| Background
An external review team of six experienced 4-H administrators and faculty visited the Maryland 4-H program in December 1996. They spent a week interviewing 4-H administrators, faculty, volunteers, members, and individuals from collaborating organizations. In March 1997, the review team issued a report that contained 94 recommendations for the Maryland 4-H program. Recommendations were in the areas of youth development, organizational support, program development, resource development, volunteer development and management, faculty and staff development, marketing, communications, and program accountability. Implementation Process An implementation team was formed, and subcommittees that included volunteers and 4-H members took responsibility for separate chapters of the report. All of the 94 recommendations were reviewed. Existing committees and organizations were used to implement the changes. In all, about 109 people were involved in the study and implementation of the recommendations. The goal of the implementation team was to produce a response report to be released one year from the date of the external review report. At the half-year mark -- October 1997-- a Phase I report containing all the responses to date was presented to the 4-H faculty to garner their support and ideas for the final implementation. This final report -- issued March 1998 -- lists all of the recommendations and the responses taken by the Maryland 4-H community. Outcomes The primary outcome of this review is the intensive study and discussion of the recommendations. A large number of the 4-H community worked on implementing the recommendations. They studied, discussed, internalized, and applied the recommendations. In the long run, it will be this internalization of the recommendations that will influence and shape the directions of the program. Three themes emerged as we worked on the recommendations. They are: 1. The core of our mission is youth development. We have verified and documented this in many ways beginning with the adoption of a youth development model as the base or foundation for our program. We also are striving to increase opportunities for youth-adult partnerships and cooperative, non-competitive learning experiences. 2. Currently, we are effectively reaching a valued clientele with strong programs. As we move to include new programs or audiences, there will need to be additional resources through grants, corporate sponsorship, donations to the Foundation, and other avenues. 3. Communication is key to effective and efficient programming. We have moved this year to electronic communication whenever possible. Much of our communication among faculty is now done by E-mail. Our web site provides easy access for faculty, volunteers, and members to our new monthly newsletter and major reference documents. We will continue to use current and emerging technology to facilitate communication. In summary, we have made many strides toward a stronger program. Extension educators and state faculty are leading the way with their creativity and incredible devotion and dedication to the youth of our state. Contained in this document are the responses of committees and organizations that were asked by the Maryland implementation team to respond to the recommendations of the external review team. Each recommendation, as it appears in the external review team report, is stated and followed by the response of the Maryland 4-H team. An effort has been made to keep the responses brief, but meaningful. Recommendations are in the order they appear in the external review team report. Copies of that report may be obtained from county Extension offices. Youth Development 1. Encourage greater youth volunteerism in the community that provides positive leadership experiences. We are gathering resource materials to support and enhance greater youth volunteerism, including the Student Service Learning Guide, and TRY (Teens Reaching Youth). All Teen Focus participants were instructed in service learning with agencies in College Park. Service learning will be accelerated during 1998 with a call for all 4-H club members to become engaged in service learning. Counties are forming partnerships with schools, community agencies, etc. to promote reading with the "Reading Buddies" program. We strongly encourage all 4-H members to add service to record book completion. We will add awards for hours of service completed through 4-H. 2. Train staff, volunteers, and teens to conduct the "Character Counts!" or other ethics education curriculum statewide. Character education training was held November 20-21, 1997, and counties are beginning to implement character education programs for children, families, and communities. One "Character Counts!" curriculum set has been purchased. We also use the animal science ethics video series for staff, volunteer, and teen training and infuse "Character Counts!" curriculum into other existing programs. 3. Make available awards and recognition for non-traditional, special programs. The State 4-H Awards and Recognition Task Force is starting to plan a more inclusive program. 4. Re-evaluate the 4-H scholarship program to provide a selection process that is more inclusive. The higher education scholarships, administered by the Maryland 4-H Foundation, are restricted only by the specified wishes of the families who have made those designations in memorandums of understanding. 