Extension Council Youth Leaders Project

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Extension Council Youth Leaders Project

• County Extension Council Survey Results

January 17, 2006University of Missouri-Columbia
Steve Henness Melissa Scheer4-H Center for
Youth Development
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Survey definitions

• Youth young people ages 15-17 who are not
  eligible for voting
• Young adults young people ages 18-25 who are
  eligible for voting/election to the county
  extension council

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Survey sections

• Council practices
• Council rules procedures
• Council outreach
• Council interest (in ECYL)
• Council opportunities concerns

4
Council practices youth
5
Youth Involvement in Extension Councils
Youth
N114 counties
Involvement 8
No Youth
Involvement 36
Did Not
Report 56
6
What roles do youth play?(N50 counties)

• Youth have an undefined role 54
• Youth are occasional guests only 15
• Youth are advisors to the council as needed 10
• Youth are reporters on projects or programs only
  8
• Youth are regular attendees at meetings only 2

7

• The council has identified the need for input
  from younger citizens and has actively recruited
  youth to participate on the council. This
  participation will begin with the new council.

8

• The youth serve as non-voting representatives of
  the 4-H program and are appointed by the County
  4-H Council to represent them.

9

• When the idea of the survey was discussed it was
  also decided to allow a non-voting representative
  of 4-H to be on the Extension Council.

10
How are youth selected?(N35 counties)

• Youth are not selected - 43
• Youth are selected by 4-H staff 31
• Youth are selected by extension council 20
• Youth are selected by other Extension faculty
  17

11
What criteria are used to select youth?(N35
counties)

• County resident geographic
• Active in their communities good citizen civic
  minded
• Active in their schools good student
• Interested in leadership roles leadership
  potential
• Able to communicate well in a group of adults
• Level of interest in extension involvement in
  extension activities
• 4-H member in county generally active in 4-H
  and possibly FFA

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What level of impact do youth have?(N50
counties)

• No impact on council decisions 50
• Small impact on council decisions 20
• Medium impact on council decisions 6
• Large impact on council decisions 4

13
Council outreach youth
14

• Does the extension council provide orientation or
  other forms of specialized support to youth who
  attend council meetings?
• No 96
• Yes 2

15
Councils Seeking Increased Youth
Participation(N114 counties)
16
Council practices young adults
17
Young Adult Involvement on Extension Councils
Young adults
N114 counties
on council 13
No young adults
on council 31
Did not
respond 56
18
What level of impact do young adults have?(N50
counties)

• No impact on council decisions 46
• Large impact on council decisions 20
• Medium impact on council decisions 12

19
Council outreach young adults
20

• Does the extension council provide orientation or
  other forms of specialized support to young
  adults who are elected as council members?
• No 61
• Yes 37

21
Councils Seeking Increased Young Adult
Participation(N114 counties)
Yes 40
No survey
response 56
No 3
No question
response 1
22
Council interest(in ECYL)
23
Councils Interested in Participating in a
Statewide Program to Increase Youth/Young Adult
Participation(N114 counties)
Yes 32
No survey
response 57
No 8
No question
response 3
24

• Would the majority of extension council members
  be willing to be matched with a young person
  (ages 15-17) wishing to shadow the extension
  council?
• Yes 64
• No 33

25

• Would the majority of extension council members
  be willing to be matched with a young adult (ages
  18-25) wishing to serve on the extension council?
• Yes 74
• No 26

26
How Much Time are Councils Willing/Able to Spend?

• None 2
• A little 34
• Some 60
• A lot 2

27
How Big a Priority is this for Councils?

• Not a priority 14
• Low priority 34
• High priority 46
• Top priority 4

28
Top Training/Support Issues for Councils to
Implement Youth/Young Adult Involvement

• Logistical issues (time and distance for
  training coordination of schedules)
• What Extension is how it is funded programs
  importance to the county fiscal/volunteer
  constraints why more volunteers of all ages are
  needed
• Recruitment of youth and young adults
• Meaningful involvement assimilation into council
• Leadership public speaking
• Role of a good mentor
• Council expectations and how to achieve them
• Materials to supplement current training

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Council opportunities and concerns
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Concerns for Councils

• Councils have limited time to invest in and
  implement project
• Finding youth competing with school and other
  youth activities other demands on their time
• Accessibility to meetings transportation
  meeting time
• Keeping youth making it meaningful holding
  their interest meetings perceived as too long
  and boring
• Consistent involvement commitment of youth lack
  of experience
• Youth without voting privileges non-voting roles
  may seem de-motivating to youth
• Most young adults away in college busy with
  families
• CPDs end up doing extra work more staff time
• Unaware of what project will entail

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Opportunities for Councils

• Youth can be source of new ideas freshness of
  ideas
• Youth bring different perspective on issues,
  community needs, ways to respond how to keep the
  community together developing the plan of work
• Youth can help determine better ways of
  presenting programs to that age group
• Youth are resources rather than a programming
  audience
• Councils staying connected with older youth
• New way to market Extension youth recruiting
  other program participants
• Creating a youth fair board
• Helping build leadership in the county future
  growth and leadership of Extension