FARM SAFETY 4 JUST KIDS CHAPTER TRAINING

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0221403
• Grant No.: 2010-45080-20686
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $72,000.00
• Proposal No.: 2010-01621
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2010
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2011
• Grant Year: 2010
• Program Code: [BB-K]- Childhood Farm Safety, IA

Recipient Organization
FARM SAFETY 4 JUST KIDS
11304 AURORA AVENUE
URBANDALE,IA 50322

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
Farming is a dangerous profession. Use of powerful machinery, long working hours, acceptance of injuries as a consequence of the profession, advanced age of farmers, and exposure to unpredictable conditions are factors that influence a high injury rate. Not only are farmers at risk, but their family members are also exposed to the same hazards. Farm children often work at a young age and unintentional injuries can take place alarmingly fast. The farm is one of the only places where children and youth are working alongside parents and living in a work environment. In 2001, there were approximately 2.13 million farms in the United States where nearly one and a half million youth under age 20 lived or worked on these farms. Farm work and farm living creates the idyllic image of a clean and healthy lifestyle. But the children and youth who live, work, and play in their families' place of work are at risk of losing their lives or becoming seriously injured. In 1985, Dr. Rivara stated in his landmark report on farm dangers affecting children, that nearly 300 children and adolescents die each year from farm injuries and 23,500 suffer non-fatal trauma. Dr. Rivara conducted a follow-up study using data from 1990-1993. This study found an average of 104 child deaths per year resulting from injuries occurring on farms. The rate of 8.0 deaths per 100,000 child farm residents is 39% lower than the earlier study. Within the recent past other reports also show a decline in the number of farm-related injuries. Over the eight years from 1998 to 2006, the rate of childhood agricultural injuries per 1,000 farms (includes youth who live on, visit, and are hired to work on farms) declined by 37% (from 16.6 to 10.5). The rate of injuries per 1,000 household youth (those living on farms) declined by 44% (from 18.8 to 10.5) during that same period. It can only be concluded the work of organizations like Farm Safety 4 Just Kids has helped reduce these rates. To address these issues, FS4JK has set up a chapter structure so educational programs can be conducted at the local level. Training is needed so community people delivering farm safety and health education programs have effective ways to reach their audiences. This training workshop and subsequent resources will be used to further the cause of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. Participation in the workshop will help them learn ways to strengthen their efforts to reach rural children, youth, and their families with life saving information. Other grass-roots organizations that provide injury prevention programs will also benefit from the findings and resources.

Animal Health Component

50%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

50%

Applied

50%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
723	6020	3020	50%
805	6099	3030	50%

Knowledge Area
805 - Community Institutions, Health, and Social Services; 723 - Hazards to Human Health and Safety;

Subject Of Investigation
6020 - The family and its members; 6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education; 3030 - Information and communication;

Keywords

children

youth

agriculture

injury prevention

training

Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to strengthen Farm Safety 4 Just Kids chapters to enable them to deliver positive farm safety and health messages at the grassroots level. The objectives of this project are to: 1. develop training components based on the strengths and weaknesses identified by FS4JK chapters, 2. conduct FS4JK chapter training to address issues identified within chapter focus groups conducted in 2008-2010, and 3. produce and distribute a DVD of training that address issues identified in the 2008-2010 chapter assessment and building project. The expected outcomes of this project include: 1. participation of FS4JK chapter individuals in a training workshop to increase their capabilities as farm-related injury prevention program educators, 2. attendance of 75 to 100 people at the chapter building workshop, and 3. development of video used with existing and future FS4JK Chapters to help them become stronger and more successful community coalitions. The ultimate outcome will be more effective groups that deliver farm safety and health messages within rural communities.

Project Methods
This project includes a national training workshop and the development of an instructional video for existing and future FS4JK chapters. The workshop will be based on the findings of a FS4JK Chapter assessment and building program. During this project chapters conducted an in-depth internal analysis of their own group. The insight gained by each chapter will be beneficial to other chapters, learning from their successes and failures. The training and the DVD will complement each other and address specific needs of individual FS4JK Chapters. The FS4JK organization will benefit by becoming a stronger entity by strengthening each individual chapter. The training workshop will be offered to all FS4JK Chapters to address the issues identified within the chapter assessment and building process. FS4JK Chapters will be invited to attend the workshop held during 2011 in central Iowa. Topic related experts, chapter leaders, and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids staff will speak and facilitate the meeting. At the workshop FS4JK chapters will speak about how effective they were in implementing strategies they had identified. We anticipate an attendance of fifteen chapters that have participated in a focus group who will speak at the workshop as well as topic related professionals. We also anticipate between fifty and a hundred additional chapter people will be in attendance. Knowledge and skills gained during training will be used in developing local programs. As a result of the training workshop and training sessions, a DVD about effective ways to establish, manage, and enhance a community coalition will be produced. The DVD will help existing, new, and future chapters learn ways to improve their chapter's functionality. This will help them deliver educational programs that address farm-related childhood injury prevention A six-month follow-up conducted using Survey Monkey or similar web-based program will document activities the chapters have completed or practices they changed as a result of workshop participation or video viewing.

