
Date(s)	Even Year Februarys

 

Audience	Homemakers
Project or Activity	Kentucky Extension Homemaker Lessons, Clubs, and Events, Junior Homemakers, Men Homemakers, Curry, Jacobs, Indian Creek, Sunrise, Barlow, New Millenium, Leesburg, Falmouth Road
Content or Curriculum	Leader Lessons, county clubs, county, area, and state committees, councils, and annual meetings
Inputs	FCS agents, UK specialists, volunteers
Date(s)	All Year

 

Evaluation:

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported learning new skills to prepare or improve themselves for the workforce as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach.
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of volunteers who coordinated service activities (community service, service learning, personal service to others).
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Short Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported serving in a leadership role.
Method	Standard Evaluation
Timeline	Immediately post program (6+ hours)

 

Outcome	Medium Term
Indicator	Number of youth who gained an increase in salary/income as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach.
Method	Survey
Timeline	End of program year

 

Outcome	Long Term
Indicator	Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study.
Method	Survey or Interview
Timeline	1 + years