Community Leadership: Public Issues Education

Issue:
Citizens of Maryland face a variety of public policyissues, many of which are related to areas of expertise in MarylandCooperative Extension.

Actions:
MCE educators provide ideas, information, and facilitativeassistance to those who must make community policy decisions. Wehave particular expertise in issues related to agricultural,natural resources, family, and consumer affairs. Our philosophy isto avoid being advocates; rather, we seek to engage citizens andcommunity leaders to create the processes and knowledge basesrequired for good decisions. A few examples of the many publicissues around which we have recently worked include:

Riparian buffers;
Public drainage on the Eastern Shore;
Grandparents as parents;
Affordable rental housing;
Agricultural conservation and commodity policies.

Impacts:

MCE has provided education, increased knowledge of issues andawareness of options for engaging issues and understanding of thelikely consequences of those options.
MCE has provided facilitative assistance-- such identifying andconvening stakeholders, advising groups on effective meetingmanagement, leading people through negotiations and creating actionplans.

For more information, contact Richard Byrne

Last updated: 03/10/2009