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Metro Area Master Gardener

Credit: Weston Miller (Cropped from original)

How to maintain active OSU Master Gardener status

2023 CRITERIA FOR OSU MASTER GARDENER PERENNIALS:

To maintain your certification as an active Perennial, OSU metro-area Master Gardener, the following are the minimum criteria to be completed each year. Master Gardeners are considered current when these criteria are met.

  1. 20 hours of volunteer service in Metro MG-approved activities (with at least 10 hours volunteered toward Program* activities). Other hours can be served with approved Partner** activities. You can serve all your volunteer hours in Program* activities if you prefer. NOTE: This 20-hour service requirement was waived for 2022. It is reinstated for 2023.
  2. 10 hours of designated Continuing Garden Education hours, including at least one-hour designated 'Growing and Belonging' continuing education* (see details below).
  3. Submission of signed Conditions of Volunteer Service agreement and the Standards of Youth Safety form.

Volunteer Service Hours

Record your volunteer hours using your own spreadsheet or use this document: 2023 Volunteer Log Sheet in Word. You will receive an email with a link to report your annual volunteer hours in late September 2023.

Hours are due by October 1, 2023.

*OSU MG PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: Describes MGs volunteering on behalf of OSU Extension at these pre-approved metro area MG Program activities: MG helplines (remote and in office), MG clinics at farmers’ markets, community events, garden shows, fairs, etc. Also includes serving in the role as gardener educators such as Garden Speaker’s Guild, 10-Minute University. Find these opportunities in CERVIS or notification via emails sent out by Marcia McIntyre, metro area MG Program Representative.

**PARTNER ACTIVITIES: Describes all other educational or support activities by our supporting Master Gardener associations in the metro area or other partner organizations that are established and pre-approved by the metro area MG program staff and that support or enhance the metro area OSU Master Gardener program. This would include volunteering for supporting Master Gardener associations (including their gardens and activities), the Oregon Food Bank Learning Garden, conducting tours at the Rose Garden (rose pruning and garden maintenance do not count), serving as a mentor with Growing Gardens Home Gardens program, to name just a few. Notification about these opportunities are usually sent via email, or posted in the newsletter. Information for association events/garden activities can be found on their websites or by opting in to receive the association communications.

Continuing Garden Education hours:

  • OSU Master Gardener Growing Oregon Gardens: Level Up Series – education for the experienced gardener led by OSU horticulture experts from across the state. Perennial MGs earn 1 hour of continuing education credit. Great educational enrichment for 2020/2022 training cohorts.

  • Designated Master Gardener Association Speaker/Lecture Series/10-Minute U – Perennial MGs earn one hour recertification credit for each designated ‘continuing education’ Speaker/Lecture Series/10-Minute U, whether in-person, webinar or recording of a past webinar. Look for designation with listings of association Speaker/Lecture Series.

  • MG Study Group – Time spent participating in the Study Group sessions earn continuing education credit for Perennial MGs, and educational enrichment for 2020/2022 cohort trainees. Develop your skills identifying and understanding plant diseases, insects, spiders and more. The group meets twice a month via Zoom. All metro area Master Gardeners welcome. If interested in attending email: [email protected]

  • Read! OSU Extension Service publications. – Perennial MGs earn continuing education credit reading an OSU Extension publication on home gardening topics and submitting a brief report about what you learned to Marcia McIntyre.

  • Keep your eye out for additional designated MG continuing garden education credit opportunities as they surface throughout the year. Be sure to read the monthly MG program newsletter or email announcements.

** 'Growing and Belonging' Continuing Education. As part of your continuing education for 2023 (and beyond), all OSU Master Gardeners (including the 2020 and 2022 cohort) are required to complete at least 1 designated course from the following 'Growing and Belonging' options for 2023:

Conditions of Volunteer Service agreement:

This form is to be submitted annually. Volunteers will receive it via DocuSign from the metro area Master Gardener office.

Standards of Youth Safety form:

This form is now an annual requirement. Volunteer will receive the form via DocuSign from the metro area Master Gardener office.

CRITERIA REVIEW FOR OSU MASTER GARDENER INTERNS
2022 COHORT members continuing to complete their volunteer requirements.

Complete at least 1-hour of designated 'Growing and Belonging' continuing education. Refer to list of course options for 2023 above.

NOTE: For 2022 Cohort members, the following information is also detailed in CANVAS, in the ‘Modules’ tabs.

1. Complete a series of 12 online modules including narrated slideshows, extensive supporting materials, and online quizzes. (February through April)

  • For each online module, complete learning activities and pass the online quiz (80% or better, multiple attempts allowed).
  • Finish quizzes by May 1, 2022.

2. View live or recorded webinars via Zoom on gardening topics not covered by the online content.

3. Participate in up to two hands-on workshops (some online and mostly outdoors). Sign-up for a hands-on workshop on CERVIS.

4. Complete your Volunteer hours. INTERN MASTER GARDENERS need to volunteer a minimum of 40 total hours:

  • 20 hours in OSU MG Program Activities*
  • 20 hours in Partner Activities**
  • You may do all 40 hours in OSU MG Program Activities if you want.

