February 2006
Volume 44 Number 1

Tools of the Trade

We Identified Issues Through Stakeholder Input--Now What?

Scott R. Cummings
Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist
s-cummings@tamu.edu

Chris T. Boleman
Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist
ct-boleman@tamu.edu

Texas Cooperative Extension
Texas A&M University System
College Station, Texas

Background

The Texas Community Futures Forum (TCFF) is the centerpiece of the strategic planning process for Texas Cooperative Extension. TCFF is Texas Extension's mechanism to listen to the people described by Boleman and Cummings (2005). It is important to note that TCFF is not the only source of needs assessment data collected by Texas Cooperative Extension. Identifying these other sources and utilizing their needs with needs identified through TCFF are the focus of this article.

Sources of Information

Extension utilizes numerous sources of stakeholder input in order to identify relevant issues and actions to address these issues. These sources include commodity or special interest groups, county committees, elected officials, state and national trends or mandates, base programming, and issues identified by specialists. Other sources of information on relevant issues are identified as they arise. These "emerging" issues are typically not known during the planning process but are typically integral parts of the action process. It is important to understand this because these are all valid, reliable sources for issues. The key is to study the issues that surface from these different areas, allowing the educational programmer to determine the significance of the issue, resources that are available to address the issue, and determine the issues that need significant educational programming in order to address the issues. More information concerning stakeholder input is noted below.

Commodity/Industry Groups

Extension shares rich tradition and strong bonds with many other organizational groups. Roundtable discussions frequently happen with stakeholders and leaders of commodity/industry groups. In addition, these groups and Extension share the same or similar groups of people who utilize our services. Some of the most recognized programs in Extension are partnerships and collaborations with commodity, industry, or subject matter-specific groups.

County Committees

Grassroots involvement has helped Extension maintain relevance with clientele for many decades. In order for us to be most efficient at developing and implementing quality educational programs, it is imperative that we partner with our community leaders in the areas of Agricultural and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H and Youth Development, and Community & Economic Development.

Elected Officials

As a result of Extension being funded by federal, state, and counties, it is imperative that we listen closely to our elected officials and include them in our strategic planning process. The ideas that surface from their constituents are another way local issues are presented and need to be addressed.

State and Federal Trends or Mandates

As a direct result of funding priorities, sometimes federal and state monies are provided to help address an issue.

Base Programs

Base programs of Agricultural & Natural Resources, Family & Consumer Sciences, 4-H & Youth Development, and Community and Economic Development are the foundation of Extension. Most programs developed on issues fall into one or a combination of these program areas. These areas are where our subject matter competency falls.

Specialists

Extension specialists bring issues that have surfaced through their association meetings and communication with colleagues. Also, they typically are most equipped to forecast emerging issues and work closely with commodity/industries and bring their ideas to the forefront as well.

Emerging Issues

Issues can change daily. This is the curve ball of our work. Sometimes Mother Nature can change the focus of our Agricultural and Natural Resource program priorities over night. As an agency of change, we have to be sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of our counties and change the direction of our programming if needed.

Bringing All These Together--Data Summits

One challenge Extension has faced over the last several years is how to bring all the information collected from various stakeholders together in order to develop a more unified approach. As this state conducted the inaugural TCFF process in 1999, we were faced with a perception that this was the sole source of data for which we were to build our educational programming.

As the agency prepared for and implemented the TCFF process in 2004, we added a component to bring issues from other groups to the table with the issues identified in TCFF. This was the primary purpose of the Regional Data Summits. A secondary purpose was to bring together Extension faculty at all levels to discuss issues and begin developing program plans from TCFF and these other sources. Specific objectives of the data summits are outlined below:

• Bring all issues to the table from identified stakeholders;
• Determine similar issues emerging from multiple sources;
• Develop work groups to begin planning to address issues;
• Develop resources that can help address and support programming concerning issues; and
• Draft action plans for priority issues.

Table 1 provides steps to develop programmatic priorities based on stakeholder and Extension faculty input.

During the summer of 2004, 12 separate regionally based data summits were held. From these summits, over 100 actions plans were developed. Some of these plans addressed issues of statewide importance, while others addressed issues that were more regionally or locally focused. More important, these action plans have served as models for county Extension agents and specialists to develop their respective plans of work and have served as the framework for the development of the agency strategic plan.

Conclusion

Why were the Data Summits important? The TCFF process and other sources of needs assessment data yielded all types of issues facing Texans. The data summits provided an opportunity to involve all levels of Extension faculty. Common issues and common responses were identified. These summits allowed faculty to communicate with each other on how to most effectively address issues, to develop issue responses, and to identify resources to address issues.

Reference

Boleman, C. T., & Cummings, S. R. (2005). Listening to the people--A strategic planning model for Cooperative Extension. Journal of Extension [On-line], 43(3) Article 3TOT3. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2005june/tt3.shtml

A Needs Assessment Method for Extension Educators

Jennifer Caravella
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin Extension
Waushara County, Wisconsin
jennifer.caravella@ces.uwex.edu

Situation Statement

When a new Extension educator begins work in a county, one of the first priorities is to conduct a needs assessment or situational analysis that will help the educator. A thorough situational analysis provides the basis for priority setting and helps identify program focus (UW Extension Program Planning Web Site, 2003).

Educators have used a variety of methods to collect information for a needs assessment (Etling, 1995), including but not limited to: advisory committees, survey questionnaires, focus groups, interviews with key informants, or a combination of methods. This article describes the use of multiple methods for conducting a needs assessment used by the Family Living educator in a small, rural Wisconsin County. This method included reviewing census data and existing local needs surveys, as well as conducting key informant interviews. Using this methodology, the educator was able to gather information from both qualitative and quantitative sources.

In addition to identifying areas for potential programming, this method accomplished two unexpected outcomes. Specifically, the educator become aware of local agencies and programs already in place to meet the needs of families and children in the county and identified potential partners for future Family Living educational programs.

