Ford County -H Youth Development Extension Agent

Ford County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent

Kansas State University

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 Extension (represented by a designated administrator) 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.
• 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.
• Identify local needs and emerging issues related to K‑State Extension's five critical issues (water and natural resources; community vitality; health; developing tomorrow's leaders; and global food systems) 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.
• 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 Ford 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 extension board.

• K‑State Extension connects Kansans to research-based information and education that helps individuals, families, businesses, and communities thrive. It is a partnership between Kansas State University and federal, state, and county governments.
• Extension agents are Kansas State University faculty working throughout the state to serve the needs of local communities.
• 4‑H provides school-aged youth with community, mentors, and learning opportunities to develop the skills they need to create positive change in their lives and communities.
• Ford County is in southwest Kansas, including the communities of Dodge City, Bucklin, Ford, Spearville, and Wright. The county has approximately 34,000 residents; 60% of whom are Spanish speaking.
• The Ford County 4‑H Youth Development program currently has six community clubs, with about 100 members. Local priorities include interstate exchange opportunities.