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) works through a network of local chapters to prevent injuries to children and youth living on, working, and visiting farms. Project Goal: Strengthen FS4JK Chapters to deliver positive farm safety and health messages at the grassroots level. Objectives: 1)Identify strengths and weaknesses of delivering farm safety and health messages through the current FS4JK chapter system 2)Strengthen farm safety and health programs 3)Conduct training for FS4JK Chapters to address factors influencing their success 4)Produce a video to strengthen local farm safety and health organizations Year One: A telephone interview of FS4JK Chapters was conducted to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Ten randomly selected chapters participated in a two tiered analysis of their group and community. States involved were: CO, IL, FL, KY, MN, MO, NE, NY, OH, and TX. The first tier consisted of a facilitated SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and weaknesses) exercise. A matrix was completed to identify strategies that accomplished their goals. The second tier consisted of focus groups within the same community. The focus groups identified the chapter's impact on individuals and organizations within the community. Year Two: FS4JK Chapters not participating in the original SWOT exercises were given the opportunity to conduct a similar experience. Chapters from CO, IA (2), IL (3), PA, KY, ND, MO, NE, MN, OH, IN, and MN participated. Fourteen FS4JK Chapters from year one and two participated in a strategy implementation exercise and identified a trainer to work with the group on the issue they had identified as their main weaknesses within the SWOT exercise. Of the chapters participating in the strategy implementation stage of the project, two addressed time, seven addressed membership, three addressed community awareness and support, and two addressed funding issues. Trainers came from a variety of backgrounds such as marketing, extension, theology, and academia. Year Three: A national workshop occurred on March 16, 2011 at Pioneer in Johnston. The four issues identified by the chapters during the original telephone survey were used as a framework. Experts in the four areas (community support, time management, funding, and membership) spoke at the workshop. Three of the four main speakers were also facilitators for local strategy implementation trainings. Each topic was addressed in a lecture style format by an expert, a panel of 3-4 chapter members, and within a Q & A session. Trevor Hoff was the key-note speaker for the workshop. Trevor experienced a tractor run-over incident when he was sixteen. As an older youth he spoke about his experience as a victim of a farm related injury which nearly took his life. He reinforced the importance of getting the message of safety and health out to other youth and their families. The workshop was taped and recorded. The video was edited into four segments plus Trevor's talk. The DVD will be distributed to all FS4JK Chapter where they will use it for instruction for their chapter members and use Trevor's story as a motivational tool. PARTICIPANTS: This project was led by FS4JK Education Director, Shari Burgus. She has a Master's degree from Iowa State University and a Specialist degree from Drake University, both in education. Tyler Vacha, FS4JK Chapter and Membership Director, worked closely with Ms. Burgus to complete the project. Mr. Vacha has a BS degree in political science from Buena Vista University and has been with FS4JK for over three years. Keely Pearson, past marketing director and Tracy Schlater, current marketing director, provided graphic support for the project. Ms. Burgus designed, developed and managed the project as well as supervising the evaluation component. Mr. Vacha conducted the telephone interviews with FS4JK Chapter leaders. Ms. Burgus and Mr. Vacha traveled to the ten chapter locations to facilitate the community focus groups. A FS4JK staff person served as a reporter at each focus group. Another staff person typed up each session using reporter notes and a recorded audio tape of the proceedings. An advisory group was made up of Dr. Charles Schwab (Iowa State University), Dr. Eileen Fisher (Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health), Kim Gamm (Missouri Public Health Department), and Sharry Nielsen (Nebraska Extension Service). The expertise provided by the individuals on the advisory group was invaluable for the completion of a successful program. The evaluation consultant was Dr. Mack Shelley, an evaluation expert in qualitative research. He is a researcher and instructor at Iowa State University. Each chapter includes a unique combination of individuals and represents many organizations. Farm Bureau, FFA, Extension, 4-H, education, and Agri-businesses are often included in each chapter and were represented in the SWOT exercises and focus groups. Chapter members participated in the SWOT exercises led by a facilitator from the local community. Focus group participants included individuals from the community that played a role in local farm safety program implementation. Parents, grandparents, program presenters, local funders, media, EMS providers, public health, and extension personnel were represented in the discussions. Training and professional development was provided at the national workshop held in March 2010. A workshop advisory group made up of Kari Button (KY), Joanie Adkins (NE), and Charlotte Halverson (IA) helped plan the event. Workshop topics were identified by the chapters and included concerns for building strong chapters.The workshop participants gained skills to improve their local organization. Gina Lyon, adjunct instructor in communication at Western Kentucky University, addressed membership concerns. Curt Oldfield, vice president of academic affairs for Northeast Iowa Community College addressed time management. Mandy Hart, executive director for the Center for Appalachian Philanthropy, addressed funding issues. Charlotte Narjes, special projects manager for Center for Applied Rural Innovations talked about community awareness during her session. The workshop video tape will provide professional improvement for those that could not attend the workshop. TARGET AUDIENCES: Farm Safety 4 Just Kids Chapters provide rural communities with life saving education programs about preventing farm injuries to children and youth. While the main focus is young people, adults involved with the program learn ways to protect themselves also. In the process of learning ways to avoid hazards and resulting injuries children who attend FS4JK programs influence the rest of their family to stay safe and healthy. Schools, civic groups, community organizations, and agriculture-related businesses are contacted and asked to participate in helping to provide meaningful educational programs. This project sought ways to make this delivery system more efficient and effective. Farmers and their family members are the front-line targeted audience since they are the ones with children and youth at risk. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids believes that farm safety and health is more than one person or family's responsibility. In order to prevent injuries to the community's youngest residents everyone plays a role in prevention. While not sought out for attendance, racial and ethnic minorities are not excluded or discriminated against. This is also true for socially, economic, or educationally disadvantaged. During year one a telephone survey of FS4JK Chapter members revealed what approximately half the chapters felt were strengths and weaknesses of their chapter. This helped chapter members formulate their thoughts about the chapter and helped them verbalize what would strengthen their efforts. The second effort was comprised of locally led SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis activities. Each chapter internalized what was working for them, things that weren't working, what prospects they were overlooking, and what forces that they need to watch out for. The third effort included focus groups led by FS4JK staff to identify the impact the chapter had on the community. The strategy implementation portion during year two helped individual FS4JK Chapters work on issues determined to be their major weakness. A facilitator with expertise in the weakness area was hired to work with each chapter. The facilitator helped the chapter members determine strategies useful in turning weaknesses into strengths. The chapter was asked to implement some of the identified strategies and report the success of efforts. FS4JK chapter members were invited to participate in the national training meeting held on March 16, 2011. The four top weaknesses identified by the chapters (time, membership, funding, and community awareness) were addressed at the training meeting held in Johnston, Iowa. Experts in each area, several of them local strategy implementation facilitators, gave presentations. A panel of chapter leaders addressed each topic. In addition, Trevor Hoff, a youth who experienced a tractor run-over incident gave the key-note address. A video tape of the workshop was recorded, edited, and duplicated. The audiences for the DVD are current and future FS4JK Chapters. The video will be used to deliver the messages to other chapter members not able to participate in the workshop. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: While major modifications within the project were not experienced, small adjustments did take place. It was originally planned to have SF4JK staff conduct the chapter SWOT analysis, but it was determined that someone outside the organization could be less biased and increase the credibility of the results. Local people with facilitation skills were sought to serve in this role. The negative aspect of this compromise was that all ten SWOT exercises were conducted by different people. Comprehensive instructions were developed to help ensure the consistency among the chapter discussions. After conducting the first community focus group in Florida, it was determined that individuals needed to be identified with their comments. If demographic information was identified with answers, it gave a clearer picture about what was being said and discussed. A tape recording of each focus group helped to match comments with speakers and document comments left out by the recorder. The tapes were difficult to hear and understand specific comments. Dr. Shelley, the project evaluator, asked that the chapters involved in the project be categorized according to longevity, member numbers, professional versus volunteer status, and number of awards they had won. This was not planned by the initial program, but the categories gave the evaluator ways to differentiate the groups. It helped to compare one chapter to another and identify how the factors influenced chapter success. Although not planned within the original plans, grants were provided to workshop participants for the purpose of developing new educational resources for their chapter. This came as a direct result of chapters involved in the SWOT process indicating their top strengths were often related to their interactive programs. Demonstrations were identified as crucial to accomplishing great activities. It was anticipated that more chapter members would attend the national workshop. Most of the workshop participants were personally invited by staff to attend so they could be a part of a topic related panel discussion. Each panel participant was given a stipend for their contribution. All chapter members were given travel reimbursement, based on distance to the workshop location.

