The "Man In Black"

WHAT?
When i first started Extension I had to go to several trainings. I drove all over Virginia. There was this one training that I went to in Staunton that I always remember because it gave me the first eye opener at evaluation. It was the Extension Programming Institute and I was selected to be a Participant Observer. I had NO CLUE what that was and all I was told was to participate in discussions, observe, and record what you see.

SO WHAT?
In a way, I felt sinister...similar to the Man In Black on L O S T; taking another form and having a hidden agenda. At any rate, I recorded my observations and submitted and was reveled to the entire training as "one of them". It went over well with a few grumblings, but what I got out of it was how important it was. Valuable information came from my observations and the two others which were participant observers which was used to strengthen the training in the future. It showed me, how important doing evaluations are and why it serves a purpose towards the betterment of the organization.

NOW WHAT?
That happened long ago, but it still makes me think about how important it is to evaluate programs. While this was only one example of evaluation, I have experienced and conducted several others for the goal of strengthening the program that I have. A prime explanation of what evaluations are can be explained through the 4-H motto - To Make The Best Better.

UH-OH! How did that happen?!

WHAT?
(As told by Virginia Tech's Director of Risk Management, Fred Weaver). A Cloverbud club went to a farm to learn about horses, there were several volunteers, and snacks following the program. The kids were able to look into stalls to see and identify several different types of farm animals. The parents each had a few kids with each of them in order to be safe. The program was PERFECT. After the snacks the kids were getting antsy and the parents were cleaning up, so the farmer/owner agreed to take the kids out of the barn. There was a horse treadmill outside which the farmer let the kids get on. While they were walking on it (getting rid of the energy and having fun) one child tripped and her arm got pulled in by the conveyor belt...

SO WHAT?
It is imperative that as volunteer managers that we understand the importance of risk management ourselves and that we ensure that ALL of our volunteers understand the importance of risk management and are trained and are suitable for the role. Whether it is done in a face to face training or written policies, or both, this screening and training must to be covered. Everyone involved must be aware of the program and the risks that exists. Proactive preparation is an important measure to reduce the risks.

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NOW WHAT?
Being prepared for everything and having the perfect program is great, however, accidents occur. Preparing for them before they happen is key. All volunteers who have a direct contact with youth for a long term or a short term needs to have risk management training. Even the great ideas have flaws and volunteers need to be prepared to react to these flaws and nip it in the bud before they even occur. And as a volunteer manager, it ultimately begins with you and follows with constant communication.

What motivates you?

WHAT?
I was asked why I chose to be a 4-H Extension Agent from a volunteer the other week at our recognition ceremony. I told him that I was a 4-Her at 8 years old and that I participated in everything as a youth and became a teen leader, then an adult volunteer, then as a 4-H staff member at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center and then became an agent. Why? Because seeing a kid learn something new and smile about it motivated me each and everyday; the "Learn By Doing" (experiential learning) is what I believe in.

SO WHAT?
A vision to believe in and work towards is important resource for the motivation of volunteers. When volunteers know what the goal is and what their skills and expertise are being used for they will be more inclined to come back to volunteer in the future or perhaps become a permanent volunteer for your organization. This is a huge motivation factor. Take for instance the donkey with a stick attached to him which hovers over his head. Attached to the end of that stick is a carrot. The donkey, therefore, moves forward motivated that because he is doing so, he will eat the carrot and while he is moving forward so is whatever gear attached to him. Of course we aren't donkeys, but the rationale works for volunteers. Put a vision in front of them that will address the things that they want to see happen (such as a community cleanup, building, etc...) and they are more than likely to be motivated to lend a hand to pitch in.

NOW WHAT?
As a 4-H Extension Agent, I am motivated by the 4-H philosophy and mission. I share this with my volunteers and for them to incorporate their own personal vision with this which ultimately "Make(s) the Best Better". Having a relationship with your volunteers to find out what they like, what they want to see happen, and why they want to volunteer is important. Understanding why they volunteer and what motivates them can prove to be an important tool, not only for the event planned, but for the organization. This feedback can impact retention, recruitment, tasks at events, recognition. Motivation of volunteers is one of the most important things to do, but also one of the easiest...just sit down and talk with them and show them the carrot.

Partnerships Can Do GREAT Things!

WHAT: Last year Amelia 4-H partnered up with Amelia's Department of Environmental Services to do a "Spring Clean" Event. The partnership was ideal because both of us wanted to do activities for the county but needed the other in order for it to be successful. We basically originated a shared vision of what we wanted to create. We invited other community partners to join us, who also shared our vision (and provided financial support): Waste Management and McDonald's. From this partnership we started an annual Spring Green/Clean Event for all of Amelia.

SO WHAT: From several planning meetings we were able to market throughout the county. By doing this we were also able to introduce (or reintroduce) our organizations to the citizens of Amelia and develop other partnerships for other activities which our organizations were doing. This program was a success because it not only impacted Amelia and made it cleaner and beautiful, but it also educated the youth in environmental stewardship. Some impacts from the event: 80 community volunteers picked up 175 bags (eight tons) of litter. Over 2,000 tires were recycled (32 tons), along with 40 automotive and lawnmower batteries and 2.75 tons of electronic equipment. Over 300 flowers were planted at Amelia Elementary, and twelve flowering trees and shrubs were planted at a trash collection site. More than 200 students participated in the poetry, essay and artwork contests. Overall, 32 local businesses and eight governmental agencies provided $7500 in financial support to this program.

