FY05 to 08 - NDSU Extension Service
PROGRAM #206 -Human Development and Family Science
Program Planning Team:
Sean Brotherson and Vanessa Hoines (co-chairs), Peggy Anderson, Karen
Armstrong, Karin Bartoszuk, Rebecca Berge-Buss, Adrian Biewer, Ellen Bjelland,
Chris Bouwhuis, Tom Carlson, Marty Erickson, Miki Hachiya, Rachael Hiam, Cindy
Ketterling, Karla Monson, Carmen Rath-Wald, Greg Sanders, Margaret Schaar,
Kathleen Schmaltz, Debra Theurer, Margaret Tweten.
Overall Situation:
A variety of challenges influence the health and well-being of individuals,
families, and communities in North Dakota. Economic and demographic
circumstances that reflect these challenges include population shifts away from
rural areas and smaller communities, an aging population, the need for a
diversified economy, and the importance of collaboration in services to children
and families.
Families in North Dakota face trends similar to those occurring nationally,
including increased numbers of dual-earner families, fairly high rates of family
dissolution, and challenges such as poverty, stress, or insufficient time.
Couples struggle with issues related to communication and conflict resolution,
financial management, and healthy interaction. Families also must create and
maintain intergenerational linkages with older generations within the family.
Building strong families through healthy communication, shared activities, and
economic improvement is a continuing and vital concern.
Parents face a variety of concerns for their children, ranging from
age-appropriate discipline to school readiness to healthy development to
guidance of behavior. A number of regional and statewide assessments in North
Dakota have emphasized a strong desire for educational programs to assist
parents in raising their children. Parents and communities must begin with an
understanding of children in infancy and early childhood that then extends to
the creation of a healthy, enabling environment through the early years and
adolescence.
Child and adolescent well-being is a central priority for parents and
professionals across the state of North Dakota. For younger children, quality of
child care and positive home environments are key aspects of healthy
development. Additionally, pre-adolescent and adolescent children need positive
peer relations and community support as they experience greater personal
development, individual autonomy, and risk behaviors. Well-being for children
and adolescents is fostered through positive guidance from parents and adults,
safe and supportive environments, and community efforts to strengthen youth
development. This can help them to manage concerns about risk behaviors.
Individuals and families in North Dakota are seeking to improve their overall
wellness and quality of life. This involves efforts to balance work and family
issues, healthy nutrition, exercise, stress management, and other topics.
Individuals and families can benefit from practical, proactive educational
efforts that promote individual and family wellness.
Many individuals and families also continue to undergo significant challenges
that occur for a variety of reasons. Individuals may face difficulties with
depression or managing anger. Families may struggle with economic difficulty or
high levels of stress. Communities may deal with circumstances of poverty,
disaster, or response to other crises. For example, rural families and
communities, in particular, may experience communication difficulties,
isolation, increased levels of anger, high stress, and economic difficulty.
Education is needed to help individuals, families, and communities dealing with
challenges to manage stressful circumstances and make needed transitions.
North Dakota has a strong work ethic and a history of emphasizing the
importance of individual and family well-being. Healthy families contribute to
positive individual development, a quality work place and work force, and caring
communities. Human development programs will focus on helping individuals
develop the skills to nurture and support family members throughout their lives,
and strengthen the capacity of families to establish caring communities where
economic security is maintained.
PROGRAM COMPONENT
Building Strong Families
Key Theme(s): Building Strong Family Relationships,
Healthy Marriage and Couple Relationships, Individual and Family Wellness
Persons Responsible
Sean Brotherson, Vanessa Hoines, Adrian Biewer, Chris Bouwhuis, Cindy
Ketterling, Greg Sanders, Kathleen Schmaltz, Debra Theurer (Planning Team).
Other members of the Human Development Program Planning Team will provide
feedback and assistance as needed.
Situation
Families provide the most enduring social context in which individuals learn
to care for others, regulate their behavior, share material resources, and
develop individual potential. Today, families are often pulled in many
directions due to economic pressures, social obligations, or other influences.
Yet families need to learn how to manage their relationships so that time
together is preserved, healthy communication is established, and resources are
managed wisely and carefully. Couples must also find ways to strengthen and
maintain their personal relationships. Families remain the most important buffer
between individuals and the stresses of life. Building strong families enables
both individuals and communities to grow in a context of care and well-being.
Inputs
Staff and partner time, money, equipment, technology, and supporting
materials or programs.
