Source: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA submitted to
MASTER FCS VOLUNTEER PROPOSAL
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0225869
Grant No.
2011-38837-30520
Project No.
VAN-KASTAN1
Proposal No.
2011-05082
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
FF-L
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2011
Project End Date
Feb 29, 2012
Grant Year
2011
Project Director
Gehrt, K.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
200 D.W. BROOKS DR
ATHENS,GA 30602-5016
Performing Department
Cooperative Extension
Non Technical Summary
In many land-grant systems, shrinking funds have led to a reduction in family and consumer sciences faculty delivering programs, leaving a gap in service delivery in pillar program areas such as food, nutrition and health; food safety and food preservation; family financial management and family and human development. Many FCS Agent educators serve multiple counties and there are vacancies leaving areas underserved while demands for services continue to increase. This project will maximize program delivery and create new opportunities to leverage existing volunteers and recruit new volunteers. To strengthen FCS support, existing and new master volunteers need to receive core training. The core training will include information on the organization's mission, vision, structure, history and policies. Communication, conducting presentations, working with diverse audiences, facilitation skills, leadership skills and public policy will be major components or modules in this training. Examples of core components are available through the national Extension network and may be utilized in developing this training. A faculty level persion will be hired to develop and coordinate the core curriculum, marketing, and evaluation tools. An existing volunteer management system will be reviewed to determine how it can be adapted and enhanced for the Master FCS volunteer program. The Master Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Volunteer Program in Virginia will serve as a model that can be replicated in other states or regions throughout the land-grant system.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
100%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90360993020100%
Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
Build Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) capacity through recruiting/training and utilization of volunteers at the local level; structure and develop existing FCS Volunteer Programs under one umbrella; develop an on-line self contained 6 hour core curriculum for FCS volunteers; increase the visibility of FCS through the delivery of programs by volunteers; develop an effective volunteer base for support of FCS. Goal: Develop a Master Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Volunteer Program in Virginia as a model that can be replicated in other states or regions throughout the land-grant system. First objective: Develop three on-line self contained FCS curriculum modules (each 2 hours long) that consider pre and post evaluation, marketing/communication and volunteer data management on the front end of development. Second: Review volunteer management system from University of California at Davis; make recommendations for how it could be adapted or enhanced for the Master FCS Volunteer program. Third: Develop an on-line self contained six hour curriculum for the purpose of effectively training volunteers to support FCS in leadership/public policy, Cooperative Extension organizational history combined with FCS history/program descriptions, and marketing/branding. (Information for the marketing/branding module will be provided by Caroline Crocoll from her work with the FCS Alliance. This information will be available after it is released at American Association of FCS Conference - June 25)
Project Methods
Tasks: Employ a faculty level person to develop the core curriculum and evaluation tools. Evaluation materials will include a pre and post test competency/knowledge base assessment. Review existing volunteer management system; make recommendations for how it could be adapted or enhanced for the Master FCS Volunteer program. Include background information on Virginia's current volunteer structure, name of volunteer programs and a brief description, number of volunteers in programs and current tracking system. Make recommendation on how the volunteer management program can be utilized for training, tracking and management of volunteers. Work with CALS Information Technology (IT) to effectively incorporate technology into each of the three (two hours each) on-line curriculum modules. Curriculum modules will be available in two formats: on-line modules and portable document format (PDF) with speakers notes. Modules will include information on leadership and public policy, effective communication, working with diverse audiences, facilitation skills, resource development, the history of Cooperative Extension and FCS, the historic involvement of Family and Community Educators and Extension Homemakers, the core areas and curriculums of FCS (including food, nutrition, health, food safety, food preservation, financial management, housing, human development, and aging), marketing, and branding. Report progress to NIFA midway through the project and receive feedback.

Progress 08/01/11 to 02/29/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Objectives: 1. Developed 12 on-line self contained Family and Consumer Science (FCS)curriculum modules (6 hours total) that include knowledge based learning objectives and pre/post evaluation. The learning modules were developed for Cooperative Extension Master FCS Volunteers nationwide. Module titles/lessons include: Module 1 Cooperative Extension Organization (Cooperative Extension History, FCS History, Extension FCS volunteers, Core Areas of FCS) Module 2 Leadership/ Public Policy (Effective Communication, Working With Diverse Audiences, Facilitation Skills, Resource Development) Module 3 Marketing/Branding (Branding Mateirals Available, Value of FCS, Value of Volunteers, Telling Our Story) 2. Reviewed volunteer management system and made recommendations for how it could be adapted or enhanced for the Master FCS Volunteer program. 3. Hired Education Program Associate to develop curriculum modules, conduct focus groups and review volunteer management system. 4.Conducted four focus groups in Virginia with Extension Agents to review modules and make recommendations. 5.Delivered modules to federal grant funder (USDA)for review and comment. 6. Utilized Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist expertise in developing learning objectives, evaluation, instructional technology and volunteer management. PARTICIPANTS: 1.Patsy Pelland, Extension Research Associate, conducted focus groups, developed learing modules and worked with specialists. 2.Mike Lambur, Extension Specialist, assisted in developing learning objectives and evaluation modules 3.Carl Estes, Computer Technology Associate, assisted with Information Technology to develop modules 4.Christine Kastan, Extension Agent, conducted focus groups, developed learing modules and worked with specialists. 5.Kim Elkins, Extension agent, conducted focus groups, developed learing modules and worked with specialists. 6. Melissa Chase, Extension specialist, provided input on modules. 7. Karen Gehrt, Extension specialist, submitted grant. 8. Katie Pelland, student, transcribed audio portion of learing modules. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audiences: 1. Family and Consumer Science Extension Agents in Virginia. 2. Family and Consumer Science volunteers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Received one year no cost time extension.

Impacts
Short term outcomes: 1. Development and delivery of the 12 learning modules served as a basis for a national broad based focus group of 18 people convened by the National Program Leader, Housing and Community living, Institute of Youth, Family and Community, Division of Family and Consumer Sciences, National Instiutute of Food and Agriculture, USDA. Focus group members reviewed and commented on the modules. 2. The learning modules and comments will be used to revise and pilot test in phase 2 of this project. Long term outcomes: 1. The impact of this project in completion will be to build Family and Consumer Science capacity through consistent training materials for volunteers. 2. Increased visability of Family and Consumer Sciences through trained master volunteers.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period