Master Wellness Volunteer Program
Master Wellness Volunteer Program“Improving Lives, Improving Texas”

New System, New Account

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Have you ever regretted your choice of an online username? Like that one account I created in college that perfectly reflected my personality at the time and now, twenty years later, hasn’t exactly aged well? I feel you.

Well, it’s your lucky day!

With the launch of the new AgriLife Online Course System you’ll need to create a new user account (who says you don’t get second chances in life?!). A colleague (hey, Shawna) has created a helpful tutorial to walk you through the steps. You’ll only need to do this once in the new system and then you will have access to all the great online courses you know and love.

Watch the video and then head on over to https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu to get your new account set up today!

New Learner Account from Howdy Health on Vimeo.

2019 State Training Cohort – Final Day: 19 February 2019

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Note: this entry, originally posted 12 Feb 19, was updated 22 feb 19.

The final day of the second annual Master Wellness Volunteer Program Statewide Training Cohort was held 19 February, 2019. The final agenda, recorded presentations and handouts related to the day’s sessions may be accessed below.

  • Agenda – PDF (102 KB)
  • Session 1 – Reducing Food Waste in the Home
  • Session 2 – Why We Don’t Just Do It
  • Session 3 – Creating a Culture of Wellness
  • Session 4 – Working Lunch – Public Speaking: How to Effectively Convey Your Message
  • Session 5 – The Many Faces of Diversity
  • Sessions 6-8 – Public Speaking Practice, Review and Certification Exam
    • Host County Extension Agent

And now the really hard/fun work begins as a Master Wellness Volunteer Intern. Be thinking about opportunities with and through your County Extension Agent to start logging those 40-hours of give back required for certification. And don’t forget to report them via the reporting tab at the top of this page. Remember – if it’s not on “paper” it didn’t happen!

2019 State Training Cohort – First Day: 22 January 2019

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Note: this entry, originally posted 15 Jan 19, was updated 25 Jan 19.

The first day of the second ever Master Wellness Volunteer Program Statewide Training Cohort was held 22 January 2019. The final agenda, recorded presentations and handouts related to the day’s sessions may be accessed below.

  • Agenda – PDF (149KB)
  • Session 1 – Welcome and Master Wellness Volunteer Program Overview
  • Session 2 – Social Determinants of Health
    • Presenter: Lisa Washburn, Associate Professor & Community Health Specialist, University of Tennessee Extension
    • Presentation: https://youtu.be/M0dwzcAc0Z4
    • Handout – PDF (1.2MB)
  • Session 3 – Evidence-Based Practice: Science or Science Fiction?
  • Session 4 – Working Lunch Discussion: What Extension Looks Like in Our County
    • Presenter: Host County Extension Agent
  • Session 5 – Walk Across Texas!
  • Session 6 – Better Living for Texans
  • Session 7 – Wrap-up & Adjourn
    • Presenter: Host County Extension Agent
    • Handout – PDF (140KB)

What’s next? Well you have some work to do between now and our final training day 19 February, 2019, via our Online Course System. If you need help creating your FREE account, please see Accessing the Online Course System (PDF, 1MB).

Thank you for your eagerness and commitment to Help Texans Better Their Lives!

Statewide Training Cohort – Final Day

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Note: this entry, originally posted 27 Feb 18, was updated 09 Mar 18.

The final day of the first ever Master Wellness Volunteer Program Statewide Training Cohort was held 28 February 2018 at a County Extension Office near you!. The final agenda, recorded presentations and handouts related to the day’s sessions may be accessed below.

  • Agenda – PDF (69 KB)
  • Session 1 – Reducing Food Waste in the Home
  • Session 2 – Why We Don’t Just Do It
  • Session 3 – Creating a Culture of Wellness
  • Session 4 – Working Lunch – Public Speaking: How to Effectively Convey Your Message
  • Session 5 – Step Up Scale Down
  • Sessions 6-8 – Public Speaking Practice, Review and Certification Exam
    • Host County Extension Agent

And now the really hard/fun work begins as a Master Wellness Volunteer Intern. Be thinking about opportunities with and through your County Extension Agent to start logging those 40-hours of give back required for certification. And don’t forget to report them via the reporting tab at the top of this page. Remember – if it’s not on “paper” it didn’t happen!

Statewide Training Cohort – First Day

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Note: this entry, originally posted 22 Jan 18, was updated 06 Feb 18.

The first day of the first ever Master Wellness Volunteer Program Statewide Training Cohort was held 23 January 2018. The final agenda, recorded presentations and handouts related to the day’s sessions may be accessed below.

  • Agenda – PDF (92 KB)
  • Session 1 – Welcome & Role of Extension in Community Health
  • Session 2 – Master Wellness Volunteer Program Overview
  • Session 3 – Walk Across Texas
  • Session 4: Lunch
    • Host County Extension Agent
  • Session 5 – Better Living for Texans
  • Session 6 – The Many Faces of Diversity
  • Session 7 – Dinner Tonight!
  • Session 8: Wrap-up & Adjourn – PDF (115 KB)
    • Host County Extension Agent

What’s next? Well you have some work to do between now and our final training day 28 Feb 18 via our Online Course System. If you need help creating your FREE account, please see Accessing the Online Course System (PDF, 2MB).

Thank you for your eagerness and commitment to Help Texans Better Their Lives!

A Good Time Was Had By All

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Thanks for joining us in Dallas, either in person or online, to celebrate 10 years of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Master Wellness Volunteer Program. It was a great day of learning, networking and sharing. When looking at expanding the program into new counties, new program areas and with new partners, we start with a great foundation you all have laid for us. Thank you.

For those of you interested in the presentation materials from the 2016 Master Wellness Volunteer Conference, they’re listed below for download in PDF format.

A New Pony in the Stable

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Don’t you just love new things? I do. I’m usually a pretty content person but new stuff gets me all excited.

Thanks to a committed team of educators who planned/executed it, Renda Nelson who recorded it and all the behind the scenes people who posted it, we’re glad to have A Fresh Start to a Healthier You! available as a training option for Master Wellness Volunteers. You’ll find it available for enrollment via the Extension Online Course System.

A Fresh Start to a Healthier You! is a holistic adult-learning series that uses practical experience and information to help change lives and improve health. Participants also gain support and understanding from the instructor and other participants while learning how to provide safe, healthy, and economical meals for their families and themselves.

A part of the Better Living for Texans (BLT) program, A Fresh Start to a Healthier You! includes research-based lessons that integrate the importance of healthy nutrition with an emphasis on increasing fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, food safety, and food resource management. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Food and Nutrition Services sponsor this program.

Not to sound too much like a TV commercial hawking a new medication but…talk to your County Extension Agent to see if A Fresh Start to a Healthier You! is right for you (and your county).

If It’s Not on Paper (?) It Didn’t Happen

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Paper reports – what is this? 2012?

Nope. It’s 2016 and with a new year we have a new website and a new reporting form. To ease the transition I’ve created a little walk through video of the new site and the slightly modified reporting form. Enjoy the tour and please remember to keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times.

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words

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Have you ever needed help trying to explain the Master Wellness Volunteer Program to someone? Are you interested in the program but need a snapshot of its organization and requirements?

Paula Butler has created some really slick infographics to show how the Master Wellness Volunteer Program can work in a variety of settings. Click on the links below to access the PDF documents and follow up with your County Extension Agent if you have questions or need additional information.

Nice work, Paula!

Finding the Perfect Date

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Remember the Understanding Dates on Food Labels session that was part of your training? Refresh your memory with this fun video from our good friends over in the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Food and Nutrition Unit.