Child care has been in a downward spiral for twenty years and is a main factor exacerbating the growing worker shortage. New attention before and financial aid during the pandemic perhaps slowed the spiral, but it hasn't reversed it. The primary cause of the shortage in Greater Minnesota is simple: family child care providers, who supply the bulk…

As our communities strive to support community change efforts for survival and vitality, the importance of social capital has become evident in leadership development. Many researchers and practitioners realize that tapping into the inherent power of relationships and social networks is crucial. This paper provides an overview of the design and…

Combining social capital theory and immigration history and theory a qualitative study was conducted using a variation of Critical Incident Technique to identify the motivations of individuals in rural communities who championed community responses to the influx of large immigrant populations. Twenty-eight individuals identified as key champions…

If your community is looking for more committed and competent leaders, what type of educational intervention will get the best results? U-Lead, the University of Minnesota Extension's community leadership program, engages with organizations and communities to strengthen leadership. As the educational provider of U-Lead, Extension has a…

Educators who work in community settings often encounter participants with a wide array of individual leadership beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Given this situation, one of the challenges we face is to identify effective methods and tools to teach leadership in community and organizational settings. As an educator, it is important to…

Leaders in the nation's schools and communities are working together across the boundaries of education, government, and public, private and community-based agencies to create community schools. The 11 communities profiled in this report illustrate how cross-boundary leadership helps community schools move from pilot projects to large-scale,…

The authors sought to identify barriers to participation for Latino people at Dodge Nature Center (DNC) in West St. Paul, MN. The authors used a multi-method approach, which included collecting demographic information, surveying the DNC staff, and interviewing Latino community leaders and parents. Results showed that unfamiliarity with DNC,…

Dropout rates among American Indian young people are greater than 50% in some places in the country, and the rate of unemployment and underemployment among American Indians still far exceeds that of the majority population, despite affirmative action and other parity-seeking policies. In addition, U.S. Census trends indicate an influx of American…

This report describes the Minnesota Hispanic Leadership Project. Its mission is to identify, recruit, develop, and mobilize the necessary resources in order to increase the effectiveness of the state's Hispanic leadership, so that it can influence education, economics, and social and political affairs. The report is divided into the following…

A study was conducted in Minnesota on attitudes of county leaders (commissioners, auditors, and appointed Extension committee members) on ways of expanding Extension programs. In each county data were gathered by questionnaire from at least two thirds of the leaders. Questions were asked about expansion (1) through working with other…