Develop Individuals for Volunteer Roles Plan of Work

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Whitley County CES

Title:
Develop Individuals for Volunteer Roles
MAP:
Engaged Communities
Agents Involved:
Moses (Fine Arts), Burgard (FCS), Jones (4-H), White (ANR), Prewitt (Horticulture)
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Volunteer Engagement in the Arts
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Community Leadership Development
Situation:

Volunteers are important in building engaged and empowered communities. Volunteerism throughout the life cycle makes productive leaders. Whether leading 4H clubs, serving on a program council, or attending homemaker meetings, Cooperative Extension thrives on volunteer leaders to understand the community better. 

The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service incorporates several avenues for volunteers to work in the community. Our leadership roles include a County Extension Council, programming councils, District Board. These volunteers are instrumental in the success of the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service by serving their community. Within each program area, there are opportunities to volunteer in Extension Homemakers, Beekeepers, 4H Teen Council, and teaching Fine Arts classes. These are just a few examples of opportunities that local individuals can be involved and also further their education in the process. 

The Whitley County Extension Fine Arts Council has identified enhancing artisan skills, community poverty rates, citizen engagement, and a qualified workforce as pressing concerns for Whitley County Extension to address. According to Americans for the Arts, “The arts are integral to the lives of our citizens. The arts are essential to the health and vitality of our communities and our nation.” In the rapidly changing (and challenging) times in which we live, the arts can address county poverty, resident vitality, and a vibrant local economy. 


Data from The College Board shows that students who take four years of arts and music classes while in high school score 98 points better on their SATs than students who took only one-half year or less. It is clear that the arts, music, creative writing, drawing, and dance, provide skills that contribute to increased quality of life. Not only does participation in arts programming and artisan entrepreneurship create a skilled and educated workforce for local community businesses to have quality employees, but it also contributes to resilient families and communities, vibrant culture, and significant economic impact to local residents. Without Fine Arts Extension the Whitley county citizens would have to drive 1 hour for a comparable art experience. There are very little opportunities in the arts in Whitley county and Extension Fine Arts fills this gap at a free or affordable cost. 

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

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

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

Methodprogram evaluation with pre and post assessment questions 

Timeline:  on-going 

  

Outcome: Volunteers will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through 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:  on-going 

  

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

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

MethodObservation, review of officer directories 

Timeline:  on-going 

 

Outcome: Whitley County residents will recognize Extension Fine Arts as a valuable provider of educational, economic, and social opportunities and skills within the arts and develop an increased appreciation for the arts. 

Indicator: Attendance to arts programming and events will increase, art and art education will be utilized and incorporated into community programs, local artists become more valued. 

Method: Observation, testimonies, increase number of artists, arts awareness increase 

Timeline: ongoing 

 

Outcome: To increase recognition of the arts and the importance of the arts within Williamsburg, Corbin, and all rural communities within the county. 

Indicator: Local galleries displaying/selling artist work, space created for creation of art and art education, murals, increase purchases of local art be Whitley county residence 

Method: Observation, testimonies, evaluations 

Timeline: Ongoing 

 

Outcome: Residents gain new skills in the arts 

Indicator: Higher quality of art made, experimentation with different art media, increase appreciation for working artists, increase number of artists, arts awareness increase 

Method: Observation, testimonies, evaluations 

Timeline: Ongoing 

 

Outcome: Whitley County will grow artistically in conjunction with our economic growth, making Whitley County an increasingly vibrant place to live. 

Indicator: More working artists, art venues increase, increase number of artists, arts awareness increase 

Method: Observation, testimonies, evaluations 

Timeline: Ongoing 

 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Whitley 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 Agent, State Advisors 

Date: Annually each fall 

  

Audience: Whitley 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 Agent, State Advisors, UK Specialist, FCS Program Assistant

Date: Monthly 2021, 2022, 2023

  

Audience:  Whitley County Extension Homemakers 

Project or Activity:  KEHA State Meeting 

Content or Curriculum: Officer Training & Educational Chairman Workshops 

Inputs: FCS Agent, State Advisors 

Date: Annually each spring 

 

Audience:  Whitley County 4-H Volunteers 

Project or Activity:  Kentucky Volunteer Forum

Content or Curriculum: Curricula for all program areas, volunteers pick their own learning track. 

Inputs: 4-H, Volunteers 

Date: Every 2 Years


Audience: Program Council Members 

Project or Activity: Program Council Meetings (Fine Arts, Family and Consumer Sciences, ANR, 4H) 

Content or Curriculum: 

Inputs: Agents, Specialists 

Date: Spring 2021, 2022, 2023

 
 

Audience: Cooperative Extension Council Members 

Project or Activity: Extension Council Meetings 

Content or Curriculum: Council Orientation 

Inputs: Agents 

Date: Quarterly 

 
 

Audience: 4H Volunteers 

Project or Activity: 4H Camp, 4H Community Clubs, 4H Council 

Content or Curriculum: Various 4H Curriculums (Livestock, Horse, STEM, FCS, etc) 

Inputs: Agents, program assistants 

Date: August-June yearly

 
 

Audience: Middle & High school 4-H age youth, adult volunteer leaders 

Project or activity: 4-H Camp, Teen Club, Afterschool Clubs 

Content or curriculum: 4-H Leadership Curriculum 

Input: 4-H Council, Agent 

Date: November, March, June 

  

Audience: 4-H camp age youth 

Project or Activity: 4-H camp 

Content or curriculum: UK 4-H resources, American Camping Association 

Input: Volunteers, counselors, campers, camp staff, agents 

Date: Annually in June 

  

Audience: Community Fine Arts Leaders 

Project or Activity: Extension Fine Arts Council meetings 

Content or Curriculum: Program Council 

Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Council Members 

Date: Quarterly 

 

Audience:  Whitley County residents:  youth and adults. 

