Oregon Outreach: Increasing the participation of Latino(a) youth and families in the Oregon 4-H program.



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OSU Extension Organizational Change Summary

Increasing Capacity to Meet the Needs of Latino Youth and Families.

One of the objectives of the Oregon Outreach Project is to increase the statewide capacity of Oregon State University Extension to deliver community-based programs for Latino children, youth and families. Latino audiences have not been a part of the traditional Oregon Extension audience, and therefore, if Extension is to effectively reach Latino and other new audiences, changes in the organization must be made.

To date much progress has been made by OSU Extension to bring about needed organizational change. Many of the actions that have been taken are summarized below under the six components of organizational change identified by the Children, Youth, and Families At Risk National Initiative.

1. Develop and implement a common vision and strategic plan for programming for Latino children, youth, and families.

  • Oregon Extension's vision and strategic plan for children, youth, and families articulates a specific focus on serving Latino youth and families.
  • Outreach to underserved audiences is a major focus of the Oregon 4-H Program's Plan of Work.
  • The vision is communicated in an ongoing manner through newsletter articles, presentations at conferences and meetings, and through workgroups.
  • The OSU Extension Strategic Directions Plan identifies programming for Latino audiences as a priority.

2. Train, support, and reward Extension salaried and volunteer staff for implementing programs which accomplish the vision.

  • Training and technical assistance are provided for state and local staff engaged in outreach to Latino youth and families. State staff provide support for Latino programming in the areas of connectivity and technology, volunteer development, collaboration, curriculum, and evaluation.

  • Oregon Outreach demonstration counties receive financial support through grants from CSREES. Local demonstration sites and other counties engaged in outreach to Latinos also generate additional funding from state and local sources.

  • Oregon Extension and the OSU 4-H Foundation provide financial support for outreach through FTE allocations and through innovative grants.

  • The Extension communications unit provides support for the development and translation of publications in Spanish.

  • County Extension programs support allocation of staff time to Latino outreach.

  • Staff are recognized for their expertise in outreach to Latino audiences. Their work has been featured in Extension staff publications and by local media and has been nominated for Extension awards.

  • The annual performance appraisal process and the OSU promotion and tenure process recognize outreach efforts.

3. Recognize Extension professionals as critical resources in research and education for Latino children, youth, families, and community issues.

  • Outreach staff are asked by local and state organizations, including Latino organizations, to share their knowledge and experience.

  • Outreach staff present workshops and seminars at state Extension staff and volunteer development conferences and at regional and national conferences, helping others to more effectively meet the needs of Latino youth and families.

4. Promote diversity, inclusivity, and pluralism in Extension programs and staff.

  • OSU Extension has increased the number of staff members who are
    Latino. Two of the bilingual, bicultural Latino staff positions are
    funded through the efforts of the Oregon Outreach Project.

  • The Director's Cabinet Commitment to Diversity Proclamation was signed in 1999.

  • Oregon Extension campus and county offices provide summer internships for OSU undergraduate minority students.

  • Latino youth and adults are actively involved in the design of programs to ensure programs are culturally appropriate.

  • 4-H program policies and practices have been reviewed to ensure that they encourage the participation of Latino adults as 4-H volunteers.

  • The availability of Extension publications and organizational materials in Spanish has increased.

5. Promote internal collaborations of Extension programs and other University departments in programming for Latino children, youth, and families across the state.

  • The 4-H Program and the Family and Community Development Program collaborate to offer complementary training and support around issues of diversity.

  • On campus, links are maintained between the Oregon Outreach Project and Centro Cultural César Chávez , as well as with the OSU Admissions Office and other offices that provide education and support services for undergraduate Latino students.

6. Promote and join external collaborations of community, county, state, and federal agencies and organizations to strengthen programs and policy for Latino children, youth, and families.

  • At the state level Oregon Outreach Project staff collaborate with Latino-serving organizations in support of Latino children, youth, and families.

  • At the local level, outreach programs have partnered with more than 50 agencies and organizations having Latino interests.