Developing Decision-Making Skills through Education and Training

Needs

We all make decisions every day. However, some families and individuals are completely overwhelmed by the many decisions facing them. Some decisions are easy, while others have no apparent satisfactory solutions. The decision-making process generally contains three parts:

• Recognizing that a decision is needed.

• Identifying and weighing appropriate alternatives.

• Choosing among or resolving alternatives.

Families must constantly improve decision-making skills to maintain a satisfactory life style. Children need to learn decision-making skills in order to become self-reliant and learn to meet the demands of daily life.

Concerns

Constant changes in society today make a difference in the amount of resources retained and the efficiency with which resources are used. Limited-resource families are constantly challenged to decide between the cheapest alternative that does the job--even if performance is just barely satisfactory--or a better-quality product that costs more. Consumers often have many choices but limited experience. In such cases, decision-making skills need to be improved to cope with the increased costs of goods and services and to avoid credit problems and bankruptcy (both of which have been increasing).

Community Response

Good decision making can be learned. Families that make good decisions will take more responsibility for their own actions and become self-sufficient. Educational classes offered by Cooperative Extension, community colleges, financial institutions, and the K-12 system can help people become better decision-makers.

Strategies

1. Workshops or Counseling

Offer workshops or counseling to help individuals and families make more satisfying decisions in requested areas, such as family conflict, consumer purchases, housing issues, child-care or elder-care options, or long-term financial goals.

2. Bulletin Boards

Use bulletin boards to post newsletters and flyers giving information about informal education opportunities. Post self-study opportunities such as videos, books, and eletip.