Objectives

The objectives of the methodology were:

1. To learn about the needs of families and children living in Waushara County,

2. To use information gleaned to help identify programming areas for Family Living Education,

3. To develop a methodology that could be used by other Extension educators and/or professionals, and

4. To share the completed Key Informant Interview Report with others in the community who work with and for families and children.

Methodology

First, the educator asked the office Department Head and other key community leaders for names and contact information for staff belonging to social services, the childcare resource and referral agency, CAP Services (a not-for-profit community action organization), and school district administrators. A total of six individuals were contacted by phone. Next, the Family Living educator requested copies of recently completed needs assessments, surveys, and grant applications. These data were read, and common issues and areas of significant need were identified.

Third, recent state and county census data were reviewed. Demographics for the county were compared to adjoining counties similar in size, composition, and characteristics. Some of the categories researched included: income, poverty, housing, race/ethnicity, age group populations, commuting patterns, and language spoken at home.

Census findings from 1979, 1989, and 1999 as well as county and regional land use planning reports were then further analyzed for trends and indicators of future issues that may affect the county's families and children.

Finally, 25 key informants were interviewed. These informants were from a variety of agencies and organizations, including county government departments, law enforcement, the court system, not-for-profit agencies, and religious organizations. One general, open-ended question was asked of all informants: "In your opinion, what are some of the major needs/issues facing families and children in Waushara County?" For individuals who were known to work with the Hispanic/Latino population, a second question was asked: "Are there specific issues or needs you see confronting the Hispanic population?"

Primary Findings

The educator reviewed the information gathered from past needs assessments, surveys, grant applications, census data, and key informant interviews. Specific needs facing the families and children of Waushara County were repeated throughout the different forms of data. They included: parent education, affordable housing, and financial stability. For the Hispanic population, these needs were intensified by the language barrier and cultural differences.

Secondary Findings

Once the interviews were completed, responses were compiled into the Key Informant Interviews Report, which was then shared with school district administrators, county department heads, as well as all of the individuals interviewed. Sent along with the report was a survey evaluation for each individual to complete and return.

Of the 23 individuals who received copies of the report, 18 returned the survey questionnaire. The majority of the respondents (77%) stated that they found the information valuable. Sixty-one percent said that they intended to use the information to plan for programs, services, or activities that their organization may provide for children and families in the future. Eighty-three percent stated that they planned on sharing the information from the report with others who also work with or for children and families.

Implications for the Profession

The methodology explained in this article may be most useful to new Extension educators. A needs assessment method such as this should be seen as the first effort in an ongoing situation analysis. Once the area of programming has been identified, clientele should be surveyed in order to better understand what specific topics are needed and in what forms they prefer the education.

A well thought out and documented needs assessment is not only beneficial to the Extension educator, but may also be valuable to others who work with or for similar clientele.

References

Etling, A. (1995). Needs assessment: A handbook. Journal of Extension, [On-line], 33(1). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/1995february/tt1.html

Morton, L. W., (2002). Building local knowledge for developing health policy through key informant interviews. Journal of Extension, [On-line], 40(2). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2002february/a7.html

University of Wisconsin-Extension. (2001, September). Articles of faculty governance, appendix II.A, guidelines for nominations for tenure. Retrieved July 12, 2004, from http://www1.uwex.edu/secretary/policies/section8

University of Wisconsin-Extension, (2003). Cooperative Extension program planning. Retrieved September 18, 2003, from http://wwwcft.uwex.edu/ces/apps/programplanning/

Techniques for Establishing Educational Programs Through the African American Faith Community

Joyce M. Woodson
Associate Professor
woodsonj@unce.unr.edu

Millicent Braxton-Calhoun
Community Based Instructor
braxton-calhounm@unce.unr.edu

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Las Vegas, Nevada

Introduction--Why Deliver Programs Through the African American Church?

Historically, the faith community has been a major focus of the spiritual, social, economic, educational, and political life of African Americans. Hatch (as cited in Johnston & Benitez, 2003) found that the African American church is where African Americans trust and feel secure about the information they receive. Additionally, Davis et al (1994) found that the faith community continues to address issues that meet the needs of their congregants. A review of literature (Johnston & Benitez, 2003; Markens, Fox, Taub, & Gilbert, 2002; Jackson & Reddick, 1999; Ammerman et al., 2003), shows that African American churches recognize the importance of spiritual, physical, and mental health, and welcome delivery of programs at their church.

Furthermore, many faith communities have their own health ministries and are partnering with academic institutions and health organizations to provide health programming. Markens et al. noted the interest on the part of the clergy; however, they saw possible barriers to participation.

Markens et al. (2002) found that although the involvement of Black pastors in an array of secular activities makes them open to participate in health programs, their over commitment to other issues can negatively influence their ability to participate. Second, although Black pastors appreciate being included in and benefiting from health research, minorities' history of being underserved and exploited can lead to suspiciousness and reluctance to participate.

In 2001, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension administered a Community Health Survey through 10 predominately African American churches. Respondents (n=940) were asked their three preferred source for health information. The preferred sources were: 1) health care providers, 2) books and pamphlets, and 3) the church. (Woodson, Benedict, & Havercamp, 2001)

We strongly encourage using the African American church as a vehicle for delivery of extension programs because the church is a place of trust. The following techniques offer some useful suggestions based on our experience.

Lessons Learned: Techniques for Working with the African American Faith Community

• Take the necessary time to establish rapport with members of the community.

• Become knowledgeable about the African American Faith Community, e.g., location, number of churches, denominations, clergy leaders, size of congregations.

• Establish possible contact within the community for introduction to a church.

• Seek an understanding of the church protocol to gain information about how the church operates and functions.

• Visit a worship service. During the worship service visitors may be asked to stand and give their name and church affiliation. Respond to this invitation. It may be the first opportunity you will have for your name to be heard by others.