Outputs
Planned outputs related to this program component involve informational
outreach, research, development of educational materials, training, educational
programs, and collaboration with partners.
Develop and promote a multi-media effort to provide information and
resources on building strong families and healthy family living that will
include news media and the Internet. This will include regular news releases
and other regular features through the Human Development and Family Science
web site. Encourage linking to this information source by families, schools,
hospitals, businesses, and other community-based organizations. (Timeline: FY
05, FY 06)
Continue to provide and develop Extension and other educational materials
that focus on building family relationships, healthy marriage and couple
relationships, and healthy family living. A set of bulletins and fact sheets
on building family strengths and healthy family living will continue
development. (Timeline: FY 05, 06)
Conduct topic-specific training for Extension staff and other
professionals on building family strengths through professional development
opportunities. Promote and support educational training and outreach with the
Building Strong Families: Challenges and Choices educational
curriculum. (Timeline: FY O5, 06)
Conduct topic-specific training for Extension staff and other
professionals on strengthening marriage and couple relationships. Promote and
support educational training and outreach with the Married and Loving It!
educational curriculum and/or other educational programs. Develop
educational resources that target support of couple or marriage relationships
at critical points (transition to marriage, etc.). (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07,
08)
Continue and strengthen collaborative efforts to provide effective,
meaningful educational programs to strengthen families through relationships
with community bodies, schools, social services programs, etc. Support such
efforts through providing resources developed by the North Dakota Family Life
Education Project. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Outcomes (Evaluation Plan)
Number of requests to access and receive information through the Human
Development and Family Science web site and related information efforts will
be tracked.
A formative evaluation to assess usage of the Building Strong Families
curriculum and its effectiveness, as well as collaborative partnerships, by
Extension staff will be conducted.
Evaluation of all staff and professional training in specific educational
programs will be developed and implemented.
Evaluation of activities and outcomes related to strengthening couple and
marriage relationships, with specific educational programs, will be planned
and implemented.
Evaluation and reporting of collaborative activities related to the North
Dakota Family Life Education project will be conducted.
Anticipated Outcomes
Short Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Participate in sponsored professional development opportunities and
training experiences.
Increase their knowledge and skill in usage of research-based information
and specific educational programs on building strong families.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Develop an awareness of the NDSU Extension Service as a reliable, positive
source of information and research-based knowledge on strengthening home and
family relationships.
Access and participate in educational opportunities, such as the
Building Strong Families program or other programs, to strengthen their
home and family relationships.
Medium Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Develop confidence and proficiency in the subject matter related to
strengthening family and couple relationships.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs on
building strong family relationships on a regular basis to citizens and
identified groups.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to strengthen family relationships and couple relationships.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Seek out information from the NDSU Extension Service and its
representatives on strengthening home and family relationships.
Access and participate in educational opportunities, such as the
Building Strong Families program or other programs, to strengthen their
home and family relationships.
Understand and identify key principles and practices for strengthening
their family and couple relationships.
Long Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Become a recognized and competent source of information and educational
programming on building strong family relationships.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs on
building strong family relationships on a regular basis to citizens and
identified groups.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to strengthen family relationships and couple relationships.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Adopt key principles and practices for strengthening family and couple
relationships.
Increase family well-being and improve marital or couple relationships.
PROGRAM COMPONENT
Parent Education
Key
Theme(s): Healthy Parent-Child Relationships, Parenting
Children and Teens, Parenting in Challenging Situations
Persons Responsible
Sean Brotherson, Vanessa Hoines, Karen Armstrong, Karin Bartoszuk, Rebecca
Berge-Buss, Ellen Bjelland, Chris Bouwhuis, Marty Erickson, Kathleen Schmaltz,
Deb Theurer (Planning Team). Other members of the Human Development Program
Planning Team will provide feedback and assistance as needed.
Situation
Children learn and develop in safe, supportive environments where they have
the opportunity to experience caring relationships with a variety of adults.
Understanding growth, development, and the learning process is the basis for
nurturing and effective adult/child interaction. Recent research reveals that
the experiences a child has during the first three years of life are critical
for positive brain development. Adults who are informed about the many
capabilities of infants and young children are best equipped to facilitate the
positive social and cognitive development of all children. Parents are also
concerned about learning healthy and positive parenting skills that they can use
in parenting children at all ages, but particularly in the teenage years. The
involvement of fathers and father figures with children at all ages of life is
important to individual and family well-being. Parents may also need to parent
their children in other challenging circumstances. Parent education has been
identified as a critical need and resource by many citizens in the state.