Project or Activity:  Old Fashion Trading Days. 

Content or Curriculum:  UK pubs 

Inputs:  agents 

Date:  Annually in September. 

 
Audience:  Whitley County residents:  youth and adults. 

Project or Activity:  Nibroc Festival. 

Content or Curriculum:  UK pubs. 

Inputs:  agents. 

Date:  Annually in August. 

 

Audience: General Public 

Project or Activity: Community Wreath Making 

Content or Curriculum: Natural Resource Publication, 4-H curriculum, AG curriculum, Hort Curriculum 

Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Hort Agent, Volunteers 

Date: December-ongoing 

 
Audience: General Public/Families 

Project or Activity: Artistic Skill Development: Visual Arts-Textile, Sculpture, Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Design, etc. 

Content or Curriculum: UK publication, KET, curriculum, Artists 

Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists 

Date: Ongoing throughout the year

 
Audience: General Public/Families 

Project or Activity: Open Mic Night 

Content or Curriculum: Local Musicians 

Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Volunteers, Artists, Fine Arts Assistant 

Date: Fall 2023

 
Audience: General Public/Families 

Project or Activity: Open Pottery 

Content or Curriculum: UK publication, KET, curriculum,  

Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists 

Date: January-March 2023-24

 

Audience: Whitley County Residence  

Project or Activity: Increasing self-sufficiency - Do it yourself projects 

Content or Curriculum: UK pubs, Artists inputs, Instructional materials 

Inputs: Community Members, Artists, Fine Arts  

Date: Ongoing - summer


Audience: General Public, Youth and Families, CEC 

Project or Activity: Paint the Town with Murals 

Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, 4-H,  

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, All Agents, CEC members, Schools, Local Government 

Date: Summer-Fall 2020-2024 

 
Audience: General Public/Artists 

Project or Activity: Fine Arts Groups- Basket, Mountain Textiles, Pottery 

Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, University, Artists, Volunteer  

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, community input, Fine Arts Assistant 

Date: Ongoing monthly starting back 2022-2024 

 

Audience: General Public 

Project or Activity: Community Theater 

Content or Curriculum: Drama Performances 

Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Whitley County High School, University of the Cumberlands 

Date: Spring-Fall 2022-24

 

Audience: General Public, Youth and Families 

Project or Activity: Drama Camp 

Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, School  

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, Whitley County High School Drama Teacher, 4H Agent

Date: summer 2022-2024 

 

Audience: General Public 

Project or Activity: Heritage Arts 

Content or Curriculum: Local and regional resources, UK Extension 

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent 

Date: 2021-22 summer-Fall-winter


Audience: General Public 

Project or Activity: Basketry 

Content or Curriculum: Local and regional resources, UK Extension 

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent 

Date: ongoing 4-5 per year 2021-2024 

 

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Take home Art projects 

Content or Curriculum: Music, Art, 4-H youth activities, Fine Arts Curriculum 

Inputs: Agents, Assistants, Community Leaders, Local Artists, Volunteers 

Date: 2020-21 during Covid-19

 

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Online Art Workshops 

Content or Curriculum: Music, Art, 4-H youth activities etc. 

Inputs: Agents, Assistants, Community Leaders, Local Artist 

Date: 2020-21 during Covid-19


Audience: University of the Cumberlands students 

Project or Activity: PAT SERVE 

Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts curriculum 

Inputs: Fine Arts, Volunteers, Locally trained Artists, local businesses, community leaders 

Date: October 

 

Audience: University of the Cumberlands students 

Project or Activity: Weekend in the Burg 

Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts curriculum 

Inputs: Fine Arts, Volunteers, Locally trained Artists,  

Date: Spring-Fall semesters  

 

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Virtual Art Show 

Content or Curriculum: Local artists work 

Inputs: Local Artists, Fine Arts, 4-H 

Date: 2020-21 during Covid-19

 

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Teaching Artist

Content or Curriculum: Provide local artists with tools and knowledge, and space to teach their skills to community 

Inputs: Local Artists, Fine Arts, 4-H 

Date: 2020-2024


Audience: Whitley County 4-H Teen Club

Project or Activity: Teen Club, community project 

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership 

Inputs: 4-H 

Date: Begin in Fall of 2022



Success Stories

KY Extension Master Gardener Program- Whitley County

Author: Benjamin Prewitt

Major Program: Master Gardener

     Some of my fondest memories growing up in Whitley County involved working with my father in our family garden. I can remember countless times having to go with him as a child to attend different Master Gardener Meetings as well as volunteering our time in the community helping others to be successful in their horticulture endeavors. The KY Extension Master Gardener Program is a wonderful program that we have now revamped and are working to grow here in Whitley County. The pro

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4-H Teen Club: Empowering Leaders

Author: Lisa Jones

Major Program: Leadership

4-H Teen Club: Empowering Leaders

Whitley County 4-H has seen great progress in youth development with the introduction of 4-H teen club. This initiative has led to notable improvements in peer relationships, self-esteem, teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. The teen club members have enthusiastically volunteered for various 4-H Camp programs, including day camps, overnight camps, photography, art classes, building a chicken coop to aid in the embryology projects in schools and also constructing raised garden b

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