Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs

Representing the sixth base program area of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs Unit provides knowledge, information, innovative programming, and other educational services to Alabama's citizens. Programs are designed to focus on the needs of the State's growing urban population. Educational training and services are planned and delivered based on assessed and prioritized needs, and support the goals and objectives outlined in the Plan of Work.

The agenda of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs Unit is to provide learning opportunities to meet the needs of all urban and nontraditional audiences. Urban programs are designed to have a direct impact on family, environmental, social, economic and agricultural issues or affairs in densely populated areas. The urban Extension audience consists of people with needs unique to their environment and urban Extension programs may utilize all Extension base program areas in addressing those needs, but more often may open new areas of work.

Nontraditional programs are pioneering, contemporary programs and practices that reflect unique and futuristic methods of design, construction and implementation, which open new vistas for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and expand the outreach of the System to more fully serve all the people of Alabama. Such programs and practices most often may not fit within the categories of traditional Alabama Cooperative Extension System programs and audiences. However, such programs involve new areas of interests, clientele, and delivery techniques within the System's traditional base programs (New Horizons: Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs Concept Paper, 1997).

Program Enhancement and Expansion Projects (1998-2001)

• A Comprehensive Breast Cancer Education Project
• An Urban Family Network: Families and Communities Partnering in Progress
• Enhancing Small Ruminant Animal Health Care Delivery Services
• Forefronting Youth Initiative (FYI)
• Fostering Achievement Through Mentoring Education (FAME)
• Grazing Systems Improvements
• Greenspace Mile
• Health Education Initiatives Impacting Underserved Populations
• Trapped in Poverty, Trapped by Abuse, and Trapped by Poor Health
• Two "C" Program: Citizens as Change Agents and Community Service
• Valuing Differences and Managing Diversity
• Work Force Preparation: Finding and Securing Employment

Examples of On-going Programs:

• Family Systems Dynamics (Family Survival Skills)
• Yes I Can Make A Difference (Youth-at-Risk Prevention and Intervention Program)
• Students Promoting Action/Consumer Education (SPACE) Volunteerism Program
• Health Care/Disease Prevention Education for At-Risk and Underserved Audiences
• Cooperative Development Initiative (Community Resource Development)
• Youth Mentoring
• Assessing and Addressing the Housing Needs of Limited Resource Families
• Community Voices (Leadership Development)
• Cultural Development
• Shiitake Mushroom Production

A Partial Listing of Collaborating Agencies/Organizations

• North Alabama Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation
• American Red Cross
• American Cancer Society
• Central North Alabama Health Services
• Huntsville Housing Authority
• Johnson High School (Parenting Laboratory)
• Coalition On At-Risk Minority Males (COARMM)
• Meadow Hills Initiative
• Seldon Center for Adult Education
• Upward Bound Program
• WJAB Radio Station