Leadership and Community DevelopmentPlan of Work

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Grayson County CES

Title:
Leadership and Community Development
MAP:
Growing Grayson County through Rural, Youth, and Community Development
Agents Involved:
Natalie Taul, Kindra Jones, Whitney Carman
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD)
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
First Impressions
Situation:

Developing effective leaders is critical for the future of Grayson County. Grayson County Cooperative Extension Service has had a strong history of working with community partners to increase sustainability of the community, strengthen families, and encourage youth. Leadership breeds ownership in the community and having strong leaders helps identify needs and encourage growth. Training, retaining, and recruiting high quality adult and youth volunteers is essential to community development.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Community will be equipped with competent, effective leaders that will engage others to initiate projects.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Graduates in formal leadership roles increase their involvement and help put skills into practice by becoming more engaged in the community.


Initial Outcomes:

Increase knowledge of effective leadership skills that will enhance the leadership skills of youth and adults.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge of effective leadership skills that will enhance the leadership skills of youth and adults.

Indicator: Number of people who have reported an increase in confidence in their leadership ability or capacity.

Method: Observations, program evaluations, and surveys

Timeline: spring and fall 2022-2023


Intermediate Outcome: Graduates in formal leadership roles increase their involvement and help put skills into practice by becoming more engaged in the community.

Indicator: Number of people who have reported new leadership opportunities

Method: Observations, program evaluations, and surveys

Timeline: spring and fall 2022 - 2023


Long-term Outcome: Community will be equipped with competent, effective leaders that will engage others to initiate projects.

Indicator: Number of people who have taken on role of facilitator or leader in Extension or Community

Method: Observations, program evaluations, and surveys.

Timeline: summer 2023


Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Homemaker Association

Project/Activity: Homemaker leader trainings, officer and chairman training, other leadership trainings, council meetings/committees

Content/Curriculum: KEHA lessons, KELD

Inputs: Agents, KEHA, materials, etc.

Date: Monthly


Audience: General public, Chamber members, Extension volunteers

Project/Activity: KELD trainings

Content/Curriculum: KELD section 1, 2, and 3

Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, Extension facilities, Chamber of Commerce

Date: spring, fall


Audience: homeowners, gardeners

Project/Activity: Master Gardeners of Grayson County

Content/Curriculum: Master Gardener Manual

Inputs: volunteers, extension personnel, UK pubs, extension resources

Date: Winter 2022 and 2023


Audience: Extension volunteers, farmers, community leaders

Project/Activity: Agriculture Advisory Council, FCS Council, 4-H Council

Content/Curriculum: local agriculture issues, youth issues, family/nutrition issues

Inputs: community partners, extension personnel, farmers, Extension resources, local businesses and leaders

Date: quarterly or bi yearly


Audience: Extension volunteers, community leaders

Project/Activity: County Extension Council

Content/Curriculum: Extension related topics and issues, leadership curriculum

Inputs: council members, community partners, Extension agents, facilities.

Date: quarterly


Audience: Communities and local business owners

Project/Activity: Business retention/expansion, community design, resource connection, first impressions, community strategic planning

Content/Curriculum: CEDIK resources

Inputs: CES agents, resources, and publications, Chamber of Commerce, volunteers, community leaders and stakeholders. 

Date: Ongoing projects yearly







Success Stories

Extension Homemakers: Who We Are vs. How People See Us

Author: Natalie Taul

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

In August of 2021, the Lincoln Trail Area Extension Homemakers conducted a SWOT analysis at their area meeting. This meeting consisted of county and club officers, chairmen, and members from each of the 8 counties in the Lincoln Trail Area. While many strengths of the Extension Homemakers organization were listed, weaknesses still arose. Lack of technology, fundraising, structure, size, and more were all listed as minor weaknesses. However, a few kept rising to the top – mentioned again an

Full Story

Training Extension Volunteers through Master Gardener Training Program

Author: Whitney Carman

Major Program: Master Gardener

Training Extension Volunteers through Master Gardener Training Program

Since 2005, The Extension Master Gardener program in Grayson County has been offered 5 times. Traditionally, the classes have been an in person, classroom style program. Over the course of the 18 years, the program, clientele and learning environment have all changed. This has created barriers for programs like this to be successful. However, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent integrated an online approach with a more diversified option, to better accommodate the participants in the pro

Full Story
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