Extension
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Leadership Development
Leadership Development
Neal, Dockery, Brooks, McMahan, Clark, Powell
Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD)
Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD): Developing Core Leadership Skills
Family and Consumer Science
Building the capacity of volunteer leaders and engaging and developing community leadership are fundamental keys of community strengthening and advancement. Over the last several years, the necessity of empowering community residents to enhance civic responsibility through community ownership is an essential element in implementing local solutions to local issues. Listed by numerous leadership development institutes, the importance of recognizing and building leadership characteristics in community residents is the practical application of becoming a proactive, informed, and prepared citizen and advocate on behalf of Extension.
Local citizens will practice personal leadership skills in clubs, schools, and community outreach.
Volunteer leaders will use improved skills in communication, problem solving, or group process in addressing organizational issues and needs.
Engaged in community outreach and advocacy.
Local citizens increase their knowledge and skills in personal leadership and/or advocacy for Cooperative Extension and the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
KEHA, FCS. 4-H, Ag,and Horticulture Advisory Councils, COA&HES Alumni, and Community Coalition members increase knowledge and skills in organizational leadership.
Long-Term Outcome: Kentucky communities are impacted through local leadership from Extension Office.
Indicators: Leaders feel a sense of ownership to their community. Local leadership works together to solve current and future issues that may arise.
Method: Reports and surveys
Timeline: On-Going
Intermediate Outcome: Extension leaders practice leadership skills within their local community.
Indicator: Increased involvement in extension leadership
Method: reports, council attendance and participation, COA&HES Alumni Association volunteers and mentors
Timeline: On-Going
Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge and skills related to leadership.
Indicator: increased involvement and advocacy related to extension leadership
Method: reports, council attendance and participation, Area COA&HES Alumni Chapters membership, volunteer service and advocacy
Timeline: On-Going
Audience: Homemakers
Project or Activity: KEHA Leader Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: FCS Advisory Council
Content or Curriculum:
Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Community Partners
Date: On-Going
Audience: Homemakers
Project or Activity: Homemaker Council
Content or Curriculum: KELD
Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, KEHA
Date: On-Going
Audience: Master Gardeners
Project or Activity: Master Gardener classes and Continuing Education
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener manual
Input: County agents, Specialists, Volunteers
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Seniors and caregivers
Project or Activity: Challenges of Aging workshops; Bluegrass Eldercare Consortium; Grandparents and Relatives Raising Children, Next Best Years
Content or Curriculum: CEC Publications/programs
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: ongoing
Audience: Adult and Teen Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Council
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: 4-H Agents, Specialists, volunteers
Date: quarterly meetings & as needed
Audience: Adult Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Council Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adult Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Club Volunteer Leader Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adult Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteer Certification Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adult Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Livestock Volunteer Certification Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adult Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Horse Volunteer Certification Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adult and Teen Volunteers
Project or Activity: 4-H Camp Volunteer Leader Training
Content or Curriculum: CES Publications and Resources
Inputs: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, Specialists
Date: On-Going
Audience: Teens & Middle School Youth
Project or Activity: Teen Club & Clover Council
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agents, Specialists, volunteers
Date: monthly & as needed
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Phone calls, e-mails, and office visit customer service opportunities
Content or Curriculum: Available resources through CES publications, specialists, listed curricula and COA&HES Alumni research and program updates
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Area COA&HES Alumni chapters, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: On-Going
Audience: District Board, CEC and Advisory groups
project or activity: Extension Leadership Development
Curriculum: extension leadership materials
inputs: agents, specialists
Date: on going
Audience: Community Residents & Businesses
Project: Local Foods Committee & Coordinator
Content & Curriculum: Collaborating Agencies, LFUCG, Agents, Specialist, COA Office of Development, COA&HES Alumni Association
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adults and students
Project or Activity: Fayette County Cattleman's Association, Fayette County Farm Bureau, Lions Club, Bluegrass fair and local and statewide COA&HES Alumni Association.
Content or Curriculum: Livestock production, field crops, leadership Programs, Judging and recognition, Area alumni chapter's network/recruitment opportunities for COA and FCS.
