Identifying Beginning Farmer and Rancher Needs in Times of Change: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Learning Community The session will begin shortly. Session 4 Please connect your audio. Identifying Beginning Farmer and Rancher Needs in Times of Change: Exploring an Appreciative Perspective for Responsive Programming July 16, 2020 On your screen, click the “Join Audio by Computer” button If you are having trouble, you can join by phone – click on the Call t tab

1. If you don’t hear anything now - please choose an audio connection – through your computer or your phone. There are two options to connect. 2. If you are having any technical difficulties , contact Vanessa Ackermann in the chat box, or email her directly vschlege@ucsc.edu. 3. If you are on both your computer and the phone, private message Vanessa if you don’t see a phone and video icon next to your name in the participant list. 4. Everyone has been placed on mute to reduce noise . Please stay on mute when not talking. 5. This session is NOT being recorded. But Chat will be downloaded. Technical Info & Process

GR GREW Purpose: Support evaluation of beginning farmer training efforts Project ct Staff find evaluation Gaining Results accessible, efficient Desired and useful; Outcomes: Organizations will do through more evaluation and Evaluation Work improve efforts Activities: Tools, webinars, learning community

Project ct Partners Project ct Advisors Jan Perez, Lead, Evaluator Chris Brown Damian Parr Vanessa Ackermann Gary Matteson Kim Niewolny, Co-lead Jim Hafner Tom Archibald, Evaluator Katie Trozzo Amy Bacigalupo Beth Holtzman Jennifer Hashley, Co-lead Mavrolas & Pam Mavrolas, Evaluator Associates

Learning Community Sessions Continue the Discussion Learn from Experience Best Practices Practitioners & Evaluators

Learning Community Sessions Continue the Discussion Today’s Focus Learn from Experience Exploring an Appreciative Best Practices Perspective for Responsive Programming Practitioners & Evaluators

Jennifer Hashley Beth Holtzman Director – New Entry Sustainable Coordinator – UVM Farming Project – Tufts University Extension New Farmer Project Presenters

Needs Assessment • Explore approaches to gather information to design a new program, resource, or intervention Activities • Use discussion tool to reflect and explore approach Desired Outcomes • Inspired, confident, make plans Today’s Session

1 Context – needs assessment overview Review discussion questions (15 minutes) 2 Explore needs assessment practices and possibilities – small groups of 4 people – (35 minutes) 3 Share highlights - large group – (25 minutes) Agenda

Do Don’t w we k know w what f far armers n need? • Many of us are farmers…right? • How do we get our information? • New relationships / communities (BLM) • What assumptions do we make / bias do we have? • To “pivot”, need to connect and learn • Are we Relevant? Redundant? Resourceful? Ridiculous? • Part of broader program evaluation framework

Wha What is s a Needs ds Asse ssessm ssment? “a systematic set of procedures undertaken for the purpose of setting needs-based priorities and making decisions about organizational improvement and allocation of resources.” Witkin & Altshuld (1995)

Wh Why y conduc nduct a Needs ds Asse ssessm ssment? • Share your thoughts…..add your ideas to the chat!

Wh Why y conduc nduct a Needs ds Asse ssessm ssment? • Inform program development • Ensure services are still on target (changing conditions) • Justify new directions/programs • Allocate resources • Stronger grant proposals • Improve planning efforts • Connect with stakeholders • Give stakeholders a voice in service delivery • How do we + participants define success? • Responsive programming

Le Levels of of Ne Needs A Assessme ment • Program or organization • Community • Training – specific gaps in knowledge • Formal • Planning, data collection, analysis, reporting • Informal • Limited time and financial resources • Part of iterative program design • Conversations with farmers

Fr Fram ameworks – ma many n name mes! • Gap analysis • Environmental Scan • SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) • SOAR analysis (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) • Appreciative Inquiry Model • Asset Mapping • Business case (service, product) • Market analysis

