Empower Community LeadersPlan of Work

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Bracken County CES

Title:
Empower Community Leaders
MAP:
Empower Community Leaders
Agents Involved:
FCS; 4H, ANR
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Leadership
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Volunteer Development
Situation:

Volunteers are important in building engaged and empowered communities.  

KEHA - The Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association mission is to improve the quality of life for families and communities through education, leadership development and volunteer service. With membership totaling more than 13,000 statewide, KEHA members are engaged leaders and active volunteers.  FCS and Homemaker Council  building the capacity of volunteer leaders within counties is critical for the sustainability of a community Infrastructure that supports long term commitment to strengthen families. Through the efforts of the FCS agents, paraprofessionals, and volunteers local citizens are engaged, educated and empowered to understand family and community issues and take ownership of implementing local solutions. Volunteering has a significant impact on people and communities. And it’s not just poorer counties that benefit greatly from volunteers, as even affluent counties need assistance.The measurable impacts of volunteering go well beyond what some volunteers realize. Community service has significant economic and social effects.  Volunteers impact communities in many ways.Time is money. And as people donate their time to volunteer causes, it has a tremendous economic impact.  The Volunteer Measurement Project (VMP), conducted by Johns Hopkins University, found that approximately 140 million people in 37 nations engage in volunteer work. That equates to about 20.8 million FTEs.  In the U.S., 62.6 million contributed 8 billion hours of work, which equates to $184 billion.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Teens will become more active as volunteers; increasing the amount of unpaid service that they provide throughout their communities.  Adults will increase their rate of volunteer involvement in their communities and in Extension. Teens and adults will make a positive contribution as community volunteers.  This increased level of community involvement will continue throughout their twenties and thirties.  Additionally, communities will experience an increased retention rate as people who are engaged in their communities experience a heightened sense of belonging and are more likely to settle and reside in that community.

KEHA - KEHA members serve as active Extension and community volunteers engaged in addressing community needs.

FCS and Homemaker Council members help Kentucky communities’ health and economy are strengthened through strong local organizational leadership and help solve Community problems through active engaged local leaders

Intermediate Outcomes:

·Youth will develop a sense of belonging in their communities, as they become more strongly affiliated with the community through service to a non-profit organization.  

·Youth will master skills related to their specific volunteer role.

·Youth will experience a feeling of generosity as they serve non-profit organizations, their programs and clientele in a volunteer role.

KEHA - KEHA leaders will practice personal leadership skills through leadership roles at the club, county, area and/or state level.

The number of KEHA volunteer service hours reported annually for KEHA, Extension and Community activities will increase.

FCS and Homemaker Council members practice personal leadership skills in clubs, schools and community outreach.

Improved skills in communication, problem solving, or group process in addressing organizational issues and needs.

Apply skills to assess needs, develop programs and implement solutions for 

Initial Outcomes:

·Youth and adults will increase their knowledge of the types of volunteer and service opportunities that are available to them in their communities.

·Youth and adults will increase their knowledge of the non-profit organizations in their communities and the services that they provide.

·Youth and adults will identify non-profit organizations in their communities and the specific types of volunteer roles which they aspire to fulfill and serve.

KEHA - KEHA members will gain organizational knowledge through annual officer and chairman training.

KEHA members will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through club lessons and special interest workshops.

Kentuckians increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership.

Homemaker Council members and FCS Advisory Council members increase knowledge and skills in organizational leadership.

Kentuckians increase knowledge and skills in Community leadership


Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Participants will increase knowledge of effective leadership skills

Indicator: # of individuals participating in leadership programming and % of knowledge gained

Method: Post evaluation and # of participants

Timeline: August 2022-May 2023


Intermediate Outcome: Individuals will actively engage in leadership and volunteer roles

Indicator: Volunteer hours and # of volunteers

Method: observation, personal testimonies

Timeline: August 2022-May 2023


Long-term Outcome: Individuals will serve as leaders in their community and community organizations

Indicator: # of effective leaders in significant leadership roles

Method: observation, follow-up surveys, testimonies

Timeline:  Organizational Meetings August 2022-May 2023


Outcome:  Members understand they have a voice in local decision making

Indicator:  Increase member participation at council meetings

Method:     Past to Present Comparison

Timeline:   August 2022-May 2023


Outcome: Increase council memberships

Indicator:  Higher attendance

Method:   Compare past to present

Timeline:  August 2022-May 2023


Outcome: KEHA members will gain organizational knowledge through annual officer and chairman training.