Impacts
Categorization factors of longevity, member numbers, professional versus volunteer status, and number of awards were used to identify aspects influencing chapter success. Conclusions include: 1) Older chapters listed membership as their primary weakness while newer chapters listed community awareness as their primary weakness. 2) The volunteer chapters were more than twice as likely to have received recognition awards as did professional classified chapters. Strategies revealed within the SWOT exercises included enhanced promotional activities, membership campaigns, and promotional enhancements. The community focus group results indicated low chapter visibility within the community, but a high perceived benefit to the community. Result of a workshop questionnaire indicated desire for: 1) more information on grant writing 2) increased participation of chapters 3) time for networking with other participants and staff 4) more displays and demonstrations. 5) round table discussions on specific topics. 6) time for each chapter to discuss their own projects. A month after the workshop a survey was sent to all participants via Survey Monkey. The thirteen question survey asked demographic information about the chapters, process information about the workshop, and impact information about their participation at the workshop. Workshop Preferences: 79% liked the March 16 format, 64% of the participants indicated the workshop was extremely or very helpful, 93% of the participants indicated the workshop was worth their time, 80% of the participants said there was sufficient time to network with other chapter members, and 74% of the participants said there was sufficient time to interact with FS4JK staff Workshop Impact Knowledge Impact (64% have used a concept or idea from one of the topic speaker during a chapter meeting. 50% have used a concept or idea from a chapter panel member at a chapter meeting. 75% indicate they think differently about their personal safety and/or health. 88% indicate they increased their knowledge based on something said by a topic expert.) Action Impact (29% developed a demonstration or display. 43% utilized information gained from another chapter member. 82% indicate they do things more safely or healthier. 63% indicate they do things more safely while working based on something said by a topic expert. 50% indicate they are making healthier choices while working based on something said by a chapter panel member.) Condition Impact (7% of the workshop participants intend to change their chapter structure. 20% plan to change their chapter meeting schedule. 33% plan to conduct a membership drive. 53% intend to conduct a community awareness campaign. 47% plan to conduct a media promotion campaign. 7% plan to realign their chapter leaders. 33% plan to seek out new funding options. 67% plan to develop or redesign their chapter activities and/or demonstrations.) Dissemination - A video of the workshop proceedings will be available for FS4JK Chapters and other similar organizations wanting to learn ways to improve their organization.

