Outreach and Education Committee
Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., November 7, 2001
Commission Hearing Room4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
| Item No. |
Subject | Public Hearing Agenda Item No. |
|---|---|---|
| Approval of the Committee Minutes from the previous meeting held May 28, 2003. | ||
| Summary of Minutes | ||
| 1. | Chairman's Charges (Oral Presentation) | Committee Only |
| 2. | Outdoor Kids Adventure
and Outdoor Kids Challenge Staff: Steve Hall |
Committee Only |
| 3. | Hunter Education Staff: Steve Hall |
Committee Only |
| 4. | Texas Parks and Wildlife
Outreach – Status
Report Staff: Steve Hall |
Committee Only |
| 3. | Other Business |
Summary
of Minutes
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Commission
Outreach and Education Committee
NO
AD HOC OUTREACH COMMITTEE
MEETING ON AUGUST 29, 2001
SUMMARY OF MINUTES FOR MAY
30, 2001 (ENCLOSED FOR APPROVAL)
May 30, 2001
BE IT REMEMBERED that heretofore on the 30th day of May 2001, there came on to be heard matters under the regulatory authority of the Parks and Wildlife Commission of Texas, in the commission hearing room of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Headquarters complex, Austin, Travis County, Texas, beginning at 3:21 p.m. to wit:
I. COMMISSION ATTENDANCE:
Lee M. Bass, Chairman
Al Henry, Committee Chair
Carol E. Dinkins, Vice-Chair
Ernest Angelo, Jr.
John Avila, Jr.
Joseph Fitzsimons
Katharine Armstrong Idsal
Phil Montgomery, III
Mark Watson, Jr.
II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Minutes approved.
III. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION:
1. BRIEFING – Chairman’s Charges
Presenter: Andrew Sansom
MR. SANSOM: Referred to the new outreach initiative that targets youth and their family to enhance awareness and appreciation of outdoor recreation and resource conservation. An update on this effort would be provided by Mr. Bob Murphy. One of these efforts being the Outdoor Kids Program. And an update of the Sheldon Lake State Park master plan which is specifically designed to address outreach and education for urban youth.
2. BRIEFING – Statewide and Regional Outreach
Presenter: Bob Murphy
MR. MURPHY: Briefed the Committee on the three aspects of the Department-wide Outreach Initiative.
1) Regional Outreach Initiatives:
Houston – the hub site for Houston Regional Outreach Initiative is Sheldon Lake State Park headed by Johnnie Jones the coordinator of this initiative. The contract for services was the Natural Heritage Society and once again their staff and ours will be able to work together to reach the citizens of Houston with our agency messages of conservation, safe recreation and responsible and law-abiding use of natural and cultural resources.
Dallas – the hub site for Dallas is Cedar Hill State Park. A Regional Outreach Plan for that area will be developed this summer. A staff team representing most of the division is involved in outreach in Dallas. The Dallas Regional Outreach coordinator selection will be forthcoming soon. The contract for services partner was the Inner City Fishing Institute and we will continue in an effort to broaden our reach within the Dallas community. In addition a recent round of coop grants provided funding to the Freshwater Anglers Association led by Leonard Ranne and he will be concentrating on bringing intercity Dallas kids to the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center in Athens.
San Antonio – the hub site for San Antonio is Government Canyon. The San Antonio Regional Outreach Initiative is well supported and is developing nicely. There are many potential partners in the city to help in the efforts and the Regional Outreach Plan will be drafted by early August. The San Antonio Regional Outreach coordinator has been selected for this area.
2) Development of the TPW Outreach Plan:
Education and Outreach Team’s process for updating the TPW Outreach Plan in response to the Sunset Commission recommendations is underway. The final draft of the plan is will be presented at the August Commission while the approval of the final plan will be presented in May of 2002.
3) Community Outdoor Outreach Program grants and programs:
The Outdoor Kids Program has been a building program. The broad use and adaptability of this program reaches at least 10,000 kids a year. The next level of this program was to give it a more appealing identity that could appeal to kids and unify kids-targeted programs and events. Several Communications Division and Education staffs created a new logo for this program and came up with some promotional items such as caps and t-shirts to help spread the word out about the Outdoor Kids Program.
