Recently in the Webinars Category

All staff are invited join us April 30 at 12 noon for a webinar with Mariah Korhbluh.

Korhbluh will share her research on youth participatory evaluation efforts. She will review the range of themes in the literature, trends in methods and practices, and remaining gaps for the field. In particular, she will discuss the role of innovative methods and creative strategies for evaluation and engagement and the implications of these strategies for practice. She will also reflect on her personal experience using youth participatory methods.

Join the webinar here:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/ype-mariahkorhbluh/

Mariah Korhbluh is a graduate assistant at the University of Michigan's Community Evaluation and Research Collaborative.

This webinar is part of the Howland Symposia learning series and Innovators Learning Cohort focusing on youth participation in evaluation and assessment. Please contact Jessica Jerney at jern0015@umn.edu with questions.

The Program Quality Work Team is working hard to help support new regional efforts. Below are a few immediate things you can do to support program quality improvement:

YPQA Reliability Training, is it for you?

For those of you who may be focusing in your regional team to improve program quality - this training gets "deep" on the process of observation and scoring. Staff have said the following about this training:

• It gives you the confidence to go out and observe, plan and improve and;
  
• It helps you connect to other staff to communicate the importance of this tool.

The class is best taken after you have done a few observations. Class will be held April 11 - 12 in St. Cloud. There is no class fee charged to staff that attend.

For more information and to register:
http://dev.extension.umn.edu/youth/training-events/YPQA-for-the-External-Assessor.html

YPQA Scores Reporter - Test Drive!

This spring, the Statewide Program Quality Work Team would like some of you to "test drive" a new online data system for 4-H program observations! If you are planning to do observations this spring, why not try out the new scores reporter? Sam Grant and Carrie Olson will be hosting a UMConnect webinar on the following days:

• Tues., April 2 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
  
• Wed., April 3 from 9 - 10 a.m.

Please connect to the webinar at:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/qualityupdate

4-H adult volunteers can now access dynamic, interactive 30 minute training modules from the convenience of their home!

The new on-line trainings - part of a larger menu of training options for volunteers that includes face to face training - make it easy for 4-H volunteers to deepen their skills and knowledge in areas that are critical to supporting youth in their positive development when participating in 4-H programming and activities:

• Creating a welcoming 4-H environment: engaging, encouraging, and respectful
  
• The 4-H learning environment
  
• 4-H project leaders: Where the action starts
  
• Keeping youth safe in 4-H
  
• Managing 4-H clubs: A guide for club leaders

Staff should promote these new training opportunities, and encourage current volunteers to continue their learning to support the important roles they serve in 4-H (much like we encourage life-long learning in 4-H youth!)

We've developed a package of materials to help you promote these new online trainings, including flyers, postcards, a bookmark, key messages and a promotion guide with ideas about how to promote the trainings in your area via the Clover Update, Federation meetings, county Facebook pages, events and e-mail. The materials are available (with the staffonly cookie) on the online training page: http://www1.extension.umn.edu/youth/mn4-H/volunteer/online-training/.

Also consider highlighting these new trainings during your fall volunteer training if possible.

Please contact us with any questions or suggestions about what will help you promote these new online training opportunities to your volunteers.

Mon., Oct. 29, 2012
8:30 a.m. - 12 noon

McNamara Alumni Center
200 Oak Street SE
Johnson Room
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Register to attend online

Register to attend in-person

Presenter: Kim Sabo Flores, Ph.D.

Addressing the role of young people in evaluation and assessment, Kim Sabo Flores offers a playful and cutting-edge approach to youth participating in evaluation that has the potential to radically shift the way youth and adults form partnerships. Decades of progress in research and evaluation coupled with the evolution of positive youth development have contributed to shaping the field of youth participatory evaluation. Sabo Flores provides practical examples and tools that support youth involvement in evaluation and research and offers national and international perspectives on the development of the field. Currently the associate director of the Thrive Foundation for Youth, Dr. Flores offers an expertise in program evaluation, organizational development, and positive youth development. She has conducted international research and evaluation projects that have focused on youth development, children's rights, post conflict, protection, international development, and a variety of social issues.

The symposium is part of three-year series focusing on Youth Program Quality Improvement, which will include efforts to study the impact young people have on program improvement in key leadership roles as quality assessors, implementers, activators, coaches, and evaluators as well as how adults can effectively support and work with youth as a force in program quality improvement.

This event is made possible by the Howland Family Endowment for Youth Development Leadership at the University of Minnesota. The Howland Endowment is designed to attract state and national practitioners, researchers and policy experts to further youth leadership development and advance critical issues by focusing on a single topic over an extended period of time.

Plan to join "Lunch & Learn" opportunities for staff to view and discuss the new 4-H volunteer online training modules. Five live webinars will provide a brief overview of the module design and how it fits into Minnesota's overall volunteer training plan. Staff will also receive tips and tools for promoting the modules with volunteers. At the end of the webinar staff will be directed to a Moodle site to watch the training module. The webinars will be recorded and placed on the Moodle site, allowing greater access to staff who are not available during the live webinars.

Following are the dates for each of the Minnesota 4-H online volunteer training Lunch & Learn staff webinars. (All of the dates are Mondays and time is 12:00 - 12:45 p.m.)