Date: On-Going
Audience: UK Interns and Mentees
Project or Activity: UK AG&HES Alumni; Extension Intern Program
Content or Curriculum: UK Mentoring publications, handbook
Date All Year
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Camping
4-H Camp was a success!! We had all the fun- fishing, canoeing, swimming, shooting archery and riflery, sallying, playing gaga ball, learning the 4-H pledge, getting messy at messy games, making new friends, and SO much more. Our week was slightly rainy, but we made our own sunshine and danced in the puddles. Fayette County introduced 195 new youth to 4-H Camp magic and programs. We had the highest camp attendance in Fayette County since 2015 and grew our attendance by 41 participants from the 2
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
Middle School RetreatAccording to research, middle school is a time where young people explore their strengths and interests in order to find their place in the world (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is essential to provide positive experiences in which young people are able to explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, Kentucky 4-H sees a decline in enrollment numbers for middle school age youth. In an effort to retain this age group, the Area C1-C4 Teen Council worked to plan, i
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Master Gardener
As a grassroots organization, Cooperative Extension relies heavily on community members to help with our education mission. Extension users often express interest in becoming more involved. The Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program is one means of doing so. The Master Gardener Program is part of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and is designed to expand horticultural knowledge among the community through the use of trained volunteers. Master Gardeners are required to
Author: Lucas Powell
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
In my first year as an agent in Fayette County I noticed that we have an overall lack of communications programing within our clubs and school visits. Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader. As a 4-H Youth Development Agent I am presented with the curriculum and ability to bring commu
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Leadership
C1-C4 Teen Retreat 2023The objectives of C1-C4 Area 4-H Teen Retreat are to develop leadership and teamwork skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, have fun, make new friends, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills, and develop positive youth-adult partnerships. This overnight educational experience is a culminating event for the C1-C4 Area Teen Council, who worked for several months to plan implement, and evaluate this 2-night,
Author: Lucas Powell
Major Program: Leadership
According to research, middle school is a time where young people find their place in this world, they are exploring where their strengths and interests align (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is impreative to provide positive experiences where young people may explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, there is a decline in enrollment numbers throughout the middle school years in 4-H programming, Kentucky 4-H hosts the Kentucky 4-H Summit Leadership Conference for middle schoolers
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Leadership
The Kentucky 4-H leadership program provides opportunities for youth to grow their leadership skills in a safe and welcoming environment. Youth are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and experience new things. Our goal is to help youth gain the leadership skills they will use for life. One opportunity youth have to gain necessary skills is 4-H Leadership Boot Camp. This year the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp was held February 2nd and 3rd at Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp. This two-d
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
IntroductionThe Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA) is a volunteer organization that works to improve the quality of life for families and communities through leadership development, volunteer service, and education. The organization was developed in cooperation with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Across the state, County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences work closely with KEHA members and clubs to provide educational programming and coordi
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
The KEHA association is broken up between areas. The Bluegrass Area is made up of nine counties in central Kentucky: Scott, Harrison, Nicholas, Fayette, Bourbon, Clark, Madison, Estill, and Powell. The Bluegrass Area Homemaker Association has a membership of 1,876 as of January 2023.Each year, the Bluegrass Area Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agents come together to plan “Leader Lessons” for members to bring back to their individual clubs. Club members vote on which lessons they
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Leadership
C1-C4 Teen Retreat 2023The objectives of C1-C4 Area 4-H Teen Retreat are to develop leadership and teamwork skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, have fun, make new friends, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills, and develop positive youth-adult partnerships. This overnight educational experience is a culminating event for the C1-C4 Area Teen Council, who worked for several months to plan implement, and evaluate this 2-night,
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Natural Resources
Developing experiences for youth to engage with the natural world in new and educational ways is one way Kentucky 4-H can distinguish itself as an organization geared towards positive youth development. Especially important, is exposing youth to unfamiliar or novel environments or species. Alongside environmental education, any chance youth audiences can be challenged to develop life skills, or soft skills, allows 4-H to invest in the next generation of citizens. With these two goals in mind, Ar
