Oct8Voices & Values, October 8, 2014

Cornell Cooperative Extension

EXTENSION RECONSIDERED October 8, 2014

“Engagement means involving people who may be affected by research, extension, or decisions in those processes, so that they are

Voices and Values

truly invested in the outcomes. “

The Extension Reconsidered project was an invitation to all of our stakeholders to ‘join a conversation’ about the future of extension work and engagement. Multiple pathways to participation represented our attempt to be accessible and open to a wide range of input. From face to face deliberation to online comments received via our blog, we have gathered a lot of data that reaffirms the value of, and desire for, an engaged and vital extension system at work in New York State.

- A Comment received

Deliberative processes at work During the past 3 months we facilitated 7 deliberative forums—2 on-campus and 5 in association offices. These forums focused specifically on the question of university-community engagement and the role of Cornell Cooperative Extension in the future.

We chose a deliberative approach as part of our reflection on Extension and its role in University-Community Engagement because we feel that a deliberative process offers particular benefits, such as: The Extension Reconsidered project in New York State is encouraging a “deliberative” approach as part of our reflection on Extension and its role in University-Community Engagement. Using a deliberative process offers particular benefits, such as: 

Building understanding and knowledge about our system



Providing a facilitated forum to help bridge differences in opinion about our work



Engaging diverse voices in order to seek answers about how we could work



Engaging in a democratic process to model problem solving

Contents 

Voices and Values



What we heard



Stories of Extension



A Dramatic Tradition

How many?

Word cloud from Campus Deliberative forum August 2014

What we heard



7 Deliberative Forums



2 more deliberative forums will be held this fall



3 Story Circles



150+ stakeholders engaged in face to face deliberative activities



8 one on one interviews



910 unique visitors to our blog

During the course of the deliberative forums we were fortunate enough to be able connect with nearly 100 of our stakeholders in dialog. Below are a few of the many comments we heard that we’d like to highlight: “… the issues of relevance, engagement, accessibility, and value struck me as being completely connected to achieving greater diversity and inclusion. We must, as a system, actively, deliberately, and passionately link our obligation of serving NYS families and communities to effectively working with the increasing diverse families and communities of NYS. If we continue to do what we have always done with the "traditional" audiences we have always served (and who know us very well) instead of engaging in deliberative forums about Extension Reconsidered, we'll find ourselves engaging in conversations of Extension Remembered.”“ (Deliberative Forum survey response) “I love that we help people every single day, and that we do it in so many different ways. …If we ever lose sight of what the community needs are, and make it more about research and more about how the programs are defined, I think we are going to lose the essence of extension.” (Deliberative Forum participant)

“Farmers and farm advisors play a key role in my program. We work together… I don't work for them, they don't work for me...we agree that we can benefit if we work together, with each of us bringing in our expertise etc.” (Survey response from DF participant)

“There has to be the cooperative in Cooperative Extension. It’s not Cornell Extension, it’s Cornell Cooperative Extension. There has to be communication” (Deliberative Forum participant)

This is a very small sample of what we heard. Be sure to check the Extension Reconsidered blog for more.

Deliberative forum Seneca County

“To me, engagement

is humble. It is not going out there and proclaiming your presence and forcing

yourself upon an industry for the sake of showing off. Engagement is listening to

CCE Extension Reconsidered blog : http://extrecon.cce.cornell.edu

the farmer whose crops are failing due

Extending the conversation

to weed problems,

The Extension Reconsidered blog was a key part of the on-going conversa-

like to be on food

tion we have had over the past few months. It is our hope that the blog will continue to provide a space for ongoing dialog that continues to deepen the conversation about extension and the future. We will be leaving the blog up for the foreseeable future, and it will continue to serve as a place for us to post further analysis and extracts from the deliberative forums, as well as other new content.

stamps in a food de-

One of our colleagues made innovative use of the blog by sitting down with 8 co-

working hard to truly understand what it is

workers and conducting small interviews with them. She then transcribed these

sert, supporting an

industry that is struggling and not just

short interviews and uploaded them to the blog.

If you haven’t visited the blog, we encourage you to take a look. You’ll find a whole chorus of different voices talking about our system, the challenges and opportunities we face and possibilities for the future.

those undergoing growth.”

“To me, Cornell Cooperative Extension is ... the most important mechanism in proving objective information to the public

- A Comment received

for enhanced decision making...a life calling of all of us doing extension work” - A Comment received

“There must be some compatibility of mission at the idea and material level as well as an openness and willingness to create mutually beneficial pathCitizen U. youth performing at the NY State Fair August 2014

A dramatic tradition

ways for accomplishing this mission. “ - A Comment received

One element of the Extension Reconsidered project here in New York State is focused on re-claiming theater as a tool for extension. There is a history of theater in extension work that has faded from recent memory. A quick glance at the “Extension Methods Handbook” from 1926 reveals the “Community Dramatics” project. The goals of Community Dramatics were “To train local leaders of dramatics to assist in improving their dramatic productions, to develop the social value of dramatics and to train people in self expression.”

Working with Civic Ensemble, an Ithaca based civic-minded theater company, we have been able to re-engage with dramatics by engaging youth at the NY State Fair and producing a new play Circle Forward which is being premiered on October 8, 2014.

The participation of youth from Citizen U. of Broome county—who wrote, produced and performed at the state fair—gained some broad recognition when Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO, National 4H Council re-tweeted a link to our blog post about their performance.

Weaving together voices from the past and present , Circle Forward, presents the work of extension as multi-faceted and thriving. Circle Forward also explores some of the tensions inherent in navigating the seas of change we face while striving to maintain fidelity to our mission and vision.

Acknowledgements We would like to thank 

the Extension Reconsidered advisory committee (comprised of community members, extension educators, and faculty),



the Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations that hosted a deliberative forum,



those that blogged and reached out to others,



Citizen U youth,



and all that joined the conversation.



A very special thank you to Godfrey Simmons and Sarah Chalmers of Civic Ensemble.