Developing leadership skills for community and civic engagementPlan of Work

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Jefferson County CES

Title:
Developing leadership skills for community and civic engagement
MAP:
Leadership development
Agents Involved:
C. Durr, C. Hall, V. Holland, A. Holt, S. Lewis, W. Long, B. Pratt, M. Pearce and K. Smith
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Empowering Community Leaders (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD)
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum
Situation:
Building the capacity of volunteer leaders is critical for the sustainability of communities. Strong community leaders are committed to investigating issues, making responsible decisions, and taking ownership of solutions.

Leadership opportunities for youth reduce risk factors that can negatively impact their success. The development of life skills, like as leadership, allows youth to cope with their environment by making responsible decisions, having a better understanding of their values, and being better able to communicate and get along with others. (Boyd, Herring & Briers, 1992, Journal of Extension).

Basic leadership knowledge and skills are essential for success across age groups and in almost any field. The skills associated with leadership are necessary when working in a group or communicating with others. Employers look for leadership skills in the persons they hire. Developing leadership in the youth and adults is a priority.
Long-Term Outcomes:
• Youth and adults will serve as leaders in their communities, community organizations, and as mentors for younger children.

• Youth and adults will identify and address critical issues that impact the community.

• Youth and adults will use leadership skills needed to be successful in the workplace on a daily basis.

• Community members are equipped with effective leadership skills to motivate others to initiate projects.
Intermediate Outcomes:
• Youth and adults will demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.

• Youth and adults will engage in community based service projects selected to address identified needs.

• Citizens put skills into practice by becoming more engaged in the community, taking on leadership roles.
Initial Outcomes:
• Youth and adults will learn the leadership and procedural skills that will allow them to run a meeting.

• Youth and adults will increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader and team player.

• Youth and adults will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.

• Youth and adults will acquire decision making skills and gain an appreciation for civic engagement.
Evaluation:
Initial Outcome: Youth and adults will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics
Indicator: Youth and adults successfully identify positive and negative leadership characteristics in post-survey
Method: Pre- and post-survey/tests
Timeline: Before and after programs

Intermediate Outcome: Citizens put skills into practice by becoming more engaged in the community, taking on leadership roles.
Indicator: Increase in youth and adults serving as leaders and mentors with
Extension and other community organizations.
Method: Observation and records
Timeline: After training and programs

Long-term Outcome: Youth and adults will serve as leaders in their communities, community organizations, and as mentors
Indicator: Increase in youth and adults serving as leaders and mentors with
Extension and other community organizations
Method: Observation and records
Timeline: After training and programs
Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program & Volunteer Activities

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener curriculum

Inputs: Guest speakers/volunteers, mentors, agent, classroom,

lab

Date: Spring 2018


Audience: Adults and Advisory Council Members

Project or Activity: Build Organizational Leadership

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD)

Inputs: UK/KSU Specialists, Extension leadership

Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018


Audience: Extension Homemakers Club Presidents

Project or Activity: President’s Training

Content or Curriculum: KEHA Curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA),

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service publications

and resources

Date: 2017


Audience: Extension Homemakers Educational Chairmen

Project or Activity: Educational Program Chairmen Training

Content or Curriculum: KEHA Curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA),

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service publications

and resources

Date: September 2017


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Master Clothing Volunteer (MCV)

Content or Curriculum: MCV Curriculum, Continuing education hours for

certification

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: 4-H Advisory Council

Content or Curriculum: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Program,

The Power of Experiential Learning Mentor Training

Toolkit

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Horse, Dog, and Livestock Volunteer

Content or Curriculum: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Program,

The Power of Experiential Learning Mentor Training

Toolkit, Continuing education hours for certification

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Camp

Content or Curriculum: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Program,

The Power of Experiential Learning Mentor Training

Toolkit

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018



Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: School Clubs

Content or Curriculum: After School Agriculture, Essential Elements of 4-H

Youth Development Program, The Power of Experiential

Learning Mentor Training Toolkit

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Teen Summit & Teen Conference

Content or Curriculum: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Program,

The Power of Experiential Learning Mentor Training

Toolkit

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Communications

Content or Curriculum: Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Program,

The Power of Experiential Learning Mentor Training

Toolkit

Inputs: Paid staff, state specialist, volunteers, facilities,

grants

Date: Sept. 2017 – Aug. 2018



Success Stories

Americana Blossoms!

Author: Patrice Thompson

Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum

Americana Blossoms!

 Americana Blossoms!    Last year, while working with an environmental science club: “the green team”. I noticed many of our kiddos were a bit rude, talkative, and needing constant redirection. I often wondered if this had anything to do with comprehension or learning disabilities but after speaking with KSU volunteer Jennifer and A.C.C. Director Lauren, we determined that this was a cultural boundary. Not only because of where they come from but because of different f

Full Story

Leading at Western

Author: Patrice Thompson

Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum

Western has had a grand total of 52 school suspensions for the 2017-2018 school year with 41 of those suspensions being from the African-American population. Western Middle is known for performing arts and has a unique school culture. Rooted in District 4 of Jefferson County, Western serves the school district as a magnet school for visual and performing arts. Western is also a Title 1 school thus making the dynamics of the student population very diverse in its need. Many of the students excel

Full Story

2019 Jefferson County 4-H Communications Day

Author: Lawrence Caudle

Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum

The communications program in Kentucky 4-H is based around the concept of helping youth to explore, develop, and define their communication abilities in regards to such areas as public speaking, personal expression, interaction with others, and professional correspondence. The communication programs presented take a variety of approaches and techniques to improving youth skills, including but not limited to project books that involve personal evaluation and reflection of skills, competitive spea

Full Story

School Clubs at Camp Taylor

Author: Lawrence Caudle

Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum

There are multiple avenues for University of Kentucky 4-H Agents to deliver programming. Some agents provide after school clubs, project clubs, school clubs and school enrichment. This year, Jefferson County 4-H provided leadership programming in the form of school clubs to Camp Taylor Elementary School. The activities involved with leadership development vary greatly, but are all focused on improving the quality aspects of a young leader through reflection, explanation of leadership principles,

Full Story

Jefferson County 4-H Camp 2019

Author: Lawrence Caudle

Major Program: Summer Residential Camps

Summer is the time where all of the scholastic worries come to an end for the majority of school age youth. To a number of kids, summer represents freedom, fun, and exploration. To a number of parents, it means enrolling their child in a summer program so that the child may experience making new relationships, experience new things, and build skills not yet honed, and this is what Jefferson County 4-H Camp aims to do. This year, Jefferson County 4-H took 322 adults, teen leaders and campers to L

Full Story

Jefferson County Extension Homemakers

Author: Valerie Holland

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

Jefferson County Extension Homemakers have always been one of the strongest leaders and advocate for the Cooperative Extension Service. There are 100 members in seven clubs.  Two of the county members served on the Louisville Area Homemaker Council with one holding an officer position. The county organization planned and hosted the area annual meeting within six months due to the reorganization of the area calendar. The Homemakers reported 16,199 Extension and community volunteer

Full Story
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