• Schedule an appointment to visit with the church clergy. If there is a health committee or health coordinator, plan to meet with this person to gain input and to discuss possible programming ideas and how you may be a resource relative to their current programming.

• After receiving direction from clergy, make an appointment to schedule classes with the appropriate person (church secretary or church health coordinator).

• Schedule classes in keeping with church calendar. Be aware that it may not be possible to secure immediate dates. Again, take time and have patience.

• Discuss methods of publicizing classes within the church with the appropriate person and the need for class registration.

• Be certain that the church will be open at appropriate time for class.

• Begin programming as scheduled. Check to verify that the person responsible for opening and closing the church is present, especially if your class or workshop is the only activity held at the time.

We found that when we met with church clergy, she or he would often ask, "Where do you worship?" The question was not meant to recruit us as members, but to legitimize our intentions and add to the church leader's comfort level. It didn't matter where we worshipped, but that we worshipped someplace. Responses were not discussed; it just gave the clergy insight into the person asking to present programming to their congregation. Any appearance of lack of interest on the part of the clergy was often due to the priority of spiritual needs of the congregation.

Try not to judge clergy that you meet; they will often present a "wait and see" attitude. After a workshop and meetings with church committees, a minister of a congregation commented to a faculty member, "I see you really follow through on what you say you are going to do." Following this comment he gave his complete support. He stressed the value of our health and nutrition programming during Sunday service. We found that support from the clergy was important for sustainability of programming within the church.

It is important to be aware of holidays of religious significance. Also, churches may have conferences and other related activities. The interest and desire to address health issues is real; however, "church business" takes precedence. It is therefore advisable to request time on the church calendar several weeks or months in advance. Churches are most receptive to programs that are not long term. Experience has shown four-session workshops to be most successful. Programs should repeat within 4-6 weeks in order to reach more people and not give the appearance of interest in research only. The faith community will accept research if the procedure and value are explained. We found that the clergy understood the need for research.

Conclusion

Extension faculty and educators can be successful in implementing programming through the African American faith community. As with any ethnic group, no single strategy should be used to reach the audience. Working with the African American faith community can be labor intensive, yet it is a rewarding experience.

References

Ammerman, A., Corbie-Smith, G., St. George, D. M. M., Washington, C., Weathers, B., & Jackson-Christian, B. (2003). Research expectations among African American church leaders in the PRAISE! project: A randomized trial guided by community-based participatory research. American Journal of Public Health, 93 (10), 1720-1727.

Davis, D. T., Bustamante, A., Brown, C. P., Wolde-Tsadik, G., Savage, E. W., Cheng, X., & Holland, L. (1994). The urban church and cancer control: A source of social influence in minority communities. Public Health Reports, 109 (4), 500-506.

Jackson, R. S., & Reddick, B. (1999) The African American church and university partnerships: Establishing lasting collaboration. Health Education and Behavior, 26 (5) 663-674.

Johnson, G. N. L., & Denitez, B. (2003) Faith: A project in building capacity. American Journal of Health Studies, 18, 2/3.

Markens, S., Fox, S. A., Taub, B., & Gilbert, M. L. (2002) Role of Black churches in health promotion programs: Lessons from the Los Angeles mammography promotion in churches program. American Journal of Public Health, 92, 5.

Woodson, J., Benedict, J., & Havercamp, M. (2001). Results of the community health survey. Center for Applied Research, University of Nevada Reno.

Journey to Successful Collaborations

Linda Strieter
Gloucester County 4-H Agent
Clayton, New Jersey
strieter@rcre.rutgers.edu

Lydia B. Blalock
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist for Youth Development
New Brunswick, New Jersey
blalock@rcre.rutgers.edu

Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension

Introduction

The ability to cobble together the resources needed for successful Extension programming is vital due to ongoing budgetary restraints, reduced staffing, and other challenges to continued growth. The most effective way to accomplish this is through collaboration. Collaboration describes the efforts of people and/or organizations to achieve a common goal that could not be reached efficiently through individual efforts (Borden & Perkins, 1998; Boswell & Cannon, 2005; Gardner, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Osher, 2002).

Extension professionals must understand the process of building collaborations in order to bring together the resources, expertise, and new perspectives that will enable them to effectively address complex problems, improve program outcomes and achieve program sustainability (Freeth, 2001; Gardner, 2005). In addition, grant-making agencies increasingly require multi-organizational collaborations as a condition of funding (Borden & Perkins, 1999; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l). Unfortunately, ". . . little is written describing how to approach the developmental process [italics added] of collaboration [as opposed to] . . . describing what it should look like as an outcome" (Gardner, 2005, Abstract).

The Collaboration Process

What happens during the journey toward effective collaboration is critical for success; however, the path is seldom straight and often rocky. The steps outlined below will provide Extension personnel with an easy to comprehend, yet valuable map for navigating the collaboration process. While each step on the road is important, the first two are crucial.

Step 1. Clearly define the problem: need for journey. When the need for a program has been identified, but available resources (funds, time, expertise, equipment, etc.) are not sufficient to meet needs, it is time to consider the merits of collaboration. Multiple individuals and organizations are in a far better position to contribute resources needed to improve program outcomes (Ansari, Phillips, & Hammick, 2001; Freeth, 2001).

Step 2. Identify core partners to develop the program: travel companions (Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l). Collaborations are stronger and more effective if the major players are included in program development activities. Collaborations can be formed with almost any combinations of individuals, agencies, or organizations. The trick is to identify those individuals and organizations compatible with program goals that also have the resources required to support programming efforts (Ferrari & Sweeney, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Nicola, 2005). These entities should also stand to benefit from the collaboration. The importance of including a diversity of members cannot be overemphasized. Invite members from as many diverse segments of the community as compatible with your mission. Don't forget to include policymakers, the media, business leaders, and your clientele (Alexander et al., 2003; Gardner, 2005; Nicola, 2005).