Publications

• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2009, Dec) Chapter assessment article featuring Town and Country (IA) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 09 Issue 10.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Jan) Chapter assessment. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 01.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Feb) Chapter assessment article featuring Tipton County (IN) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 02.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (Mar 2010) Chapter assessment, 2009 Annual Report.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (Spring/Summer 2010) Rural Kids Connection Newsletter.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2011, Jan) National chapter training workshop. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 11 Issue 01.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2011, Feb) National chapter training workshop. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 11 Issue 02.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2011, Mar) National chapter training workshop. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 11 Issue 03.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2011, Apr) Training workshop resource grants. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 11 Issue 04.
• Burgus, SK, Schwab, C, & Shelley, M. Assessing rural coalitions that address safety and health issues. Submitted to Journal of Extension 2010.
• Burgus, SK, Schwab, C, & Shelley, M. (2010) Assessing rural coalitions that address safety and health Issues. Proceedings of National Institute for Farm Safety Annual Conference, Wilmington, NC.
• Burgus, SK. (2009). Assessing FS4JK chapters. Proceedings of Iowa Center for Agricultural Safety and Health Forum, Johnston, IA.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Mar) Chapter assessment article featuring South Central (NE) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 03.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Apr) Chapter assessment article featuring Illini (IL) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 04.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Jun) Chapter assessment article featuring Tuscarawas (OH) Chapter and Western Illinois Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 06.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2010, Jul) Chapter assessment article featuring RedBrownville (MN) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 10 Issue 07.
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (2009, Nov) Chapter building article featuring NYCAMH (NY) Chapter. FS4JK Chapter Chat, Vol. 09 Issue 09.