It has been recognized that the need for evaluating is a very important segment of any programming effort. University of Illinois Extension has obtained permission from Washington State University to use their Life Skills Evaluation System.

STATE STRENGTHENING GRANT
In the spring of 1997, Washington State Cooperative Extension was awarded a 5-year State Strengthening Grant from their federal partners at USDA, the Cooperative State Research Extension and Education System. State Strengthening Grants are awarded to states to accomplish two goals:

1) improve the statewide capacity to support community-based programs for children, youth, and families at risk.
2) improve the quality and quantity of comprehensive community-based programs for children, youth, and families at risk.

In Washington, our State Strengthening Grant project, "Partners in Promoting Strengths" (PIPS), strives to attain these goals through community collaborations, strengths-based programs and inclusivity of community partners. In order to measure if the goal of the quality of programs was being met by the PIPS project, this evaluation system was created. It was felt that everyone doing youth and family programs could benefit from this evaluation system, so the process of creating a statewide life skills evaluation system was employed.

LIFE SKILLS
Life skill outcomes were chosen as measurements of quality because Family Living and 4-H Youth Development programs focus their work on teaching youth and adults the life skills necessary to become capable, competent and caring citizens. The life skills model "Targeting Life Skills" (TLS) by Pat Hendricks of Iowa State University was used as a model to create this system.

THE VALUE OF THE TLS MODEL (see TLS Preview Wheel)
The Targeting Life Skills (TLS) Model consists of 35 life skills. These life skills were identified through a process of reviewing and integrating numerous life skills models. Those life skills or competencies that consistently emerged as being necessary for individuals to attain success in life were used (Hendricks, 1999).

PROGRAM PLANNING
Programs that incorporate the TLS Model help individuals reach their full potential through a positive approach to life skill development. The model provides a format incorporating major points of program planning:

• Delivering information and skill practice at the appropriate developmental level for the target audience
• Writing specific learning objectives for life skill development that are measurable
• Completing an instructional plan that creates experiences based on experiential learning theory to achieve life skill development
• Identifying observable/measurable indicators of change using these indicators to effectively evaluate program impact/goal. (Hendricks, 1999)

To learn more about the TLS Model and to order support materials, see the TLS Model Web site.

EIGHT LIFE SKILLS were selected in Washington State to measure on a statewide basis. These were chosen through a consensus process with over 70 Family Living and 4-H Youth Development faculty and staff in the spring of 1999. In the future, more life skills may be added. Currently the life skills are:

Decision Making	Leadership
Wise Use of Resources	Useful / Marketable Skills
Communication	Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Accepting Differences	Self-Responsibility

For more information select "View Life Skills."