'We Fought Like Hell'...

I look at King County 4-H and see a “well-connected” community of loving parents, passionate volunteers and Leaders, civically minded and engaged youth.  However, I see little action until the final moment when all hope may be lost on one County Council Vote!  I am perplexed by this overall unwillingness to really speak with one another about the issues at hand and how to not only try to thwart it for the coming year but long-term too?  The lack of foresight for an organization that is all about growing, leadership, learning, civic engagement and community is beyond me.  That is why I wanted to get involved, to begin some sort of open forum utilizing current technology which hundreds of parents and volunteers are already connected to in order to facilitate conversations and action!  Instead fear was shown, overwhelming fear that the internet and technology can create more harm than good!  Well, I have to say that I don’t disagree completely, but I certainly do not agree.  Because of time constraints it’s the groups best bet in organizing collective action, whether it be a letter writing campaign, a protest (see image from newspaper clipping below) or a video diary of current 4-H’ers experiences to share with new members, new community members, to create new networking opportunities and to build support for what seems to be a dying organization. 

On a positive note, the following was shared with me via email by the King County 4-H Adminstrator I have been working with as a gate keeper.  Some of the information is troubling and needs to be addressed as far as youth participation is concerned because it directly reflects what many Council members may be thinking or feeling when it comes time to vote on the funding initiative for 2011 this coming October/November:

“At this time I have been working with clubs and the King County 4-H Association 
on being more visable. I have to amit I have been busy with risk management like getting every one to turn in their paperwork so I can background screen everyone. We also lost 100 4-H member this year wether we would have 4-H. We also gained 167 new member." 

"There is elements of 4-H that has not been encourage by the leaders like Public Presentations and record books.  In Pierce County they have over 200 members doing county presentations while in King county I have had 10 members. There is a lot of work that need to be done in King County. "
 

We will know more about were King County stand when the King County proposed budget is released next month.” (Email correspondence from May 12, 2010).

This is the state of King County 4-H—a “wait and see” mentality.  I’ve joined the bandwagon out of respect.  However, by the end of June, my planning process may change considerably to become more proactive and to perhaps reach out to the greater community of leaders and volunteers on the web as a “concerned citizen” rather than a CD Practicioner or Planner.  Through strategic questioning and concerns, I hope to get to a point where all King County 4-H community members have a sense of “faith in themselves to tackle whatever issues come along” (Wolff 2001).  I only hope to assist with the “visioning process” (Wolff 2001).  I remember at the very beginning of this semester reading through the AMESH), and having one particular bit strike me; a small question to ask the community members, “What story do you want your grandchildren to tell about their home? How would you like your community to look in twenty years?” (Waltner-Toews et al. 2004). These are the questions I want to pose to the 4-H Community, these are the things I’ve asked myself, and I know that I want to be able to share 4-H with my grandchildren or at least tell them stories of how ‘we fought like hell’ to save it. 

On a closing note: I, Alex Conn, Pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS larger service and my HEALTH to better living, for my club, my COMMUNITY, my country and my world.  

Wolff, T. (2001). A practioners’ guide to successful coalitions. American Journal of Community Psychology, 29(2), 173-191.

Waltner-Toews, D., Kay, J., Murray, T.P., and Neudoerffer, C. (2004). Adaptive methodology for Ecosystem Sustainability and Health (AMESH): An Introduction. In G. Midgley and A Ochoa-Arias (Eds). Community operational research: OR and systems thinking for community development (pp. 317-349). New York: Kluwer Academic. 

Riding the waves on a butterflies wings...

...or hanging on to a spiders web for dear life?

I’ve come to the conclusion that much of my project to-date has been in regards to trying to network myself.  As discussed in earlier posts being an insider at one time provides me with the background information, but being so far removed given time and space, I’ve essentially had to begin with one contact and work my way to three.  I have several supporters amongst individuals I know who were once involved in the organization but they do not want to join any kind of “web” or group at this time.  And they are not keen to provide any other names…yet. 

I have spent some time recently reviewing one of the SWSP7123 course readings “Complexity and the Well-Connected Community” by A. Gilchrist.  Although, I had read it once before earlier in the semester, reading this time many passages and or phrases seemed to finally strike a cord!  For instance, the notion that “networking is a holistic process, involving a strategic interweaving of knowledge, skills and values….” (Gilchrist 2004, p. 85).  I’ve always looked at networking as a skill and a necessary part of life, but I have never considered the values aspect of it all.  But now can see that through networking each of us ends up sharing our values, inferring values on the way we speak to one another, whom we speak to and the importance or value of the conversation we are having.  Our values and what we see as valuable undermines nearly every action, from initial eye contact and that first handshake, to a farewell embrace with a close friend. 

