Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders #2

ECOP Monday Minute returns on January 8, 2018! We wish you and your family the best for the Holiday season! 

10 Big Ideas to Think Differently About the Future of Extension - ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd invites all Extension Directors and Administrators to the second edition of Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders conference on Friday, January 5, 2018, 3:00 p.m. ET. Five Director/Administrators, one from each region, will provide 2 of their best and biggest ideas to invite their colleagues to “think differently” about Extension. There will be opportunity for colleagues to engage in the conversation within the allotted timeframe of one hour. The session will be recorded and archived with opportunity to continue the conversation after the session has ended. Chuck looks forward to input from everyone! Calendar invitations were sent last Friday. Contact ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org for more information.

Important Resources for the Cooperative Extension Section - By using www.extension.org/ecop, Directors and Administrators have a wealth of information at their fingertips. The site includes

• contacting the ECOP Office on matters of national policy and the Section 
• reviewing CALENDARS 
• learning about national AWARDS 
• obtaining contact information for key leadership - DIRECTORIES 
• keeping up to date on national news items affecting Cooperative Extension (RESOURCES LIBRARY-Searchable Blog) and much more! 

Please take this opportunity to check out the site. When you view this blog and a question comes to mind, simply click the Cooperative Extension image on the right panel of the Web View and you are seamlessly connected to both sources.

Culture of Health Convening at National 4-H Conference Center - On December 5-8, there was a convening of the 15 states involved in the new Culture of Health partnership between the Cooperative Extension System, National 4-H Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Over 60 specialists, agents, community partners and several youth representatives (photo above) of the five pilot states and 10 self-funded states came together for capacity building around this initiative. According to Dr. Michelle Rodgers, national project director of the CES-RWJF partnership, the focus of the meeting was to “gain clarity on the goals, process and expectations, increase knowledge of transforming community systems and cultures, learn how to leverage and integrate staff and volunteer resources, build a strong multi-sector partnership, increase awareness of community and health data resources, and develop action plans for each state.” Directors are encouraged to visit with the staff that attended and hear about their state’s plans. The partnership, launched in 2017, aims to improve the health of 1,000 communities across the nation over the next 10 years.

eXtension Designathon Event Registration Materials Available - Ten Designathon One events will be held in January-March to kick off the 2018 eXtension Impact Collaborative. Registration information and materials to promote the event to faculty and staff will be sent to each member institution.

• Northeast Region: Portsmouth NH, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by University of New Hampshire Extension); Pittsburgh, PA, February 26-28 (co-hosted by Penn State University Extension); Ithaca, NY, February 20-22, 2018 (co-hosted by Cornell University) 
• Southern Region: Raleigh, NC, January 22-24, 2018 (co-hosted by North Carolina State University); San Antonio, TX, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Texas AgriLife Extension & Prairie View A&M University Extension) & Atlanta, GA, March 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by the University of Georgia Extension and Fort Valley State University Extension) 
• Western Region: Portland OR, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by Oregon State University Extension) & Denver CO, February 26-28, 2018 (co-hosted by Colorado State University Extension) 
• North Central Region: Indianapolis, IN, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Purdue University Extension). Madison WI, February 19-21, 2018 (co-hosted by University of Wisconsin Extension) 

For more, visit https://www.extension.org/designathon-one/

2016 CYFAR Report is Available - The Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Program (CYFAR) has exciting accomplishments at the state and site level and overall with the CYFAR Program. The Program had 17,000 plus program participants with an increase in volunteer engagement and new 4-H clubs. Evaluation of CYFAR Parent Programs indicates association with attitudes and behaviors regarding flexible child rearing. As well, CYFAR is associated with Middle School youths’ belief in their developing healthy nutrition habits. The 2016 CYFAR Annual Report provides the highlights of this program that positively impacts youth, families and communities in U.S. States and U.S. Territories.