Step 3. Develop a common vision of the project to increase feelings of shared ownership: the ideal journey (Alexander et al., 2003; Boswell & Cannon, 2005; Ferrari & Sweeney, 2005; Gardner, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Nicola, 2005).

Step 4. Ensure that everyone has a voice and is treated respectfully: travel etiquette (Ferrari & Sweeney, 2005; Gardner, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Osher, 2002; Rebori, 2000).

Step 5. Clearly define program and collaboration goals: destination (De Gibaja, 2001; Gardner, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Nicola, 2005).

Step 6. Define process and plan of work: chart route and define travel modes (De Gibaja, 2001; Freeth, 2001; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Osher, 2002).

Step 7. Establish and nurture trusting working relationships between collaborators: ensure travellers' confidence (De Gibaja, 2001; Gardner, 2005; Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Nicola, 2005).

Step 8. Provide benefits to members and align reward structure with collaborative goals: frequent travel points (Mizrahi & Rosenthal, 200l; Nicola, 2005; Osher, 2002).

Step 9. Evaluate program and collaboration to provide evidence of outcomes and impact: check course (Ansari, Phillips, & Hammick, 2001; Nicola, 2005). Collaborations are not self-sustaining, so periodically use a tool such as Borden's and Perkins' (1999) Collaboration Progress Checklist to ascertain whether course corrections are needed.

Step 10. Use evaluation results to modify, expand, and/or drop the collaboration in order to maximize success and/or sustainability as required by program mission: alter course as needed. If the project mission has been fulfilled, it is time to drop the collaboration (Freeth, 2001).

Conclusion

Extension professionals must build successful collaborations to achieve program goals and program sustainability. Use the guide (Table 1) to chart a course towards successful collaboration, and you will reach your ultimate destination!

References

Alexander, J. A., Weiner, B. J., Metzger, M. E. et al. (2003). Sustainability of collaborative capacity in community health partnerships. Medical Care Research & Review, 60(4), 130S-160S.

Ansari, W., Phillips, C., & Hammick, M. (2001). Collaboration and partnerships: Developing the evidence base. Health and Social Care in the Community, 9(4), 215-227.

Borden, L., & Perkins, D. (1999). Assessing your collaboration: A self evaluation tool. Journal of Extension [On-line], 37(2). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/1999april/tt1.html

Borden, L., & Perkins, D. (1998). Collaboration: The power of WE the people. National Satellite Broadcast, December 7, 1998. Retrieved April 13, 2005 from: http://crs.uvm.edu/nnco/

Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2005). New horizons for collaborative partnerships. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10(1), 75-80.

De Gibaja, M. G. (2001). An exploratory study of administrative practice in collaboratives. Administration in Social Work, 25(2), 39-59.

Ferrari, T., & Sweeney, L. B. (2005). Building a collaboration for youth development: The "club-within-a-club." Journal of Extension, [On-line], 43(1). Article 1FEA4. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2005february/a4.shtml

Freeth, D. (2001). Sustaining interprofessional collaboration. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 15(1), 37-46.

Gardner, D. B. (2005). Ten lessons in collaboration. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10(1), Manuscript 1. Retrieved May 15, 2005 from http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/topic26/tpc26_1.htm

Mizrahi, T., & Rosenthal, B. (2002). Complexities of coalition building: Leaders' successes, strategies, struggles, and solutions. Social Work, 46(1), 63-78.

Nicola, R. M. (2005). Turning Point's national excellence collaboratives: Assessing a new model for policy and system capacity development. Journal of Public Health Management Practice, 11(2), 101-108.

Osher, D. M. (2002). Creating comprehensive and collaborative systems. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 11(1), 91-99.

Rebori, M. K. (2000). Two techniques to foster collaboration within a group. Journal of Extension [On-line], 38(4). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2000august/tt4.html

Volunteer Recruitment Packets: Tools for Expanding Volunteer Involvement

Ken Culp, III
Extension Specialist for 4-H Youth Development, Volunteerism,
Lexington, Kentucky
kculp@uky.edu

Amy E. Aldenderfer
Extension Horticulture Agent, Hardin County
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
aaldende@uky.edu

Lynette A. Allen
Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, Breckenridge County
Hardinsburg, Kentucky
lallen@uky.edu

Sarah G. Fannin-Holliday
Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, Morgan County
West Liberty, Kentucky
sfannin@uky.edu

Raven C. Ford
Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, Rowan County
Morehead, Kentucky
rcford@uky.edu

Carole A. Goodwin
Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, Meade County
Brandenburg, Kentucky
cgoodwin@uky.edu

University of Kentucky

Introduction & Review of Literature

Volunteers are an essential component of 4-H programs and extend delivery methods to clientele who otherwise might not be served (Steele, 1994). Volunteers have a wide range of responsibilities in 4-H and Extension programs. They are vital to issues-based programming and are key components in accomplishing national initiatives for Cooperative Extension (Patton, 1990). Extension agents involve volunteers by asking them to engage in a variety of roles and duties, and to accept responsibilities (Wessel & Wessel, 1982). Finding these adults who are willing to engage in volunteer activities is becoming increasingly difficult for many Extension professionals (Rodriguez, Hirschl, Mead, & Goggin, 2000).

Extension agents serving in the role of volunteer administrators must become proficient in volunteer recruitment. Recruitment is defined as the process of actively searching for volunteers who have previously been identified (Culp, Deppe, Castillo, & Wells, 1998). In order to successfully recruit 4-H volunteers, agents should focus on 4-H's positive name recognition, the volunteer's potential for personal interaction with 4-H members and volunteers, and the opportunity to make a contribution to the community (Culp & Schwartz, 1999).

Independent Sector (2003) found the number one reason given by non-volunteers for their lack of involvement was that they had never been asked to serve. The problem facing Extension professionals, therefore, is how to recruit and engage community members as volunteers in their programs.

