Progress 09/01/04 to 02/28/07
Outputs
A six-module, professional development website was developed, comprising 18 individual lessons. The modules cover four broad competency areas: organizational leadership, systems leadership, organizational culture, and volunteer management competencies. The website was evaluated by a group of county extension educators from the Texas Cooperative Extension. Their feedback resulted in several improvements in the content and resources on the website. The importance of this professional development tool has become more important since the dissolution of the Association of Volunteer Administrator (AVA) in March of 2006. It is hoped that this information can help fill the professional development vacuum left when the AVA folded.
PRODUCTS: The six educational modules constitute three products. 1) A professional development website that provides resources to volunteer administrators. The website may be found at http://volunteer.tamu.edu/; 2) A credentialing program (utilizing the same website content and WebCT Vista) whereby participants can receive a certificate in volunteer administration. This continuing education program is administered through the Office of Continuing and Professional Studies at Texas A&M University; 3) an online graduate-level course in volunteer administration that uses the six online modules as a portion of the curriculum. The graduate course is scheduled to be taught in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, & Communications in the Spring 2008 semester (ALEC 608).
OUTCOMES: Volunteer administrators will possess the competencies to more effectively lead volunteers in their organizations and by extension, make a greater impact on the agency's clientele.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The website has already been promoted to participants in the 2006 Association of Leadership Educator's Conference in Big Sky, Montana via a poster presentation and to Texas Cooperative Extension Volunteer Specialists. The Office of Continuing and Professional Studies at Texas A&M University will assist in promoting the resource to other universities, Cooperative Extension programs, and nonprofit organizations through cooperative linkages with the CECP program, presentations at national Extension and volunteer leadership conferences, and through professional organizations such as the Texas Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA).
FUTURE INITIATIVES: The website will continually be updated to reflect new research and model of volunteer administration.
Impacts
An initial group of county Extension educators has already completed the six modules. Surveys of those participants indicated that participants gained a greater understanding of the role of the volunteer administrator and the competencies required for the job. Eight-three percent also gained a greater understanding of how to conduct a needs assessment, how to recruit and train volunteers, as well as how to dismiss volunteers. Comments from the participants note that some of the most useful information included the importance of position descriptions, volunteer protection and risk management, and how to orient new volunteers.
Publications
- A poster presentation was made at the 2006 Association of Leadership Educators Conference at Big Sky, Montana. An abstract describing the project was published with the proceedings.
|
Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
A six-module, professional development website has been developed, comprising 18 individual lessons. The modules cover four broad competency areas: organizational leadership, systems leadership, organizational culture, and volunteer management competencies. The webstie is currently being evaluated by a group of county extension educators from the Texas Cooperative Extension. Pending the results of this evaluation, the site will be improved and a final report prepared.
PRODUCTS: The six educational modules constitute three products. 1) A professional developemnt website that provides resources to volunteer administrators; 2) A credentialing program (utilizing the same website)whereby participants can receive certification in volunteer administration; 3) an online graduate-level course in volunteer administration that uses the six online modules as a portion of the curriculum.
OUTCOMES: Volunteer administrators will possess the competencies to more effectively lead volunteers in their organizations and by extension, make a greater impact on the agency's clientele.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The website has already been promoted to participants in the 2006 Association of Leadership Educator's Conference in Big Sky, Montana via a poster presentation. After final revisions, the resource will be promoted to other universities, Cooperative Extension programs, and nonprofit organizations through cooperative linkages with the CECP program, presentations at national Extension and volunteer leadership conferences, and through professional organizations such as the Texas Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA).
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Upon implementation of this professional development system, the modules will need to be continuously updated with the most current information and trends in volunteer administration.
Impacts
As a result of completing these professional development modules, Extension educators and other nonprofit volunteer administrators will be able to more effectively lead their volunteer programs. This will result in increased program effectiveness, improving the impact on the agency's clientele.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
The professional development website is about 80% complete. While the content had been developed, I encountered difficulty in finding a skilled web developer to post the content and assist with the instructional design. This was finally accomplished last fall and Twelve graduate students who had completed a graduate course in Volunteer Leadership were asked to evaluate the first three modules that had been developed during the summer of 2005. Using their feedback, modules 1-4 were redesigned. Module 5 has been designed and is in the process of being posted. The final module is under development. Formal evaluation of the site is currently being planned for June and July. County Extension Agents from the southern region will be asked to complete the modules and provide feedback to the developers. The website will be revealed in the early fall of 2006. This professional developement site has become important for volunteer administrators with the demise of the Assoc. of
Volunteer Administrators (AVA). AVA provided a great deal of professional development for volunteer administrators prior to March 2006.
PRODUCTS: Currently, this project consists of six professional development modules covering the four phases of the GEMS volunteer development model. These modules may be completed for continueing education credit, a certificate in volunteer administration, or simply for personal development purposes. These modules may also be completed for graduate credit at Texas A&M University beginning in the spring of 2007 for students who are admitted to the graduate program at Texas A&M.
OUTCOMES: Not available at this time.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: This project will be promoted at the Association of Leadership Educators this summer to Extension Professionals. It will be further promoted to Extension Professionals in Volunteer Administration through personal and electronic contacts.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: None available at this time.
Impacts
None available at this time.
Publications
- A paper and poster proposal have been submitted to the Association of Leadership Educators for possible presentation at the 2006 Conference this summer.
|
Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
A Masters level graduate student has been hired and is actively researching and developing content for each of the modules. A web site developer has also been hired and has developed the format and templates for the website, as well as visuals. Modules are posted as they are completed. Six web-based educational modules are currently under various stages of development. The modules are based on four categories of competencies required for leading volunteer programs as identified by Boyd. The GEMS Volunteer Management Model, developed by Culp, serves as the model for four of the units. The module titles are as follows: 1) Volunteer Administration, 2) Generating Volunteers, 3) Educating Volunteers, 4) Mobilizing Volunteers, 5) Sustaining Volunteers, and 6) Leading the Volunteer Program. Each module contains 2-5 lessons. Two modules have been completed and are under review by an expert panel for accuracy of the content and ease of use of the website. Modules 3-6 are under
development with completion expected by May 15, 2005. The modules will be pilot tested during the summer of 2005 and implemented in September 2005. The program will be evaluated during that time with the final report written in February 2006. At the same time, the groundwork is being established for program completers to receive a certificate for achieving a certain level of achievement or for receiving graduate credit if desired.
Impacts
As a result of completing these professional development modules, Extension educators and other nonprofit volunteer administrators will be able to more effectively lead their volunteer programs. This will result in increased program effectiveness, improving the impact on the agency's clientele.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
|