Teaching Self-Sufficiency

[curly_kate]

I run an after school group where I do different activities for girls, and one of the topics I'd like to cover is self-sufficiency. I think it fits in quite nicely with building self-esteem because what would make you feel better about yourself than being able to take care of yourself? Anyway, do you guys have any suggestions of things that I could do? The parameters are that we are at a school building (trying to get them to another location has proven to be pretty much impossible), and are on a shoestring budget. Any ideas?

 

[Dace]

I am not sure if I am on the right track or not here but what comes to my mind are simple skills that they can take home....knitting ( hot pads or something as holiday gifts) , sewing (if you have a machine) maybe some simple hand sewing projects, planting seeds in small containers to take home and tend, making candles (rolled beeswax, may be to pricey), basket weaving, first aid, making bread (if there is a kitchen) general cooking skills (again, need a kitchen), some books on interesting subjects like chicken keeping and beekeeping....I think I lean towards simple craft type projects.

 

[annmarie]

Dace has some good ideas. Also, if it's the concept of self-sufficiency you want to teach them (or maybe introduce them to the concept before actually getting into skills like sewing, candlemaking etc.) a fun free activity you could do is take them outside (somewhere semi-wooded would be best) and come up with challenges where they'd have to use what nature provides to make something useful, like a bed, or some way to collect water, or a shelter. I'm sure you could come up with more and better challenges. This is just the first couple of things that comes to mind! If you can't be outside, I would think you could do something similar indoors by bringing in a bunch of your "recyclables" (toilet paper tubes, milk jugs, bags, newspapers, jars, boxes, whatever) and challenge them to create something useful out of junk! That could be a good introduction to what self sufficiency is about.

 

[enjoy the ride]

Finance basics from having a check book to getting a loan to tax deductions on pay checks to saving for future purchases. Understanding home and auto insurance- what is life insurance. Credit cards- their ins and outs.
How to maintain and fix basic things on cars- widshield wipers, checking battery and fluids, tire pressure, etc.

How to interview for employment- how to supervise other employees.

Oh I forgot- gardening and food preservation. What is in convenience foods, etc. Vitamins, minerals, nutritional needs. Cooking from basic materials.

Maintaining health and what doctors can and can't do for you.

Home repairs- how to fix a faucet or repain a lamp or outlet- etc.

Remember that most banks, nurse's organizations, master gardeners, Red Cross, etc will be happy to send speakers and literature. Maybe even arrange field trips.

 

[curly_kate]

Great ideas! I knew I'd come to the right place!

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe a project on how to lower energy use at their own house, sort of like a challenge assignment. At the end of the assignment they could present posters on what they did and if any results reflected in their energy bills.

Have a small, raised bed garden and use a hoop/plastic row cover to grow stuff this winter and start seedlings for spring planting, like earlier suggested.

How to make bread from scratch, or make some apple butter and sell it for a profit to fund other projects. I'm sure local growers would donate the apples for a cause such as yours.

Bring in some whole milk from a local source and demonstrate simple cheese or butter making...then eat it on the homemade bread!

Start a group quilt and have each person make a block at home with colors and items that reflect their personality...then join the blocks and quilt it together. I'm sure someone would donate a quilt frame for the project.

Have them bring in interesting looking small pieces of metal and add some pretty beads and make some windchimes.

 

[Farmfresh]

Teach them to sew on a button. Patch a hole in jeans or mend a rip.

It is amazing how many people have no clue!

 

[patandchickens]

I do not know whether the following is as true today as when I was a kid; if not, ignore

But, my first inclination is to say that if they (now or in the future) have the slightest interest in self-sufficiency type things, given our culture the first and most appealing things they will probably pick up of their own volition are sewing and cooking. It might still be worth teaching a little bit of both (like, how to make some sort of easy yummy dessert thing, and how to make a simple but nice 'company meal' that could also in future years be exercised on e.g. a guy they're dating ; and how to thread a needle, sew on a button, and sew two pieces of fabric together, such as making a simple pillow). But if they're ever really interested, these are the obvious things for them to learn.

Thus it would seem to me that the more important things to expose them to now would be things that are less traditionally female activities: using simple tools (hammer, screwdriver, drill, saw); troubleshooting and fixing very simple household devices; that sort of thing.

I dunno, maybe for kids these days, sewing and cooking are just as unlikely as rewiring a lamp or building a chicken coop, what do I know


Pat

 

[curly_kate]

The Lowe's by us does these Saturday clinics for kids where they do a little project. I'd love to do that, but I need to find out if they'll do it for cheaper or free. A big problem out here, tho, is transportation. If I can't bring the activity to them, a lot of them can't do it.

Thanks for the continued ideas!

 

[Wildsky]

Great ideas!

My first thought was cooking from scratch, so many folks use packaged stuff when cooking - they're forgetting fast how to make simple things, like mashed potatoe. Its not that much faster to use a packet.