In a study of natural resource volunteers, Smith and Finley (2004) determined that 41% of 4-H parents, 4-H volunteers, and natural resources professionals working remembered being directly asked for their assistance. Smith and Finley called for the development of a simple tool to identify those most likely to achieve success as a 4-H volunteer. As a result, the 2003 Volunteer Administration Academy (Culp & Stivers, 2003) developed a Volunteer Recruitment packet as a tool to be used by Extension professionals, office staff, and volunteer leaders.

Discussion

The volunteer recruitment packet may be used in a variety of ways. Examples include: an informational packet for prospective volunteers; as a marketing piece to be used for promotion; or as a recruitment tool to provide individuals who indicate an interest in a particular program or activity with specific information and details. The volunteer packet consists of major components that introduce the Cooperative Extension Service to potential volunteers. These components include: promotional brochures to outline county and state programs, position vacancies, a thank-you letter, a volunteer application, behavioral expectation guidelines, and an interest inventory.

The "thank you for your interest" letter establishes that volunteers and volunteerism are important components of Extension programming. This letter should explain the application and screening processes and could include a description of packet materials or any other pertinent information.

The application and volunteer expectations component begins the major screening and selection process. The application includes general information, previous volunteer experience, education and certifications, personal references, background check consent form, and volunteer interest checklist. The volunteer expectations form is a signed contractual agreement between the volunteer and the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. It defines behavioral guidelines that all Extension volunteers must adhere to while working under the umbrella of the Cooperative Extension Service. The primary purpose of outlining the expectations for volunteers is to ensure the safety and well being of all participants (i.e., youth, their parents and families, salaried and volunteer staff). The volunteer expectations will provide a basis for annual volunteer evaluation.

Finally, a county needs survey is included to allow the prospective volunteer to select the task with the time frame to which they are willing to commit. This component also allows volunteers to be matched with tasks that need to be completed in the county program.

The recruitment packets can also be customized to meet specific programming needs with the addition of a position description outlining the position purpose, time requirement, location, specific responsibilities, qualifications, benefits, and the Extension professional's contact information. For this project, a total of 13 customized volunteer recruitment packets were developed and used based upon programmatic need and request frequency. These recruitment packets included: School Club Leader, Community Club Leader, Camping Volunteer, Camping Teen Leader, Teen Club Leader, 4-H Council Member, 4-H Project Club Leader, Shooting Sports Leader, Overnight Chaperone, Episodic Volunteer, Extension Council member, Master Gardener, and Livestock Club Leader.

The recruitment packets have been distributed and used in a variety of ways. 4-H Council members received the packets to use when recruiting new members. Support staff have a supply available for potential volunteers who make inquiries at the Extension Office. The Extension Council's nominating committee made use of the packets as both an informational and recruitment tool. Recruitment packets were also made available at an Extension Open House as a marketing piece. Shooting Sports coaches distributed the packets to recruit shooting sports volunteers. Tenured volunteers used the packets to recruit adult and teen volunteers for camp. Civic organizations, including Rotary, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, and PTO, received the packets as a component of an educational presentation, with community service opportunities included.

Uses and Implications

1. The recruitment packet contributes to effective time management by helping Extension professionals become proactive at recruitment and focusing on the big picture need for volunteer involvement.

2. All volunteers receive consistent, inclusive information about Extension, its programs, and the need for volunteers.

3. Recruitment packets are professional in appearance and can be customized for individual counties.

4. Packets facilitate shared responsibility for recruitment and lend themselves for delegating recruitment to individuals besides the agent.

5. The recruitment packets provide focus for the program, identify and articulate the need for the volunteer position, and provide specific details and information about the volunteer role or opportunity.

6. The recruitment packets are effective marketing tools that promote Extension, its programs, and volunteer needs.

7. Recruitment packets encourage a good match between the needs of the program and the qualifications, responsibilities, and expectations of the volunteer.

8. Packets provide instantaneous information for walk-in volunteers, thereby reducing the time delay between expressing interest and becoming engaged in volunteer service.

References

Culp, III, K. & Schwartz, V. J. (1999). Motivating adult volunteer 4-H leaders. The Journal of Extension [On-line], 35(3). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/1999february/rb5.html

Culp, III, K. & Stivers, W. J. (2003). AED 779. Volunteer Administration Academy. University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Department of Leadership and Community Development. Class lecture and project.

Culp, III, K., Deppe, C. A., Castillo, J. X. & Wells, B. J. (1998). The GEMS model of volunteer administration. Journal of Volunteer Administration, 16 (4), 36-41.

Independent Sector (2003). Giving and volunteering in the United States: Findings from a national survey. Retrieved June, 2005 from http://www.independentsector.org/

Patton, M. Q. (1990). Working with and through others. Journal of Extension [On-line], 38(3). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/1990fall/index.html

Rodriguez, E., Hirschl, T. A., Mead, J. P., & Goggin, S. E. (2000). Understanding the difference 4-H clubs make in the lives of New York youth; How 4-H contributes to positive youth development. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.

Steele, D. L. (1994). National volunteer week promotional packet. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Department of 4-H/Youth.

Wessel, T., & Wessel, M. (1982). 4-H: An American idea 1900 – 1980. Washington, D.C.: National 4-H Council

Training Educators and Community Collaborators Using a Satellite Videoconference Format

Debra L. Pankow
Family Economics Specialist
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota
dpankow@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Nancy M. Porter
Co-Chair National Initiative Management Team
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
nporter@clemson.edu

Jane Schuchardt
Co-Chair National Initiative Management Team
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USDA
Washington, D.C.
jschuchardt@csrees.usda.gov

Introduction and Background

The Financial Security in Later Life (FSLL) initiative uses innovative strategies to build the capacity of educators, distribute curricula/resources, and provide Web-based, interactive programs (Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, n.d.). Educators have flexibility in delivering programs and information, and use an on-line evaluation system to enter their impacts into a database that is aggregated and reported nationally (Sheehan, 2002; University of Wisconsin, n.d.).

