Extension
It Starts With Us
Leadership Education, Community Collaboration, and Advisory Council Development
Empowering Community Leaders
Flowers, Hogancamp,Bell
Family and Consumer Science
Building Healthy Coalitions
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD): Developing Core Leadership Skills
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. Carlisle County is a small rural county with a declining population. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the net migration rate since the previous census is -2.5. The population as of the 2014 was 4,978. The county has limited employment opportunities and an aging leadership base. IN 2014, 6.1 percent of the population was unemployed according to the USDA Economic Research Service.
Educating and involving adult and teen volunteers can provide support for a variety of Extension and community programs. Those adults in the Age 60+ range can provide mentoring, training and advice to the younger adults and teens. Providing youth with personal development and leadership opportunities can play a key role in preparing them to assume future leadership roles in the workforce and community. Volunteer leadership will become more and more important to the success of community programs as more programs cut back on employment and services due to the struggling economy. The Client Protection Committee has been trained according to the new protocol and is prepared to review applicants for volunteer roles. Through the efforts of the agents, paraprofessionals, and volunteers local citizens are engaged, educated and empowered to understand family and community issues and take ownership of implementing local solutions.
By supporting and engaging young leaders, adults, organizations and communities experience direct benefits, through stronger connections to other young people in the community (Zeldin, McDaniel, Topitzes, & Lorens, 2001). They have a greater understanding of the problems facing other youth, and fresh perspectives for how to address these problems (Des Marais, Yang, & Farzanehkia, 2000; Zeldin, McDaniel, Topitzes, & Lorens, 2001; McGillicuddy, 1991). Additionally, young people help to re-energize adults and counteract negative stereotypes of youth when they are successfully engaged in leadership within their communities (Zeldin, & Camino, 1999; Fiscus, 2003). The Carlisle County Extension advisory councils identified leadership programming as one of the highest priorities for the Carlisle County Extension Service.
- Communities are equipped with competent, effective leaders.
- Community members engage others to initiate projects.
- Civic engagement is possible and desirable for community members.
- Citizens put skills into practice by becoming more engaged in the community, taking on leadership roles.
- Graduates in formal leadership roles increase their involvement/action.
- Graduates of community leadership programs initiate civic engagement.
- Youth and adults will increase knowledge of effective leadership skills.
- Youth and adults will develop/enhance the leadership skills of youth and adults.
- Youth and adults will be better informed about community systems, better connected to communication networks, more confident and skilled in identifying and implementing strategies for systemic change.
Initial Outcomes:
Indicator: Written or verbal acknowledgement of increased awareness and knowledge of leadership skills
Method: Pre-/post-tests, observation
Timeline: After programming opportunities
Intermediate Outcomes:
Indicator: Change in behavior or practice related to increasing leadership skills
Method: Pre-/post-tests, observation, participation, self-reporting, involvement in local programming, local volunteerism statistics
Timeline: After programming opportunities
Long-term Outcomes:
Indicator: Long-term results stemming from changes in behavior or practice related to leadership development sustained over time
Method: 4-H volunteer participation, local Extension leadership statistics, community statistics about volunteerism and leadership
Timeline: 2016-2025
Audience: Producers, Farm Service Agency, Soil Conservation
Project or Activity: Agriculture Development Board
Content or Curriculum: Extension agriculture resources and information
Date: Meets throughout the year
Audience: Citizens of Carlisle County
Project or Activity: Extension Homemakers Association
Content or Curriculum: Leader trainings, homemaker lessons, officer reports
Date: Meets year-round
Audience: Community partners and agencies
Project or Activity: Healthy Carlisle Coalition
Content or Curriculum: Research-based information on resiliency
Date: Meets monthly
Audience: 4-H volunteers, alumni, and supporters
Project or Activity: Carlisle County 4-H Council
Content or Curriculum: KELD, 4-H curriculum and resources
Date: Meets bimonthly
Audience: Youth aged 14-18
Project or Activity: Teen Conference
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership curriculum
Date: June 2024
Audience: Youth aged 11-13
Project or Activity: Teen Summit
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership curriculum
Date: March 2025
Audience: Carlisle County Homemakers
Project or Activity: Champion Foods Volunteer
Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Science curriculum
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Extension supporters and decision-makers
Project or Activity: Carlisle County Extension Council and District Board
Content or Curriculum: KELD, Extension information
Date: Meets throughout the year
Audience: Youth aged 9-18
Project or Activity: Carlisle County Comet Clovers
Content or Curriculum: Citizenship, leadership, and communication curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Youth aged 14-18
Project or Activity: Carlisle County Teen Club
Content or Curriculum: Citizenship, leadership, and communication curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Youth aged 14-18
Project or Activity: Purchase Area 4-H Teen Council
Content or Curriculum: Citizenship, leadership, and communication curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Youth aged 14-18
Project or Activity: Carlisle County Middle School Leadership & Life Skills Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Leadership curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Youth aged 14-18
Project or Activity: Extension Junior Homemakers
Content or Curriculum: Homemaker lesson plan, FCS publication
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Middle-school and high-school youth
Project or Activity: Achievement Program
Content or Curriculum: Leadership, honors materials
Date Fall 2025
Inputs:
Volunteers
Collaborators
Master Volunteers
Agents
Specialists
Author: Daniel Bell
Major Program: Leadership
According to the National Home Education Research Institute, about 3.1 million homeschooled students in grades K-12 in the United States in 2021- 2022. According to the John Hopkins School of Education, 5% of Kentucky’s K-12 students were homeschooled. In Kentucky's far Mississippi River counties, the number of homeschooled students seems to have significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. As this number continues to rise, homeschool families are looking to take advantage of E
