National Project

AgrAbility Webinar Series: Hand Controls for Agricultural Users, presented by Rob Stuthridge, NAP Ergonomist. Monday, February 22 at 3:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. CST/1:00 p.m. MST/12:00 p.m. PST

Join the National AgrAbility Project for this free webinar that explores such topics as:

• The need for adaptive hand controls
• Designs for adaptive hand controls
• Adaptive hand controls - hazards and risks
• Usage considerations for adaptive hand controls
• Hazard and risk assessments for adaptive hand controls

To participate in this free webinar, email agrability@agrability.org by February 17 and simply put the word "Webinar" in the subject line. For more information, see http://news.agrability.org/2010/01/
webinar_2-10.html.

Submitted by: Paul Jones

---

NTW 2010 – Plans are already underway for the 2010 National Training Workshop to be held in West Virginia. Are you interesting in sitting in on the planning? Have suggestions to make 2010 conference even better than 2009? Are you interested in helping on-site to make sure attendees have the best possible experience? We’d like your input and help on the committee! Please email Kim Stockment (kstockme@purdue.edu) if you are interested in joining this committee. Conference calls will begin in early February!

Submitted by: Kim Stockment

---

The new Spanish fotonovela, ¿Podrá ser la ARTRITIS lo que me causa DOLOR? is a resource that can be used when discussing  the topic of arthritis with migrant and seasonal farm workers or with other Spanish-speaking populations.  The story has an agricultural theme, but could easily be used with other Latino groups in your areas.  A fotonovela is a story-board that reads in the fashion of a comic book with the character dialogue in bubble captions.  This will be a great new resource for your programs!  The fotonovela will be available very soon.  Each SRAP will receive 100 free fotonovelas, and we are hoping that each SRAP, as well as other organizations, will see the need to order additional copies.  Please contact Amber Wolfe at awolfe@arthritis.org for ordering information.

Submitted by: Amber Wolfe

---

Goodwill and AgrAbility: A look back at 2009 and a look forward to 2010

As a member of the National AgrAbility Project team, Goodwill Industries International saw 2009 as a year to build momentum within its membership in support of AgrAbility. This was Goodwill’s first full year of involvement with the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) and a time for (1) introducing Goodwill to the State and Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs) and (2) introducing AgrAbility to the 160 Goodwill organizations in the United States.

A few highlights of Goodwill’s activities on behalf of AgrAbility are:

• Goodwill used its work with the NAP to lead an expansion of supporting rural communities through increased resources, publications, and trainings to its membership and to SRAP staff.
• The Goodwill Industries International Board of Directors adopted increasing AgrAbility resources as a key strategy of its Policy and Advocacy agenda for 2009 and beyond.
• AgrAbility was the feature article in the spring 2009 edition of Working magazine, which has a distribution of over 8,000. A copy of the 2009 spring and fall editions of Working magazine were distributed to each SRAP staff person.
• In 2009 Goodwill organizations in Maine, Oregon, and Arizona assisted statewide AgrAbility stakeholder groups to begin developing AgrAbility Projects for their state and region. As a result of this work, Maine submitted a USDA AgrAbility Project application in December 2009.
• Goodwills in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Colorado established or strengthened formal relationships with their respective State or Regional AgrAbility Projects.

For 2010 the work of Goodwill Industries International will continue on behalf of the National AgrAbility Project. The goals for 2010 will be much the same – strengthen and expand AgrAbility nationally, expand awareness of AgrAbility within the Goodwill network of affiliates, and deepen relationships between SRAPs and Goodwill. Some highlights for the 2010 Goodwill AgrAbility plan are:

• Design, develop, and provide three regional training activities for staff of SRAPs and other interested parties, in cooperation with the NAP staff at Purdue University. These trainings will focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of successful AgrAbility models, understanding of key elements of AgrAbility assessments, finding necessary resources to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, and networking with other organizations in the community.
• Provide training to Goodwill staff about the importance and opportunities AgrAbility provides to rural framers and ranchers and to engage rural communities in development activities. Trainings will be provided at national Goodwill conferences, regional Goodwill conferences, and to local Goodwill and SRAP staff.
• Continue to advocate for AgrAbility at the state, regional and national levels to assure continuance and expansion of the program.

Submitted by: Eric Olson