Extension Professionals Engaging Volunteers in Program Development

Laurie Chandler, Associate Program Leader Gayle Price, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Specialist

Trudy Rice, Community Vitality Extension SpecialistStacey Warner, Extension Operations Leader

1

Discussion

1. What types of citizen advisory groups do you utilize for your extension work?

2. How does this impact your programming?

3. What is your biggest challenge in working with advisory groups?

2

Situation

• PDCs required by Kansas statute

• Board Excellence Assessment

• State Extension Advisory Council

• Variability in PDC effectiveness

3

PDC Task Force

• Established in January 2013• Created a logic model• Surveyed agents• Involved Extension administration• Developed resources and website• Held area workshops• Planned for next steps

4

Task Force Membership

5

Long Term Outcomes

• Stronger programming

• Expanded audiences

• Increased advocacy

• Sustainable support

Outputs

Outcomes

6

Agent Survey

• Survey conducted summer 2013

• Random sample

• 48 agents from across the state

• Telephone interviews conducted by agents

7

Agent Survey

8

How would you rate yourself in terms of achieving an effective partnership with the

PDC?

Agent Survey

9

Please provide your ideas or thoughts about how the partnership could be improved?

Agent Survey

10

What are the three most important resources that you and the PDC need to achieve an effective partnership?

(Most popular responses)

Survey Outcomes

11

Resource Development

• Reviewed resources

• Developed new resources

• Created resource website

12

PDC Resources Website

www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/pdc

13

Categories

• General Resources• Recruiting PDC Volunteers• Orienting PDC Members• Holding Effective Meetings• Increasing Facilitation Skills• Assessing Community Needs• Planning with a Purpose• Communicating Impact

14

Accountability

• SWID – So What if I Don’t

• Task Force recommended a system-wide policy to administrators.

“Agents will develop a PDC engagement plan to be reviewed as part of the annual

performance review process.”

15

Training and Support

• Stakeholder Meetings

• KSRE Annual Conference

• Area Workshops

16

Area Workshops

• Conducted in five locations

• Introduced resources

• Guided agents in strengthening their ability to work with PDCs

• Incorporated hands-on activities

Agent Engaging PDCs, April 2015

17

Area Workshops

18

Alternative Meeting Formats

• Face-to-face meeting• Individual consultations• Conference call• Web conference• Email• Electronic poll

19

Impact

“I’m very excited about the ideas for working with my PDC and having them be more effective in planning.”

- Extension Agent

20

“I was skeptical before coming, but now pleased with the training.”

- Extension Agent

21

Challenges

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

― Peter F. Drucker, Essential Drucker: Management, the Individual and Society

TIME

22

Ongoing Support

• 30, 60, 90 day reminders

• On-going training

• Area advisors

23

Did We Make a Difference?

• 6 month follow-up survey

• Analytics of website

• Three-year follow-up of PDC Assessment

24

“Programming is the only real reason for Extension.”Daryl Buchholz, Assoc. Director,K-State Research & Extension

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that has.”

Margaret Mead, US Anthropologist

25

Questions?

www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/pdc

Laurie Chandler, lchandle@ksu.edu Gayle Price, gprice@ksu.edu Trudy Rice , trice@ksu.edu

Stacey Warner, swarner@ksu.edu

26