#Adulting Success Story

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25% of the population in Scott County is under the age of 18. It is important to invest in the well-being of this population since they will eventually become the future of our county. In partnership with the Department of Family and Juvenile Justice, Scott County Cooperative Extension Office implemented a series of educational programs to help at-risk youth enrich their basic life skills.

In a 2013 study, Puspakumarag showed that life skills training was effective in preventing a wide range of problems such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancies, violence, and bullying and that this training helped to promote self-confidence and self-esteem among the adolescents. Based on this statistic, the #adulting series was put in place to help youth build essential skills. Topics discussed at the sessions included relationship skills, career exploration, basic finance, and simple cooking. Classes included group discussions, individual assessments, and hands-on skill application.

Participants of the program were youth ages 12-17 who are currently involved in the Juvenile Court Program. Case workers worked with their clientele to refer those who they believed could benefit from the educational program. The program was incorporated as part of their diversion plan.

Following the program, 86% of participants stated the program was relevant to their current needs and 100% indicated the content was easy for them to understand. Moreover, 100% of attendees reported they have already implemented at least one behavior change as a result of attending the classes.

Plans are in place to repeat the series in the fall for a new audience. Also, expansion to surrounding counties is currently being discussed between local court workers and cooperative extension offices.