USU Extension Outcomes & Impacts

Volume 1, Issue 3

Focusing on Youth and Community Development

While COVID-19 continues to challenge communities and individuals, USU Extension continues to provide impactful programming to improve the lives of Utahns. The fall issue of Outcomes & Impacts Quarterly focuses on youth and community development, with a special emphasis on our rural communities.

From developing youth job skills such as résumé and cover letter writing, to working with schools to decrease e-cigarettes use, the USU Extension 4-H program is focused on providing education and resources for positive youth development. Additionally, our financial wellness programs are making strides by helping individuals and families attain financial wellbeing, while our landscape architecture programs are working with community leaders to alleviate housing affordability issues in our rural gateway communities.

Please read the full issue of Outcomes and Impact Quarterly to learn more about the tremendous impacts USU Extension is having in Utah.

Utah 4-H enhancing real-world job application experience for youth.

A statewide youth needs assessment ranked writing cover letters and résumés as top life skills needed by Utah’s youth. The Utah 4-H Portfolio program has taught over 1,600 youth in grades 3 to 12 to write cover letters and résumés since 2019. Working with adult leaders in their communities, youth are using 4-H Portfolios to solidify a clear pathway from their 4-H experience to a successful career.

Read the full article here.

84% of Americans were stressed about finances because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exacerbated by unpredictable global events, research shows rising consumer debt and generally low levels of financial literacy among adults. In response, USU Extension implemented the Empowering Financial Wellness (EFW) program to provide finance education to residents. EFW seeks to empower individuals and families to achieve economic stability. Program results indicate that after course participation, 93% reported positive changes to their credit scores, and 88% established emergency savings.

Read the full article here.

USU Extension provides a 5-part webinar series focused on housing affordability in rural communities.

Housing affordability is a critical issue in many Gateway and Natural Amenity Region (GNAR) communities. The extreme increase in home prices during the COVID-19 pandemic have made it an even bigger challenge for residents. In response, the GNAR Initiative created a six-part interactive webinar series providing tools to address housing affordability and short-term rental management.

Read the full article here.

Southeast rural Utah has the highest rates of e-cigarette use among youth in the state.

“Be Epic” is a multi-component health and wellness program on vape prevention in rural Southeast Utah that targets youth grades 5–12, teachers, and parents. The teacher component included a one-time education session that taught teachers the basics of the “CATCH my Breath” curriculum. Results of a short-term outcome evaluation showed an increase in teachers’ knowledge and confidence related to e-cigarette education.

Read the full article here.

Click here to read the full issue of Outcomes & Impacts Quarterly

Read the full issue of the newsletter here.

For more information, please contact the editors:

Dr. Lendel Narine

Dr. Cris Meier

Andree' Walker Bravo

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