Strategic Plan Implementation

Goal 2

UNH Cooperative Extension will provide effective outreach through high-quality programming.

Objective 1 – Programs are outcome-driven and well designed.

• Professional development and support to staff in program development and evaluation (PD&E) insures staff are able to develop, implement and evaluate high quality educational programs.  UNHCE hosted a two-day NOAA-sponsored training session for staff on Project Design, in conjunction with ME, MA, VT staff. (November, 2007) and a NOAA-sponsored training on program evaluation in July, 2009.
• New staff bi-monthly workshops have been held on logic model development and program evaluation basics and the PD&E web site is maintained with current resources

Objective 2 – Effective delivery methods meet the needs of diverse learners and learning styles.

UNHCE is expanding on-line and distance learning applications for responding to critical and emerging issues.  Recent examples include increased web presence and timely updates regarding money management in tough times, community and home gardening, to tornado damage in July 2008 and ice storm information (December, 2008) as well as a new web section on heating with wood. 

• With a goal to have at least one good example of several distance learning technologies in use, several examples are already up and running:
  • GoToMeeting (web conferencing tool) has been used for small staff/committee meetings, in-services, and computer support issues (mainly internal, with only our own staff)
  • Videos/slide shows with voice over – Turf Integrated Pest Management, Community Assets for People - Mapping Demonstration , and Master Gardener training modules (in progress)
  • YouTube videos – UNH Cooperative Extension has a YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/unhce) that houses more than 30 videos that cover topics such as 4-H camps, OMK, Veggie Volunteers, land protection/conservation, stormwater stenciling, shrimp selectivity, etc.
  • Moodle courses – Master Gardeners, new staff orientation, 4-H aerospace training for teachers
  • A new UNH Cooperative Extension Facebook page was launched as a pilot in September, 2009

Objective 3 – There is seamless coordination among program area staff and support units, such as administrative support staff, Program Development and Evaluation, Information Technology and Distance Education, Communications, Staff Development and the Business Service Center.

• Three campus-based and 10 county meetings occurred in the fall of 2008 to gather information from staff on organizational support issues as they relate to our ITDE, Staff Development, Program Development and Evaluation, Business Service Center, Volunteer Management and Communication offices in order to assess successes and challenges as well as future needs for how we provide support to program staff (technical, staff development, administrative, marketing, etc.)  Data gathered from these meetings will be compiled and shared with appropriate managers and staff with the intention that operations changes/enhancements will occur.
• Project management software (BaseCamp) is being pilot tested with a couple of staff teams and will be rolled out for key issue teams to use.  BaseCamp can be used by program staff and support units to manage projects by sharing documents, to-do lists, calendars and other important tasks related to programming.
• Recommendations have been made to plan regular, mandatory, regional meetings for staff (including support staff) to cover topics such as:
  • Civil Rights review
  • Marketing
  • Public Value
  • eXtension
  • Technology/Distance Ed
  • Communications and marketing

Objective 4 – Volunteers extend the reach of UNH Cooperative Extension, multiplying the educational effect and increasing visibility of the organization.

• Paul Bonaparte-Krogh reassigned to full-time volunteer development and management specialist
• An advisory committee (of UNHCE staff current managing volunteers) has been created and will meet regularly to provide input on organizational needs with respect to volunteer management.
• The on-line volunteer management handbook is almost completed (7 out of 8 chapters) as a resource for staff who manage volunteers.