What are the impacts of 28 years of leadership development?
What is the future direction for agricultural leadership programming in Ontario? These are questions being raised by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) as it undertakes a full review of the long-running Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP).
The review is entitled: “Development of the next generation agricultural leadership strategy.”
The ROI has engaged Harry Cummings, professor and graduate coordinator, Rural Planning Programme, University of Guelph, and the George Morris Centre to lead two very distinct components of this project.
“We are excited to be building on the past successes of AALP to take the program to the next level,” said Rob Hannam, ROI chair. “These projects will help us measure the success, effectiveness and impact of AALP.”
Cummings and team will gather evidence to identify what gaps exist in the current AALP program in Ontario by conducting a complete review of data; engaging in key informant interviews with program stakeholders, alumni, and other agricultural leadership programs; and holding focus groups.
These activities will also identify the best solutions for addressing those gaps to ensure the renewal and effectiveness of the future AALP.
“The upcoming thirty year anniversary of the program is a great opportunity to assess its impacts and to position it for the next thirty years,” said Cummings.
“The University of Guelph School of Environmental Design and Rural Development looks forward to helping with the development of a strategy for the future.”
The George Morris Centre will evaluate AALP from the perspective of its return on investment.
An in-depth literature review and a study of the impacts of AALP based on personal, business, community, and sector influences will be at the core of their study.
Supporting data will be collected through surveying and interviewing program alumni to develop a framework for objectively measuring the benefits of leadership programming.
“The George Morris Centre is very pleased to be a part of this project to analyze and improve the long term benefits of AALP by examining and updating the return on investment to graduates, students, employers and the industry,” said Bob Seguin, executive director, George Morris Centre.
The overall project provides ROI with the opportunity to develop a blueprint which will set the direction for future agricultural leadership programming in Ontario.
These two components will identify necessary changes to both content and delivery methodologies in order to achieve the greatest impact for the best cost, provide recruiting techniques for future program participants, and provide an estimate of the macro-economic benefit of the program to agriculture and the rural industry.
Investment in this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario, this program is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
The George Morris Centre is a national, independent, not-for-profit economic research institute focused exclusively on the agriculture and food industry.
AALP is delivered by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI). AALP is a 19 month executive leadership program for individuals actively involved in the agricultural and rural sectors in Ontario.
For more information visit www.ruralontarioinstitute.ca.