Inputs
Staff and partner time, money, equipment, technology, and supporting
materials or programs.
Outputs
Planned outputs related to this program component involve
informational outreach, research, development of educational materials,
training, educational programs, and collaboration with partners.
- Develop and make available specified parenting information and educational
materials. Provide parent information and education through Extension
bulletins and parent newsletters, including Parenting Pipeline, Parenting
Preschoolers, and Father Times. Provide based on available funding mechanisms
and review and update as appropriate for public use. Develop additional
educational resources focused on topics identified through the need assessment
process and other feedback or priorities. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
- Provide in-depth training for Extension staff and other professionals on
parent education modules focused on parenting young children with the
Bright Beginnings: Parenting Young Children educational curriculum.
Develop a series of supplemental fact sheets/bulletins for use in providing
educational programs. (Timeline: FY 05, 06)
- Provide updated training as needed for Extension staff and other
professionals on the Children of Divorce program for adults. Gather feedback
from program facilitators regarding update of the existing program. (Timeline:
FY05, 06, 07)
- Conduct a variety of community parenting educational programs, in
collaboration with existing community programming and in response to the
resources and identified needs within each community. Extension staff will be
supported through the state and area specialists, as well as the resources of
the Parent and Family Resource Centers in their region. Collaborate with
Parent Resource Centers to provide training and programs and to evaluate
educational efforts in specific contexts. Investigate educational
opportunities and programs focused on parenting of teenage children.
(Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
- Participate in guidance of educational efforts related to father
involvement in family life through the Dakota Fatherhood Initiative.
(Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Outcomes (Evaluation Plan)
Parents will be surveyed regarding the value of and knowledge gained from
parenting newsletters in different contexts. Separate evaluation efforts will
be conducted for different newsletters in successive years (one per year).
A formative evaluation regarding usage of the Bright Beginnings
parenting curriculum will be conducted in FY 05. Evaluating of parenting
outcomes using available measures with the curriculum will be done with
selected sites in future years.
An evaluation of perceptions of the Children of Divorce educational
program and its effectiveness will be conducted with Extension staff and
program facilitators in FY 05. Also, a standard program evaluation for use
with this program will be developed and implemented in FY 05.
Evaluation of all staff and professional training in specific educational
programs will be developed and implemented.
Evaluation efforts measuring increased knowledge and awareness of key
parenting issues, as well as behavioral changes, will be developed and
implemented for use with specific parent education programs.
Evaluation and reporting of collaborative activities related to the Dakota
Fatherhood Initiative Life will be conducted.
Anticipated Outcomes
Short Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Participate in sponsored professional development opportunities and
training experiences.
Increase their knowledge and skill in usage of research-based information
and specific educational programs on parenting in varying contexts.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Develop an awareness of the NDSU Extension Service as a reliable, positive
source of information and research-based knowledge on healthy parent-child
relationships and parenting practices.
Access and participate in educational opportunities, such as the Bright
Beginnings program, Children of Divorce, or other programs, to
strengthen their parent-child relationships and parenting involvement.
Medium Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Develop confidence and proficiency in the subject matter related to
creating healthy parent-child relationships and parent education.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs on
developing healthy parent-child relationships on a regular basis to citizens
and identified groups.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote healthy parent-child relationships and meet the parenting needs of
families in specific circumstances.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Seek out information from the NDSU Extension Service and its
representatives on creating healthy parent-child relationships.
Access and participate in educational opportunities, such as the Bright
Beginnings program, Children of Divorce program, or other programs,
to strengthen their parent-child relationships and parenting involvement.
Understand and identify key principles and practices for strengthening
their parent-child relationships and dealing with parenting challenges.
Long Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Become a recognized and competent source of information and educational
programming on creating healthy parent-child relationships and strengthening
parent involvement.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs on
developing healthy parent-child relationships on a regular basis to citizens
and identified groups.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote healthy parent-child relationships and meet the parenting needs of
families in specific circumstances.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Adopt key principles and practices for creating healthy parent-child
relationships and strengthening parent involvement.
Increase parental knowledge, skill, and involvement with children at all
ages and across varying circumstances.