ITEM 3: BRIEFING – Sheldon Lake Master Plan
Presenter: Laura David (Scott Boruff presented for Ms. David)
MR. BORUFF: Introduction of Ms. Merrie Talley-Pope to the Committee and turned the briefing on to Ms. Talley-Pope.
MS. TALLEY-POPE: Ms. Talley-Pope informed the Committee of the previous meetings which started off the process with a feasibility study of Sheldon and, as per Commissioner Henry, fundraising efforts began almost immediately thereafter. Sheldon’s big value is how close it is to the proximity of downtown Houston. Efforts have begun by the Houston Regional Outreach coordinator to contact the University of Houston and is working with several others that will bring teachers and students to Sheldon. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) students play a major part in the efforts of the Sheldon plan.
Ms. Talley-Pope continued with a general overview of the feasibility study of Sheldon to include the existing conditions and layout of Sheldon with one particular bonus which is the City of Houston’s aqueduct that bisects the site. She continued with the planning process:
- Curriculum programming needs for the future -- educational and interpretative facilities that are needed to continue to build a program
- Views of the lake – will need some deepening and some improvements and perhaps make an island in the lake which would serve as another destination
- The Education Center (main resource) – being built around the old fish hatchery – The north side of the center will be the educational site—a diverse learning center with some natural resources that will be converted to some prairies, and wet areas that will be shifted into the agricultural mode; the South side will be the recreational site – improvements to the lake will keep the health of the lake as well as return fishing to the lake
- 28 ponds around the facility grounds
- Orientation Plaza – central gathering point and disbursement area
- Trail system – goes through the woods and habitats and prairies
- Amphitheathers overlooking the reservoir into the lake
- Bridge and canoe launch – provide wonderful views and be the takeoff point for the bridge that would go across the aqueduct
- Parking –
- Other concepts to include: a bus drop-off, exhibit space, shower/bathroom facilities, lockers for school groups; platform tents for camping; overnight programs; area for primitive camping
Ms. Talley-Pope continued to point out that this could be a revenue opportunity as well because of the need around Houston to have spaces where groups can rent space or use space for small conferences or company meetings, or non-profit organizations.
The recreational site of the Plan includes:
- boat ramp and boat parking
- fishing pier
- birding pier
Ms. Talley-Pope continued to discuss the current dollars involved in Phase I (framework and infrastructure) which includes the Orientation Plaza and the main building. This is about five-and-a-half to six million dollars. The remaining phases total about another four million dollars and also private donations. She had closing complimentary comments.
MR. SANSOM: Additional comment that there was funding in the upcoming bond issue for Sheldon. It start at 2.5 million dollars and the promise of more as that bond issue continues to evolve over the years.
COMMISSIONER HENRY: Closing comments with regards to the interests and support shown by some Legislators, philanthropic communities, foundations and members of foundations. In addition Commissioner Henry opened the floor to Ernie Gammage, Director of Texas Wildlife Expo, for a briefing on Expo.
ERNIE GAMMAGE: Planning
for the 10th Annual Expo
will focus on OUTREACH for
the kids and making it more
like Texas. Some early planning
was done before the end
of the last Expo with selecting
colors, a tag line, and
a new Chairman. Two things
that have been looked at
are: 1) put another road
for easier access to and
from the grounds; and, 2)
give Expo a brand new look
at the event and a new entrance.
New activities on site:
- An Outdoor Kids Challenge through participation and a variety of outdoor activities, kids will have a chance to win a lifetime hunting or fishing license
- Lone Star Legacy raffles
- GPS Satellite Challenge technology
- Wildlife will work on a new series of presentations
- Second trail ride that will actually end Friday night in front of the banquet at the Expo
Mr. Gammage mentioned that our Wildlife Expo has become a model for other agencies similar to ours from around the state. Representatives from other states visit Expo and take note so they can take this event back and tailor it. This year Expo is October 5th through October 7th Banquet night is not only going to be fun, but there will be some surprises in store. The two-day Expo is anticipated to have crowds of about 50,000 people. Expo allows us to say who we are and what we do and most of all to reach out.