5. Provide clear and accurate guidelines for units to conduct the 4-H Clover program. The Clover Task Force met in August 1997 to review responses from volunteers who participate in state/regional Clover training and implemented the Clover program in spring 1997. In September, the Clover program guidelines and 4-H Clover program parameters were presented at the faculty in-service. A Clover program promotional flyer will be made available by September 1998. 6. Avoid gender-specific 4-H programs (i.e. King and Queen) Gender-specific programs (such as King and Queen) which use the 4-H name and emblem are not endorsed by the State 4-H Office. 7. Consider adopting the use of the "4-H Learning Model" developed by Dr. Courtney Schwertz of Virginia. The model chosen by the Maryland 4-H Curriculum Committee is the model developed by a national 4-H committee. It embodies the four H's (Head, Heart, Hands, and Health), related outcomes, and the family and community environments. It is the foundation for the youth initiative in the Maryland Extension planning document entitled Outcomes 2002. 8. Strive to offer a variety of 4-H program delivery modes (i.e. clubs, special interest, school enrichment, and camps) and both competitive and non-competitive opportunities in all counties/cities to achieve more balanced programs and audiences. Curriculum committees will provide guidance to county educators regarding appropriate competitive and non-competitive educational experiences for youth and will strive for balance in the programs offered at the state and regional level, ensuring that youth in clubs, special interest, and school enrichment programs have opportunities beyond the local level. Funding is being sought to support expansion of non-competitive learning experiences. 9. Place more emphasis on programs that develop leadership skills. Youth leadership development will be fostered by emphasis on developing youth/adult partnerships at all levels of the Maryland 4-H Program. Teen leaders serve on the 4-H Program Leadership Committee (PLC) and 4-H Foundation Board. The 4-H curriculum, "Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow," provides opportunities for youth of all ages to develop individual and/or group leadership skills. County programs offer opportunities for leadership development through officer training programs, service learning, TRY(Teens Reaching Youth), camp youth leader positions, teen weekends, etc. 10. Use youth as resources and equal partners in addressing critical issues that face their communities. 4-H Extension educators will receive information and training through the monthly updates, the Internet, and the professional seminar series that highlights best practices for youth participation. Interested counties/city will be able to participate in demonstration projects that focus on youth as resources and equal partners in community needs assessment. 11. Assess the needs of local teens before developing and planning programs. Methods and techniques of informal needs assessment will be made available to 4-H Extension educators for their use in FY 99 as they work with teens to develop and plan programs. 12. Network with other youth-serving agencies/organizations and Extension programs across the country to identify and adopt successful teen programs. 4-H Extension specialists will continue to search for successful teen programs and maintain contacts with staff in youth-serving agencies to generate a list of best prac-tices and programs. These ideas will be shared with county/city faculty and staff. Organizational Support 13. The state 4-H program leader position must be elevated to equal standing with the two assistant directors. The leadership of the state 4-H program is now at the assistant director level. 14. The assistant director for 4-H, youth, and families must receive training related to the 4-H program, including in-depth discussions with state 4-H program leaders in other states. The assistant director attended both national conferences of state 4-H program leaders this year and confers with peers regularly by Internet and conference calls. 15. The State 4-H Office and the regional directors must develop a much closer relationship. The regional Extension directors (RED) and the assistant director meet at least monthly as part of the administrative team. RED's are invited and encouraged to attend in-service programs. 16. The regional directors should review the plan of work of county 4-H faculty with the state 4-H program leader prior to approval. The 1997 plans of work were reviewed in round-table discussions with the 4-H specialists and the regional directors. The 1998 plans/job descriptions are reviewed by the assistant director for family and youth before final approval is given to educators. 17. The state 4-H program leader should continue to provide strong input on performance appraisals. The state 4-H program leader, as assistant director, is a member of the performance appraisal team and provides input into the performance appraisal of county Extension educators. Input is received from assistant directors, county/city directors, and the peer review team. It is compiled and delivered by regional Extension directors. 18. Regional Extension directors and state 4-H faculty must meet regularly to improve communication. At least one administrative meeting, which includes the assistant director and regional Extension directors, is held monthly. State 4-H faculty can communicate through the assistant director or directly with the regional directors. Regional directors are invited to in-service training for 4-H faculty. 