A further point of interest for me was reviewing Complexity Theory, which states that “complexity arises as ‘a result of a rich interaction of simple elements that only respond to the limited information each of them are present with’” (Cillars in Gilchrist 2004, p.87). It further touches on the notion that these complex theories are open, and are affected by wider actions—think the Butterfly effect.  Given the struggles I’ve been having in making connections with the King County 4-H organization, perhaps by simply putting myself in these positions where I’m conversing with individuals (primarily via email) will be enough to push them to action, rather than simply sitting on their hand waiting for something to occur.  Perhaps, that is all that is needed—me asking questions!?  Maybe that is the butterfly wing in motion causing ripples.  Who knows, but it is a nice way to think about things after several months of frustration and true uncertainty in oneself and ones ability to make change.  The idea of being only one person comes to mind, but there are so many examples of a single person changing the course of history…can I perhaps be that voice for King County 4-H, can I be that butterfly wing?

Gilchrist, A. (2004) The well-connected community: a networking approach to community development, Bristol, UK: The Policy Press, 2004 pp.85-95

Learning in Action: What is Participation all about as an Implementor?

Particpatory Approaches

Utilizing information gathered from SWSP7123 Semester 1, Workshop 4, Session B lecture I’ve been trying to understand what my aims within this project really are?  How to I fit in? What role do I play? 

I realized that the image below shows exactly what I have wanted to help create and facilitate within the greater King County 4-H community.

Now, this is an established organization with small community, agricultural roots.  Many of the Participatory methods and outcomes are what 4-H Club leaders focus on doing daily, weekly or monthly with the youth involved.  However, I am seeing now, that because of the top heavy organizational structure that the leaders, volunteers and parents cannot truly engage in these processes themselves.  It has been my goal over the past three months to simply get conversations moving.  Although, this has been stopped by higher authorities until mid to late June when budgetary information is finalized, at least I have a foot in the door.  It may only be wedged in the open crack, but it’s firmly planted with 3 personal connections made, one of which I am working very strongly on developing given this individual at that County Administrative level is truly my gatekeeper, which once allowed in fully, I will have an arsenal of opportunities and further connections to make and develop with assistance and insider information and input.

Personally I can come to the conclusion that I am a firm believer in the following and that I have attempted to adhere to each:

1. “Behavior and attitudes are more important than methods!!!”

*Given the results of grading for my actual project plan which was accepted by the organization itself, my methodology is something I need to work on, but I’ve maintained a fairly positive attitude and know I will continue to work towards my goal(s) even from overseas for the rest of 2010 if not longer.

2. “Need for critical self-awareness.” 

* If this is towards me that is what this blog has been all about! Shortcomings, successes and overall uncertainties.  I have done my best to only express a critical eye towards my project implementation process.

3. “Respectful behavior”

*This is why I’m adhering to the organizational hierarchy instead of jumping right on the Save King County 4-H Facebook page asking immediate and pressing questions about people’s feelings and intentions for a such an uncertain organization future!

4. “Embrace error and experimentation”

*Boy, am I have doing this!  This entire process has been one big experiment and I fear I’ve created large tactical errors and perhaps should not be quite so respectful of the bureaucratic rules and regulations.

5. “Building rapport, trust and relationships”

*See number three.

It’s interesting to go back to course lectures to see how exactly my project has played out and to actually bare witness to many of the concepts in action—even when writing my project plan, I never considered many of them.  I have many fears that what I am attempting to do, and how I’m trying to shift an entire organizations thoughts into action is very top-down, overbearing and imposing.  However, I am trying my best to break through several barriers with the hopes that as I make my way into the more relevant constituency and community, where I was once a member that I will be able to step back and simply watch what people come up with, and learn from them as much as if not more, than what I’m trying to give them.  I am scared, and unsure of my actions, I only want to ensure that the 4-H leaders are empowered in order to make bold choices and stand up for what they believe in and that they are able to openly share this in an educational format with the youth in the organization themselves who often hide their own fears, because they do not want the adults to worry. 

Hmmmm…so much to think about and contemplate.  Let’s see where else I can go?!

To be continued….

