From President Kennedy's first announcement of a non-military US volunteer corps in 1961, the Peace Corps has been one of the preeminent government grassroots volunteer development agency. This study explores the history of the ambiguities inherent in this contention, pressure primarily stemming from the organization's role as both a governmental…

British government-funded research into voluntary sector initiatives revealed a mismatch between statutory and voluntary sector ethos, objectives, and perceptions of practice. The danger in interpreting negative evaluations highlights the importance of the participation of the "researched" in the process. (SK)

Evaluation of the quality management system (QMS) of the New Zealand Playcentre Federation, provider of early childhood education, found that it helped establish and maintain national standards of quality. Although foundation programs are staffed by volunteers, their flexibility is not limited nor their philosophy threatened by adherence to the…

Voluntary organizations have filled the gap to provide social and community services in Ecuador in areas where government or profit-making agencies were absent. There was a proliferation of activities for the poorest sector of society in response to government neglect. Activities focused on economic and social progress through community…

To evaluate the current societal role of voluntary and/or obligatory development services and their potential both at home and for global cooperative relationships, data from field surveys, institutional inventories, and individual interviews were analyzed from both developed and developing countries to classify major development service types,…

A survey questionnaire was mailed to all active Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in the summer of 1975. Based on an internal analysis of the 3,479 respondents (a 66% return), the following findings represent the manner in which PCVs perceive their volunteer experience. Perceived volunteer accomplishments and morale are very high. Volunteers believe…

Situations and conditions in which Peace Corps volunteers who are ABG's (A.B. generalists, or individuals with a bachelor of arts in English, liberal arts, or social science) are effective in agriculture and the factors which contribute to the ABG's effectiveness were analyzed and assessed in the study. Methodology included an analysis of training…

Based on a general guide for conducting program evaluations developed by Quebec's Commission d'evaluation de l'enseignement collegial, this two-part report provides guidelines for evaluating programs of studies leading to an Attestation of College Studies (AEC) certificate in the areas of Business Administration Technology (BAT) and Cooperation.…

This manual is designed primarily to assist Education Peace Corps Volunteers undertake community projects in addition to their primary job assignment. Chapter 1 discusses the factors that determine the measure of success of the project. The process, not the product, is emphasized. Chapter 2 on situational analysis outlines areas of investigation…

Ghana first received Peace Corps assistance in 1961 (the first country in the world to receive volunteers) and since then volunteer strength has fluctuated from between 185 to 415 (presently 179). Secondary education has been the major thrust in programing until recently when Peace Corps/Ghana (PC/G) shifted its emphases to agriculture and rural…

This report of the work of self-help groups of unemployed black adults in Britain shows how effectively these groups are able to generate employment opportunities for their members and offers recommendations for the further development of such initiatives. Chapter 1 describes setting up the research project to provide information on the efforts…

Thirty development services in 14 countries were examined to evaluate the role and effectiveness of development services in furthering education, employment, and citizen participation in community and national development, to ask what foreign assistance had been provided to domestic development services in developing countries and what had been…