|
What happened to the Core Technical Teams (CTT) that we were hearing about this summer? Can we still form a CTT?
The CTT concept was proposed during a July program planning retreat attended by agents and specialists, and facilitated by the Program Leadership Team (PLT). When the results of that retreat were offered to the system for comment, it became apparent that this concept needed some refinement. Some thought that there were too many CTTs, others suggested that there were not enough CTTs, and many observed that this concept of programming would largely continue "business as usual" for Extension.
The PLT met again, considered all input received from the system, looked at programming models used in other states, and proposed ways of adjusting the CTT model that had been originally proposed. Out of these discussions arose the idea of Core Competency Areas (CCAs), within which Work Teams would form. The CCAs would be lead by a specialist or agent, whose role would be largely administrative in nature. The Work Teams that formed within the CCAs would be analogous, in most respects, the the core technical teams that had been proposed earlier in the year.
While the core technical team name and acronym has gone away, the concept still is very much alive. Those of you who have been working on active Plan of Work teams should easily be able to transition into the Work Team concept. Likewise, the core technical teams that were proposed a few months ago should be proposed as Work Teams by those of you interested in forming a team.
What is the incentive for me to join a Work Team?
Members of Work Teams will influence the direction that Extension programming takes in their respective Work Team area. They will develop curricula and evaluation tools used for delivery of educational programs. Work Team involvement will provide opportunities to be involved with grant writing and other forms of revenue generation. Perhaps most importantly, membership on a WT provides a way for the Extension agent to focus a greater percentage of their time and effort in an area or issue of special interest.
Will everyone be expected to join a Work Team?
No. It is recognized that individuals may be unable to devote the time necessary to be a Work Team member. As Work Team Associates, these agents will be responsible for the delivery of educational programs developed by Work Teams, as well as assessment of program impact. These roles are equally important as that of program development and essential to the success of individual Work Teams and Extension.
In applying to form a Work Team, how do we know in which Core Competency Area our Work Team should be located?
For many Work Teams, their CCA "home" will be easy to identify. For others, however, this might not be so apparent. A WT dealing with a water-related issue, for example, might be located in any of 2 or 3 CCAs: Natural Resources and the Environment, Competitive & Sustainable Agricultural Systems - or even Community Resource Development. When WT applications are reviewed by the CCA leaders, as part of the Program Leadership Team, these questions will be carefully considered. The work of some Teams may (and, perhaps, SHOULD!) cut across 2 or 3 CCAs. One of the important duties of the CCA leaders is to foster communication between those WTs working in related or complementary areas.
|
