TOOLS TO SHARPEN THE SAW Advisory Leadership Curriculum Judy Groff, NC State University Gerry Dukes, Clemson University

Background  Southern Directors supported in 1999  1 st Conference in Charlotte in 2001  Need for training curriculum expressed  Two years of development and testing by 6 states

Guiding Principles  User friendly  Experiential lessons  Grounded in reality through volunteers  Based on competencies  Addressed first line needs  Modules mix and match to suit audience needs

OVERVIEW  Competency – Knowledge of the organization – Cooperative Extension – Extension Advisory Leadership – Relationships Surrounding Extension Advisory Leadership

Organizing Effective Meetings  Competency : Leadership  Parliamentary Procedure  Effective Meetings  Resolving Conflict  Setting the Stage

Ramping up for Success  Competency: Orientation  The people involved  The programming role  The advocacy role  Relationship marketing role  Expectations of advisory leaders

Setting Program Priorities  Competency: Communications  Techniques for setting priorities  Where to get data and strategies to collect  Interview technique with key informants  Using attitude surveys  How to plan and conduct a public meeting  Making sense of diverse data

Evaluation Comments  “The training available in modules is excellent and user-friendly with faculty, staff and volunteers.”  “Great curriculum – Need to support training for all Extension agents to utilize materials.”  “It was worth the cost for each person that attended”

State Uses of Curriculum  KY – In-service for all agents; summer ’04  NC – CD given to all county directors; used by several counties this Spring  TN – Training with State Advisory Council  SC – Statewide training with FCL members  GA- CD given to all county coordinators  AL – used for county coordinator training