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Staff News & Notes - Week of 02.16.09
Hi,
In one of the multitude of meetings that I have attended over the past several weeks, someone said, “I’m getting tired of doing MORE with LESS – I just cannot do that any longer”. If I could remember who said that, I would give him/her credit, but I cannot remember even the meeting, let alone the person.
I thought the statement was appropriate when I heard it, and I think it is even more profound now. Just last Friday in the Extension Communiqué, more detailed tenets of the new staffing and program delivery plans were shared. In a nutshell, there will be fewer of us with larger areas of geographic and population responsibility.
Especially in 4-H, since I started way back when, there have been several areas that have exploded within our job’s responsibilities. Some of these a niche, or specialty areas, such as in expanded 4-H project areas. Others are system-wide, such as quality assurance and volunteer background checks. We are not only expected to know how to deal with 4-H youth development issues, but we must know about such things as the legal ramifications of risk management, how to utilize and even construct web pages, and what forms to use to make the fiscal people happy.
The bottom line is that 4-H Professionals have been doing more and more with the same or shrinking resources for several years. There is a limit. We can no longer do more with less.
So let’s look at this current situation as an opportunity. I think the first step is to look at the total of what one is doing and prioritize. Determine those programs that deliver the most impact. Programs that require high effort yet produce little or no impact, must be deleted. If after completing this prioritization process, we have more high impact programs than we have resources to complete them, then other approaches must be used.
No one has more expertise in utilizing volunteers than 4-H Professionals. Yet, I know that there are many of us who think that to get something done, or get it done right, we must do it ourselves. So, we must first change this attitude, and then we must become more proficient at utilizing the time and talent of middle management volunteers. This is going to take some extra effort at first, but if we do not learn how to better use the talents of middle management volunteers, we will reduce the total impact of 4-H programming even more. In Ohio 4-H we have a Volunteerism Middle Management Action Team with professionals who have resources, experience, and ideas. We will need to take advantage of those people, as well as other similar resources in the next few months.
In summary, make effort to prioritize programming, eliminate the unnecessary, and identify/use volunteers even more.
Tom
Ohio 4-H Statewide Special Needs Camp
The Ohio 4-H Statewide Special Needs Camp will be held on June 12-14, 2009 for the fourth year at the Elizabeth L. Evans Outdoor Education Center/ Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp near Jackson, Ohio. Youth will be able to enjoy traditional 4-H camping activities as well as, some activities tailored to their needs. The theme for the camp is "Digging in at 4-H Camp". The camp will be using STEM related activities along with gardening programs to make this camp educational and fun. If you have any questions concerning the camp or registration materials call Connie Goble at 740-947-2121 or goble.6@osu.edu. To view forms, click on each listed below.
09 Special Needs Camp Letter & Registration
09 Ohio 4-H Special Needs Camp Schedule
09 Necessary Special Needs Camp Forms
Another Counselor Training Opportunity
Canter’s Cave University - Counselor College would like to open this opportunity to any county who would like to send counselors to this nine county counselor training. Please click on the information below or contact Tracy Winters, winters.5@cfaes.osu.edu
Canter's Cave University Counselor Camp Letter
Canters' Cave University Counselor Camp registration form
Design Contest for New Officer Books
Do you have 4-H members in your county who are artistic and creative? The Officer Action Team is providing 4-H members the opportunity to design covers for new officer books scheduled for release in 2010. Both hand-drawn and computer-generated designs are welcome. Each youth can submit up to one 8½” x 11” design (portrait) per title. Titles include
1. President’s Handbook
2. Vice President’s Handbook
3. Secretary’s Handbook
4. Treasurer’s Handbook
5. News Reporter’s Handbook
6. Health Officer’s Handbook
7. Safety Officer’s Handbook
8. Recreation Leader’s Handbook
Designs should not include the book’s title. If photos are used, photo releases are required. Members must submit actual hard copies of their designs to county educators by Friday, May 22, 2009. County educators are asked to mail entries to Jane Wright at the state 4-H office no later than Friday, June 5, where they will be evaluated by professional graphic designers. Questions? Please contact Travis West at west.222@osu.edu or Jane Wright at wright.646@osu.edu.
Cross County Line Membership Current Policy
We understand that there are many questions/concerns from 4-H families, particularly in counties which have severely reduced funding, about the opportunity to join 4-H in a neighboring county that has a more financially solvent Extension program. There is an Extension Policy on this. You can find it at:
http://ohio4h.org/policies/documents/Cross County Line Membership Policy.pdf
This policy was updated in April 2007. It may be re-visited after the new Extension Program Delivery Structure is in place, but it is the current policy, and we will adhere to it.
NAE4HA Awards
Hopefully many of you have been thinking about applying for 2009 NAE4HA Awards! And if you have, chances are you have realized the application has not yet been updated on the NAE4HA website. We were notified on Friday that the new application and information should be posted early this week (so keep checking the site), and with that comes an extended deadline! We will now accept award applications through April 1st! Consider applying for a specialty award or communicator award...details are available online...www.nae4ha.org under "Professional Development" then "Awards & Recognition." You will need to login to access this information...if you have not done so before, most likely your login and password are the same - 1st initial, last name, last 4 digits of office phone (ex. BBuckeye1234)...and these are case sensitive. If you are not having luck, contact Lisa McCutcheon to obtain your current login & password.
*REMINDER - State 25 Year, ASA, DSA, & MSA winners must submit the recognition application and a 20-word bio (in a separate Word Doc.) to be recognized at the national level.
As you complete your applications, please email a copy to rockey.16@osu.edu AND send a hard copy to Perry Co., PO Box 279, Somerset, OH 43783.
Hope this extended deadline encourages even more of you to apply! Look forward to receiving your applications
MXC Extension and Registration Updates
A Second registration site for STAFF has been set up: We understand that some of you are having challenges registering for the MXC Counselor trainings. There is a second registration site link for those doing multiple registrations from the extension office. Whereas registration from the public site takes you to the MXC website for additional information, the staff registration site will take you back to an empty registration form. Hopefully it works like it is supposed to. MXC agreed to pilot the new replacement for Event Handler and we are working out the kinks.
Questions? Please call Niki Nestor McNeely at 513-470-0352 or Nadine Fogt at 740-335-1150.
MXC Counselor Applications
The deadline for Master Counselor applications has also been extended to February 21. Detailed information is on the MXC website, http://www.ohio4h.org/youth/teen_leadership/index.html with goals, objectives, expectations, training opportunities, and application procedure for Master Counselors. We hope that you are recruiting some older camp counselors or former camp counselors to participate in this program. "Young" adults of ANY age are welcomed to apply to be Master Counselors. This is a great opportunity to get some focused training in leadership, communication, critical thinking skills, program planning, and teaching and training.
Questions? Please call Niki Nestor McNeely at 513-470-0352 or Nadine Fogt at 740-335-1150.
