Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees

1. Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees Brenda Hill, 4-H Youth Development, Cleveland County Jim Rhodes, Ag/4-H, Major County

2. Orienting New Advisory Board Members • Organizing and Mobilizing a strong volunteer base is essential to Extension’s mission. • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

3. Three Types/Phases of Orientation • Social Orientation • Position Orientation • System Orientation • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

4. Social Orientation • Goal: help new volunteers find a social comfort zone within new environment • Can include items such as: introductions, explanation of policies and helpful tips • The simplest type of orientation, and takes the least time and preparation. • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

5. Position Orientation • A volunteer position description should include: • Title • Advisor • Purpose of the position • Benefits to the volunteer • Responsibilities • Qualifications and special skills • Time commitment • Resources and support available • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

6. System Orientation • Goal: to give information to new volunteers about the organization they are serving and their part in it. • Volunteers do not need to know all the facts and people, they need a “big picture” view of Extension’s history, mission and structure. • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

7. Result of Quality Orientation • Volunteers with needed competencies • Volunteers that understand their role and performance expectations within Extension • Volunteers that are more confident and motivated to fulfill their job responsibilities • Volunteers that will represent Extension well and serve as advocates for Extension • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Orienting New Advisory Committee Members

8. Strategies for Achieving Impact Getting Beyond the Meeting

9. Signs of an Ineffective Advisory Council • Exist only on paper • Meet once or twice a year to say nice things • “Rubber Stamps” • Exist only because of a mandate • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

10. Building a Foundation • Orient members to the organization • Set clear expectations • Select the right people to serve • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

11. Building the FoundationSetting Clear Expectations • Responsibilities of council members • Advocacy • Relationship Marketing • Program Development • Leadership Service Terms Attendance at meetings and events • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

12. Building the FoundationSelecting the Right People • Look for people who are willing to: • Ask • Lead • Be open • Share • Be passionate The Right Chairperson is essential • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

13. Framing the Process • Empowerment • Delegation • Engagement • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

14. Framing the ProcessEmpowerment • Build their knowledge base • Keep the council informed • Match passion with skill set • Allow council to take part in programming • Offer regional training/sharing opportunities • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

15. Framing the ProcessDelegation • Allows room for ownership • Builds a sense of trust • Promotes growth and development • Utilize skills • Create new ideas • Expand the possibilities • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

16. Framing the processEngagement • Examples of engagement • Offer program feedback for organizational improvement • Design a plan to strengthen the advisory system • Present impacts to stakeholders • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

17. Strong Advisory Council Structure • Examples of advisory councils in action • Defend staff positions • Support for new positions • Planning and implementation of a regional conference • Secure resources for Extension • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

18. Signs of an Effective Advisory Council • Comprised of knowledgeable and committed individuals • Conduct regular meetings • Has sense of ownership • Well informed about the organization • Clearly understand their role • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

19. Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.Author unknown • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Strategies for Achieving Impact

20. Tying it all Together From Advisory To Impact To Advocacy

21. Start with Strong Program Advisory Comm. • Is the committee representative of the counties population? • Is it balanced with long time Extension supporters as well as people un-familiar with our program? • Are members looked up to in their local communities? • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

22. PAC Meetings • Go beyond the OCES required meeting and suggested two meetings per year • Meet 3 -5 times per year • Give the group structure (Chair, Secretary, formal agendas, individual responsibilities, etc.) • Use the committee as your eyes and ears for the local communities needs • Use the committees as Extension’s voice to respond to those communities • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

23. PAC Meetings, cont. • First priority of the meetings should be needs and goals (traditional role) • Build a team to support these • Use members to supply tools and resources • Use structure for TRUE Program Development • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

24. Role of Committee Georgia uses the REPE system • Review • Educate • Plan • Engage • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

25. Review • Review educational activities and events since the last meeting • Review needs assessment conducted since last meeting • Review marketing and PR activities since last meeting • Review tabled items from previous meetings • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

26. Educate • Provide a learning experience at every meeting • Help members learn and grow personally and professionally • Explore new educational topics • Build team member skills • Study and explore program issues • Use outside speaker and presenters when appropriate. • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

27. Plan • Plan for upcoming programs and events encouraging participation from all members • Provide a calendar of upcoming events • Provide a detailed list of needed task for each activity • Make volunteering for task a part of each meeting • Encourage PAC members to enlist other volunteers to perform task • Remember to follow up on assignments • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

28. Engage • Include team building activities • Recognize and celebrate accomplishments • Encourage involvement at every meeting and throughout each step of the planning process • Thanks individuals for specific roles/tasks they have played since the last meeting • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

29. Beyond the Meeting • Use your PAC group to advocate for your programs • Use the group to promote your meetings and activities • Give them leadership in the programming they have advocated for • Once a volunteer group is heading in the right direction, don’t be afraid turn over the reins to the volunteer leadership • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

30. The Next StepCounty Advisory Committee • Small group of members from each of the 3 or 4 PAC Groups. • 9 – 12 individuals to be strong advocates for Extension Programs • Represent us to Commissioners, Capitol Day and other Legislative Activities, and serve as advocate and advisor for the CES Program as a whole • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

31. Advisory GroupDo’s and Don’ts DO: • Make the meeting’s fun! • Be certain members leave with a “task” or assignment • Ensure that members have roles in all program development steps • Ensure team building occurs in every meeting • Convey thanks and recognition for what members have done • “Personal is important!” Celebrate members’ personal accomplishments; relate to their family/network • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

32. Advisory GroupDo’s and Don’ts DON’T • Monopolize the conversation (<50%) • Show up unprepared • Be negative • Feel like you have all the answers • Expect to get it perfect the first time • Developing and Organizing Leadership Committees • Tying It All Together

33. Discussion