A live, interactive satellite videoconference was planned to enhance the capacity of educators to deliver FSLL programming. This format was chosen due to the benefits of interaction and cost efficiency (time, money) combined with the potential to reach a large audience. (Kelsey & Mincemoyer, 2001).

Objectives of the Videoconference

Positioning for Success: Financial Security in Later Life aired on December 11, 2003. Videoconference information was available through the FSLL Web site, which contained on-line registration, coordinator and participant materials, agenda, supplementary information, and evaluation materials.

Videoconference objectives for participants were to:

• HEAR initiative core messages, including toolkit and program updates;

• VIEW successes of Extension colleagues;

• EXPERIENCE marketing strategies that work, especially with diverse audiences;

• PLAN how to use impact data to tell your success story; and

• EXPLORE new approaches and alternative funding possibilities.

This capacity-building opportunity for educators and their community partners included information on programs in the initiative "toolkit," which contains an overview curriculum, Take the Road to Financial Security in Later Life, and programs featuring savings, investing, legal issues, long-term care, retirement, and estate planning. The agenda featured pre-taped video segments of success stories from eight states and one external partnership.

Methodology

There were over 220 registered downlink locations in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The videoconference was also made available via streaming video on the FSLL Web site, and 175 videotapes were distributed.

A post-program, Web-based evaluation instrument was developed to assess changes in knowledge and plans for participation in toolkit programs. A follow-up Web-based evaluation was developed to measure the impact of the videoconference through actions taken or planned as a result of participation.

Site facilitators were asked to download and print post-conference evaluation forms. These surveys were referred to in the videoconference, and participation was encouraged. Site facilitators totaled responses and submitted congregated results on-line. Participants who viewed videotapes were given an Internet link to access the post-program survey.

Site facilitators supplied available email addresses of participants for follow-up efforts. These participants, as well as those who ordered videotapes, were contacted approximately 9 months after the videoconference and directed to a site where they could participate in the on-line follow-up survey.

Results

Evaluation Results--Post Program

The exact number of people participating live or viewing tapes is unknown. Site facilitators reported evaluations from 206 participants at 52 sites. Most of the sites (55.8%) viewed a conference tape in a group setting. Only 42.3% viewed the videoconference live, alone, or as part of a larger group. Evaluations asked participants about the value of the videoconference materials and the format (Table 1).

As a result of the videoconference, participants planned to become involved in several FSLL programs: 81 indicated interest in America Saves, 65 in Guidebook for Late Savers, 58 in Take the Road to Financial Security in Later Life, 50 in a Legal Education Program, 47 in Long-Term Care Planning, 39 in Investing for Your Future, and 38 in Estate Planning. Forty-four participants indicated interest in becoming involved in local collaborations related to financial security issues.

Comments by participants indicated that they planned to: become more familiar with programs in the toolkit; collaborate to offer additional financial management education programs; follow-up with agencies and organizations who did not attend the conference; be more diligent about reporting to the FSLL evaluation site; present more FSLL programs in local community, area, and state; share the information with others; and use the materials with new audiences.

Evaluation Results--Follow-Up

In Fall 2004, site facilitators emailed participants and directed them to an evaluation site developed to measure the long-term impact of their participation in the videoconference. Responses were received from sixty-three participants regarding their post-program activity (Table 2). Overall, 20.6% strongly agreed that the videoconference was useful, 61.9% agreed, and only 9.5% and 7.9% disagreed and strongly disagreed that the videoconference was useful. Over one-fourth of the evaluation participants indicated they needed more training.

Comments submitted in the follow-up evaluation ranged from "I have taken a leadership role for getting a local alliance organized" to "I like the tape because I can review information when it best fits my schedule." When asked about the format, there were many positive comments on the use of distance education, such as videoconference for educator training. These comments included several that suggested that the format was fine and that videoconferencing worked well for them. In addition, one participant commented "Satellite was wonderful, keep it as inexpensive as possible while doing a quality job."

Discussion and Summary

The use of distance education for capacity building shows great promise for educators and their community collaborators. The combination of quality content, travel savings, and interactive format made this videoconference a success and may serve as a prototype for other efforts. As the technology level across the land-grant system increases, the use of interactive distance education for professional development will evolve with greater use of videoconferencing and ultimately web conferencing.

While the response rate for the videoconference follow-up evaluation was lower than anticipated, the use of on-line post-program and follow-up evaluation was a convenient way for organizers to assess the success and impact of their efforts. The low cost of the Web-based evaluation and the relative ease of data entry are attractive features for researchers. Training for facilitators and/or incentives for participants might have increased participation in both the post-program and follow-up evaluations.

The satellite videoconference was determined to be an effective tool for building capacity and providing a professional development opportunity. Further, the videotape provides a tool that can be used for other in-service educational opportunities at state and county levels.

References

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. (n.d.) Financial security in later life. Retrieved January 8, 2005, from http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fsll.html

Kelsey, T. W., & Mincemoyer, C. C. (2001). Exploring the potential of in-service training through distance education. Journal of Extension [On-line], 39(2). Available at: http:www.joe.org/joe/2001april/rb7.html

Sheehan, K. B. (2002, Fall). On-line research methodology: Reflections and speculations. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 3(1). Retrieved January 24, 2005 from http://www.jiad.org/vol3/no1/sheehan/

University of Wisconsin, Madison, Extension Service. (n.d.). Guidelines for facilitators of satellite videoconferences. Retrieved January 8, 2005, from http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/facilitation/index.html

Building an Extension Information Network: An Oregon Agricultural Case Study

Larry Burt
Extension Economist
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
larry.burt@oregonstate.edu

Introduction

It was in the 1970s, under a new Oregon Statute, that Oregon State University became responsible for gathering, maintaining, and disseminating basic economic information on the state's agricultural production and sales. We collect data on a county-by-county basis. Our database contains information going back to 1976 on about 130 named commodity categories that are grown commercially in at least one of Oregon's 36 counties (Burt & Grassel, 2001).

