Archway Concept
COLQUITT PILOT:
OBSERVATIONS OF A COUNTY COORDINATOR
Submitted by: Scott N. Brown
Why do we need Archway? Why can’t we, in our current
capacity, provide the same things that Archway hopes to deliver?
I
can only address this from the perspective of our county situation.
The depth of assistance that Archway provides to a community requires
a commitment beyond what our current office personnel has the ability
to deliver, in terms of both time and expertise. It requires an in-depth
knowledge of the total resources of the University at large and the
interrelationships between University Services and other government
entities providing similar services and the ability to rapidly connect,
interact and network with these groups. This is not a repackaged
version of pre 1991 Community Resource Development being conducted
by agents trained in Ag, youth work and Family and Consumer Science,
it is CRD conducted by those trained in this discipline. It requires
specialized faculty to be successful just as Ag and the other Extension
program areas have required specialized faculty to achieve the success
we enjoy.
How involved does an existing Extension staff
have to become?
My involvement
with and observation of the Archway Pilot indicates to me that an agent
or office can become completely immersed in this program or remain
as aloof as he or she desires. It is my opinion that the economic gravity
of the program dictates that the Extension staff function in a facilitative
capacity with Archway as needed and be an equal partner in participation
where Archway is addressing an item specific to an existing program
area. That is, Archway should not assume a lead role if the issue being
addressed comes directly under the FACS or Ag program umbrella. I further
feel that it is the County Coordinators responsibility to maintain
sufficient communication with the Archway Coordinator to know in what
directions the program is going and who the program is involving. I
feel that as the program evolves agents will have the opportunity to
function as Archway personnel if they so desire.
Will the program be forced on you?
As it currently functions I feel
that the answer is no since it requires a significant commitment from
the community to put the program in place. Therefore, it will have
to be sold to the community before it can become part of a county program.
You will and must be involved in this process. Under no circumstances
should Archway be considered (at least by Extension Administration)
as a separate entity from the local Extension office. To do so undermines
the concept of County Delivery. It is also going to require a large
commitment in terms of dollars from the Extension/Public Service and
Outreach collaborative to expand the program. Due to funding constraints
it is my opinion that the program will become regional in nature and
will be staffed by Archway personnel. It is at this point that the
program may have problems maintaining its identity with the local Extension
Offices. Such a problem should be far enough in the future that it
could be circumvented with foresight and planning.
top
Over the years there have been many groups to help with the emerging
issues of Moultrie/Colquitt County. Typically this help has resulted
in the development of various plans to achieve designated goals with
suggested resources to help put the plan into effect. Most of these
are filed away waiting for action. Thus far it appears that Archway
is breaking this mold. Under Dennis Epps leadership Archway identifies
the problem, develops a plan and then is actively involved in the solution
process. For the program to be unique and effective I feel that it
must be delivered in this manner. Archway cannot survive as merely
a broker of information and resources to help address problems. It
will also have to be active in achieving solutions. If it succeeds
it will not be because of the number of plans it helps develop, it
will be because of the goals it helps achieve beyond the plan. This
will require that Archway focus on key areas of need and prioritize.
Since specific stakeholders (funding bodies) were sought on the community
level (County government, City government, Board of Education and Hospital
Authority) it will be important to address at least one critical need
with each stakeholder.
top
Has the leadership of our community accepted Archway? In a few words,
yes, you would think that they have struck oil! For the most part this
is due to the outstanding leadership given to the program by Dennis
Epps. It is not just Dennis’s broad knowledge of University resources
and his understanding of campus politics, his working relationship
with numerous State and Federal Agencies and their programs, his wide
experience in the public sector and his diverse background and knowledge
of the numerous components (including agriculture) that makeup the “total” economy
of a community, it is also his ability to relate to people and their
problems. He can communicate with the educated and the illiterate and
make each feel comfortable in his presence and conversation. For this,
or any, Archway Program to be successful it will require someone with
these skill and attributes. Another sign of program acceptance is manifested
in the number of calls and request the program is receiving from the
private sector (developers, financial institutions and service providers
to name a few).
top
It would be premature to attempt to demonstrate impact, in terms of dollars
returned on investment, this early in the program. However, I think it
is safe to say that the impact on the “mindset” of the “Community” leadership
has been great. Further it has had impact on bringing to light numerous
problems that have stood in need of investigation for years. The fact that
activity has begun (not planning but corrective activity), in such a short
amount of time, on many such concerns is a measurable impact within itself.
