Author: Kim Angel
Planning Unit: Jackson County CES
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Plan of Work: Leadership and Community Development
Outcome: Initial Outcome
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, children across the country are facing social isolation. During this time, Jackson County 4-H provided a virtual beginner leather working program to educate 4-H’ers on leatherwork skills while they were at home. Each participant received a leatherwork kit with six projects, stamping tools, and finishing products. The 4-H Program volunteer leader used the Colorado State University leatherwork curriculum to teach proper leatherwork techniques and procedures. The program was delivered virtually to fifteen youth, ages nine through eighteen. 4-H'ers learned how to prepare the leather for stamping, stamping techniques, how to hand-sew leather, leather finishing techniques, and how to cut out patterns for custom leather projects. At the end of the program, a survey was given. One-hundred percent of youth who responded indicated that 4-H is a place where they get to figure things out, they feel more confident in their ability to do new things after participating in the program, and they are interested in advancing their skills in an intermediate group. Initially the group was able to develop basic leatherwork skills, but quickly advanced their skills enough to create their own knife sheaths, jewelry, and other leather goods from scrap leather and stamping boards that were donated by community partners totaling $1,200. As future leatherwork programs are planned, follow up on the evaluations will determine if participants pursue future business opportunities in leatherwork.
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