In the mid-1990s, an Extension economist's retirement and severe budget cutbacks at that time encouraged the creation of Extension's Oregon Agricultural Information Network (OAIN). It is primarily an electronic, Web-based system that was built to meet our continuing commitment to our economic information program while significantly decreasing the labor intensity and general costs of the program. Our experience so far gives us encouragement that this concept has great potential for a wide array of Extension programs that are centered around database management needs. In that regard, I would be happy to provide more detailed information on the development and use of this Extension tool.

Advances in electronic database systems and Web-based technology during the 1990s spurred the development of OAIN as we know it today. We had initial misgivings that some of our clientele would be unable to use a Web-based system. That fear proved unfounded. We are now almost entirely paperless. Time efficiency was greatly increased, and county and other reports could be made available much earlier.

Overview of the System

The Web site URL for the OAIN home page is: http://oregonstate.edu/oain/database/SignIn.asp

When it comes up on your computer, you will see the homepage shown in Figure 1. The five green buttons at the right of the page provide access to everything that is in the OAIN system (Hamlin & Burt, 2004). As an example, clicking on the Commodity Data Sheets button provides access to summary data reflecting selected commodities and commodity groups for principal county, state, regional, and national statistics. It presents a compilation of OAIN as well as National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) data. All Commodity Summaries provide access to the annual OAIN state and county agricultural estimates summary publications, Extension Special Report 790, going back to 1997 (Burt, 2005). These are all Portable Document Format (PDF) files. The OAIN users guide button also brings up a PDF file.

Figure 1.
Agricultural Information Network (OAIN) Homepage

 The Enterprise Budgets button provides access to all the Oregon enterprise budgets we have available on-line. The Extension Educational Materials button links you to the OSU Extension Service and Experiment Station inventory of educational materials. Other Resources provides a wealth of information including USDA market news and NASS data, which includes recent Census of Agriculture reports.

The Interworkings of the System

Clicking on the OAIN Databases button provides access to all of the publicly available OAIN county and state data available in the system. Confidential data are summarized to avoid disclosure. Anyone can enter as a guest. It is an easy-to-use, menu-driven process that allows you to prepare 14 pre-formatted tables related to county, regional, or state reports on such topics as acreage or sales. Or you can create customized reports using the Data Reports and Queries button. On-screen or EXCEL formats are available.

The data in our system reflect the best judgment of our Extension faculty, agents, and specialists in the field, who for the most part are working on a regular basis with commodity producers, commissions, and associations (Burt & Grassel, 2002). In some cases, they may be using a more formal technique such as a survey to combine with other sources of information in making their judgments about production and value of the commodities they cover in each county. In most cases, however, their expert judgments are typically formulated through a blend of contacts with industry leaders, processors, handlers, and others familiar with industry trends.

This information, combined with their own personal observations of industry activity, is at the heart of concluding what numbers reasonably reflect overall production and value for a given production year. In many respects, the value of these data are found in an assessment of trends over time rather than the absolute values entered in a particular year. The advantage in looking at a longer-term time series is that one can begin to assess emerging and declining commodity production by county and also price trends.

Adding complexity to this system is the need to maintain confidentiality of proprietary information. We use the same standards enforced by NASS. Summary numbers are released only when proprietary information is concealed. Faculty enter the system for data entry and information access through unique usernames and passwords. Confidential data are flagged.

OAIN operates under the philosophy that each Extension faculty member is the ultimate authority on all estimates that we maintain in our database for that person's assignment responsibility. Faculty have the opportunity each year to review those numbers from the previous two years while entering preliminary estimates for the current production year. Estimate changes are flagged.

Livestock industries account for about 30% of Oregon agricultural sales. Preparation of estimates for cattle, swine, sheep, and wool are complex with respect to production segmentation and market outlets. So we have developed EXCEL worksheets for each of those commodities (Burt et. al., 2005). They are available to our livestock faculty as attachments to their OAIN on-line input tables.

Discussion and Implications

We provide county-level agricultural estimates to a very diverse clientele. That includes agricultural businesses in Oregon who rely on us for economic information that they need to develop and expand their enterprises. Clientele such as agricultural lenders and appraisers also have ready and inexpensive access to the public information that we maintain. In addition, this system serves as a major resource for those conducting feasibility studies and doing land use planning. Federal and state agencies are also users.

Information is also provided to research and Extension faculty on and off campus who are affiliated with departments in such colleges as Agricultural Sciences, Business, and Health & Human Sciences. They provide information to clientele wanting to explore enterprise feasibility. Our county Extension offices also frequently use this information to work with county supervisors and other officials who affect their respective county Extension educational programs.

This computerized system could be modified to facilitate a wide range of Extension program needs for the collection and dissemination of information. In our case, we developed the capability to do more extensive projects related to farm/agribusiness management with Extension personnel, researchers, and public agencies. Increasingly, the Internet is changing the way that this type of information is collected, archived, and transferred. Through this system, we have enhanced accessibility and efficiencies that can come from this mode of interaction with collaborators and clientele through both collection and dissemination on the Web. In all cases, we observe strict confidentiality rules to protect proprietary business information.

References

Burt, L., et. al. (2005). Extension OAIN project worksheets for estimating county livestock inventory, production and sales. Staff Paper in Agricultural and Resource Economics, AREc 05-101. Oregon State University Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Burt, L. (2005). Oregon county and state agricultural estimates. Special Report 790-04. Oregon State University Extension Service.