COMMISSIONER HENRY: Closing comments regarding Expo. Commissioner Henry does not just want to “outreach” to Houston, he wants to “outreach” to Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding counties in East Texas - small communities in central and west Texas, where kids are urbanized now and have little or no knowledge of outdoors. Commissioner Henry encouraged our members to assist through corporate sponsorships, personal sponsorships, personal invitations, et cetera, to bring kids from these areas and assist in the development of kids and kids with disabilities.
IV. ADJOURNMENT – Session ended at 4:10 p.m.
Committee Agenda Item No. 1
Outreach
and Education
Committee
Chairman's Charges
November 2001
(This item will be an oral presentation.)
Committee Agenda Item No. 2
Presenter: Steve Hall
Outreach and Education Committee
Outdoor Kids Adventure
and Outdoor Kids Challenge
November 2001
I. DISCUSSION: The Outdoor Kids Adventure provided an opportunity for inner city children from four Texas cities to attend the Texas Wildlife Expo. The Outdoor Kids Challenge provided an opportunity for kids to track their activities at Expo and, upon completion of a prescribed number, become eligible to enter a drawing for valuable hunting, fishing and camping prize packages. Both initiatives successfully introduced thousands of visitors to the joys of Expo 2001, but the activities also gave our agency a look at how to more successfully reach out to our target audiences within local communities as well.
The department’s outreach coordinator and regional outreach coordinators in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio coordinated the Adventure, working primarily with partners from those urban communities. Additionally, Commissioner Ramos personally sponsored a group from Laredo. As a result of their combined efforts, a total of 2,014 persons were able to experience Expo. Sponsors of the event, who were personally contacted by the Chairman of Expo 2001, Alvin Henry, provided a total of $21,000, which was used mainly to secure transportation, t-shirts and a lunch for each of the participants.
Participants on the Adventure were surveyed prior to Expo, and a total 343 evaluations were collected. A follow-up survey is currently being conducted, and results will be compiled to determine knowledge, skill and attitude levels prior to and after the experiences kids and family members had at Expo.
A promotional event known as the Outdoor Kids Expo with Monica Lamb was held September 22 at MacGregor Park in Houston to recruit inner city families to Texas Wildlife Expo and provide a sample of activities as an introduction to the joys of the outdoors. Outreach and Communications division staff along with Monica Lamb, former center for the world champion Houston Comets, spearheaded the event. Despite rainy conditions, the pre-Expo event reached 800 people. A more detailed summary of the Outdoor Kids Adventure is provided at Exhibit A.
A total of 2,230 kids took the Outdoor Kids Challenge. (See Exhibit B.) The challenge was an Activity Checklist that youngsters, 17 years of age and younger, could complete at Expo. Each youngster had to do at least four Expo activities, fill out an entry form and drop it into one of three marked barrels – hunting, fishing or camping. Each received a coupon from Arby’s of Central Texas for participating in the Challenge. A total of 595 entered the hunting challenge; 502 entered the fishing challenge and 1133 the drawing for the camping package.
The hunting package included a lifetime hunting and fishing license; a firearm, hunting gear and a guided waterfowl hunt. The fishing trip included a lifetime hunting and fishing license, a half-day guided fishing trip and fishing gear. The camping package included camping gear for a family of four, Texas Conservation Passport for five years and waived camping fees for an overnight stay at a state park.
Winners of the event were:
Hunting – Natalie Morgan (14 year old girl), Georgetown, and Andrew Soto (12 year old boy), Austin
Fishing – Andrew Oliver (8 year old boy), Cedar Creek, and Wesley Justice (7 year old boy), Springtown
Camping – Patrick Bailey (9 year old boy), Austin, and Ryan Garcia (12 year old girl), Houston
The Outdoor Kids Challenge combined the strengths of two of the past Expo activities, the Poster and Essay Contest and the Activity Checklist for Scouts, into one program and was deemed a success by the Expo Program Coordinator and Planning Committee.
