Through Cooperative Extension faculty at the university, and personal knowledge, the Extension professional brings expertise useful in identifying potential solutions to housing problems. In addition, Extension can focus on direct educational needs of the organization's clientele to complete its delivery of services and increase the likelihood of the resolution of housing problems. Volunteer Development Skills. The Extension professional is effective in recruiting and working with volunteers. Organizational Development Skills.
Local organizations tend to be informal.
However, even in a loosely structured group, people need to work cooperatively. If the group is to incorporate as a nonprofit and take advantage of funding opportunities through governmental agencies and private foundations, some formalized structure is required. The Extension professional, through volunteer training, can help the organization achieve the necessary level of structure. The role of the Extension professional in the development of the local housing organization is shown in Figure 1. The Extension professional is also linked to the local organization, taking a role as consultant or, in some cases, active member.