USM-ESO Hosts First Meeting to Boost Project Success

The Extension Services Office (ESO) recently held its quarterly meeting on March 26-27, 2024, in Kabacan, Cotabato. This gathering brought together project leaders and college extension coordinators, aiming to improve project effectiveness and collaboration.

Led by ESO Director Dr. Mary Joy S. Caῆolas, the meeting focused on improving how projects are managed. Discussions covered important topics like making decisions, communicating effectively, engaging with stakeholders, managing risks, allocating resources wisely, being transparent, and ensuring quality.

At the same time, College Extension Coordinators (CECs) worked on updating ESO procedures and forms for community engagement. These updates were timed to align with upcoming project proposals in 2024, showing the ESO’s commitment to community involvement.

Updates on funded projects for 2024 were shared, giving everyone insight into what’s been achieved so far and what’s planned for the future. Training sessions were also arranged for project leaders to improve their skills in writing news articles, designing training programs, and measuring client satisfaction.

Dr. Caῆolas stressed the importance of everyone understanding their roles and responsibilities. She also made it clear that the ESO is there to support and communicate with the College Extension Coordinators directly.

Plans are underway to train the Monitoring and Evaluation Team (MET) to ensure projects are carefully tracked and assessed for success.

The meeting concluded with a sense of enthusiasm and a shared commitment to making ESO projects as successful as possible. By working together and constantly seeking improvement, the ESO aims to make a positive impact on the communities it serves.