USDA Funds KY Life Skills Program for Youth and Families

By Blake Jackson

In Kentucky, many children and families face significant challenges, including high rates of foster care, homelessness, and poverty. These at-risk populations often experience low literacy, poor health, and limited workforce readiness.

To address these issues, Kentucky Cooperative Extension is launching the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Project.

Funded by a nearly $1.3 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), this five-year joint project between the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Martin-Gatton CAFE) and Kentucky State University (KSU) aims to provide community-tailored life skills training.

The CYFAR program, part of the Promoting Change Through Youth Engagement initiative, will focus on four Kentucky counties: Bullitt, Fayette, Jefferson, and Pulaski.

The programming will cover a wide range of life skills, including problem-solving, cooking, resume writing, budgeting, career exploration, nutrition, and drug prevention, tailored to each community’s specific needs.

Kerri Ashurst, senior extension specialist at Martin-Gatton CAFE, emphasizes the importance of collaboration. "When our universities come together with our resources, people and missions, we can reach more and better serve our communities," she said. "Our primary goal is to integrate CYFAR into ongoing initiatives to ensure that everyone can be part of Extension, 4-H or family and consumer sciences programs."

Shawn Gardner, 4-H youth development program leader at KSU, highlights the partnership’s impact. "Together, we are operating to be one extension team, but both teams will be doing different things," he explained. "In Jefferson and Fayette counties, CYFAR programs will include many wrap-around services to provide unwavering support, so they have the resources they need to thrive."

The CYFAR project aims to align additional services and resources within these communities and utilize a multidisciplinary approach to positive youth development through data-driven programming.

Co-investigators Kenneth Jones and Tyrone Atkinson from UK will also contribute to the project's success. This initiative seeks to empower at-risk youth and families, fostering their success and meaningful contributions to society.

Photo Credit: usda