Attachments – 2
1. Exhibit A – Initial Report - Outdoor Kids Adventure (Available upon request)
2. Exhibit B – Outdoor Kids Challenge Activity Checklist and Entry Form (Available upon request)
Committee
Agenda Item No. 3
Presenter: Steve Hall
Outreach
and Education Committee
Hunter Education Program
– 30 Years and Growing
November 2001
I. DISCUSSION: This briefing provides the Committee with the status and success of the mandatory hunter education program – where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are headed. Program staff and volunteers train over 33,000 students per year and are currently leading North America in an effort to use alternative delivery methods to reach even more people.
Hunter education began as a voluntary program in Texas in 1972, primarily to certify Texas hunters needing to pass the course to legally hunt in other states. At that time, the national standard was a minimum six-hour course that was adapted from the National Rifle Association’s hunter safety course model. In 1987, the Texas legislature passed a law to allow Texas Parks and Wildlife to pass rules for mandatory training, which the Commission did in March 1988. Subsequent regulations require hunters born on or after September 2, 1971, to successfully complete the training. (See Exhibit A.)
Today, every state, ten Canadian provinces and Mexico have similar requirements. The national standard is a minimum of ten hours of training over two days to include a variety of topics including wildlife conservation, identification and the hunter’s role in wildlife management practices; safe handling, storage and transportation of sporting arms; outdoor survival and first aid; hunting ethics and responsibility, and the technical aspects of primitive and modern firearms. (See Exhibit B.)
The primary purpose of hunter education is the reduction of hunting accidents. In a thirty-year analysis of Texas hunting accidents, the number of hunting fatalities since 1966 have been reduced by over fifty percent. The hunting accident rate has been reduced from one per 9,300 licenses sold to one in 23,500 licenses sold. (See Exhibit C.) Hunting ethics and responsibility training has youngsters correcting their parents and relatives regarding their ill-found traditions, such as improper display of game.
In 1995, after taking a hard look at program evaluations, several states began looking at ways to modernize the training, making courses more accessible and available, and making courses more fun – including the opportunity to actually handle and fire sporting arms under the watchful eyes of knowledgeable and trained hunter education instructors. Nevada and Texas led the way, producing the first ever, home study preparatory package through a unique public/private partnership with Outdoor Life. Our staff modified the package and created and implemented an Internet version that is currently being used by an international committee to provide for a worldwide delivery system. These packages pass along the knowledge objectives of the course and serve as outreach tools to those that would not otherwise attend a training course. To cover the skill objectives, Texas developed the hunter skills course, a hands-on training follow up to the home study effort. Program staff began training instructors in these new delivery methods in 1998 (See Exhibit D.)
Hunter education program staff, including Terry Erwin, the program’s coordinator and manager of over 3000 volunteers, teachers and fellow employees, are well respected throughout North America because of the leadership they are demonstrating in taking hunter education to higher levels. Examples of their leadership skills can be seen every year at Wildlife Expo, where the shooting sports have paved the way for all other activities conducted since Expo began in 1992. It can be seen at the annual international conference where Texas instructors have had nine runner-ups and two winners in the fourteen years they have selected the Hunter Education Volunteer Instructor of the Year. This year, an international committee honored the second Texas winner of that award, Mr. James Parker of Malakoff.
New efforts have begun and include the recruitment and involvement of more women and minorities as hunter education instructors. Programs like Outdoors Woman, which has already helped us recruit many instructors, and the new Regional Outreach effort should help us recruit even more women and minorities as role models for future generations of hunters.
Another initiative involves reaching younger children with the message of firearm safety and safe storage of firearms within the home. The Firearm Safety Coalition in Texas, whose honorary chair is Anita Perry, the governor’s wife, developed a program entitled Gun Safe that was taken into Texas schools through the Texas Nurses Foundation. The project, which adopted Texas Parks and Wildlife secure storage standards, was implemented well before it successor, Project Homesafe, now being used throughout the country.
Finally, we must extend the capabilities of Expo and programs like our mobile sporting clays range, virtual hunting simulator, youth outdoor days and the youth hunting program, so we can get even more families and youngsters interested in the outdoors through the shooting sports.
