How is our newest group of 4-H Teens going to survive when they leave home?

According to many experts our youth is hopeless when it comes to basic life and workplace skills.  Research shows our teens are comfortable online or with a phone in their hand, but are incapable of face to face communication, critical thinking and problem solving.  Many of our youth do not have the ability to cook, change a tire, much less how to you use a saw, pressure washer or electric drill. According to educator Michaela Launert.  “There’s been a very steep decline in interpersonal skills and it means that regardless of their school results, young people are going to struggle to get a job,”   Kenton County 4-H recognizes that many of the skills that our Senior volunteers have can been used to teach our youth new skills than can use the rest of their lives.  With the help of one of our senior adult volunteers Kenton County renovated our 4-H fair building.  In 6 days our teens put down the phone to rebuild the 4-H office to create a raffle area and install picket fence around our display shelves.  All of this work was completed by 4-H teens.  The 4-H youth learned how to measure, cut and install wood, they learned to paint, and they learned the value of hard work.  When the project was completed we had a time of reflection.   The youth involved in this project was so proud of what they accomplished.  All of the youth felt more comfortable using a saw, a screw gun, painting and using a measuring tape when the project was completed.  Each of them felt they learned a new skills they could use the rest of their life.