top
In initial discussion about the possibility of an Archway program in
Colquitt County my first concern was what kind of investment, particularly
in terms of time, it would put on both my staff and myself. Due to the
intensity of our efforts and involvement in all program areas of Extension
work and the lack of specific expertise in the issues to be addressed by
Archway it was my viewpoint from the beginning that this concept would
require specific staffing to make it functional, much less effective. We
have served the program primarily in introductory, logistical and facilitative
capacities. Being the only UGA office/entity in the county our office was
(and is) the only logical site to house the program coordinator. Of course
this requires that the County Extension Coordinator be receptive to this
and be willing to provide for the necessary space, utilities and clerical
staff required by the Archway Program. A measurement of the acceptance
of this program not mentioned above, that is brought to mind by the above,
is there have been numerous offers extended for the housing of this program.
Due to the enormity of the use and need that this program will generate
(if it is as successful as it appears it will be) it will be essential
for it to be staffed in such a matter as to remain functional without putting
a burden/strain on the day-to-day programming of the Extension office staff.
While Archway should not function as a separate entity it should be self-sufficient
in its program execution, as Colquitt County’s Ag and FACS programs
are now executed, for the most part, independent of each other. Only when
an Archway program crosses over into another Extension Program area should
it become joint programming. There are several examples of this collaboration
(and we expect many more) currently ongoing with Archway and FACS. While
I realize that the confines of responsibility are much more narrow and
specific per agent in Colquitt County than many others it will require
this respect for traditional programming to make this program palatable
to many county programs. By the very nature of our work we are involved
daily in economic development. However the depth and breadth of that economic
development should conform to, and be driven by, the programmatic work
an agent is responsible for in the broader sense. Archway should not (and
at this time we are promised, will not) be forced on any county office/program
where it is not wanted. Archway will fail as either a companion to Extension
or a combinant function of our programming if it is forced on the rank-and-file.
top
- Visibility: Archway has added new and heightened visibility to the Colquitt
County Extension Office. It has served as a medium for highlighting our historic
efforts, impacts and the day-to-day importance of our Ag programming to an
important sector of nontraditional clientele (primarily the business and
economic development community). It has expanded our clientele base and provided
us with increased educational opportunities (particularly FACS) because of
the visibility generated (with business community) through the Archway program.
However, as the program moves forward the Archway Coordinator must be careful
and take measures to insure that the program is identified (recognized) by
the community as a partner with the Extension Office.
- Name Recognition: The program has helped in a number of cases to provide
a conduit for the community to give name recognition to Extension and understand
the collective of what goes on there: That it is not just the 4-H center
or the County Ag Agent’s office or the place where FACS programming
is taught but that the blend is “The Extension Office”.
- Extension is a part of UGA? It is on our letterhead, our business cards,
all of the information we present, and even the front entrance to our offices
but for what ever reason many of our clientele never make the connection
that their Extension office is the University of Georgia. No matter how much
advertising or marketing we do for some reason many people never grasp it: “I
thought you worked for the County or the State”? The Archway program
in its development has done more to define us as a part of UGA than all of
our previous efforts.
- Archway has paved the way for better understanding of what we do on a
day-to-day basis and to create a greater understanding and utilization of
extension office programs, how they are delivered, office personnel and their
divisions of expertise between our non-farm and other clientele.
- Improved funding? Increased recognition by the community at large has
created possibilities for improved funding for office needs and quite possibly
for 4-H and youth fund raising and program needs. These are currently being
investigated.
- In many ways having the Archway Coordinator in our office is like having
an extra agent. Due to his broad range of contacts and resource people, Dennis
has been able to help handle some of our calls that reside outside of our
normal routine. A good example is of a client whose communal household well
(used by six families) stopped pumping and neither she nor any of the others
had the income resource to repair it. Dennis was able in a manner of minutes
to connect her with several resources that could provide assistance to this
individual. It was just the type help she had called for and was very thankful
for his assistance.
top
In brief these are the observations I have made and the opinions I
have developed during the first six months of my interaction with
the Archway Pilot. At this time, I have no reservations about having
the pilot as a part of my county program and given the chance again
would welcome the opportunity to have it placed in my county. I feel
that as it currently exists any county wishing to participate in the
Archway concept should have professional staffing in all program areas.
Further, it is my opinion, for Archway to coexist and be successful
as a part of a county program, the County Coordinator must be secure
in his/her total program effort, open minded, willing to take a risk
and have the desire to be part of the future of Extension.
Return
to Archway Concept