St Steps i in a a Ne Needs A Assessme ment • ID Key Questions ( the big ? – not survey ?s ) • Develop data gathering plan • Gather Data (see 6 D’s) • Organize, synthesize, summarize data • Reflect back to stakeholders • Incorporate into planning

6 D 6 D’s of of G Gatheri ring D DATA ( ( Ky Kylie Hutchinson) 1. Deficit [ Dream ] – what is the actual need requiring intervention? Document the gap between current and desired outcome 2. Develop – what are existing strengths program could build on? 3. Describe – who are the proposed participants? 4. Desires – what do participants want in terms of content, format? 5. Duplication – are there similar/overlapping programs? Identify the unique niche of your program. 6. Demand – Would participants attend? Document willingness/ interest. https://communitysolutions.ca/web/

Da Data C a Colle llect ctio ion M Methods • Surveys • Interviews • Focus groups • Observations • Case studies • Research literature What other data collection methods have you used?

Da Data C a Colle llect ctio ion P Plan lan Info Type Key Data Source Data Timing Responsibility Budget (6 D’s) Questions Collection Method Deficit [Dream] Develop Describe Desires Duplication Demand

Source: https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu/educational-material/appreciative-traditional-models/

Inc Incorpo porating ting Equity quity in in Needs eeds Asses essmen ent • More people/voices/perspectives, especially at the state of developing the questions for the needs assessment , is critical • Consider race, equity, culture context; cultural competency training for staff? • Diversity in terms of: • Roles • Geography • Demographics • Culture • Affiliations • Kinds of data collecting: primary/secondary; quantitative/qualitative • Priority populations • Interviews with community leaders • Focus groups with key members of community • Open community meetings to discuss project; proposed impacts http://publicpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/PPA-Culturally-Responsive-Lens.pdf

• We All Count data equity framework: https://weallcount.com/the-data-process/ • Community Tool Box: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing- community-needs-and-resources • CDC Community Needs Assessment: https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/healthprotection/fetp/training_modules/15/commun ity-needs_pw_final_9252013.pdf • Community Solutions: https://communitysolutions.ca/web/ • Appreciative Inquiry Commons: https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu/learn/appreciative-inquiry-introduction/ • Center for Appreciative Inquiry: https://www.centerforappreciativeinquiry.net/resources/appreciative/ • https://www.equitableeval.org/resources Publication: Considerations for Conducting Evaluation Using a Culturally Responsive and Racial Equity Lens, Public Policy Associates, Lansing, MI.

Reflection Tool for : : Identifying Beginning Farmer and Rancher Needs in Times of Change 1. How are you identifying the needs of those you serve? How are you gathering information? 2. Given the current context, what are your organization’s assets, strengths and opportunities to support your stakeholders? What asset or strengths do your beginning farmers (or stakeholders) bring to this moment? 3. What is the most significant challenge your stakeholders are experiencing that your organization could do more to address in the current crisis? 4. Whose voices are represented well? Whose voices are missing? How can you improve representation and engagement? 5. How could you support your stakeholders/organization to create a compelling vision of the future using the best of the past and that also inspires and challenges the status quo?

Process • 4 people per group – randomly generated • Some groups will self-facilitate • Agenda and questions will be put in chat • Assign a note taker to report back during large group Small Group Discussion (35 min)

Agenda 1. Introduce yourself to each other – 1 minute per person - (5 min) a. Name, location, organization, who you serve 2. Each person share on the 1 st and 2 nd questions - (10 min) 3. Each person share on the 3 rd question - (10 min) 4. Each person share on the 4 th and 5 th questions - (10 min) Small Group Discussion (35 min)

1. We hope you’ll join us! a. Don’t need to have experience with needs assessment b. It’s okay if you have to leave half way through the discussion 2. To set up breakout groups, we need to know who’ll stay a. Now is a good time to hop off the session if you need to leave or the focus isn’t fitting for your needs b. This will give Vanessa a chance to organize groups of 4 Small Group Discussion (35 min)