Hunter Education in Texas is on solid ground. It has come a long way in thirty years. But, we also realize that we face many new challenges. We will continue to work tirelessly, like all Texas Parks and Wildlife staff, to find even better ways to produce safe, responsible, knowledgeable and involved hunters and shooters – the mission of hunter education.
Attachments – 4
1. Exhibit
A – Mandatory
Hunter Education Regulations
2. Exhibit
B – Hunter
Education Program Profile
(Available upon request)
3. Exhibit
C – Hunting
Accident Data
4. Exhibit
D – Hunter
Education Alternative Delivery
Methods
Committee
Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit A
Mandatory Hunter Education Regulations
If you wish to hunt in Texas and you are:
- Age 17 & over and born on or after September 2, 1971, you must successfully complete a hunter education course.
- Age 12 through 16, you must successfully complete a hunter education course or be accompanied* by a person 17 years of age or older licensed to hunt in Texas.
- Under 12 years, you must be accompanied* by a person 17 years of age or older licensed to hunt in Texas.
Note: minimum age for certification is 12 years of age.
"Accompanied" means being within normal voice control of the licensed adult hunter.
Hunters certified
in other states or
provinces must carry
proof of certification
while hunting.
Committee
Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit C
Hunter
Accident Data (1966-2000)
Comparison Analysis
Accident Versus Licenses
Sold in Texas
| CALENDAR YEAR | NUMBER OF HUNTER ACCIDENTS | NUMBER OF FIREARM HUNTING LICENSES SOLD | ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 LICENSES SOLD | STUDENTS CERTIFIED UNDER TPW HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 81 | 644,653 | 12.6 | - |
| 1967 | 93 | 797,846 | 11.7 | - |
| 1968 | 105 | 854,693 | 12.3 | - |
| 1969 | 92 | 895,593 | 10.3 | - |
| 1970 | 72 | 935,793 | 7.7 | - |
| 1971 | 92 | 978,285 | 9.4 | - |
| 1972 | 85 | 966,332 | 8.8 | 2,119 |
| 1973 | 80 | 1,011,963 | 7.9 | 4,314 |
| 1974 | 68 | 1,037,925 | 6.6 | 6,094 |
| 1975 | 77 | 1,051,834 | 7.3 | 8,531 |
| 1976 | 63 | 1,050,349 | 6.0 | 10,043 |
| 1977 | 81 | 1,080,530 | 7.5 | 11,298 |
| 1978 | 83 | 1,091,794 | 7.6 | 10,890 |
| 1979 | 53 | 1,093,716 | 4.8 | 10,775 |
| 1980 | 69 | 1,160,375 | 5.9 | 12,166 |
| 1981 | 72 | 1,174,023 | 6.1 | 13,187 |
| 1982 | 97 | 1,216,032 | 8.0 | 13,323 |
| 1983 | 80 | 1,325,474 | 6.0 | 14,131 |
| 1984 | 60 | 1,140,174 | 5.3 | 13,052 |
| 1985 | 72 | 1,100,991 | 6.5 | 11,284 |
| 1986 | 68 | 1,162,785 | 5.8 | 11,195 |
| 1987 | 81 | 1,189,566 | 6.8 | 8,611 |
| 1988 | 70 | 1,189,000 | 5.9 | 18,043 |
| 1989 | 78 | 1,193,000 | 6.5 | 36,708 |
| 1990 | 53 | 1,132,917 | 4.7 | 24,590 |
| 1991 | 81 | 1,103,903 | 7.3 | 28,682 |
| 1992 | 62 | 1,053,063 | 5.9 | 25,453 |
| 1993 | 58 | 1,077,055 | 5.4 | 26,942 |
| 1994 | 51 | 1,083,227 | 4.7 | 34,972 |
| 1995 | 40 | 1,060,000 | 3.8 | 31,215 |
| 1996 | 31* | 990,000 | 3.1 | 24,998 |
| 1997 | 51 | 960,000 | 5.3 | 30,625 |
| 1998 | 40 | 1,011,500 | 3.9 | 31,052 |
| 1999 | 44 | 1,010,455 | 4.3 | 37,775 |
| 2000 | 52 | 1,145,000 | 4.5 | 39,049 |
| TOTALS | 2,435 | 36,969,846 | 6.6 | 551,117 |
* Note: Lowest number of accidents ever recorded in Texas
Five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1966 - CY 1970) - One hunting accident/9,320 hunting licenses sold.
