1. Taking Basic Communication to another level to Enhance and Expand Outreach
Heather Janney | 4-H/FCS Extension Agent, Carree Musgrove | FCS Extension Agent, Heidi Copeland | FCS Extension Agent

2. What is UF/IFAS Extension?
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
UF and FAMU
Partnership between state, federal, and county governments
Scientific knowledge and expertise

3. What do Extension Agents Offer to Communities?
Education:
Financial security and economic well-being
Agriculture updates and best management practices
Food, housing and environmental health and safety
Youth and family development
Soil samples, plant and insect identification
Energy, water, natural resources

4. What do Extension Agents Offer to Communities?
Educational activities
Help people lead more productive lives
Practical solutions to real world problems

5. Where Does the Information Come From?
Researchers at the University of Florida
Other universities across our nation

6. Who decides what is shared?
Businesses, consumers, and community representatives
Critical Issues
Guides planning and delivery

7. Why is our work so important?
People depend on:
Food and shelter
Personal relationships
Money and budgeting
Business/employment
Extension Agents and Specialists have the educational background, skills, and knowledge

8. Rural County Struggles
Volunteers
Funding
Resources
Time
Involvement

9. Fitting VITA into the equation
Educational opportunities
Outreach and expansion
Service for community residents

10. How did we end up here?
2013: Approached by IRS Senior Tax Consultants for Columbia and Hamilton Counties
2014: Columbia and Hamilton again with UWBB
2015: UF/IFAS Extension created a central hub preparation site, hired site coordinator, opened to 7 intake sites
2014 – check counties involved.

11. How is it all set up? Trainings Intake sites (Currently 8 FL and 6 GA)
Hub site (Leon County)
IRS Senior Tax Consultants available
IRS Publications and Posters
Appointments
Computer or tablet and internet/WIFI needed

12. Site Set Up Same as any traditional site PLUS Scanner or scanning app
Fax machine (dependent upon sites)
Dropbox
Google Calendar/Docs
Headsets
Skype or other Video Conferencing

13. Conducting a Virtual VITA Appointment
Consent Form and Identification
Intake Form
Scan All Documents and Forms
Upload to Dropbox
Connect to Hub Site via Skype
Introduce Client to Hub Site
Print Completed Return
Educational Opportunity
Client Signature

14. Results 2012: NO returns from counties involved
2013: UWBB and 2 IFAS Intake – 63 returns accepted
2014: UWBB and 2 IFAS Intake – 103 returns accepted
2015: Leon Hub Site and 7 Intake – 128 accepted electronic returns and five paper filed returns
2016: Leon Hub Site and 11 Intake including 4 sites in GA – 210 accepted electronic returns
2017: Leon Hub Site and 14 Intake including 6 sites in GA – 433 submitted returns, 91 state returns

15. How can this be expanded?
What areas are you lacking in?
How can you interact with other sites?
Where are volunteers most available?
Can this be used for other programs?
Is there internet service available?

16. Training for Volunteers/Providers
Communication with an audience they are not familiar with
Comfort with technology
Flexibility
Knowing sources of help – IT, other

17. Questions? Comments?