19. The inconsistency of job expectations and responsibilities of the program assistants, faculty assistants, and agents needs further study. Position descriptions have been written for Extension educators, faculty Extension assistants, and program assistants. Generic role statements are available on the Internet for each category of employee. 20. All members of the State 4-H Office team--faculty and support personnel--must meet and communicate on a regular basis. Monthly staff meetings are held. 21. The number of staff from under-represented racial and ethnic groups (i.e. Hispanic and Asian) should be increased. As search committees are assigned, the importance of a broad search with emphasis on the special recruitment of under-represented groups is discussed. 22. Extension administration must explore concerns expressed regarding perceived inequities in recognizing the accomplishments of minority staff. A peer review process has been instituted for merit pay decisions. The peer review is conducted by an elected panel. 23. Alternative office locations and ways to make the best of bad locations should be explored. The associate director has visited offices and looks at them in terms of their appropriateness in reaching local clientele. Some offices have already been moved as county/city directors work with local governments to make changes. 24. Close professional relationships between 4-H agents, specialists, and other faculty at the various Maryland campuses should be built to facilitate the flow of research information pertinent to 4-H; these relationships should involve collaboration on joint research efforts focused on showing the impact of the 4-H program on youth in the state. Research proposals, such as a state strengthening proposal, have been prepared jointly by 4-H Extension educators and department specialists. Program Development 25. Appropriate stakeholders should be involved in the revision of the Outcomes 2002 document, which needs much additional work. The Outcomes 2002 document has been completed, published, and distributed and is being used by faculty in planning for local, regional, and state programs. Stakeholders were involved in the needs assessment phase of the process. 26. Extension administration should meet with all faculty and staff to discuss the strategic planning process, clarifying linkages, and clearly communicating the implementation process to be used. The assistant director, the implementation committee, and the curriculum committee discussed these linkages with Extension educators at a program planning meeting in September 1997. 27. Discussions should be held to determine where department specialist support is needed and how specialists can best support both state and local 4-H programs. At the September 1997 educator planning meeting, Extension educators discussed where gaps are so these department relationships can be developed. Curriculum committees are pursuing opportunities. Examples are the inclusion of appropriate department specialists on 4-H list serves and invitations to meet with the curriculum committees at least once a year. 28. The movement to county plans of work and the development of comprehensive county needs assessments to determine county needs should continue. Local stakeholders, volunteers, youth, specialists, and the State Office should be involved in the development of county plans. Each county/city unit is working with local stakeholders, volunteers, youth, specialists, and co-workers in the development of a plan that reflects local needs. The curriculum committee and State 4-H Office provided a youth development model and a project guide to help counties in developing their county program. 29. 4-H programs need to be designed so that young people receive quality programming of sufficient duration to make an impact. By May 1, 1998, a plan is to be in place to evaluate the primary Maryland 4-H delivery modes. Small groups of educators will prepare recommendations for 4-H clubs and special interest/short term/day camp/ school enrichment programs to ensure that young people receive quality programming that makes an impact. 30. County and state personnel should review the necessity of all existing activities and events and prioritize them in terms of impact desired according to the 4-H Strategic Plan. Initial efforts have been started by the state curriculum committee. At the September 1997 meeting, Extension educators had a discussion session on ways to begin this process in their counties. 31. Move aggressively to find ways to adequately staff 4-H camps to serve the growing number of campers. A camp director has been hired to work with the Western Maryland 4-H Center. This position is designed as a two-year contractual position to facilitate all aspects of marketing and program development at this state-owned site. A memorandum of understanding with Patuxent River 4-H Center has been finalized; this document clearly defines the role of the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service (MCES), MNCPP and the Patuxent River 4-H Foundation in the operation of the facility. Region III Extension educators continue to explore options for a camp/conference center on the Eastern Shore. 32. Quickly identify and implement additional natural resources curricula to support this important part of the 4-H program. The State 4-H Natural Resources Committee has begun the process of collecting and reviewing curriculum for use by youth and adult volunteers. Six states have responded with materials for review. Resources such as Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Manual, Forestry Judging Guide, Project Learning Tree, Project Wild and Project Wet can provide adequate background information for special-interest programs in this area. 33. Add significant number of youth members to the State 4-H Camping Task Force and State 4-H Natural Resources Committee. Current membership on planning and/or advisory committees include:
A summary of 4-H camping and natural resources programs was compiled and shared with county educators and state faculty. The State 4-H Camping Task Force has defined both day and resident camps with a clarification of training hours needed for camp staff. New camp programs are being explored for implementation in the coming year. 35. Work toward greater involvement of the two regional natural resources specialists in 4-H camp programming and in natural resources curriculum development and implementation. The State 4-H Natural Resources Committee actively engages regional natural resources specialists in planning and conducting educational programs. Both specialists have agreed to work with forestry and wildlife judging and to provide leadership for coordinating volunteer adult and teen training for 1998. 36. Partner with the Maryland 4-H Foundation to raise money to support and enhance youth camping programs. During 1997, Maryland 4-H Foundation and camping program staff met on three occasions, including site visits to selected existing and potential camping facilities. Discussions have been held with individuals at two non-4-H sites to examine the potential for collaborative use of facilities. The foundation is prepared to dedicate time and a portion of its campaign initiative once the 4-H camping staff has determined specific directions and needs for the program. The foundation has continued to solicit and steward gifts for use at Camp Thendara. 37. Continue to search nationally for and make use of exemplary and juried curricula. The Curriculum Committee studied the 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System (4-HCCS) materials, the juried curricula, and the publications of other states before choosing the publications for this year's programs. 38. Develop a training plan for curriculum dissemination and adoption. We have coordinated training for curriculum dissemination and adoption with the MCES publications request schedule. The schedule is:
The state curriculum committees are informed of these opportunities. If funds are available at the end of this fiscal year, Maryland will join the 4-HCCS. 40. Develop a literature charge policy for curriculum materials. The new policy is that all curriculum materials are cost recovery. Published materials that are not curriculum but are necessary for the program, such as the code of conduct, are free. 41. Ensure the meaningful participation of youth on curriculum committees. Youth participate on forums, committees, and task forces that create and present ideas to the curriculum committees. For example, a teen is co-chair of the State 4-H Camping Task Force and the State 4-H Natural Resources Committee. 42. Investigate the possibility of providing curricula in innovative ways to youth and leaders. Sources of curricula are being made more available to members and volunteers by being presented on the Maryland 4-H web site. Another innovative way of providing curricula to youth and leaders is a Learning Day in Region I to be held Saturday, April 18, 1998. Regional activities and events are held and curricula will be presented in several different ways. 43. Place a higher priority on the development of a volunteer curriculum at the state level. When the state specialist with responsibilities for volunteer development retires in March 1998, this position will be retained and, if possible, will be redefined to provide a larger segment of time for volunteer development. 44. Engage in a critical review of 4-H policies, rules, and procedures with an aim toward reducing the number and scope of rules. As 4-H events and activities are evaluated, current policies, needs, and procedures are examined for completeness, clarity, and brevity. 45. Work closely with the assistant director for 4-H, youth, and families to develop a common research agenda. A working relationship has been established between the 4-H and Family and Consumer Sciences specialists at the University of Maryland College Park and other campus-based faculty. The primary joint research effort has been the development of a proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for Children, Youth, Families at Risk (CYFAR) state strengthening funding. The two program areas have also worked together to acquire and implement a $150,000 Team Nutrition grant. 46. Develop a systematic rotational schedule of review for all 4-H projects. All curriculum committees will review each project every three years. 47. Identify program areas that would appeal to urban and suburban audiences. The position description of a state-level 4-H educator has been rewritten to focus on new audiences. Also, our Kellogg-funded partnership of 4-H with Baltimore's Safe and Sound Campaign and Baltimore's Foundation of Lights, a shelter program for teens, has conducted a needs assessment and is developing a Baltimore Partners Program. 