Indicator:  Number of KEHA members who report knowledge gained through county and/or area officer and chairman training.

Method: program evaluation with pre and post assessment questions 

Timeline:  Homemaker Council and Club Meetings August 2022-June 2023


Outcome: KEHA members will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through club lessons and special interest workshops.

Indicator:  Number of individuals reporting improved personal and interpersonal leadership knowledge and/or Number of individuals reporting improved personal and interpersonal leadership skills.

Method: end of program evaluations, surveys

Timeline:  Homemaker Council and Club Meetings August 2022-June 2023


Outcome: KEHA leaders will practice personal leadership skills through leadership roles at the club, county, area and/or state level.

Indicator:  Number of KEHA members who utilized knowledge gained through officer training to fulfill a KEHA leadership role at the club, county, area and/or state level.

Method: Observation, review of officer directories

Timeline: Homemaker Council and Club Meetings August 2022-June 2023


Learning Opportunities:

Audience: 4-H Council officers and members

Project or Activity: meetings

Content or Curriculum: reports and updates

Inputs: agent, volunteers, agendas, minutes, reports

Date: meetings held every other month



Audience: 4-H club leaders and volunteers

Project or Activity: various clubs and projects

Content or Curriculum: UK and CES publications/curriculum, adapted resources/materials

Inputs: volunteers, agents, cert. hours, training

Date: Annually 



Audience: 4-H Teen club/volunteers

Project or Activity: MS club, day camp, 4-H Camp

Content or Curriculum: leadership development

Inputs: agents, teens, planning, resources, handbooks

Date: 2022-2023


Audience: 5th graders

Project or Activity: Leadership Academy

Content or Curriculum: UK/4-H Resources

Inputs: agents, volunteers, teachers, school staff

Date: Fall 2023



Audience:  FCS Council 

Project or Activity:  New Member Training

Content or Curriculum: KELD Curriculum, UK Publications

Inputs: FCS Agent

Date: Fall 2022-Spring 2023


Audience:  Licking River Area Homemakers

Project or Activity:  KEHA Officer Training

Content or Curriculum: KEHA Manual, KELD Curriculum, Leader Lessons

Inputs: FCS Agents, Area Officers, State Officers

Date: Fall 2022

   

Audience:  Bracken County Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity:  KEHA Officer and Chairman Training / County KEHA Kickoff

Content or Curriculum: KEHA Training Toolkit, KEHA Manual, KEHA Website

Inputs: FCS Agents, State Advisors

Date: Fall 2022


Audience:  Bracken County Extension Homemakers 

Project or Activity:  KEHA Leader Training and/or Special Interest Workshops

Content or Curriculum: KELD Curriculum, FCS Extension Lesson Resources, FCS Curriculum

Inputs: FCS Agents, State Advisors

Date: Bi-Monthly 2022-2023


Audience:  Bracken County Extension Homemakers 

Project or Activity:  KEHA State Meeting

Content or Curriculum: Officer Training & Educational Chairman Workshops

Inputs: FCS Agents, State Advisors

Date: Spring 2023



Success Stories

The Dinner Table

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Family Development General

The Dinner Table

The Bracken County Family and Consumer Science Agent met with the FRYSC and the Bracken County School Counselors to partner together to host, “The Dinner Table Program”. A program for families to eat together, have fun, and grow closer through conversation.  This program had been done in the fall of 2021 and had just 3 families attend.  That program was held when COVID still had some restrictions.  Things are more open now and people are getting back to doing things we

Full Story

Country Closet gives back to the Community

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General

In Bracken County for the past 2 years the FCS Agent has partnered with the local Senior Citizen Center and their thrift store known as the Country Closet to help tackle the re-opening of the store.   While the first year in the project was spent in the cleaning out and reorganizing the project in order to get the store opened back up.  That was successful and the store opened back up in December 2021.   The store is well known in the county as everything is just .25 cents and is

Full Story
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