Area Youth, Families and Communities Advisor

Position Overview

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is seeking a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Area Youth, Families and Communities (YFC) Advisor to join a dynamic and multi-disciplinary North Coast Cooperative Extension team. UC ANR coordinates a statewide network of researchers and educators in partnership with Counties that are dedicated to the development and application of knowledge to address local agricultural, environmental, youth, and health issues. Over 200 UC ANR UCCE academics conduct research, outreach and education from locally based Cooperative Extension offices in over 70 locations. Our mission is to bring the University of California directly to Californians through research, extension, and education programs that support:
• Sustainable, safe, and nutritious food production and delivery
• Economic success in a global economy
• A sustainable, healthy, and productive environment
• Science literacy and youth development
By working and living among those we serve, UC ANR expands the University of California’s reach to engage all people and communities in California, ensuring equal access to the UC system, and an ability to do applied work that helps the communities we serve.

Location Headquarters: UCCE Humboldt County (Eureka, CA) or Del Norte County (Crescent City, CA)

Purpose. The Area Youth, Families and Communities (YFC) Advisor will promote healthy families and communities by designing, delivering and evaluating strategies for sustained behavior changes in youth and community health. This work combines helping youth develop into healthy, responsible, self-directed, productive citizens and simultaneously promotes community health and wellness. The advisor provides leadership and research expertise in nutrition and youth development and will collaborate with local professionals, UC advisors and specialists to address critical issues of childhood obesity, physical activity, and food security. This position will provide academic oversight of community education and outreach program staff related to families and youth, including UC 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H YDP), and the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Juntos. The CE advisor will provide leadership to these programs related to the broader sectors of community engagement, holistically addressing a healthy, diverse community for youth and their families. The CE advisor will provide extension leadership with external stakeholders and lead community collaborative grant development linking with appropriate CE colleagues and other researchers.

Applied Research, Extension and Education

The advisor will have the opportunity to work with 4‐H members and their families in all communities, along with the after-school setting where 4‐H Youth Development Program delivery also occurs. The counties’ 4‐H Youth Development Program is supported by a Community Education Specialist. All UC ANR CE academic appointees are responsible for performance in the areas of extending knowledge and information, applied research and creative activity, professional competence and activity and University and public service. This is an exciting opportunity to develop and deliver relevant program content to have meaningful impacts in local communities and throughout California.

Opportunities are plentiful for extension and research partnerships with residents, companies, local, state, and federal agencies, tribal governments, UC and CSU colleagues, and NGOs as well the variety of UC ANR programs and academics. The advisor joins a team of highly motivated Cooperative Extension colleagues who are passionate about their work and are dedicated to making a difference within the communities and throughout California. The potential for collaborative projects within the UC ANR system is nearly limitless.

Extension and Education: A strong local nutrition network of public and non-profit organizations and agencies offers numerous collaborative opportunities is available including: Humboldt and Del Norte Dept. of Health and Human Services, Humboldt Community for Activity & Nutrition, Humboldt Office of Education, First Five, United Indian Health Services, Latino Net, California Center for Rural Policy, and Food for People, among others.
Outreach methods will include individual consultations, field days, tours, meetings, web conferences, UC ANR publications, peer‐reviewed journals, and an appropriate mix of contemporary and emerging electronic tools such as online learning, web content systems and repositories, social media, impact and evaluation tools, along with specialized and public media outlets.

Research: Research opportunities may include determining program factors or community strategies that contribute to Positive Youth Development; finding effective nutritional messages and programmatic strategies that produce sustained behavior changes for children, youth and families; evaluating outcomes and effects of a coordinated multifaceted nutrition, agriculture and youth development program on outcomes such as chronic disease prevention, whole child health, health equity, positive youth development, and science literacy; and studying the efficacy of using youth as peer educators to deliver science and nutrition curriculum information. The YFC advisor would have the capacity to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives in a rural region where the need is immense among minority populations.

The advisor will be expected to publish results through UC Delivers, professional articles, peer‐reviewed publications, local, state, and national conferences, and local outlets. The academic in this position will be expected to interact with UC ANR Program Teams, advisors, specialists and others within the research/extension network to develop, strengthen and expand the local delivery of statewide programs.

Counties of Responsibility. This position can be headquartered in Humboldt County (Eureka, CA) or in Del Norte County (Crescent City, CA).

Reporting Relationship: The CE Advisor serves under the administrative guidance of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) County Director for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. The CE advisor is programmatically responsible to the Statewide Community Nutrition and Health Director and the Statewide 4-H Director.

Qualifications and Skills Required

Required Qualifications
Education: A minimum of a Master's Degree is required in nutrition, public health-related fields, and/or youth-human development-related fields along with desired expertise in community development, policy development and/or program evaluation with an emphasis on healthy living among youth, families, and communities is required at the time of appointment.

Additional Requirements
• A background investigation for the successful candidate will be required, including fingerprinting and a criminal history clearance by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This position is subject to the requirements and compliance of the California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). Employment within UC ANR is contingent upon securing written acknowledgement to comply with California law.
• Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability and property damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle.
• This is not a remote position. The candidate must be available to work onsite. In accordance with UC ANR Flexible Work Guidelines, flexible work agreements are available upon approval by supervisors and periodic re-evaluation.

Desired Experience
• Passion and desire to pursue a career in Cooperative Extension and community development.
• Experience in building partnerships with multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively plan programs, manage teams, and implement an applied research and outreach program, including setting measurable goals and objectives.
• Expertise in positive youth development, community nutrition, health equity, and/or health education.
• Experience working in diverse cultural settings including indigenous communities; experience and/or expertise in applying equity-driven values and approaches in racially and culturally diverse communities; understanding and experience with practices of inclusion.
• Knowledge of distance learning, delivery, and implementation.
Skills Required
To be successful, the CE Advisor requires skills in the following areas:

Technical Competence and Impact

The candidate should have a deep understanding of youth development, nutrition education, distance learning, and community health interventions. The candidate must be able to design and implement a program that leads to positive changes and impact within our communities and beyond. There is an expectation that advisors evolve and grow across their careers and respond to changes in needs and clientele.

Communication

Demonstrated excellence in written, oral, and interpersonal and information technology communication skills. Public speaking to stakeholders is a routine part of this position.

Demonstrated ability to share complex information in a manner tailored to the audience. Utilizes appropriate technologies to communicate effectively over a large, remote geographical area.

Collaboration, Teamwork and Flexibility

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a team member with industry and other stakeholders. Due to the large geographic area, the ability to plan, collaborate, and interact with clientele and colleagues in creative ways is essential. Creativity and flexibility will be required for success.

Aware of and willing to actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion while planning and implementing programs and applied research.

Lifelong Learning

Demonstrated commitment to ongoing self-improvement. Ability to shift program focus as times and organizational needs change.