48. Use interview judging at county and state fairs to ensure a more educational experience. County fairs should have interview judging as part of the judging process wherever possible in their fair program. It is an excellent method of providing feedback and encouragement to youth. In the past, interview judging was offered for indoor exhibits at the state fair. Today interview judging is a part of the state fair fashion revue and computer programs. Options for interview judging in other 4-H exhibit areas at the state fair will be considered for implementation in 1999. 49. Adopt the new national recognition model, "Recognition in Youth: Helping Young People Grow," and disseminate it to all county faculty and volunteers through systematic and ongoing training. The new recognition model has been adopted and distributed to all county Extension units. Training on two of the six units was provided to county 4-H educators during a winter in-service meeting. Training was also offered to volunteers at the Northeast Leader's Forum, held in Maryland. 50. Re-evaluate the 4-H program in an effort to strike an appropriate balance between competition and other forms of involvement and recognition. The State 4-H Awards and Recognition Task Force recognizes the importance in balancing the forms of recognition and the focal point which has been given to competition in 4-H. Keeping this in the forefront of their decisions, the task force will continue to search for ways of highlighting the other forms of recognition, i.e. participation, progress towards self-set goals, standards of excellence, and cooperation. 51. Examine different ways of selecting delegates for national recognition events in order to more closely reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the state. The greatest number of youth serving as delegates for national events are the attendees at National 4-H Congress. Input was solicited from other states via an E-mail to state 4-H leaders, with 15 states responding with their state's selection processes. That information was shared with the State 4-H Awards and Recognition Task Force and via an E-mail dialog in which all 4-H educators across the state were invited to participate in order to bring about a process that may yield a more equitable diversity in our delegation both from an ethnic and geographical basis. The E-mail dialog, a meeting of the task force, another E-mail dialog, and a final conference call of the task force resulted in the establishment of an equitable number of portfolios eligible for state competition, based on county 14- to 18-year-old membership numbers. (For the last two years, this would have limited the top county delegations of six and nine to only five portfolios eligible for state competition, therefore potentially allowing other programs to have representation.) The outcome of our efforts will not be seen until the process is implemented in 1998. 52. Review the 4-H curriculum, including recognition and awards, in light of desired areas of emphasis rather than on the support of commodity or special interest groups. Early in 1997, the State 4-H Awards and Recognition Task Force approved a National 4-H Congress delegate selection process with a citizenship, leadership, and achievement focus instead of a project focus. Therefore, all trips under the leadership of the task force have been moved away from commodity groups. 53. Adopt a strategy to provide recognition to youth who do not participate in competitive contests. The State 4-H Awards and Recognition Task Force will search for ways of recognizing youth not participating in competitive events. States will be solicited on how they provide such recognition, and a strategy will be adopted by the fall of 1998. 54. Develop a recognition model for 4-H volunteers. Volunteers are the most valuable resource within the 4-H organization. Recognition should be frequent, meaningful, sincere, and presented in a variety of ways. Recognition would be available for volunteers at all levels within 4-H.
As all curriculum committees develop, consideration will be given to youth recognition for achievement level completion in the 4-H Skills For Life series as well as additional project series. 56. Continue to support county fairs and the state fair as a valuable avenue of recognition in project work. County and state fairs were identified as part of our core program, as defined by the State 4-H Curriculum Committee in the fall of 1997. Resource Development 57. Maryland 4-H Foundation personnel should continue visits to the counties to clarify the role of the foundation and county faculty and staff related to fundraising. Fundraising efforts must be coordinated so the same funding sources are not tapped by both county offices and the foundation. Twenty-three units of the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service have been visited at least once this year. Two attempts have been made to visit the remaining unit. Fundraising efforts are coordinated and have even been done jointly. 