Jessamine County CES

Title:

Community, Economic, and Leadership Development

MAP:

Community Enhancement

Agents Involved:

Karli Giles, Cathy Weaver, Steve Musen

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Community Leadership Development

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Leadership

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Building Healthy Coalitions

Situation:

Jessamine County is a community just outside of Lexington which creates both opportunities and issues. Lexington provides an outlet for Jessamine residents to work and to enrich their lives through parks and entertainment. Its proximity to Lexington also creates a desire for Jessamine County to maintain its own identity, offer its own leadership experiences and community events and activities, vs having residents always go to Lexington for these things. 

The back and forth to Lexington  creates a number of issues such as congestion on highways, a lack of commitment to this community, a struggling business climate as we compete with Lexington and lower tax revenues to this community. Jessamine County also struggles to compete with Lexington and surrounding communities for good jobs and new employers due primarily to land prices. Jessamine County has been a high population growth county since 1965. We are located in an area that does not provide quick and easy access to an intestate. Restaurants are beginning to locate in our community and entertainment facilities are also beginning to locate here which should improve are residents overall opinion of Jessamine County. 

Community development and Pride were identified through our UK Community assessment as part of what is needed for the vitality of our community, as well as the need for qualified leaders for our community. Survey participants stated the need for more community wide events, increased tourism and restaurant opportunities and a united and cohesive community.  

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). 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).Jessamine County is no exception to this and has found that leadership directly links to community involvement. It has also found that leadership at all ages is beneficial to the community, and can spark community pride and a desire to see and do well in the place they live. 

Joseph Rost (1993)1 defines leadership as an influential relationship between leaders and collaborators based on shared or mutual purposes intended to achieve real change. Community, Economic and Leadership development go hand in hand to create a strong, viable community .

Long-Term Outcomes:

Through leadership and community development, community members and extension participants see themselves as part of a larger community, serving in roles that ultimately create more community wide events and activities, bring more jobs and businesses to Jessamine County and create an atmosphere for desired living. 

Overall leadership competency has increased as a result of participation in 4-H.

Gain the needed leadership skills that will allow them to serve as teen and adult leaders in their communities and in community organizations and as mentors for younger youth. 

Receive education on diversity, inclusivity and multiculturalism.  

Identify and address critical issues that impact the community

Demonstrate the necessary teamwork, leadership and communications skills needed to be successful in the workplace.

Intermediate Outcomes:

•    Participants will serve in an extension leadership role

•    Community Members will serve in a community leadership role

•    Community members and extension participants become more active in the community

•    Demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.   

•    Demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.   

•    4-H members will utilize leadership skills learned during their time in 4-H in clubs, activities and other venues with 4-H and other community organizations.  

•    Senior 4-H members will become leaders or co-leaders of a 4-H project club, day camp or other project-based group of younger 4-H members. 

•    Participants will indicate increased awareness of diversity issues in their community and personal lives.

•    Engage in community-based service projects selected to address identified needs.

Initial Outcomes:

•    Extension participants and community members gain knowledge of their community

•    Extension participants and community members have an increase in interest in leadership roles and community involvement

•    Extension participants and community members learn about leadership roles

•    4-H club participants learn the communication, leadership and procedural skills that will allow them to run a meeting. 

•     4-H members increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader, team player and communicator.

•    4-H members will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics. 

•    4-H members will learn about diversity and will demonstrate inclusivity.

•    4-H members will acquire decision making skills and gain an appreciation for civic engagement.  

•    4-H members will learn how to set appropriate, attainable goals.  

•    4-H members listen to people who have different ideas from them. 

Evaluation:

Long-Term Outcome:

Extension and extension leadership being involved in successful programs that bring about an economic impact and pride to the community. Business expansion and retention, infrastructure enhancement and a positive relationship with community organizations working toward community pride, and improved infrastructure. 

Extension participation in community decision making indicate a need for extension education in these areas

An increase in community activity through efforts made by organizations supported by extension is a good indication of success within our community.

• Number of youth who indicate “they know how to set and accomplish a goal”.
• Number of youth who indicate they “listen to people who have different ideas than me”.
• Number of youth who indicate they “can finish a job I have started”.
• Number of youth who indicate they “can take responsibility for my actions”.
• Number of youth provided with diversity focused education.
• Number of 4-H members leading a project group or project club.
• Number of 4-H members serving as direct mentors to younger youth.

Intermediate Outcome: 

Extension being able to offer support and being a part of leadership development and community relationship building through training leaders, and working with leaders of the community. Youth understanding their role in the community as a whole, in the world as a whole and in the 4-H program. 

Initial Outcome:

Extension agents and leaders serving in leadership and support roles for various organization and local governments. These ongoing efforts show the need for extension trained leaders who are positive thinkers and hard workers in their community. Youth exploring more leadership opportunities through 4-H and other organizations. 

Learning Opportunities:

KEHA Officer Training
state-supported training curriculum will be used
audience: KEHA members
inputs: FCS Agent, KEHA officers, state-supported curriculum
timeframe: August

Homemaker Council
state-supported information will be utilized
audience: KEHA members
inputs: FCS Agent, KEHA members
timeframe: bimonthly 

FCS Council
state-supported information will be utilized
audience: community members
inputs: FCS Agent, community members
timeframe: quarterly 

4-H Officer Training

Marketing Extension Activities

4-H Camp Counselor Training

Activities from the following:

• 4-H council

• Extension Council

• District Board

• 4-H Teen Council

• Junior Leadership Team for Middle school youth

• Ag commodity groups

• Beef IRM

• Jessamine County Beef Cattle Executive committee

Involvement with other community organizations

* Chamber of Commerce

* Health Department

* Leadership Jessamine County

* Nicholasville Rotary

* Interagency Council

* FRC council

* Youth Leadership Jessamine County

* MS4 Water Quality committee

Success Stories