Burt, L., & Grassel, R. (2002). The Oregon agricultural information network Extension project: collecting and reconciling county data. Staff Paper in Agricultural and Resource Economics, AREc 02-102. Oregon State University Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Burt, L., & Grassel R. (2001). Overview of the Oregon agricultural information network Extension project. Working Paper in Agricultural and Resource Economics, AREc 01-102. Oregon State University Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Hamlin, D., & Burt. L (2004). The Oregon agricultural information network (OAIN): A users guide. Staff Paper in Agricultural and Resource Economics, AREc 04-102. Oregon State University Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Raising the Visibility of Extension Web Sites

Dave Palmer
Horticulture Extension Agent
Florida Cooperative Extension
Hillsborough County, Florida
dkpalmer@ifas.ufl.edu

A teacher searches the Internet for information relating to youth programming. A young married couple searches for financial management information. A food service worker searches for continuing education classes. A County Commissioner's aide searches for water conservation programs offered to the public. A newly retired couple search for opportunities to volunteer their time. None of these searchers are aware of Extension. Yet they need information that Extension offers. In spite of the fact that Extension has created numerous Web sites, somehow the searchers have trouble finding them.

Why can't our clientele find our information and programs? Is it because so many Web sites exist? What can we do to help our clientele find our information?

The solution is called "search engine optimization." This technique involves optimizing, or "tuning," our Web pages to make them more visible to search engines. Increasing Extension's Web site visibility hinges on understanding our clientele. We need to understand what information they're searching for and we need to understand exactly what terminology they use to search for it. The terms used by our clientele to find the information they're looking for are referred to as "keywords."

What's a Keyword?

Keywords are the single words or multi-word phrases that are used most often by a specific audience to find information on a specific topic. These keywords must be both highly relevant to the contents of your Web page and the first words your target audience uses to search for the information you offer.

For example, suppose a homeowner has decided to maintain his own landscape. He's looking for a landscape maintenance class for homeowners. What key words or phrases might he use? Some of the possibilities include: landscape maintenance, yard care, lawn care, gardening, turf care, yard maintenance, lawn maintenance, etc. If he were to include a term describing the activity itself, would it be called a class, a workshop, a seminar, or something else?

Getting the Keywords Right

How do you determine the best keywords? Talk to your clientele. Ask them about your topic. What words come to their minds first? Ask your advisory committee. Search the Internet for Web pages similar to yours. What keywords are they using? Make a list of all the words you come up with, then add all the synonyms you can find. Work the list down to four or five of the most important keywords. One Web page can be optimized for only four or five keywords. More keywords dilute the effect and reduce the effectiveness of the optimization. The success or failure of Web page optimization depends on taking the time to make the best keyword choices possible.

Web Page Titles

If you're unfamiliar with HTML coding, you may have to enlist the help of your Webmaster or another HTML-savvy person for the next several steps.

Web page titles are contained in the header portion of the HTML coding. Search engines see everything between the <title> </title> tags as the title of the Web page. Be sure to use important keywords in your page titles. Search engines consider both keywords and Web page titles to be very important. Used together, their importance multiplies. Also consider that the page title is what the search engine usually lists when your page is displayed as one of many search engine results. That means the Web page title is the first (and possibly only) chance to appeal to your audience. The opportunity to influence both the search engines and the audience makes it critical to get the Web page titles right. Here's an example of a title.

<title>
Amazon.com: Online shopping for electronics, apparel, music, books, DVDs & more
</title>

Meta Tags

Meta tags are another part of the HTML coding. In the past, the purpose of meta tags was to describe the contents of the Web page to the search engine. The search engines have changed, however, and now rely less on meta tags to determine the content of the Web page. Two meta tags are useful to search engines. The "description" tag and the "keywords" tag. Here are examples.

<meta name="description" content="Online shopping from the earth's biggest selection of books, magazines, music, DVDs, videos, electronics, computers, software, apparel & accessories, shoes, jewelry, tools & hardware, housewares, furniture, sporting goods, beauty & personal care, gourmet food & just about anything else." />

<meta name="keywords" content="Amazon, Amazon.com, Books, Online Shopping, Book Store, Magazine, Subscription, Music, CDs, DVDs, Videos, Electronics, Video Games, Computers, Cell Phones, Toys, Games, Apparel, Accessories, Shoes, Jewelry, Watches, Office Products, Sports & Outdoors, Sporting Goods, Baby Products, Health, Personal Care, Beauty, Home, Garden, Bed & Bath, Furniture, Tools, Hardware, Vacuums, Outdoor Living, Automotive Parts, Pet Supplies" />

The description tag is typically used by search engines as a summary of your site and appears in the search results that will be viewed by your audience. As with the title tag, the description tag is important because you have the opportunity to describe your site to your audience.

The keywords tag is ignored by some search engines. Others search engines index it if they find it relevant to your Web page. Be careful to use only relevant keywords, and don't repeat them.

Search engines will typically read about 250 characters of each meta tag, including spaces and punctuation, and ignore the rest, but different search engines follow different rules. The best strategy is to put your most important keywords first within the meta tag in case one of the search engines has a tighter limit.

Headline Tags

Headline tags are contained in the body portion of the HTML coding. Use the headline tags <h1> </h1>, <h2> </h2>, etc. to create headings and subheadings within your page, and be sure to use your keywords in these areas. Search engines pay special attention to text that has been emphasized in some way.

Keywords and Content

Even though we can tune a Web page to be more search engine friendly, the real star of the Web page must be the content. If you write for your audience and can build credibility with them, that's half the battle.

Within the content of the Web page, it's important to use your keywords in the text of your Web page with reasonable frequency while maintaining good readability. Keyword density is one factor that helps search engines determine how relevant a Web page is to a specific topic.

Conclusion

The use of search engine optimization techniques can help raise Extension Web sites from relative obscurity to become highly visible on the various search engines. By reaching more potential clientele, you can realize a significant increase in productivity with little extra effort.

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