58. The Maryland 4-H Foundation Board should begin increasing efforts to raise money that will not be restricted funds. The need for unrestricted funds is being consistently conveyed to both the board and clientele. Specific solicitations have been made for unrestricted funds: a sec-ond annual campaign that utilized the Maryland 4-H All-Stars as a nucleus of po-tential donors; a joint Baltimore County/4-H Foundation Campaign where costs and profits were equally shared in a first-time partnering between the Maryland 4-H Foundation and a county in a mail solicitation; several combined charity cam-paigns; and a new solicitation of CES employees and retirees. The results of these campaigns showed a 14 percent increase in contributors between FY 96 and FY 97, and an increase in unrestricted contributions from 34 to 159 for the same period. A plan for a major five-year capital campaign has been designed for the Maryland 4-H Foundation. A goal of $3 million has been established and an emphasis placed on the need to obtain unrestricted funds for an ever-changing Maryland 4-H program. A presentation of that plan has been made before the total board, resulting in the campaign's adoption. Plans include the necessary volunteer staffing, the steps and stages involved in the process, and giving tables integral to obtaining the goal. 59. The Maryland 4-H Foundation Board should continue its efforts to increase diversity of its membership by encouraging minority and suburban and urban representation. The Maryland 4-H Foundation Board endorsed making direct efforts towards the board's diversity through their recruitment efforts. The board will make direct efforts towards diversity in filling the two current vacancies, passing recommendations to the chairman of the nomination committee. A need for term limits was mentioned in this portion of the external review team's report. The board discussed term limits, and felt that there was significant natural attrition from the board, and that when combined with the fact this is an all-volunteer board, there was no current need for term limits. It was also stated that concerted recruitment efforts, not term limits, were the solution to board diversity. A collegiate-aged board member was approved, creating greater age diversity. Also as a regular program piece, 4-H members have been included in each board meeting to offer a personal account of a 4-H program that the foundation has helped to sponsor and from which the 4-H'er has been personally impacted. 60. The Maryland 4-H Foundation budget must be increased for the funding of programs that benefit a large number of youth rather than large amounts of money on scholarships and award trips for a relatively small number of youth. The higher education scholarships administered by the Maryland 4-H Foundation are restricted only by the specified wishes of the families who have made those designations in memorandums of understanding. As program funding needs for larger numbers of youth are established within the state 4-H program, the foun-dation will work toward obtaining funds and directing unrestricted dollars earned. 61. Faculty at both the county and state level should receive training in basic grant writing. A grants management process is being established. It will facilitate the development of grant proposals at the county and state level. County educators will be kept informed of funding opportunities and supported in the application process. Support and training will be presented at in-service and other meetings, as well as on the World Wide Web. 62. Extension needs to strengthen efforts to communicate the impact and need for the Cooperative Extension Service to local and state legislators. With the return to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, county faculty are expected to keep local officials, such as county commissioners, county executive, city council, mayors, etc., apprised of MCES programs. State officials are contacted only by the university administration, but it is appropriate to contact state officials at their local offices to discuss local programs. Volunteer Development and Management 63. Review several other states' basic 4-H leader training manuals and select one that best meets Maryland's needs. By the end of May 1998, sections of the handbook will be on the web for retrieval. 64. Develop a system for maintaining 4-H clubs, as well as ongoing training and support for club volunteers. We will continue to use the TAXI model for club maintenance with management volunteers. The volunteer handbook on the World Wide Web, quarterly volunteer newsletters, and county, regional, state, and multi-state volunteer training will provide a system of ongoing support. 65. Provide training on important youth development principles to both county/city staff and 4-H volunteers. An in-service training in February 1997 focused on youth development models and a program planning meeting held in September identified the model selected for Maryland 4-H and for the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service's program planning document entitled Outcomes 2002. An in-service training on youth development with sessions conducted by the Family Studies Department will be held in 1998. 66. Establish a simplified volunteer development process to reduce the time and complexity of the current process. Changes and updating of the volunteer development process will be shared at the volunteer in-service training for Extension educators planned for April 1998. 67. Provide avenues for adult and teen volunteers to share and receive support and training as a collective body. This will facilitate continual maintenance of the 4-H program, two-way communication, and recognition of volunteers. Training will be offered at the regional level for youth and adult volunteers based on their needs and interest. A one-day statewide volunteer leader conference is also in the developmental stage. 