The overall goal is to achieve participation and membership in 4 - H
units and Extension Homemakers Clubs located in interracial membership
areas. A balance in membership between the majority race and a combination
of the minority (underrepresented) races is desirable. When such
balanced membership does not occur in the normal course of program
operation, "all reasonable efforts" will be carried out to achieve
balanced membership. The Associate Vice President for Agriculture -
Extension is obligated to discontinue service to clubs which remain all of
one race, unless it is established through documentation that good faith
efforts have been made to recruit individuals of racial groups not
represented.
2. Definitions
A. "All reasonable efforts" – The minimum effort required of
county Extension personnel to integrate E.H. Clubs and 4-H units located
in interracial membership areas. "All reasonable efforts" include the
following:
1. Use of all available mass media - radio, newspaper,
television, and other forms of mass communication - to inform
potential recipients of Extension programs and the opportunity to
participate.
2. Personal letters and circular letters addressed to defined
potential recipients inviting them to participate. Letters must
include dates and places of meetings or other planned activities.
3. Personal contacts with a representative number of defined
potential recipients in the interracial membership area to encourage
them to participate.
B. Membership – Specific area served by a club/unit from which
it might reasonably be expected to draw members.
C. Interracial membership area – A membership area inhabited by
potential participants (recipients) of more than one race. County-wide
clubs/units are considered in an interracial area if the potential
population of the county includes members of more than one race. For
E.H.C, use the number of families. For 4 - H, use the number of youth
ages 5 - 19.
D. Balanced membership – When the number of members of the
underrepresented race reaches 75 percent of the number of minority
members the club would have if its racial composition were exactly
proportional to that of the membership area. For example, a club with 20
members in a membership area where blacks comprise 20 percent of the
population would be exactly proportional (in parity) if it had 4 black
members. This club would be considered to have "balanced membership,"
however, if it had 3 black members (75 percent of the ideal goal).
E. Mass Media – Traditionally defined as radio, newspapers, and
television. May also include other forms of mass communication such as
cable information channels, posters in public places, flyers, direct
mail advertising packets, statement stuffers and shoppers’ tabloids.
3. When Required
When the membership of an E.H. Club or 4 - H unit located in an
interracial membership area is not balanced in relation to the racial
composition of the membership area, "all reasonable efforts" must be made
to integrate the club/unit and must continue to be conducted annually
until balanced membership is achieved. When new clubs/units are formed
without balanced membership, "all reasonable efforts" to achieve balanced
membership must be conducted and documented before the club/unit is
officially recognized.
4. Responsibility
Conduct of "all reasonable efforts" is the responsibility of county
Extension personnel. Lay leaders may volunteer to assist, and should be
encouraged to do so, but may not be required to assist. (Written records
of contacts made by volunteers must be submitted to the county Extension
agent and retained for report and audit purposes.)
5. Interview Records
Form , Interview Record - Extension Homemakers Clubs and 4 - H
Units, is used to record information gained from personal interviews with
potential E.H.C and 4 - H members. Results of personal interviews must be
maintained for analysis and audit.
6. Procedures
• Determine clubs in interracial areas without balanced membership.
• List these clubs on Form , Certification of All Reasonable Efforts.
• Determine the representative number of personal contacts required
to achieve balanced membership in each club. For example, a club
with 20 members in an area where the underrepresented race(s)
comprise 40 percent of the potential recipient population would be in
parity if the club had 8 minority members. Balanced membership
would be achieved if the club had 6 minority members. Therefore,
personal contacts with at least 6 minority individuals would be
required.
• Contact this number of potential members (or more) in person or by
telephone and complete form , Interview Record.
• Send personal and/or circular letters to appropriate individuals
inviting them to join the clubs. The letters must give the name and
location of the club(s) and contain the statement of nondiscrimination.
Persons contacted personally must be included in those receiving the
letters.
• Announce membership availability through mass media. This
announcement must name the club(s) and contain the statement of
nondiscrimination.
• Send invitational letters to grassroots organizations and/or other
grassroots contacts as appropriate to solicit members. The letters must
give the name and location of the club(s) and contain the statement of
nondiscrimination.
• Submit two copies of form , Certification of All Reasonable Efforts, to
district director. Attach one copy of each of the following:
Interview records
Letters mailed to potential members (sample copy and list of
recipients identified by race)
Record of radio broadcasts in which clubs were named and
statement of nondiscrimination was announced
Record of other mass media utilized in which clubs were named and
statement of nondiscrimination was included.
• If "all reasonable efforts" to achieve balanced membership were not
successful, submit a letter to the Civil Rights Compliance Officer addressing the following questions:
Why were "all reasonable efforts" unsuccessful in achieving
balanced membership?
What additional efforts will be made in the coming year to
attract participation by the underrepresented race in these clubs?
Have plans to integrate these clubs been reviewed with the 4-H
Expansion and Review Committee or the Family and Consumer Sciences
Committee? What were the results of these meetings?
7. Analysis
The
district director will forward all documentation to the Civil
Rights Compliance Officer who will
analyze the
"all reasonable efforts" made in each membership area and recommend to
continue or withdraw service to the E.H. Club or 4-H unit for the coming
year. The analysis will include the following:
• Did mass media communications clearly indicate that E.H.
Club
or 4-H unit membership and program benefits are available to all
eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion,
gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally
protected status?
• Were contacts made (personal and mail) with persons who would most
likely be interested in participating?
• Did letters clearly state the time and place of meetings?
• Did the group meet in the most available and accessible facility
where persons of all races would feel welcome to attend?
• Was a reference given (e.g., county Extension office location
and telephone number) for further information about meetings,
membership, and program benefits?
If the Civil Rights Compliance Officer believes that
continuation of service to the clubs/units is not warranted, the
Associate Vice President for Agriculture - Extension will be notified
and will make a determination if continuation of service should be
granted. If continuation of service is granted, one copy of form
A.F.F.A.C.T. -343 will be returned to the county office.
8. Special Circumstances
Clubs/units in metropolitan areas
In large metropolitan areas it may be more practical to have more
than one club serving an entire city or a region within a city. With the
approval of the district director, clubs may be treated as city-wide or
regional in nature. "All reasonable efforts" would be conducted as for a
county-wide club.
Repeated contacts
In circumstances where a membership area may include an extremely
small number of members of the underrepresented race, routine
application of the procedures might result in repeated contacts with the
same person. Agents may request permission to limit personal contacts
with a single individual to once every three years. A letter to the
district director should explain the situation and certify that the
person has been contacted for at least two years in succession and has
not been interested in joining a club. The district director may grant
permission to limit personal contacts with that individual. This does
not relieve the agent from the obligation to conduct other elements of
"all reasonable efforts."
Multiple contacts
In conducting "all reasonable efforts" for 4 - H units, personal
contacts are often made with parents who have more than one child
eligible for 4 - H membership. This type of interview should be counted
as contacting each of those eligible in the family.
When contacting potential members for a community club, these persons
may also be counted as contacts for a county-wide club if the written
invitation contains information about both clubs and the person is
advised of both clubs during the personal contact.
Forms
Interview Record - Extension Homemakers Clubs and 4 - H Units
Certification of All Reasonable Efforts
A.F.F.A.C.T. - 05:
Gender and Racial-Ethnic Composition of Potential Audience
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