NOW WHAT: This year the event will be bigger than the last and a few more organizations are interested in lending a hand such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The partnerships that have been garnered through this event, which started as a small partnership, has blossomed into a successful county-wide event.

Models of Volunteers

WHAT: As a 4-H extension agent, my main role is to serve as a volunteer manager. Having a strong volunteer base is important to the mission of 4-H and having a strong volunteer base helps ALL those involved. There are many different types of volunteer management models (such as the ISOTURE or the L-O-O-P) which not only sets up the organization for success, but also develops the volunteers involved teaching them life skills such as leadership and responsibility.

SO WHAT: In Amelia County, VA it is my job to Recruit, Train, Retain, and Recognize volunteers in order to have a successful 4-H program. Currently there are tough financial times hitting us at all angles within the state which trickles down into county programs. There isn't enough money to fund everything. However, if your volunteer management is effective you will see positive responses in program quality, educational output, increased numbers, etc. The value of your volunteers

NOW WHAT: When there are organizational leaders who do not take the time to provide a valued training and development for their volunteers, the impact will fall short of a success. In regards to the L-O-O-P model, the description fits: the program should be running like a well oiled machine and each part impacts one another. I plan to continue to provide orientation and training and recognizing my volunteers which hopefully continue to retain them hopefully creating an umbrella management. All in all, the resources are abundant...but it begins with the volunteer manager. This will in turn positively impact your program. Last year 40 volunteers in Amelia County had a value of over $81,000 and in 2008 Virginia volunteers had $4.5 billion of service in a time when funding was scarce no less.

Recognition+Appreciation=Smiles

In the office today we started ordering gifts and preparing certificates for our volunteers and donors. It is absolutely necessary for us to have volunteers, especially 4-H, and this is our time to say THANKS!!

Last year was the first one that our office had done in at least 5 years. When I started I was cleaning out the file cabinets and came across plaques with volunteers names on them. Some of them I recognized and some didn't. I was dumbfounded when I looked at the date that was on them too - 2004. I started in December of 2007! What in the world was going on that there was NO recognition given?! Everyone likes to have a little pat on the back once in a while but for 3 years these "Thank You" items remained unseen. They were hidden as if they were ashamed.

After seeing them I vowed to give them to their rightful owners in a nice way, in an honorable way, in a public way. In October of 2008, we hosted the office's first (well, first in a long time) volunteer appreciation night, and the attendance was mediocre at best. How much had appreciation had these volunteers received?! However the ones that were there, were just a bit excited to be honored.

Immediately following the reception we found those volunteers who did not attend and personally gave them their plaque and said Thanks. That's all it took: a little energy to give back to the people who have been giving ALL ALONG. What a great feeling.

Sometimes it doesn’t take that much effort to show someone that you appreciate them and in the end your organization will one held in high regard. The impacts and results are worth it, aren't they?

Why I Help

I saw this article this morning and thought it would be good to share...why people volunteer is a great question...

Why I Help

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To be or not to be...a volunteer.

WHAT: The concept of volunteering dates back to the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which stresses the importance of helping your neighbor out and demonstrating human kindness. Today it seems that more organizations are requesting help from others in order to fulfill their mission, but recruiting those volunteers is the hard part. Can pushing people to volunteer constantly be a bad thing?

SO WHAT: After 9/11, President Bush "saw the need to renew the interest in helping our neighbors...[creating] several new programs and the President's Volunteer Service Award to be given to those the help to make a difference." Celebrities encouraged all Americans to volunteer and help each other because they do. Not all Americans want to be told what to do; they want to do it on their own accord. Congress disagreed:

Serve America Act

In regards to that bill: "We contribute our time and money under no government coercion on a scale the rest of the world doesn't emulate and probably can't imagine," said Luke Sheahan, contributing editor for the Family Security Foundation. "The idea that government should order its people to perform acts of charity is contrary to the idea of charity and it removes the responsibility for charity from the people to the government, destroying private initiative."

NOW WHAT: It is important for people to feel and see their worth, not just told it. In my job as a 4-H Agent, I rely heavily on volunteers and I encourage youth development of life skills especially citizenship. I want them to WANT to volunteer and to see the impact that they, as an individual, can produce, without being told to do it. Giving volunteers the autonomy of making their own decisions works well, because when they see their own impact, importance and worth, they will return.

It begins...

The purpose of this blog is for me to begin a journey and writing about it. The journey is not on foot or measured by miles or feet, but it is measured by influence. I may or may not influence you. That I totally understand. However, you and I might learn a thing or two.

So...right now I am taking a class for my graduate degree. The class is entitled "Partnerships and Volunteerism" and it is about, well, partnerships and volunteerism! I will be diving deeper into this said topic as the semester carries on and I hope to keep this page updated more frequently than required. This topic is important to me because I deal with it everyday with my job as a 4-H Extension Agent. Without volunteers, my job would be pretty tough and the 4-H impact in my county would be very bleak. With that being said, amidst regular blog entries, I hope to update this page using my "real life" experiences and incorporating the knowledge learned from the course that I am taking.

Now, I would ask you as a reader to comment back on things you agree with...don't agree with or, well, practically don't care about. We'll go from there. Until then, put on some work out clothes.