68. Examine membership composition of the Program Leadership Committee (PLC) and make an effort to involve more volunteers and teens. In 1996, the committee membership goal for teens and adults was increased to two volunteers and two teens per region. Two teen representatives and one volunteer were added in 1996. Two more teen representatives and one more volunteer were added in 1997. 69. Strongly consider organizing a state association or similar group for 4-H volunteers to address their needs, involving current volunteers in the process. The one-day, state-wide volunteer leader conference will be the kick-off meeting for the launching of the Maryland State 4-H Leaders Association. Faculty and Staff Development 70. Periodically bring in outside speakers to train and facilitate workshops. Since January 1996, nine of the ten in-service training sessions have been conducted by outside resources:
71. Award special, short-term research assignments or other projects to experienced agents as a new challenge. In the last six years, six Extension educators have provided short-term expertise to the state 4-H program in the following areas: human sciences, agriculture, Clover program, "Learn-and-Earn," natural resources/camping, and the Maryland 4-H web site. We will assess our current needs and identify opportunities for educators, staff, volunteers, and others. These opportunities will be announced as they become available and open for application. 72. Base more of the evaluation/reward system on accomplishments, as measured against the plan of work. The evaluation system has been revised and became effective in January 1998. It is based on position descriptions and Outcomes 2002 Initiatives for all educators. The review is by peer committee, unit leader, RED, and assistant directors. 73. Institute a continuous process of training faculty and staff. Seven dates for training faculty and staff in FY98 were identified. They were:
A discussion group at the September 1997 4-H Extension educators meeting was held for input regarding training needs and opportunities. The primary suggestion was to include faculty Extension assistants and program assistants with Extension educators in the training. 75. Collaborate with other organizations on joint workshops and training sessions. Examples of collaboration are as follows: The November 14, 1997, training on Team Nutrition was conducted in collaboration with the Maryland State Department of Education. The November 20-21, 1997, training on Character Education was a collaboration with Family and Community Education (FCE) members, the Maryland State Department of Education, and other resources. (Both training sessions invited Family and Consumer Sciences educators as well as 4-H educators.) 76. Provide appropriate training in the area of youth development for faculty and staff working with young people. An in-service training in February 1997 focused on youth development models, and a program planning meeting held in September identified the model selected for Maryland 4-H and for the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service's program planning document entitled Outcomes 2002. An in-service training on youth development with sessions conducted by the Family Studies Department will be held in 1998. 77. Create more opportunities for 4-H faculty to get together for sharing and discussion of issues, ideas, and concerns. The September 1997 4-H Extension educators session had opportunities for sharing and discussing issues as did the fall Maryland Association of Extension 4-H Agents (MAE-4HA) meeting. Regional 4-H meetings and in-service trainings also offer opportunities for this type of discussion. Marketing 78. Promote 4-H as an inclusive organization, available and valuable to all youth, by reaching out further to diverse populations and attracting non-traditional audiences in the schools and the home school groups with information about the availability of educational programs, particularly in the areas of science and technology, workforce preparation, public speaking, and other communication skills. The Youth Voices and Action Campaign, "Are You Into It," depicts the 4-H program as an inclusive organization, promoting diversity, as well as casting the 4-H image in what would be considered a non-traditional light. Displays for both the Maryland 4-H program and the Maryland 4-H Foundation were developed, with an emphasis placed on the representation of diversity and programming that includes all audiences. When foundation directors and county 4-H educators were canvassed, 13 of 17 found the foundation's display effective in communicating to potential 4-H program supporters, and 16 of 18 said they would use the display. A state-wide community service initiative, with an emphasis on literacy, will lend itself to more diverse and non-traditional audiences. 79. Actively participate in the National Ad Campaign for "4-H Youth Voices And Action." The action phase for the "Youth Voices" campaign got underway this fall. The downlink satellite training was reproduced for use in every county/city Extension unit. An "Are You Into It" link to the Maryland 4-H web site has been designed. Counties reported local progress at regional meetings and to the educators present at the fall 4-H educators planning meeting, and committed to having their local 4-H youth make specific major radio and television media contacts across the state. 