July 9 message
Good Afternoon: I hope you are all haveing a good week. This week's message comes a day early since I plan to take a day off on Friday, July 10.
We have invited current and non-current Master Gardeners in the region (not including Kandiyohi County), to a meeting hosted by the Marshall Regional Office and the State Master Gardener Coordinator David Moen. The purpose of the meeting is to thank the Master Gardeners for their volunteer service, provide an in-service on a current hort topic and introduce the Master Gardener Management program model. The changes were also introduced in a letter that Master Gardeners received earlier this month.
The changes are being made so that the Volunteer Master Gardeners receive consistent management support from Extension. In Counties where this is not possible, other options are made available so the Master Gardeners can continue their volunteer service. This is also an opportunity for Master Gardeners who are no longer active to be thanked and end their Master Gardener service gracefully. The new management system will clarify what expectations are for continuing to serve as an active Master Gardener.
The Master Gardener meeting is for July 22 from 11:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. at the Americinn in Marshall. It is not expected that County Support Staff attend this meeting unless they serve as a Master Gardener or Master Gardener Coordinator. Please contact me if you have questions.
The following is an excerpt from the letter sent to Master Gardeners about the upcoming changes in Master Gardener Management:
We are introducing changes to the U of M Extension Master Gardener program model that we believe will provide for a more sustainable program on the whole. We are committed to working with county and local Master Gardener groups to grow programs and increase access to University resources.
In many counties, there will be few changes in the day to day operations of the Master Gardener program. For other counties, particularly where there is limited or no county support for this Extension program there will be more significant changes.
These changes reflect a shift from previous program models especially related to roles and expectations. Primarily, where county staff and support has been reduced or eliminated, many management tasks will need to be assumed by volunteers with greater state oversight. In order for the state program to assume more oversight, some specific organizational structures will be expected from local programs so the program is delivered with more consistency across the state.
Here are some of the specifics:
For all county/local Master Gardener programs
To strengthen the relationship between county/local and state Master Gardener programs, it is important that we increase communications and program specific information. All county/local programs will be asked to annually submit the following items. (Templates for each will be available, or a copy of plans, reports and directories you typically generate can be submitted.):
1. A short and simple work plan that describes goals and planned activities
2. A list of local MG volunteers who commit to another year as a Master Gardener
3. A year-end summary of local Master Gardener program highlights and impacts
4. A simple budget and year-end financial report
In addition, each county/local Master Gardener group should have a volunteer leadership team and a set of group operating guidelines (template for guidelines will be available).
The University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener program has annual or multi-year program focus priorities (i.e., environmental, food access, youth, diagnostics). We encourage all local programs to incorporate these focus priorities in their educational activities.
For county/local programs with no paid program staff but with designated county Extension support staff or funding.
In these situations, all the above apply in addition to the following:
1. Have a minimum of five active Master Gardeners (we'll help you plan to grow the program) or make decisions about joining together with neighboring or regional groups.
2. Have one MG volunteer who will be the volunteer leader contact with the state office and ensure that basic coordination tasks and expectations of the local Master Gardener program are met.
3. Focus more program efforts on Master Gardener program priorities that assist the state program and regional Extension educators.
For county/local programs with no paid program staff, less than minimum designated county Extension support staff or funding, or a county with no Extension office.
In these situations, all the above apply in addition to the following:
1. The Extension Regional office will be the contact point for phone, mailing address, and minimal operation support for the local program.
2. Volunteers are University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners with no affiliation to a county and do not deliver services on behalf of a county.
These changes have been reviewed and discussed with Extension administrators, regional directors, regional Extension educators in horticulture and local Extension educators and MG coordinators. There is consensus that these plans will move the program in a direction of sustainability, increase support for Master Garden volunteers and strengthen the connection between the University and local Master Gardener programs. We will work with select counties and regional groups in 2009 -2010 to assess and pilot changes. We will continue to support county program changes across the state with a goal of implementing any additional county changes by 2011.