What is the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program?
"Master Volunteer" programs are not new to Cooperative Extension. Perhaps
the most familiar master volunteer effort that is offered nationally through
Cooperative Extension, is the Master Gardener Program started in 1972.
The Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program is a national volunteer training and
involvement initiative to focus specifically on core areas of Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences. A major feature of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer
Program is to compile and share examples of successful Family & Consumer Sciences-related volunteer
programs that have been implemented throughout the country.
2015-06-02 10.00 Master FCS Volunteer Program from USDA/NIFA & MSU Extension on Vimeo.
What is the goal for the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program?
To develop a Master Family and Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program as a
model that can be replicated in other states or regions.
To meet the goal of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program, what are the program objectives?
What is the purpose of Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program?
What is unique about the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program?
The Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program is specifically developed to promote all Extension Family & Consumer Sciences core program areas. To assist with planning and the implementation of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program, self-guided materials have been compiled for local customization.
Materials include:
Extension Family & Consumer Sciences educators can learn more about the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program by going to www.masterFamily & Consumer Sciencesvolunteerprogram.info
Where are Master Family & Consumer Sciences Programs located?
How does the program work?
The Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program provides the foundation training for volunteers to learn about the Cooperative Extension; the history and core areas of Family & Consumer Sciences; and, function and unique roles of volunteering. Before becoming involved with a specific Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer initiative, Cooperative Extension staff, State Extension Specialists, and perhaps local Family & Consumer Sciences professionals teach a series of classes to train volunteers in unbiased, research-based, background and practices of Extension and Family & Consumer Sciences core areas. There are three modules consisting of 12 lessons to the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program. For instruction purposes, each lesson is formatted as a Power Point presentation and consists of a teaching script. While the amount of time spent on each lesson will depend on participants and instructor, each program lesson is designed to be taught in approximately 60 minutes, including classroom participation. Classroom participation enhances the educational understanding as students are encouraged to network and share their own experiences, thereby learning from each other. As an option, Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program coordinators may offer volunteers a self-paced option for reviewing the lessons. Self-paced Power Point lessons with voice-over embedded script is available on the program website. Following the completion of all or several of the lessons, at the discretion of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program coordinator, the volunteer may participate in a locally-offered Family & Consumer Sciences related Master Volunteer Program.
Module and lesson topics for the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program are listed here:
What are the benefits of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program to volunteer?
Must all the lessons be completed and tested by to volunteers before they can participant in a local Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Project?
A primary purpose of the Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program is to build Family & Consumer Sciences capacity through recruiting/training and utilization of volunteers. Therefore it is critical that volunteers understand Cooperative Extension and core areas of Family & Consumer Sciences as well as their unique responsibilities of being a volunteer. To ensure volunteers are effective in their role, the Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program has developed, with input from Extension Family & Consumer Sciences professionals across the nation, 12 Family & Consumer Sciences lessons. While it is not a requirement that volunteers complete all lessons and test their knowledge of each lesson, it is critical that Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program coordinators assess the knowledge and understanding of each volunteer. For those areas of uncertainty, selected lessons should be used and follow-up testing is strongly encouraged.
Can a State or County Extension office modify the requirements and lessons to suit their program needs?
To provide a comprehensive and accurate foundation of Extension, Family & Consumer Sciences and volunteer fundamentals, the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program content was developed with input from Extension Family & Consumer Sciences professionals across the nation. To maintain the integrity of the Master Family & Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program, changing the lesson objectives and deleting information from the lessons is discouraged.
However, to ensure all materials include local relevant and unique information and perhaps photos, Extension professionals are encouraged to add to the lessons.