Keep a record of your volunteer hours with a system of your choice (Excel sheet, volunteer tracking app) or use this 2023 OSU Metro Master Gardener - Intern Volunteer Log Sheet in Word (or pdf version). Keep track of the dates, times, and locations of your volunteer service. Note whether volunteer opportunities were ‘Program’ or ‘Partner’. You will receive an email with a link to report your annual volunteer hours in late September 2022.

*OSU MG PROGRAM ACTIVITIES for 2020/2022 Cohort members: Describes MGs volunteering on behalf of OSU Extension at these pre-approved metro area MG Program activities: MG helplines (remote and in office), MG clinics at farmers’ markets, community events, garden shows, fairs, etc. Also includes serving in the role as gardener educators such as Garden Speaker’s Guild, and new social media outreach opportunities (social media outreach only after completing all 4 ‘Answering Garden Questions’ Skill Sessions and following protocol outlined). Find these opportunities in CERVIS or notification via emails sent out by Marcia McIntyre. The online Skill Sessions that you have been invited to also count as Program volunteer service hours. Courses completed in the 2021 OSU MG Elevated Skill Building Courses also count as one-hour of ‘Program’ volunteer service per course (if you did an extra deep dive with the exercises, please count that time also). The Elevated Skill Building courses can still be accessed, but online chat options are no longer available.

**PARTNER ACTIVITIES: Describes all other educational or support activities by our supporting Master Gardener associations in the metro area or other partner organizations that are established and pre-approved by the metro area MG program staff and that support or enhance the metro area OSU Master Gardener program. This would include volunteering for supporting Master Gardener associations (including their gardens and activities), the Oregon Food Bank Learning Garden, conducting tours at the Rose Garden (rose pruning and garden maintenance do not count), serving as a mentor with Growing Gardens Home Gardens program, to name just a few. Notification about these opportunities are usually sent via email, or posted in the newsletter. Information for association events/garden activities can be found on their websites or by opting in to receive the association communications.

CRITERIA FOR OSU MASTER GARDENER 2020 COHORT:
2020 COHORT members continuing to complete their volunteer requirements.

Complete at least 1-hour of designated 'Growing and Belonging' continuing education. Refer to list of course options for 2023 above.

2020 Cohort participants need to volunteer a minimum of 40 total hours of approved volunteer service, with at least 20 hours of OSU MG Program activities. See below.

  • 20 hours in OSU MG Program Activities*
  • 20 hours in Partner Activities**
  • You may do all 40 hours in OSU MG Program Activities if you want.

*OSU MG PROGRAM ACTIVITIES for 2020/2022 Cohort Members: Describes MGs volunteering on behalf of OSU Extension at these pre-approved metro area MG Program activities: MG helplines (remote and in office), MG clinics at farmers’ markets, community events, garden shows, fairs, etc. Also includes serving in the role as gardener educators such as Garden Speaker’s Guild, and new social media outreach opportunities (social media outreach only after completing all 4 ‘Answering Garden Questions’ Skill Sessions and following protocol outlined). Find these opportunities in CERVIS or notification via emails sent out by Marcia McIntyre, metro area MG Program Representative. The online Skill Sessions that you have been invited to also count as Program volunteer service hours. Courses completed in the 2021 OSU MG Elevated Skill Building Courses also count as one-hour of ‘Program’ volunteer service per course (if you did an extra deep dive with the exercises, please count that time also). The Elevated Skill Building courses can still be accessed, but online chat options are no longer available.

**PARTNER ACTIVITIES: Describes all other educational or support activities by our supporting Master Gardener associations in the metro area or other partner organizations that are established and pre-approved by the metro area MG program staff and that support or enhance the metro area OSU Master Gardener program. This would include volunteering for supporting Master Gardener associations (including their gardens and activities), the Oregon Food Bank Learning Garden, conducting tours at the Rose Garden (rose pruning and garden maintenance do not count), serving as a mentor with Growing Gardens Home Gardens program, to name just a few. Notification about these opportunities are usually sent via email, or posted in the newsletter. Information for association events/garden activities can be found on their websites or by opting in to receive the association communications.

The following do not count as volunteer service hours but are offerings to enrich your garden education: Level Up Series, MG association Lecture/Speaker Series, 10-Minute University Noon-time chats, and other Extension webinars. When you move to Perennial status many of these will count as the annual ‘continuing garden education’ requirement for Perennial MGs.

Hands-on workshops do not count as volunteer services hours. They were part of the educational requirement for your 2020 cohort, but that requirement was waived due to the pandemic. You were invited to participate in 2022 workshops as enrichment to your garden education.

Logging Volunteer Hours

  • Keep your own record of the approved volunteer service activities that you participate in. You can log them on an Excel sheet or use an online app of your liking. Use whatever system works best for you. In September an email will be sent out with a link to report your hours. Please report your hours by October 1. If you have not met the 40-hour requirement by October 1, that is fine but please report your hours to date and then continue to work toward that 40-hour total after October 1.
  • Hours completed in 2020 and 2021 that weren't reported (if you didn't reach 40 hours) can be emailed to [email protected]. When you are prompted to report your hours online in September 2023, only include hours completed in 2023.
  • If you complete your 40 hours of approved volunteer service hours prior to October 1, and successfully completed all the required training prior, email your hours to date to [email protected] and you will receive your certificate of completion and your badge.

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