First five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1971 - CY 1975) - One hunting accident/12,550 hunting licenses sold.
Second five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1976 - CY 1980) - One hunting accident/15,690 hunting licenses sold.
Third five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1981 - CY 1985) - One hunting accident/15,630 hunting licenses sold.
Fourth five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1986 - CY 1990) - One hunting accident/16,700 hunting licenses sold.
Fifth five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1991 - CY 1995) - One hunting accident/18,420 hunting licenses sold.
Sixth five-year average of hunter education program (CY 1996 - CY 2000) – One hunting accident/23,472 hunting licenses sold.
Thirty-five year average (CY 1966 - CY 2000) - One hunting accident/15,183 hunting licenses sold.
Committee
Agenda Item No. 3
Exhibit D
Committee
Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Steve Hall
Outreach
and Education Committee
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Outreach – Status
Report
November 2001
I. DISCUSSION: The Sunset Report and subsequent legislation has helped us take a step back and look at our agency’s outreach efforts. Initiatives to address the directives in the Sunset Bill are occurring at all levels. This briefing gives the commission a status on those initiatives.
Commission’s Outreach and Education Committee – This committee provides a forum for Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners to pass rules and give direction to the agency relating to the education and outreach goals, objectives and strategies.
Education and Outreach Advisory Group – A new constituent advisory group will be appointed to give direction and provide advise to the agency regarding its outreach efforts and how to break down barriers for everyone’s participation in the outdoors. Nominations for group representation are currently being sought and commission recommendations are certainly welcome.
Education and Outreach Leaders Team – A Natural Leaders program team consisting of six members from five divisions are currently working on outreach strategic issues as their FY02 Leaders project. This team will specifically look at the internal coordination issue addressed in the Sunset Bill. This team will review and revise the Outreach Strategic Plan (Exhibit A) and make recommendations to the agency through the Education and Outreach Team.
Education and Outreach Team – Begun formally in1998, a multi-divisional team meets monthly to communicate the needs, strategies and schedules of all statewide outreach efforts and program. The team addresses non-duplication of effort and partnerships as it relates to sunset recommendations.
Education and Outreach Branch – Under the leadership of Larry McKinney, the branch oversees the administration of statewide education and outreach efforts including aquatic education; mandatory boater and hunter education programs; education services such as the webcasts and Internet web site maintenance; department-wide outreach including the regional staff efforts, Outdoor Kids and Outdoors Woman programs; target range construction and mobile shooting ranges (hunter education outreach); and the Parrie Haynes Youth Conservation Ranch and youth camp partnerships such as with the Police Activities League’s Summer Youth Camp.
Education and Outreach Evaluation – Education Services Coordinator, Nancy Herron, has been appointed to look at where we are and where we are headed with our outreach efforts. She will inventory agency outreach efforts, consult with agency staff and partners to determine the need and effectiveness of programs, and recommend evaluation instruments for use by program and activity coordinators and volunteers. She will make final reports to the commission and to the Texas legislature prior to September 2002 regarding sunset bill recommendations.
Education and Outreach Measures – A multi-divisional team meets with the department’s LBB Strategic measures coordinator to coordinate and evaluate the forms and guidelines used to capture the number of fish and wildlife events, participants and events held for target user groups. A new form and process was implemented beginning in September 2001. (See Exhibit B.)
Outreach Regional Efforts – Three Outreach Specialists were hired in FY01 and placed in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio to coordinate efforts in the three largest urban areas of the state. These employees coordinate regional teams representing all agency field divisions, coordinate Outdoor Kids and other urban outreach initiatives and partnerships and assist field staff with their outreach efforts. The department’s outreach coordinator within the education and outreach branch supervises the specialists as part of the statewide outreach strategic plan.
Outreach Coordinator – Bob Murphy was appointed Outreach Coordinator for the agency in FY01 and oversees regional efforts, the Outdoor Kids program and the Outdoors Woman program that has been in existence since 1993. He leads the Education and Outreach Team and is responsible for the administration and implementation of the Outreach Strategic Plan. He also oversees the Kids Area at Wildlife Expo including the Outdoor Kids Adventure and Outdoor Kids Challenge.
