Expanding Your Leadership Team Module 4 Extension Leadership County Councils

What is the County Council?

Purposes Primary The main mission of the Extension Leadership County Council is to cultivate and maintain overall ADVOCACY and SUPPORT for the total Extension program in your county The main mission of the Extension Leadership County Council is to cultivate and maintain overall ADVOCACY and SUPPORT for the total Extension program in your county

Develop a marketing plan to show total county program impact to funding sources and public Develop a marketing plan to show total county program impact to funding sources and public Facilitate marketing of educational events and use public events to demonstrate and communicate impact of Extension Facilitate marketing of educational events and use public events to demonstrate and communicate impact of Extension Purposes Secondary

Facilitate communication and collaboration between Program Development Teams (PDTs), Extension program areas, and county staff Facilitate communication and collaboration between Program Development Teams (PDTs), Extension program areas, and county staff Purposes Secondary

Membership County Extension Agent(s) County Extension Agent(s) CEC CEC CEA’s from each program area represented in county CEA’s from each program area represented in county CEC & CEA’s serve as Ex-officio members CEC & CEA’s serve as Ex-officio members 1-2 members of each Program Development Team (PDT) 1-2 members of each Program Development Team (PDT)

Membership One member representing each program area, at large One member representing each program area, at large Family Connection director, Cattleman's Assoc. president, BOE member, key volunteer, etc. Family Connection director, Cattleman's Assoc. president, BOE member, key volunteer, etc. Invited by CEC in consultation with CEA(s) Invited by CEC in consultation with CEA(s) 3-5 members from the community selected by the staff, led by CEC 3-5 members from the community selected by the staff, led by CEC Past PDT members, BOE member, BOC member, special Extension supporters, etc. Past PDT members, BOE member, BOC member, special Extension supporters, etc.

Meetings Minimum four per year (suggest quarterly) Minimum four per year (suggest quarterly) More meetings may be used as needed to keep group informed and focused More meetings may be used as needed to keep group informed and focused 1 st Meeting 1 st Meeting Educate/Orient Educate/Orient Priority issues Priority issues Educational programs Educational programs Promote collaboration between PDTs and program areas to address issues Promote collaboration between PDTs and program areas to address issues Assist Council members in understanding the importance of each program area Assist Council members in understanding the importance of each program area

Meetings Another meeting option Another meeting option Plan and host an annual event that showcases the impact of Extension to funding sources and to the public Plan and host an annual event that showcases the impact of Extension to funding sources and to the public Make sure elected officials, funding sources, special interest groups and general public can see the impact that all three programs areas have on county Make sure elected officials, funding sources, special interest groups and general public can see the impact that all three programs areas have on county Consider consolidating duplicated efforts across program areas that have small impact into a larger issue driven impact Consider consolidating duplicated efforts across program areas that have small impact into a larger issue driven impact Other Council meetings – Keep meetings focused on advocacy; not program development Other Council meetings – Keep meetings focused on advocacy; not program development

Advocacy By definition – advocacy is the active support for a cause, idea, or policy; also, it can be defined as arguing or pleading in favor of something By definition – advocacy is the active support for a cause, idea, or policy; also, it can be defined as arguing or pleading in favor of something Advocates for Extension should adhere to the message, “Cooperative Extension is …” Advocates for Extension should adhere to the message, “Cooperative Extension is …” Education Education Access Access Relevance Relevance Linkages Linkages

Advocacy Advocates for Extension need: Advocates for Extension need: Knowledge Knowledge Organization/Programs Organization/Programs Clientele needs and benefits received Clientele needs and benefits received Funding sources and needs Funding sources and needs Government process and structure Government process and structure Roles of elected officials Roles of elected officials Relationships/Network Relationships/Network Communication Skills Communication Skills

Advocacy vs. Lobbying Advocacy – strong support for a cause Advocacy – strong support for a cause Lobbying – an attempt to influence decision- making, especially legislation Lobbying – an attempt to influence decision- making, especially legislation Lobbying always includes advocacy; but advocacy does not always includes lobbying Lobbying always includes advocacy; but advocacy does not always includes lobbying

Cautions Don’t let purpose of County Council distract from, or draw focus away from, PDTs Don’t let purpose of County Council distract from, or draw focus away from, PDTs This group is to promote and support Extension and the program development PROCESS This group is to promote and support Extension and the program development PROCESS Many counties already have these: do not duplicate; this is an effort to streamline and encourage collaboration between program areas, reduce duplication and have greater impact Many counties already have these: do not duplicate; this is an effort to streamline and encourage collaboration between program areas, reduce duplication and have greater impact

Cautions Be careful that this group does not take on a life of its own. Keep them focused on the purpose(s) of the County Council Be careful that this group does not take on a life of its own. Keep them focused on the purpose(s) of the County Council Shared leadership is important, but giving up control of your programs or your office is not Shared leadership is important, but giving up control of your programs or your office is not Can have tremendous impact on your county and county programming, even if you are doing similar activities now Can have tremendous impact on your county and county programming, even if you are doing similar activities now Will take a concentrated and collaborative effort from staff to make it successful Will take a concentrated and collaborative effort from staff to make it successful

DO’s and DON’T’s for County Councils DO: Encourage marketing of the entire Extension program, not individual events Encourage marketing of the entire Extension program, not individual events Train Council members to communicate the overall impact of Extension Train Council members to communicate the overall impact of Extension Select only Council members who have wide and extensive networks in the community Select only Council members who have wide and extensive networks in the community Ensure that Council members are sharing the “Extension is …” message Ensure that Council members are sharing the “Extension is …” message

DO’s and DON’T’s for County Councils DON’T: Involve Council members in program development roles reserved for PDT Involve Council members in program development roles reserved for PDT Put people on the Council who are not willing to speak up and speak out – OFTEN! Put people on the Council who are not willing to speak up and speak out – OFTEN! Meet less frequently than 4X per year (research shows this is ineffective) Meet less frequently than 4X per year (research shows this is ineffective) Allow Council members to advocate until they are fully educated and prepared Allow Council members to advocate until they are fully educated and prepared

4-H Program Development Coordinators Al Parker – NE District Dr. Lori Purcell Bledsoe – NW District Melinda Miller – SW District Kathy Baldwin – SE District ANR Program Development Coordinators Norman McGlohon – NE District Sheldon Hammond – NW District Ken Lewis – SW District Phil Torrance – SE District FACS Program Development Specialists Janet Valente – NW & SW Districts Laurie Cantrell – NE & SE Districts Jeff Christie – Coordinator, Extension Leadership System Program Development Team