In response to budget cuts in 2002, 4-H staffing models were restructured. The response by University of Idaho Extension was intended to continue meeting the needs of Idaho’s citizens with fewer UI Extension faculty. This staffing reorganization led to the formation of the District III 4-H Team who united to bring stronger 4-H programs to south central Idaho and expand programs to underserved audiences. Information from surveys and interviews over the past seven years reflects the effectiveness, challenges and successes of the District III 4-H Team. In Making the Best Better: 4-H Staffing Patterns and Trends in the Largest Professional Network in the Nation (2007), author Kirk A. Astroth notes a nationwide change in 4-H leadership at the county level from 4-H faculty to program assistants or coordinators. The information gathered in our research may help other states determine staffing models to meet the needs of clientele in these changing times.
Water resources of Camas Prairie, south-central Idaho