A variety of factors related to the farm crisis caused individuals and families to experience changes they'd never anticipated. These difficult economic and emotional transitions caused feelings of pain, isolation, alienation, helplessness, and powerlessness. Through these programs, Iowa Extension educators gained knowledge and understanding of what it takes to empower people working through personal transitions. It describes the principles Extension educators found essential to the successes achieved in helping clientele. Today, these principles still apply and should be integral to any Extension program or activity designed to help individuals or families through a transitional process to a new beginning.
Education is an excellent strategy for empowering people.
Through the educational process, individuals developed the power to act with others to bring about change. The following case illustrates this. One family about to lose the farm was referred to an Extension staff member. After several consulting sessions, the family made the following agency and community contacts-legal counsel, financial counseling, food bank, Department of Human Services, and Job Service. Education is empowering when it starts with problems identified by the individuals.