Steve Wagoner is a youth development educator with University of Illinois Extension. He holds a master's degree in Extension education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His bachelor's degree is from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Beginning his Extension career in 1983, Wagoner currently specializes in 4-H youth development programming for youth and volunteer leaders, leadership development, curriculum development, and youth agency coalition building. Based in the Edwardsville Extension Center, he works with county Extension staff and others to design educational programs based on local expressed needs and trends.
He is a member of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, the Illinois Extension Professionals for Youth Education Association, the Association for School and Curriculum Development, and the Association of Volunteer Administrators.
Leadership training for youth and adults
Personal and group leadership skills are developed through single session workshops as well as through multiple, sequenced sessions for a given audience. Training and educational programs are available for people currently in leadership positions as well as for people not yet fulfilling leadership roles. Seven core leadership skills are addressed: (1) understanding self; (2) communicating; (3) getting along with others; (4) learning to learn; (5) making decisions; (6) managing; and (7) working with groups.
Adult and youth volunteerism
Tailored to the needs of volunteers as well as to volunteer managers, training and educational programs on all aspects of the volunteer staffing cycle are available. Cycle components include: (1) Identifying staffing needs; (2) describing volunteer roles to meet needs; (3) designing volunteer roles; (4) recruiting, screening, and placing volunteers in roles; (5) orienting volunteers to roles; (6) training volunteers to develop skills; (7) providing support, liaison, and supervision; (8) evaluating performance, documenting successes, and making recommendations; (9) providing appreciation and recognition; and (10) reviewing the volunteer staffing plan. Specialized sessions are also available on trends in volunteerism, working with generational differences of volunteers, and teens as volunteers.
Youth-adult partnerships
Training and educational programs are available for both young people and adults working together on programs, councils, committees, and community coalitions. Effective youth-adult partnerships are powerful resources for communities, but they sometimes are not effective. Support is available for partnership concepts such as components of effective youth-adult partnerships, understanding and respecting differences between youth and adults, creating a common shared vision for youth-adult partnerships, and sustaining and enhancing youth-adult partnerships over time.
Youth service learning
Feeling connected to one's community is an important part of positive youth development. In order for youth to be effective contributors to community service, they must be properly trained and prepared. Training is available to help youth groups combine education with service.
Youth activism in community development
Young people can play active and meaningful roles in the development of their communities. Training and educational programs are available to assist youth in identifying, studying, and addressing critical issues present or emerging in their lives, their families, and their communities.
Needs assessment
Effective information gathering techniques such as nominal groups, focus groups, and survey questionnaires are the key to successful program development, implementation, and evaluation. There are many techniques to consider, and training is available on understanding, selecting, and utilizing the right ones.
Strategic thinking and planning
In order for groups and coalitions to effectively address issues they are facing, they must be strategic in their thinking and planning. Training and educational programs are available to help them: (1) plan for planning; (2) consider unavoidable mandates; (3) examine values to develop a mission and vision for success; (4) assess external and internal environments; (5) analyze and develop plans to address important issues; (6) carry out plans and facilitate action; and (7) reassess and modify chosen strategies.
Building community-based collaborations for youth audiences
Our complex society makes it impossible for a single agency or organization to solve all of the problems facing young people. Training and educational programs are available to help communities build functioning coalitions by: (1) choosing effective facilitators; (2) effectively assessing needs; (3) setting goals; (4) communicating; (5) mobilizing the community; (6) embracing and practicing diversity; (7) dealing with turf battles; (8) expanding resources; and (9) evaluating the collaborative process.
Forming and strengthening 4-H community clubs and other youth groups
Young people benefit greatly and develop positively when part of organized groups. Training and educational programs are available to new and existing youth groups on developing and incorporating the eight critical elements of positive youth development: (1) a positive relationship with a caring adult; (2) a welcoming and inclusive environment; (3) a physically and psychologically safe environment; (4) an appropriately structured environment; (5) opportunities to achieve competency and mastery; (6) opportunities for self-determination; (7) opportunities to value and practice service to others; and (8) active participation in the future. The offerings can be tailored to 4-H community clubs.
Evaluating youth development program initiatives
Strong youth development programs have strong evaluation components based on clear and concise program goals. Training and educational programs are available to help youth development practitioners choose and develop effective evaluation strategies early in the program development process. Support is also available to identify realistic evaluation options at the end of the program too.