80. Involve people other than traditional 4-H volunteers in order to reach out to new and under-served audiences (i.e. community leaders, churches, public housing units). Volunteers will be recruited based on their needs and interest. As programs, activities, and events become available for youth in their community, work, and service environments, and choices for volunteering are clear, nontraditional volunteers will become involved with 4-H. Extension will need to seek out sites and make available specific program offerings for youth, recruit adult and older youth leadership to support the 4-H program, and provide orientation and training for volunteers to get 4-H objectives accomplished. The existing leaders, youth, and agencies in the area are sources to find leadership and to identify program needs. Communications 81. Make ongoing efforts to communicate at all levels in the program. New efforts include the creation of a newsletter to counties and a project guide. The 4-H web site now includes a calendar of 4-H events, list of publications, and activities/forms book that are kept current. 82. Develop a volunteer newsletter that goes out on a regular and consistent basis. The volunteer newsletter will begin April 1998. 83. Train adults to work with youth as partners and resources for the 4-H program. Youth Partnership, a special program designed to facilitate youth and adults working together, will be a part of the next training in volunteer development. The concept of the TRY program and "Youth as Resources" will also be revisited. These specific programs are formal programs that address techniques of youth and adults working together. In our Maryland 4-H program, there are several successful examples of youth and adults working as partners (i.e. camping, service learning, reading buddies). 84. Train young people to work effectively with adults. As part of a partnership with two other youth organizations in Baltimore, young people and adults will receive training to work together. 85. Clarify and formalize the roles of specialists and support staff in the State 4-H Office. By July 1998, all specialists and support staff will have updated job descriptions. 86. Make use of new communications technologies. Everyone is now on Simeon E-mail and can send attachments. We have put our recently initiated newsletter, project guide information, publication lists, activities book, and calendars on the World Wide Web. 87. Make conscious and deliberate efforts to ensure the timeliness of communications at all levels. The use of communications technology is expanding. We are using E-mail, World Wide Web, Web Boards, and other techniques regularly to communicate. In February, we held an in-service training session via conference call and Power Point presentations on the Web. 88. Communicate directly with individuals responsible to programs This is facilitated by clearly defined roles and responsibility. Program Accountability 89. Develop evaluation instruments that measure impacts, such as how people have changed or improved the quality of their lives. The new Maryland 4-H enrollment system is being used by all counties for 1998 to collect participation data and the 1998 MCES reporting system will ask for impact statements and success stories. 90. Develop a system for tracking youth and volunteers to determine how 4-H has made a difference in their lives. Establishing alumni tracking is a first step. The Maryland 4-H web site has an alumni response sheet which will enable us to develop the alumni list. 91. Encourage department Extension specialists to be much more involved in the development and implementation of 4-H youth development programs. Curriculum committees will work on this. The continued involvement and the interest of additional department specialists are important to the program. Department specialists are invited to two or more curriculum committee meetings each year. 92. Provide opportunities for research by staff pursuing advanced degrees or looking for projects, and for specialists and 4-H agents to work together. A professor from the Family Studies Department is on sabbatical with us and may help provide such opportunities upon her return to that department. 4-H Extension educators at the county and state level can work together to conduct field-based research to support grant applications at both the pre-funding and funded stages of the project. 93. Establish consistency in job descriptions, performance expectations, and performance appraisals for all job classifications. Position descriptions have been written for Extension educators and program assistants. All county and regional faculty use the same form for their annual faculty report, which is the document used in performance appraisals. 94. Encourage 4-H professional staff to take calculated risks with new programs and new audiences, and reward them for risk-taking behaviors that encourage program expansion. The new program development process fosters innovative programming and the new annual faculty report performance reporting format includes a section on new programs and new audiences so Extension educators can be recognized for these efforts. MCES funding for new programming efforts is available through a competitive grants process. |