Kiowa County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent - Kansas Staffing : Job Details

Kansas State University

About This Role

Extension agents are professional educators, community connectors, and innovators who serve as a link between Kansas State University and communities across Kansas. Agents are jointly responsible to the director of K-State Research and Extension and the local extension board. Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive 4-H youth development program for school-aged youth in cooperation with local community members and extension colleagues. The primary focus of this position is youth development, along with adult volunteer development; youth education program development; membership growth and participation; and community partnership expansion. Programming will include but is not limited to: community club support, out-of-school programs, school enrichment, volunteer management, and outreach to create programs with new and existing community partners.

Secondary to leading the 4-H Youth Development program, provide leadership for the development and implementation of research-based educational programming to strengthen families, build community capacity, and increase community health and wellness, and develop volunteers to assist in the delivery of extension educational programs. Share responsibility for community vitality programming that helps our communities become better places to live, work, and play by strengthening social, civic, economic, and technological capacity through leadership development and civic engagement.

Successful extension programs require agents to:

• Identify local needs and emerging issues related to K-State Research and Extension's five Grand Challenges by engaging with program development committees and other community organizations and professionals.
• Design appropriate educational strategies to respond to emerging needs and engage clientele by aligning with the imperatives of the K-State Next-Gen Strategic Plan. Strategies might include educational programming in a community-based setting; events and activities that provide experiential learning opportunities; use of innovative technologies; individual educational consultations; and group facilitation.
• Collaborate with local partners to meet community and programmatic needs.
• Recruit and manage volunteers to further the reach and impact of extension programming.
• Develop and implement strategies to serve all community audiences.
• Collect and communicate evidence of educational program impact.
• Cultivate expertise in a subject matter competency area by engaging as a member of the Youth Development Program Focus Team.
• Pursue internal and external funding to support educational programming.
• Serve as a member of the Kiowa County team, cooperating in the planning and delivery of county-wide programming and related events.
• May periodically be assigned to serve as the local unit director providing administrative oversight for fiscal operations; coordination of personnel; the development, delivery, and reporting of program impact; and other administrative functions assigned by the director for extension's representative and the local extension board.