Impact Statement Project Title: Alabama 4-H: Centennial Youth Initiative Issue: 4-H is the largest organization in the nation for young people ages 9-18 For a century, 4-H has given young people confidence with their peers, experience in their world, and a belief in themselves that only comes from hands on learning opportunities Learning and innovation skills are what separate young people who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in today’s world and those who are not Historically, 4-H has shaped lives and crafted skills through: • Creativity and Innovation • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Communication and Collaboration Dr Sonny Ramswamy, Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, speaks widely about the ‘USDA Setting the Table for a Hotter, Flatter, and More Crowded Earth’ where near-term generations will face new global challenges The Partnership for 21 st Century Skills has developed a vision for youth success in the new global economy known as the Framework for 21st Century Learning This Framework describes the skills, knowledge and expertise young people must master to succeed in work and life; it is a blend of content knowledge, specific skills, expertise and literacies Twenty-first Century 4-H Youth Development curricula and delivery approaches must adapt to help young people develop the ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has reached an important crossroad in terms of 1) meeting the diverse needs of Alabama’s diverse 21st century youth population and 2) providing the needed 4-H and Youth Development resources across all 67 counties Building on 4-H’s historical strengths and the Framework for 21 st Century Learning, Alabama 4-H curricula, delivery modes, and structure are being reconfigured to help young people develop new life and career skills, such as: • Flexibility and Adaptability • Initiative and Self-Direction • Social and Cross-Cultural Skills • Productivity and Accountability • Leadership and Responsibility What has been done: The Alabama Cooperative Extension System reached agreement on a broad set of guiding principles intended to shape a 21st Century 4-H and Youth Development program From the established guiding principles, a charge was giving to a steering committee representing a cross section of the organization The charge was to: Develop an implementation plan for a 21st Century 4-H Youth Development Program in terms of: a) modern curricula, delivery modes, and structure focused on new life and career skills development b) utilization of consistent research-based resources c) multiple approaches tailored to today’s youth d) plan-of-work development and teamwork at all levels e) staffing and position assignments aligned in support of program resources and delivery modes f) mutual alignment with Alabama 4-H Club Foundation Establish a set of evaluation criteria and outcomes that will be used by County Extension Offices and the State 4-H Office to document successful implementation Recommend incentives for successful implementation that would help resolve staffing issues Impacts/New Partnerships: Organized County 4-H Teams in each county with each team member carrying out specific roles and responsibilities for the common purpose Established a County 4-H Advisory Committee (adult) in each county reflective of county demographics to fulfill strategic planning and needs assessment responsibilities Established a County 4-H Youth Council (youth) in each county representative of youth demographics that also has advisory responsibilities and provides citizenship/leadership opportunities Completed county 4-H Youth Development strategic plans that include a comprehensive youth demographic report, determinants of delivery mode application, and outcome metrics Developed and implemented county annual program plans-of-work based on the direction established in the county’s strategic plan and supported by the State 4-H Office Implementing a new online management and reporting system Established a curriculum advisory and development committee to ensure that ACES 4-H Youth Development programming is built on Positive Youth Development and Framework for 21st Century Learning principles and appropriate research-based content Redefined roles and responsibilities within the State 4-H Office to serve County 4-H Teams Renewed partnership with the Alabama 4-H Club Foundation to raise $20 million for endowed staff positions, assuring future program delivery capacity Outcome of Project (societal impact/ measure of increased quality of life) Planned outcomes of the Alabama 4-H Centennial Youth Initiative are: • Increased Access – Youth participation in 4-H will increase to reach one in four age-eligible young people in Alabama • Increased Learning – The number of age-eligible youth participating in goal setting and achievement-based programs will double • Increased Community Support – Volunteers supporting Alabama 4-H will increase by 25% • Increased Financial Support – New funding to support Alabama 4-H will increase by 20% How has your project been aided by your FSLI experience? It helped me in developing a model for introducing, selling, gaining buy-in, implementing, and managing change in a transformational environment First, as new circumstances or conditions are introduced, it’s critically important to be forthright and transparent with the facts and details about what needs to change Those affected (as well as stakeholders) by the new circumstances or conditions need to fully understand the situation Second, to sell the idea that change is needed and to gain buy-in regarding alternative courses of action, it’s critically important to determine the outcomes desired by painting two scenarios 1) what is the likely outcome if we maintain the status quo in light of the new circumstances or conditions and 2) what are the likely outcomes if we embrace new alternatives or approaches in light of the new circumstances or conditions At this point, those affected begin to envision the negative consequences of the status quo and the possibilities if a new direction is pursued Third, buy-in is reinforced if those affected participate in expanding possible alternatives and developing the strategies that lead to implementation and achievement of desired outcomes This degree of ownership is critical if the entire organization is to be transformed Finally, the role of the leader in managing the changed organization involves creating an action plan and coaching those affected in maintaining the new direction and to monitor the organization for intended and unintended consequences My experience has been that with a clear strategic plan and an aligned team (including stakeholders), you can move mountains Contact information: Paul W Brown, Ph.D Associate Director, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, 109 Duncan Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849 Phone: (334) 844-5546 Email: pbrown@aces.edu