Sources:

Shevellar, Lynda. (2010).  Unpublished work.  Workshop 4, Session B:  Community Participation and Engagment  [Powerpoint slides]. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Image 2 courtesy of flickr.com

Learning in Action: Just Who's Turn is it to Learn?

Below you will find one of what will be delivered over the next several days as my SWSP7123 Course comes to a close.  These are my reflections....

 

Learning in Action?  Was this the aim of the actual project?  In an overwhelming response by this author, Yes!  The initial aim was for a project to be created for the youth involved in King County 4-H to publicly share their feelings and experiences within their chosen 4-H projects, as a method of inclusion and a bit of an tool to add to the adults working the frontlines of the campaign to utilize in rallying support, new membership and persuade County Council members and various local political support as needed.  Although, the project is in the process of being fully developed and proposed by the King County 4-H Administrator, I’m not sure that overall this is where the main learning will take place.  I personally, feel that I have been the one to learn the most.  Where in the past I’ve only experience ease in organizing factions for support here and there for various causes and I’ve never been a lack for people who are willing to lend a helping hand—I’ve made it a point to join organizations where this is the way things are often times run and facilitated.  In other words, “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours…in the meantime we get to do something wonderful for our neighbors and overall help to make our community a better place!”   Well, this has been a different case where I am concerned and this project.  I have been the biggest recipient of an education here and only hope that I can take what I’ve learned and am still learning and continue to mold, adapt and plan for this organization and others.

In this particular case I have been working within First Order change; i.e. “Assisting groups to do what they do better”(Shevellar 2010).  King County 4-H has been a longstanding program with an even longer standing national tradition within the agricultural sector of the United States.  Today being a multilevel organization with ties to the United States Government and overseen in full by the United States Department of Agriculture of which provides the Land Grants for the Universities which organize the regional or State 4-H programs.  From here it continues on its downward slope to the County Extension office which oversees several programs under the Land Grants not just 4-H.  In King County, the program only has a few Administrators and within the past year has moved into yet another, smaller office space, in which these few paid staff along with a couple of dozen dedicated 4-H leaders (all volunteer) and hundreds of dedicated parents make the local clubs work.  In a system steeped heavily with the traditional Top-Down model, King County 4-H wants desperately to begin a Bottom-Up or the more popular term within the US: Grassroots approach to securing County Council (local government) support.   Given this particular network, I have essentially been trying to “make room [for me] to breathe” within an organization in which I was once an insider, a member, a mentor and now I am more on the outside than I would like to be (Shevellar 2010).  I suppose years of being mostly detached from the organization trying to make my life happen took that bit away from me.  Now, I struggle with a few “gatekeepers” to work my way in, to “seek a sponsor” so to speak and to develop a support group within this organization in which to build collective action upon (Shevellar 2010).  I am essentially to break into what in now a “closed structure” to me.  As in my fifth SWSP7123 lecture of 2010, I am trying to “work towards openness” (Shevellar 2010).  I’m trying to ask questions that people are nervous to speak of at this point in time, despite knowing that they need to address these issues as quickly as possible to keep the program operating for at least one more year within King County.  Fellow 4-Her’s, parents, volunteers and former 4-Her’s rose to the challenge in the fall of 2009 to rally, right letters and literally protest in a highly public venue, paying attention to notify media all at the last minute when it looked like the program may not receive Council support and funding for one more year.  It worked!  But an initiative within the local County organization was begun to being creating a response in place for the longer term and for the more immediate coming year of 2010.  Unfortunately, the economic decline, the threat of flooding locally, in addition to a simple unwillingness to speak of what makes everyone uncomfortable, so consequently, the social forum that was created via Facebook for ideas to be shared and work towards finding a solution was to begin has stalled in favor of a cork message board for club events and leadership training but no message of “Saving 4-H” is mentioned otherwise. 

Where do I fit?

I see myself trying to step aside and respect those I am working with as much as possible but where do we draw the line and begin to take matters into our own hands? Where do I draw the line?

To be continued….

Shevellar, Lynda. (2010).  Unpublished work.  Workshop 5:  Practices [Powerpoint slides]. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Shevellar, Lynda. (2010).  Unpublished work.  Workshop 1, Session A: Introduction to the Course [Powerpoint slides]. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Photo is shared through flickr via the national 4-H website for public use.  For verification please see www.4-H.org. 

On a personal note...

