Extension
It Starts With Us
Leadership Development
Empowering Community Leaders
May, Wooten, Gibson
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Family and Consumer Science
Local Food System Development and Mapping
Building the capacity of volunteer leaders is critical for the sustainability of communities that support and strengthen families. This statement as never been truer than now with the downturn in the economy in eastern Kentucky due to the loss of jobs, particularly in the coal industry. This County has experienced a 8.1% out-migration between 2010-2017, (Zimmerman, KY By The Numbers) which was before the more recent loss of coal jobs of 2018-2020. This is largely due to people having to leave the County to find jobs. It's going to take strong leadership to reverse this trend.
Extension is committed to engaging, educating, and empowering local citizens to investigate issues by making responsible decisions, and take ownership of solutions. Cooperative Extension offers opportunities for leadership through program councils, County Extension Councils, youth development, agriculture development, and family and consumer science programming. Leadership skills, such as goal-setting, problem-solving and sound decision-making, are not just needed for leaders- these skills are needed for success in today's world. (MacNeil, 2000). Helping youth develop leadership competencies makes them better able to solve community problems and enhances their civic participation. (O'Brien & Kohlmeier, 2003). Engaged young people helps 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). Youth today are in a world where a simple click of the mouse can purchase anything. Therefore, it is more important than ever before to teach youth about financial management skills. (Whitebread and Bingham 2013) state that children have already developed basic money habits by age seven. Many families have needed to reduce expenses due to COVID-19 impacts, youth must understand the basics of financial management and needs vs wants in food expenditures, clothing, housing, risk management, etc. or planning for the future. More jobs now provide less benefits and some leave retirement funds totally up to the employee. Being Career Ready encompasses an understanding of all these components of adulating. Volunteers are important in building engaged and empowered communities. KEHA and MCV provide opportunities for community engagement.
Participants become leaders in the community.
Youth will become productive, engaged, and informed contributing adults.
Youth will identify and address critical issues that impact their communities.Participants of MCV led programs continue to engage in sewing related activities, sustain or increase the participation in sewing-related activities.
KEHA members serve as active Extension and community volunteers engaged in addressing community needs.
Participants start to internalize leadership skills.
Participants of MCV-led programs will continue to hone their skills.
MCV will continue to hone their skills and seek to generate interest in sewing related activities in their communities.
Youth will become more responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
Participants attend programs and events to build self-confidence.
Youth will acquire decision-making skills and gain an appreciation for civic engagement.KEHA members will increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership through club lessons and special interest workshops.
Participants of MCV-led programs will learn basic sewing skills.
Youth will utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations.
Youth will adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future.
Outcome: Youth learn to identify leadership skills and begin to understand their own strengths.
Youth are challenged to serve as mentors to younger youth.
Adults increase knowledge and become experienced leaders.Youth completing a project or program.
Indicator: Number of youth to report successful encounters in presenting programs to others, reports from leaders that have observed them.
Total number of individuals/families who report knowledge gained.
Number of youth reporting skills learned, projects completed, program participation.
Method: Program evaluations, number of individuals reporting improved leadership skills. 4-H Common Measurers Survey.
Date: On-going
Audience: Middle School Teens, High School Teens
Project or Activity: Leadership training in character Ed, team building, working with younger youth.
Content or Curriculum: Character Counts, Talking with TJ, Conflict Resolution Program.
Inputs: program materials, school partners, training period, volunteers for supervision, teens, agent
Date: 2021-2024
Audience: Middle and High School aged youth
Project or Activity: Leadership, Communications development, Teamwork Skills development
Content or Curriculum: Unlock Your Leadership, Teambuilding.
Inputs: Facility, communication events presenters, supplies, school partners, Issues Conference, Summit Conference, Teen Conference, camp
Date: 2021-2024
Audience: Homemakers and General public
Project or Activity: Monthly Homemaker Lessons
Content or Curriculum: KEHA
Inputs: agents, specialists
Date: MonthlyAudience: Homemakers, General Public, Youth
Project or Activity: Holiday Showcase
Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, specialists, community partners
Date: November
Audience: Homemakers, Youth, General public
Project or Activity: Level –specific sewing classes
Content or Curriculum: Classes based on needs or requests as determined by agent, MCV and leaders
Inputs: agents, Master Clothing Volunteers, county leaders
Date: On-going
Audience: Agricultural Development, Horticultural and Agricultural Councils
Project or Activity: Members attend annual meetings and leadership training opportunities. Members will take a leadership role in establishing an Extension Annex Facility.
Content or Curriculum: Leaders and agent will prioritize programming in Agriculture and develop a plan to promote growth in all sectors of agriculture in Perry County to help grow the local economy.
Inputs: agents, volunteers, council members
Dates: All year
Audience: Persons involved in Agritourism
Project or Activity: promote and expand Agritourism in Perry County
Content or Curriculum: work with all involved or interested in Agritourism and provide them assistance in marketing, finances and planning.
Inputs: Agent, Specialist, Community resources
Date: Summer months
Author: Jan Gibson
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
One of the programs that was interrupted by the pandemic shutdown, was the county's 4-H Communications event. While the Talk Meet is held in the Fall, the Demonstration training had just just gotten started when everything came to a standstill. Once it was verified that the state 4-H Communications event would be offered virtually, the county Talk Meet champions were contacted to see if they would video their speech at home and send a copy to be entered in the district competitio
Author: Jan Gibson
Major Program: Leadership
In this time of virtual participation, getting teens to volunteer to lead programs is challenging. One county teen who has successfully completed her 2 year term on State Teen Council has recently agreed to serve as virtual teen leader in the Virtual Middle School 4-H Club. This Fall she has participated in the Southern Regional 4-H Teen Conference and has already enrolled for the 2020 KY 4-H Issues Conference. This past spring she agreed to take 4-H Photography training virtua
Author: Jan Gibson
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
While the covid restrictions on in-person 4-H events continued, the county 4-H Communications opportunities did not. Utilizing the schools' Google Classroom tool, agent was able to work with youth interested in competing in both demonstrations and talk meet again this year. Some of the youth who participated in the last Fall-Spring event, served as leaders in getting youth new to the contests more comfortable. As a result, there were nine county champion videos sent to dist
Author: Jan Gibson
Major Program: Leadership
About the trailing edge of the school year, students started coming back into the buildings for class. Many of them were struggling with their grades, most of those could be described as visual learners. The months and months of on-line learning had eroded not only their grades, but their self confidence to learn. One school offered a three week summer school to students who wanted to make up work. Even this five- day- a- week, full day opportunity during the summer becam
