APEN 2001 International Conference

Toowoomba, 4th-5th October 2001

Hot Topic No

3

Final Title of Topic

Getting out of the Rut

Name of Leader

John James

Names of Participants

Dan McLuskey, Abigail Jenkins, Amanda Miller, Greg Leach, Tony Kock, Dean Holland, Nigel Gallas, Megan Connelly, John barker, Sue Sorrensen, Rachael Webster, Joy Deguara, Rosemary Currie, Kym McKauge, Vickie Webb, Denise Bewsell, Tobert Chaffe, Leath Stewart, Helen Clarke, Laurie Lumsden, Galina Barrett, Rebecca Scott, Darren Moor, Lee-anne Mintern, Mike Young, Dan Galligan, Colin Holt, Megan McNicholl, Gordon Brown

• The Desired Outcome: - Where we are in 10 years time
• Know what your business is – clear statement of purpose etc
• Define the business we are in and who our clients are
• Recognise that we are change agents
• At the next conference we will have all sections represented
• Shared vision
• Expand past government agencies
• Clear roles, work in roles but come together at local level to share resources, knowledge, discuss issues, plan strategic approach.
• Improve my/our thinking on how to do extension
• People value us for our intrinsic skill
• Extension on business card/nametag
• Value the contributions of everyone
• Know who our targets and partners are
• Having political identity for extension
• Fewer of us and know as change agents – known not for what we are but what we do

Strategies

• Get genuine appreciation of target audience and their characteristics
• Different messages to different audiences
• Make APEN peak body in extension and get onto Boards etc.
• Change the name from extension or broaden what is coming under the word extension. – easier to change us than change others
• Individually believe that we are valuable people in the community – change self talk and be prepared to contribute
• Get better at positive appreciative inquiry technique – building on valuable things people have done
• Strengthen local teams – a lot of doing, easier in small rural communities
• Keep in contact
• Be sprookers for profession
• Develop networks built on relationships – incorporating process into the members of networks
• Immerse people in process
• Evaluation is essential – what are tools to measure?
• Take risks and try new ways of doing things
• Skills audit within community to help value people

Full Action Plan to achieve that Outcome

What needs to be done	By When	By Whom
Job analysis of extension practitioner	June 02	Dan
Share job description	Nov 01	Greg Leach
2 case studies on interdisciplinary cross-agency teams … with longitudinal study, change in extension, CDLN Network Involve Jess Jennings	Feb 2002	Greg Leach
Network Toowoomba SW , where are EW – how link?	Feb 2002	Sue & Rachael Galina
Form E-mail group	Feb 2002	Rachael
Joint Conference	Nov 01	Rob
Work with DPI “Brigalow Beef” & youth	Oct 01	Laurie
Promoting extension as profession broadly	Nov 01	Rebecca
Model of forming community network	Nov 01	Leanne & Joy
Formal link with institute of cultural affairs, information to be shared with group	Next week	Michael & Rob
Investigate potential name change – maybe e-mail survey	Next forum	Amanda & APEN