New Agents Training

1. New Agents Training Tennessee Valley Fair Knoxville May 9, 2008

2. Agenda • Ice Breaker • SUPER Delivery Questions • Individual Annual Planning Process • Needs Assessment • SUPER Needs Assessment Module Review • Setting Goals for 2008 • Professional Development Plan • Career Development Fund

3. Agenda • Tennessee Valley Fair • 4-H Recognition Module • Graduation from New Agent status • August 28 – next new agent training date

5. What is an Extension Program? • An Extension program is a planned educational response to an identified need. • Should include different types of educational delivery methods and involves a mix of activities and/or projects. • Should be Incremental (not a one shot deal)

6. Why do we write Individual Annual Plans? • To meet the needs of the people of an ER County • To provide direction for Extension programs conducted in the county • To answer the question: What needs can be met through education?

7. Individual Annual Planning Process • Needs Assessment -- first part of the planning process • Needs Assessment determines: • Why is this issue important in your county? • Who said so? • You will utilize the needs assessment data in developing the issue and plans at the August meeting

8. Two Kinds of Needs • Needs that are known: focus groups, surveys, observation, nominal group technique and interviews • Needs that are unknown: data indicators, investigative reporting and environmental scanning

9. Where to Start • What are the needs of people? • Listen • Observe • Examine Census data • Examine other sources • Seek Strategies to involve diverse audience

10. Questions to Ask • What problems can be solved through education? • Is this a need or a want? • Who has this need? • With whom would instruction be the most effective?

11. Needs Assessment Process must include: Diverse/Under-represented Audiences • Must be part of the needs assessment process • What are diverse/under-represented audiences? • How can they be included? • Required for approval of the issue section of the Individual Action Agenda

12. What Assessment Strategies to Use • Advisory Committee Meeting • Focus Groups • Interviews with Key Informants • Needs Assessment Documents Reviewed • Open Listening Session • Other • Surveys • Targeted Invitation to Stakeholder Groups

13. Break

14. SUPER SUPER • Needs Assessment Module • Searching data indicators • Entering county needs • SUPER training • On-line@UT • Needs Assessment Toolbox

15. Since I don’t have an IAP this year, what do I do? • Develop 3-5 goals for programming • Review with County Director • Complete by June 6 • Submit to the Regional Director & Program Leaders • Report all contacts in Delivery under Base programs • Review outcomes in SUPER related to programs and add outcomes in base programs

16. Since I don’t have an IAP this year, what do I do? • Look at the public database • SUPER • Plans – Search public agendas • Discuss needs and IAP with: • County Director • Co-workers assigned to the same programming area

17. Professional Development Plan • Complete in SUPER • Long Term Career Goals • Short Term Personal/Professional Goals • How do these goals differ from programming goals?

18. New Agents Training • Career Development Fund • The purpose of the fund is to provide the opportunity for employees to participate in job- and career-related development activities. Monies from the fund are expended to provide total or partial support for employees' participation in approved on- or off-campus activities. • Link on the Eastern Region web site

19. New Agents Training • Career Development Fund • $200 each year • Pays registration fees only for professional development opportunities • Must be approved in advance • Application sent to Connie – requires Regional Director approval

20. New Agents Training • Questions???

21. New Agents Training • Next meeting • Thursday, August 28 • Place – TBA • Suggestions for topics to be covered