Attachments – 2
1. Exhibit A – Texas Parks and Wildlife Outreach Strategic Plan
2. Exhibit B – Fish and Wildlife Events Form and Procedures
Committee
Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A
Outreach Strategic Plan
*Draft*
December 1998
Definition of Outreach:
The process of identifying, attracting and engaging new users to Texas Parks and Wildlife sites and programs.
Mission:
To introduce and involve new users in relevant, enjoyable experiences facilitated by TPW that result in lifelong interest and support for our mission.
Philosophy:
Texas Parks and Wildlife advocates a community-based approach for agency outreach efforts.
Audiences:
In the coming decades, our agency will strengthen its outreach efforts to attract new users to our facilities and programs. Our goal is to engage more youth, ethnic minorities, urban/suburban Texans, women, single parent households, senior citizens, rural Texans and people with disabilities.
GOALS:
GOAL 1: Increase new user participation in Texas Parks and Wildlife programs, activities and workforce.
OBJECTIVE 1: Increase diversity of users participating in agency programs and activities.
Strategy 1:
- Identify audiences and their needs and barriers to participation.
- Seek community, field and stakeholder input.
- In partnership, implement tactics to meet these needs and overcome the barriers.
Strategy 2:
- Inventory Outreach efforts.
- Inventory current and planned TPW outreach efforts: improve our ability to effectively and efficiently monitor audience(s) reached, cost and staff time.
- Inventory non-TPW efforts, resources and allies.
Strategy 3:
- Develop with stakeholder input, a specific, relevant plan consistent with agency mission.
Strategy 4:
- Implement Outreach Plan.
- Provide materials, resources and training to deliver a consistent message effectively.
OBJECTIVE 2: Increase number of users participating in agency programs and activities.
Strategy 1:
- Develop target marketing approaches specific to identified audiences.
OBJECTIVE 3: Increase workforce diversity to enhance our ability to serve diverse constituencies.
Strategy 1:
- Develop comprehensive, targeted recruitment and retention plan.
- Monitor TPW demographics, recruitment targets and career path efforts and provide staff training to enhance skill of the workforce to serve diverse constituencies.
- Design and implement customized recruitment plans for divisions with under-utilization of targeted groups. These plans will identify recruitment resources to better attain qualified and diverse applicant pools from which to fill job vacancies.
- Expand career progression systems that include career ladder and career paths to promote retention of a qualified and diverse workforce.
- Design systems that recognize outstanding job performance in diversity recruitment and retention.
OBJECTIVE 4: Increase public and private support for and involvement in agency outreach programs and activities.
Strategy 1:
- Cultivate potential supporters and identify their specific needs and barriers to involvement.
- Work with communities to create strategies that meet identified needs and overcome the barriers together.
Strategy 2:
- Identify existing users as recruiters and mentors.
- Seek community, field, and stakeholder input.
Strategy 3:
- Encourage volunteer
opportunities.
GOAL 2: Coordinate Agency Outreach Efforts
OBJECTIVE 1: Improve internal communication about outreach efforts.
Strategy 1:
- Develop a process for maintaining the inventory of outreach programs/efforts.
Strategy 2:
- Identify and promote key outreach events and efforts.
OBJECTIVE 2: Coordinate agency outreach programs.
Strategy 1:
- Coordinate all outreach programs to achieve our core mission.
Strategy 2:
- Encourage and recognize agency staff Outreach efforts through individual performance planning.
Strategy 3:
- Coordinate across divisions to leverage agency efforts.
Strategy 4:
- Provide additional outreach resources and tools (materials, expertise, and funding) for staff at agency training sessions and meetings.
Strategy 5:
- Expand scope of Education Team to include outreach issues and representatives.
OBJECTIVE 3: Strengthen and increase community partnerships.
Strategy 1:
- Identify community stakeholders, leaders and contacts.
Strategy 2:
- Train and empower volunteers for outreach efforts.
Strategy 3:
- Provide sufficient internal resources (staff and funding) to support community-based partnerships.
