Responding Remotely

In response to the stay at home and social distancing orders during the Pandemic of 2020, Nelson County 4-H worked quickly to respond to the needs of our community and clients.  Agents and volunteers worked to provide alternative programming and outreach efforts.   

Online Outreach

Agents personally created original content videos and worked with 4-H participants, volunteers and colleagues to provide consistent and timely educational resources in the form of videos, fact sheets, virtual awards programs and links to factual information from partnering organizations, etc.   This and additional marketing efforts increased our social media followers, and out outreach to the community, by 600 people in 3 months. Some social media posts reached an audience of over 4,000.  Interactions with the post varied, with different content areas appealing to diverse audiences.   Posts averaged around 20-100 interactions, with some original video content having 400 interactions.  These online efforts have introduced new clients to Cooperative Extension and increased interest in programs.  

Completing 4-H Club Educational Requirements

Many of the youth in our programs had meet the goal of 6 hour of education before the pandemic.  However, a few 4-H clubs still needed educational hours or had meetings scheduled to occur during the restrictions on in-person meetings.  4-H Club Leaders worked with their 4-HYD Agents to determine appropriate outreach activities.  Activities were delivered by mailings, online videos, Zoom meetings, Facebook groups and educational kits.  

4-H Remote Enrichment 

During the 2020 Pandemic, all Nelson County schools shifted to remote learning options. Although most of our in-school enrichment programs had been completed, an need for continued outreach to youth in Nelson County was identified.  Some of Nelson County’s most rural or socio-economically at-risk youth did not have access to the online resources or the ability to pick up educational resources.  In an effort to provide enrichment activities to the most rural and at-risk youth, Nelson County 4-H worked with community partners to provide over 600 educational kits to families in need. With our partners in the school systems, local agencies and FRYSC's we were able to provide kits to the families either by porch drop offs or in conjunction with Backpack food programs.  

Remote Communication Contest

The Nelson County 4-HYD Cooperative Extension Agents coordinated a remote County and Area Communications Contest.  Developing the contest required the creation of online registration and judging.  12 youth competed in the County and Area Contests, and all advanced to the state contest in at least one category.  Youth, families and judges demonstrated an increased understanding of video recording, uploading content utilizing online entry systems. Multiple volunteer judges expressed that they preferred the virtual judging format, because it allowed them more time to provide feedback to the 4-Hers. Nelson County 4-H even used some of the video submissions as educational content for our social media outreach. 

Physically Distant but Socially Connected

After attending an online professional development webinar hosted by the University of Kentucky, Danielle Hagler, Nelson County Cooperative Extension Agent for 4-H YD, developed an initiative to keep members of our community engaged with their social connections, while following the stay at home orders that were in place early in the pandemic. The Physically Distant/Socially Connected Initiative offered weekly prompts that included but where not limited to, a virtual tea party, picnics on your porch, backyard bbq's with virtual guests, and a final challenge to provide encouragement or support of essential workers.  The program was replicated by several other counties and was highlighted at the State level.  The initiative was primarily marketed online, but was also highlighted on local media.  Families and individuals who participated indicated that the benefits of the programs including having a time to focus on friends and family in a safe environment, reduced stress during participation, and that it gave them an opportunity to maintain social networks. 

Overall Impact

Through sponsorship from the KY 4-H Foundation, Community Action, Nelson County 4-H Council, Nelson County Farm Bureau and Nelson County Cooperative Extension District Board program support funding, over 1,200 Educational Kits, some in each of the 4-H Core Content Areas, were distributed from March through June.  The kits contained curriculum resources, health information, a publication on hand washing, and a healthy recipe from the Plate It Up or Wally Cat Recipe series.  Some club-based kits even included personal notes to each 4-Her.  A parent noted that the kits had multiple activities that allowed them to do an activity a day over the course of a week, indicating that they were able to reach the goal of 6 hours of education in that content area. 

The impact was evaluated in several ways including direct contact, surveys and observation. Of the 12 families responding to the statewide survey of Grab and Go educational resources, 11 Nelson County families indicated that they and their kids learned new tips/skills (Arts, Crafts, Activities for the family, etc.). Another parent noted, “It has been the next best thing to actually going to an "in-person" meeting.  One parent noted that as a result of participating in the Grab and Go lessons, their 4-Her benefited by having, “Reading practice, fine and gross motor skill development, listening skills, etc.”  

Ten of those families indicated that their family is now engaging in more quality time together and that their child(ren)’s non-traditional instruction experience has been enhanced by participating in this program.  One parent noted that by participating in the woodworking kits, they had the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with their children and more time outside in nature, refilling the bird feeders they had made.