PROGRAM COMPONENT
Child and Adolescent Well-Being
Key Theme(s): Healthy Child and Adolescent Development,
Managing Risk and Wellness Issues, Community Support and Care for Children and
Adolescents
Persons Responsible
Sean Brotherson, Vanessa Hoines, Karin Bartoszuk, Ellen Bjelland, Miki
Hachiya, Rachael Hiam, Brandy Randall, Kathleen Schmaltz, Deb Theurer (Planning
Team). Other members of the Human Development Program Planning Team will provide
feedback and assistance as needed.
Situation
The healthy development and well-being of children and adolescents is
influenced by a variety of contexts, including family, school, peer group,
community, media, and other factors. Children and adolescents require positive
guidance, supportive environments, and respect for their growing abilities and
autonomy. Additionally, knowledge about how to prevent a child's engagement in
risk behaviors through developing positive assets is also critical. Alcohol
misuse and other risk behaviors are common in North Dakota, particularly in
regions of high stress. Support of children and adolescents in at-risk
circumstances is critical to individual, family and community well-being.
Inputs
Staff and partner time, money, equipment, technology, and supporting
materials or programs.
Outputs
Planned outputs involve informational outreach, research, development of
educational materials, training, educational programs, and collaboration with
partners.
Develop and make available educational information and materials to
address healthy overall development of children and adolescents, management of
risk and wellness issues, and other topics as needed. Provide needed
information and education through news releases, Extension bulletins, and
other educational efforts. Review and update existing information available
through Extension. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Provide updated training as needed for Extension staff and other
professionals on issues related to child and adolescent well-being. (Timeline:
FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Conduct a variety of community educational projects, in collaboration with
existing community programming and in response to the resources and identified
needs within each community. Extension staff will be supported through the
state specialists, as well as the resources of the Parent and Family Resource
Centers in their region. Projects to be continued and supported include the
CYFAR "Building Connections" project, projects with the 4-H Youth Development
program, and others. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07)
Develop educational materials and programs in support of children who have
experienced the divorce of parents, in collaboration with other partners.
(Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07)
Collaborate with other partners and educational efforts to improve primary
prevention strategies implemented for the well-being of children and
adolescents at risk due to risk behavior or wellness issues, such as suicide
prevention, obesity, alcohol use and misuse, and other topics. (Timeline: FY
05, 06, 07, 08)
Collaborate with other partners and educational efforts to provide
supportive educational and growth environments for children and adolescents
through community support, such as school systems, child care systems, youth
development programs, and other efforts. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Outcomes (Evaluation Plan)
Evaluation instruments for use with specific educational programs or
projects will be developed and implemented according to the needs of the
project.
Anticipated Outcomes
Short Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Participate in sponsored professional development opportunities and
training experiences.
Increase their knowledge and skill in usage of research-based information
and specific educational programs to facilitate healthy overall development of
children and adolescents, management of risk and wellness issues, and other
topics.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Develop an awareness of the NDSU Extension Service as a reliable, positive
source of information and research-based knowledge on healthy overall
development of children and adolescents, management of risk and wellness
issues, and other topics.
Access and participate in educational opportunities as needed to
facilitate healthy overall development of their children and provide
supportive growth environments.
Medium Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Develop confidence and proficiency in the subject matter related to
facilitating healthy overall development of children and adolescents,
management of risk and wellness issues, and other topics.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs
designed to promote healthy child and adolescent development and minimize risk
and wellness concerns for children and youth.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote healthy overall development for children and adolescents and to
address topics of specific concern regarding risk or wellness.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Seek out information from the NDSU Extension Service and its
representatives on promoting healthy overall development of children and
adolescents.
Access and participate in educational opportunities or programs designed
to assist children and adolescents in healthy development and growth in
supportive environments.
Understand and identify key principles and practices for facilitating
healthy overall child and adolescent development and minimizing risk and
wellness concerns for children and youth.
Long Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Become a recognized and competent source of information and educational
programming on facilitating healthy overall development of children and
adolescents, management of risk and wellness issues, and other topics.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs on
healthy overall development of children and adolescents and management of risk
and wellness concerns.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote healthy overall development for children and adolescents and to
address topics of specific concern regarding risk or wellness.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Adopt key principles and practices for facilitating healthy development.
Increase guidance and support of children at all ages and across varying
circumstances so they develop well and minimize concerns related to risk and
wellness.
