Like skills are crucial for a person to adapt and deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday living.  The World Health Organization identifies six skills necessary in every child:   

• decision making and problem-solving,
• creative and critical thinking,
• communication and interpersonal skills,
• self-awareness and empathy,
• assertiveness and equanimity, and
• resilience and coping skills.  

When youth are in the presence of an adult, family members, many adults tend to make decisions without explaining the rationale for the decision. The life skill learning lessons are then examples of “do as I say” where the child does not have the connection of experience to reinforce the memory.  Green County 4-H with assistance from the Green County Cooperative Extension Service sought ways to increase a youth’s opportunity to learn these valuable life skills in a safe, positive environment.  

                4-H day and overnight camps allow youth guided autonomy in their actions.  With adult and older teen mentors and chaperones, youth can make mistakes in a positive environment enhancing the likelihood of the youth remembering the lesson and life skill.  In the 2019 program year, over 500 youth participated in the day and overnight camps sponsored by Green County 4-H.  Green County 4-H offered day camps on topics like agricultural and rural safety, cooking, leadership development, livestock, and dogs.  Overnight camping opportunities included leadership retreats, teen summits and conferences, citizenship field trips and summer camp.  Green County 4-H collaborated with other counties and the University of Kentucky 4-H Specialist and utilized over 200 local volunteers.  

                Through surveys, interviews with participants and parents, and observations, Green County 4-H members gained many valuable life skills through their participation in 4-H sponsored camps.  324 youth responded they gained skills to be independently safer and 282 of these youth responded they would encourage their friends to make safe, responsible decisions in the future.  From overnight summer camp, 72% managed their own money for the first time.   The American Camping Association reports that overall, 96% of the participants make new friends and 93% develop a friendship from a person who is different from themselves.  Seventy percent of parents report their child returns from camps with greater self-confidence in their abilities.  Green County 4-H is development youth who are confident in their abilities and have the life skills to manage their money and their personal safety resulting in resilient youth who possess stronger coping skills when stress and difficulty experiences exist.