• June 25 - Creating a Welcoming, Engaging and Encouraging Environment for Youth
  
• July 9 - The 4-H Learning Environment
  
• July 23 - Where the Action Starts: Project Leader Training
  
• Aug. 6 - Volunteer and Member Safety
  
• Aug. 20 - Managing 4-H Clubs: A guide for 4-H Club Leaders

To participate, login to the UMConnect using the following link for each webinar:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/onlinevolunteertraining/

The on-line trainings are part of a larger menu of training options for volunteers that includes face to face training. Minnesota 4-H remains committed to a comprehensive and multi-format approach to providing training and support to the thousands of volunteers who deliver our 4-H Youth Development programs to young people across our state.

Moodle directions
If you have used Moodle before simply go to https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=25082. You may need to enter an access code. If so, enter 325880 and you should be brought directly to the course.

For those of you new to Moodle, go to https://moodle.umn.edu. Log in with your x500 and password. This activates you as a Moodle user and you will then be able to use the above directions to enter the course.

Five new on-line learning modules developed for 4-H volunteers are nearing completion and we want our staff to be the first to view them. Developed by cross role teams of Extension educators over the past several months, these modules are scheduled for system-wide launch with 4-H volunteers Oct. 1, 2012.

Because we know that 4-H staff will play a key role in promoting and encouraging utilization of these new quality trainings, we've planned to host five webinar "Lunch & Learn" opportunities for staff to view and discuss the new training modules. The webinars will also be recorded to allow later access by staff unable to participate in all of the live webinars.

Following are the dates for each of the Minnesota 4-H online volunteer training Lunch & Learn staff webinars. (All of the dates are Mondays and time is 12:00-12:45 p.m.)

• June 25 - Creating a Welcoming, Engaging and Encouraging Environment for Youth
• July 9 - The 4-H Learning Environment
• July 23 - Where the Action Starts: Project Leader Training
• August 6 - Volunteer and Member Safety
• August 20 - Managing 4-H Clubs: A guide for 4-H Club Leaders

To participate, login to the UMConnect using the following link for each webinar:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/onlinevolunteertraining/

Additional plans in preparation for fall rollout include developing a package of tools and key messages that staff can use to help get the word out to volunteers about the new online training coming this fall.

Know that by developing and launching these new trainings we are not moving away from face to face volunteer training in favor of exclusive on-line delivery. Minnesota 4-H remains committed to a comprehensive and multi-format approach to providing training and support to the thousands of volunteers who deliver our 4-H Youth Development programs to young people across our state. In the weeks and months ahead, you will learn more about this comprehensive approach and the menu of training and support resources available to help those of you who work most closely with volunteers prepare them for their important roles.

We know summer can be very busy but everyone needs to eat lunch. Please get these "Lunch & Learn" webinars on your calendar. If you have questions or comments about these or other 4-H volunteer trainings please contact a volunteer and partnership development educator.

"Guiding conversations and 4-H volunteers on social media using Facebook"

Tues., June 19
10:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Many staff and volunteers are using Facebook and other social media to share and communicate about 4-H programming and activities. We have tips and guidelines for making the most of these tools to do your work. This webinar will cover topics such as how to administer a Facebook page, security settings, volunteers and youth as administrators, and identifying goals and messages.

The webinar is for educators, program coordinators and administrative staff who use social media or guide volunteers using social media on behalf of 4-H.

Please download the Minnesota 4-H Social Media Policy & Guide from our 4-H staff only page before joining the webinar. I will describe other resources.

You can participate as an individual or gather a group and join the webinar online at: https://umconnect.umn.edu/fourh-social-media.

This webinar will be recorded for later viewing.

The Extension Center for Youth Development is offering an online, self-paced training for professionals based on the need for youth to build skills to wisely select and prepare healthful foods. The training addresses the problem of Minnesota's increasing overweight and obese population; 23.1 percent of Minnesota children and youth are overweight. The training was developed to help professionals who work with parents, caregivers, and after-school programs increase their knowledge of food marketing strategies, child and youth development, nutrition and physical activity, and parent and family strategies related to food choices. In addition, the training provides lessons plan resources to help professionals teach the information to parents, caregivers, and youth ages 8-13. Course starts July 16.

Registration is currently open (deadline July 1) for the summer 2012 course. The course will run July 16 - Aug. 24.

Professionals who participate will receive at no cost:

• Access to online narrated presentations and links to additional readings.
  
• Lesson plans for teaching nutrition, parenting skills, and food marketing strategies to parents and caregivers of children from birth to age seven.
  
• Lesson plans for teaching youth ages 8 - 13 about food marketing and making healthy food choices.
  
• A certificate for 3 hours of continuing education.

To participate in the pilot, professionals need to:

• Have access to high speed internet.
  
• Complete a pre and post assessment.
  
• View online narrated presentations, read handouts, and participate in online discussions.

The time required will vary depending on your current knowledge and the amount of time you spend doing additional readings and activities. Estimated time to complete the course is 3 - 5 hours. The training is available online 24 hours a day and can be completed at your own pace.

For questions or to register for the course, please contact Carrie Ann Olson, olson166@umn.edu, Mary Schroeder, hedin007@umn.edu or Mary Jo Katras, mkatras@umn.edu by July 1, 2012.