Below is an email I've just recently sent (this morning) to my old 4-H leader regarding the happenings locally.  It is very nonchanlant but you must understand that I've known this woman since I was 8 years old and she is more family than anything else.  Through this email I hope to gain a bit of insider persepective at the club level, rather than at the higher County Administrative level, in which I have been dealing with as of late.  I also wanted to reiterate that I'm here to help however they need me too and am not pushing a personal agenda, rather I simply do not want to see King County 4-H in the place it was this previous year.


Sent May 29, 2010 (Brisbane Time; May 28, 2010 PST)

Hi Nancy,

How are things going with you?  I"m hanging in there with the last couple of weeks of the semester well underway.  It's been quite difficult and although I'm doing well in most of my courses I'm struggling with one and simply struggling to keep up with all of the work, but that seems to be the way life goes no matter if it's school, work or just life.  

How are things coming along with Fair prep and such?  Any news where King County 4-H stands financially for 2011 yet?  Keep me posted please.  And thank you for putting me in touch with Nancy Baskett.  We have been in touch a few times and she's reviewed my blog and project proposal/plan and gave me a bit of feedback and mentioned things hinging on some budgetary information coming relatively soon.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  I hope to continue to be involved and to help facilitate any online discussions if need be.  I think that although online media is feared a blog or discussion board may be a viable tool for spreading the world about fundraisers, membership drives and any planned events to raise awareness about the organization.  Though I'm far away, I still want to be involved.  You guys mean the world to me and I would hope to see something so wonderful dissipate without me giving as much back to it as it gave to me.  

Anyhow, I hope you are doing well an that you hopefully got out of town for holiday weekend.  I hear it's raining there--it's raining here as well, even though its supposed to be the dry season.  Anyways, please take care and know that I'm thinking of you all and am here to help however I can.  

Cheers,

Alex

A Little Progress Report

I know there are only a few interested in what I have to say, but for the purposes of SWSP7123 I fell it is necessary to disclose the fact that until late June 2010, no further actions can or will be taken to continue elevating this project into any form of community action.  This is due to the fact that at the County level budget reports and monetary disclosures will be released sometime in early June.  No one at the county level is at a point where they want to discuss further action or even potentially bring it up until the full financial situation is stated.  At this time they will consider some of my plan and ideas and hopefully, I can assist in bridging some of the technology and discussion board gaps, or uneasiness anyone may be feeling.

On a positive note, according to the last email report I received from the King County 4-H Office Administrator, did state that she was preparing to pose my Youth portion of the engagement project to Club Leaders!  So, hopefully, within the next several months a video or book or something to that regards will be posted on the YouTube site and out there, sharing just how much 4-H means to the kids involved.  The learning aspects of it are tremendous too when the children are the ones who will plan, produce and post their projects.  Fingers Crossed!  It's great for a potential membership too and is also an invaluable tool when approaching Government officials for support and/or funding.

Lastly, this Blog over the course of the next week will take a different direction.  I hope to address some of the issues raised in my official academic critique of my Project Proposal as, performed by the course Lecturer.  Some things may become highly theoretical, but my hopes are to keep it light and simply address what potentially should have been considered in the initial composing of the project plan.

To date, I'm about where I started with the project but in due time (late June and throughout North America's summer month's) hope to have made some progress.  My only real goal given the class time was to get people thinking about the state of King County 4-H and perhaps begin to group those concerned individuals together.  I've found the red-tape to be considerable and the interest although there, to be burdened with ethical considerations, government woes and overall organizational structure.  In trying to engage a group that is heavily encased in top-down structure, putting the "grassroots" back into what was once a "grassroots" organization is proving to be more difficult than I could have ever imagined.  Perhaps revisiting some theory will help me to work out my own frustrations and perhaps develop a different strategical approach.

hhhmmm....things to think about for sure.

On the lighter side: A Short Joke :)

Considering my last blog related to my uneasy feelings around the use of technology within this project (Saving King County 4-H) and in general CD work, I felt the email I received from a former colleague at the Northwest Lions Foundation was quite appropriate.  In particular, since my dual posting of my previous blog was done on a discussion board where some of my feedback was also regarding how suffocating, if you will, being "connected" through various online forums and media can seem.  With this said, Enjoy!

MY LIVING WILL  

Last night my sister and I were sitting in the den and I said to her, 'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle to keep me alive.  That would be no quality of life at all,  If that ever happens, just pull the plug.  So she got up, unplugged the computer, and threw out my wine.   She's such a *!~#$!

Courtesy of M. Rastatter, via email correspondence received May 19, 2010.