PROGRAM COMPONENT
Individual and Family Wellness
Key Theme(s): Healthy Individual and Family Lifestyles,
Balancing Work and Family
Persons Responsible
Sean Brotherson, Vanessa Hoines, Peggy Anderson, Karin Bartoszuk, Jane
Edwards, Julie Garden-Robinson, Debb Pankow, Carmen Rath-Wald, Margaret Schaar,
Margaret Tweten (Planning Team). Other members of the Human Development Program
Planning Team will provide feedback and assistance as needed.
Situation
Needs assessments conducted in various communities and regions throughout
North Dakota and the nation have indicated the vital importance of healthy
approaches to individual and family wellness. Lifestyle choices that influence
wellness include family nutrition and healthy eating, individual and family
financial decisions, individual and family fitness and physical activity,
quality of relationships, management of stress or conflict, and work-life
balance. Individual and family wellness corresponds with understanding
information that provides a basis for healthy choices and life decisions. Also,
balance between the demands of work or other contexts and individual or family
life have a decided effect on personal well-being and family satisfaction.
Healthy living that allows for physical and emotional health, consistent
individual growth, and positive personal relationships needs to be encouraged.
Inputs
Staff and partner time, money, equipment, technology, and supporting
materials or programs.
Outputs
Planned outputs involve informational outreach, research, development of
educational materials, training, educational programs, and collaboration with
partners.
Develop and promote a stress management and healthy living curriculum that
integrates different areas of human development (including physical care, food
and nutrition, resource management, family living, and personal/leadership
development). This will be discussed and developed through the collaboration
of the Human Development state specialists, selected agents, and other
professionals. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Develop and promote an educational program and related materials focused
on strengthening family relationships and wellness through family meals and
healthy nutrition. To be done through collaboration between Extension state
specialists and interested agents. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07)
Provide training to Extension staff and other professionals on individual
and family wellness as needed to support programming efforts. (Timeline: FY
05, 06, 07, 08)
Develop educational resources and materials to address issues related to
balancing work and family life. (Timeline: FY 06, 07, 08)
Collaborate with existing programs and partners to promote educational
opportunities designed to facilitate individual family wellness, healthy
living, and a balance between life and work. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Outcomes (Evaluation Plan)
Conduct a pre/post/follow-up evaluation for program participants in the
healthy living curriculum to assess healthy lifestyle practices and levels of
stress, once the program has been developed and implemented.
Conduct a pre/post/follow-up evaluation for program participants in the
program on family meals and healthy nutrition, once the program has been
developed and implemented.
Anticipated Outcomes
Short Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Participate in sponsored professional development opportunities and
training experiences.
Increase their knowledge and skill in usage of research-based information
and specific educational programs regarding healthy approaches to individual
and family wellness, lifestyle decisions, and management of stress.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Develop an awareness of the NDSU Extension Service as a reliable, positive
source of information and research-based knowledge on healthy approaches to
individual and family wellness, lifestyle decisions, and management of stress.
Access and participate in educational opportunities as needed to pursue
individual and family wellness, stress management, and balance between work
and family life.
Medium Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Develop confidence and proficiency in the subject matter related to
healthy approaches to individual and family wellness, lifestyle decisions, and
management of stress.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs
designed to promote individual and family wellness in multiple areas.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote individual and family wellness, healthy lifestyle decisions, and
management of stress.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Seek out information from the NDSU Extension Service and its
representatives on healthy approaches to individual and family wellness,
lifestyle decisions, and management of stress.
Access and participate in educational opportunities or programs as needed
to pursue individual and family wellness, stress management, and balance
between work and family life.
Understand and identify key principles and practices for healthy
individual and family living, family meals and nutrition, and balancing work
and family life.
Long Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Become a recognized and competent source of information and educational
programming related to healthy approaches to individual and family wellness,
lifestyle decisions, and management of stress.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs
designed to promote individual and family wellness in multiple areas.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to promote individual and family wellness, healthy lifestyle decisions, and
management of stress.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Adopt key principles and practices for individual and family wellness.
Increase knowledge, capacity, and effort in making healthy lifestyle
choices, managing stress, and balancing work and family life.
PROGRAM COMPONENT
Managing Individual and Family Challenges
Key Theme(s): Individual and Family Challenges,
Responding to Natural or Economic Hardships, Impacts of Societal Stresses or
Difficulties
Persons Responsible
Sean Brotherson, Vanessa Hoines, Karin Bartoszuk, Ellen Bjelland, Tom
Carlson, Karla Monson, Debb Pankow, Kathleen Schmaltz, Margaret Tweten (Planning
Team). Other members of the Human Development Program Planning Team will provide
feedback and assistance as needed.