OBJECTIVE 4: Measure effectiveness of agency outreach efforts.
Strategy 1:
- Measure the quantitative outcome of outreach (e.g. measures reported to the Legislative Budget Board).
- Seek continuous improvement of the quantitative measurement process and implement refinements as appropriate to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
Strategy 2:
- Measure the qualitative outcome of outreach efforts (e.g. Long Term Evaluation Studies and Human Dimension Studies in balance with anecdotal community information).
- Seek continuous improvement of the qualitative measurement process and implement refinements as appropriate to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
Strategy 3:
- Use these measurements to determine investment of our resources in effective programs.
Strategy 4:
- Duplicate successful
programs where appropriate.
Committee
Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit B
Fish and Wildlife Event Forms and Procedures
PROCEDURES
Use this form to collect information on each event held. Please take time to complete this form in accordance with instructions provided in order to ensure accuracy of division/agency reporting. The information from this form is used in reporting on the following measures reported to the Legislative Budget Board: Number of Fish and Wildlife Events Held for Targeted User Groups, Number of Estimated People Reached by Programs and Events.
A fish and wildlife event is defined as an activity or program presented to the public by TPW staff for the purpose of :
- Sharing information regarding agency programs, activities, fish and wildlife issues;
- Instructing /teaching outdoor and recreational activities and skills;
- Exposing participants to outdoor/fish/wildlife activities and opportunities.
A targeted user is defined as youth (under 17), the physically challenged, women, minorities.
Instructions:
- Event Name: Enter the name/nature of the event.
- Event Date: Enter the date(s) on which the event took place.
- Event Location: Enter the street address (if applicable) or general location, city, and county in which the event was held.
- TPW Event Leader: Enter the name and division of the TPW event leader. The event leader is the employee responsible for planning, coordinating or organizing the event. If there is no clear event leader, staff participating in the event should cooperatively designate one for the purpose completing this form. Note: If multiple divisions participate in an event, only one may be designated as the event leader. For example, if an employee from the Education branch coordinated an event, and an employee of the Coastal Fisheries division participated, the Education branch employee would complete the form, listing him/herself as the event leader, and the Coastal employee in the Other Staff Participants field. If the Coastal Fisheries employee completes the form for division tracking purposes, he/she would list the Education branch employee as the event leader. To ensure accurate and consistent reporting to the Legislative Budget Board, staff should make every effort to ensure that only one event leader is designated for each event.
- Other Staff participants: Enter the names and divisions of other TPWD staff participating in the event.
- Event Contact: If applicable, enter the name and telephone # of the person coordinating your participation in the event (if coordinated by an outside individual or entity).
- Check box if event for targeted group: Targeted user groups include youth (under 17), minorities, women, physically handicapped. For large events, such as hunting and fishing shows at which TPW is one of many organizations participating, check the box only if the event is primarily designed or intended to reach targeted user groups. For all other events, check the box if the event meets one of the following criteria: The event is primarily designed or intended to reach targeted user groups. [Examples: Event specifically designed for youth or women (such as Becoming an Outdoor Woman or KidFish); or events clearly intended to a targeted group (community outreach days held in heavily minority populated areas, youth centers, etc)] – OR - At least half of the event participants were targeted users. [Example: Meeting of civic organization at which half of the participants consist of females and minorities]. If the event does not meet one of these criteria, do not check the box.
- Number of Participants: Enter, by category, the number of people reached by the program or event. Estimates may be used. Total number of males and females equals the total number of participants. For large events such as hunting and fishing shows, at which TPW is one of many different organizations offering presentations/ activities, enter the estimated number of participants with whom TPWD staff had contact . For events organized by TPW or at which TPWD is the main attraction, gate totals may be used. Staff should make every effort to coordinate with each other and with other divisions to ensure that double counting of the number of people reached is kept to a minimum.
- Minority Participant Detail: When available and practical, provide further information on minority participants. Additional detail may be in the form of actual numbers in each minority category, or may be stated in rough percentages. Staff should make every effort to obtain this information in cases where the information is readily available, such as school presentations.
When estimates are used, mark the numbers with an *