Situation
Individuals, families, and communities throughout North Dakota face life
challenges created by changing conditions, economic pressures, and other
difficulties. For example, rural families may struggle with economic security,
family stress, and other concerns. Individuals may struggle with depression or
mental health challenges. Families and communities struggle with making
decisions about economic issues or a meaningful way of life. Children may
experience high levels of stress, emotional difficulty, poverty, or abuse.
Couples may struggle with maintaining a quality relationship. All may be
impacted by natural disasters, economic hardship, or impacts from war or
terrorism. Educational programs can assist individuals, families, and
communities facing life challenges by helping to understand and improve
communication, make sound decisions, manage stress and anxiety, and share
resources and information.
Inputs
Staff and partner time, money, equipment, technology, and supporting
materials or programs.
Outputs
Planned outputs involve informational outreach, research, development of
educational materials, training, educational programs, and collaboration with
partners.
Provide information and resources on managing individual and family
challenges in response to emerging concerns or long-lasting difficulties. This
will include regular news releases and other regular features through the
Human Development and Family Science web site. Encourage disseminating
information in a timely fashion to individuals, families, schools, hospitals,
businesses, and other community-based organizations. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07,
08)
Develop and provide selected Extension and other educational materials
that focus on identified needs regarding the management of individual and
family challenges. This may be in response to quickly emerging concerns such
as natural disasters or long-term challenges such as poverty or family
caregiving. Extension bulletins and fact sheets on key topics will be
developed as needed. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Develop and promote Extension resources via multiple methods targeted at
individual and family concerns related to rural stress, including managing
change and transition, communication, making family decisions, and managing
family stress. Materials will be developed in multiple formats and integrated
with other ongoing programs in Extension. (FY 05, 06)
Conduct topic-specific training for Extension staff and other
professionals on managing individual and family challenges in response to
identified needs and issues that arise. (Timeline: FY O5, 06, 07, 08)
Continue and strengthen collaborative efforts to provide effective,
meaningful responses and educational programs as needed in response to
individual or family challenges that may arise and impact families and
communities. (Timeline: FY 05, 06, 07, 08)
Outcomes (Evaluation Plan)
Collect data related to media efforts and other resources developed
responding to identified concerns regarding individual or family challenges.
Conduct evaluations of community workshops or educational programs
designed to address specific topics of concern related to individual and
family challenges.
Conduct evaluations of professional training workshops to learn what
knowledge and strategies are being used in working with individuals and
families regarding specific challenges.
Develop and conduct evaluations as needed when specific educational
programs or materials are developed and implemented in response to an
identified challenge.
Anticipated Outcomes
Short Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Participate in sponsored professional development opportunities and
training experiences.
Increase their knowledge and skill in usage of research-based information
and specific educational programs regarding management of individual and
family challenges or community concerns.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Develop an awareness of the NDSU Extension Service as a reliable, positive
source of information and research-based knowledge as individual or family
challenges arise or community concerns occur.
Access and participate in educational opportunities as needed to learn how
to manage individual and family challenges or to respond to community
concerns.
Medium Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Develop confidence and proficiency in the subject matter related to
management of individual and family challenges or community concerns.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs
designed to assist individuals and families in managing specific life
challenges or responding to community concerns.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to assist individuals and families in managing specific life challenges or
responding to community concerns.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Seek out information from the NDSU Extension Service and its
representatives on approaches to managing individual and family challenges or
responding to community concerns and issues.
Access and participate in educational opportunities or programs as needed
learn how to manage individual and family challenges or to respond to
community concerns.
Understand and identify key principles and practices for managing
individual and family challenges or responding to community concerns and
issues.
Long Term
Extension Agents and other professionals will:
Become a recognized and competent source of information and educational
programming related to management of individual and family challenges or
community concerns.
Provide research-based information and specific educational programs
designed to assist individuals and families in managing specific life
challenges or responding to community concerns.
Collaborate with local groups in delivering educational programs designed
to assist individuals and families in managing specific life challenges or
responding to community concerns.
Individuals, families, and communities will:
Adopt key principles and practices to manage individual and family
challenges or to respond to community concerns. for individual and family
wellness.
Increase knowledge, capacity, and effort in managing individual and family
challenges or responding to community concerns and issues.