Objective: Each year, humanitarian groups provide health education programmes and interventions to underserved communities in Nicaragua. The purpose of this study was to identify the health education needs of a small community in rural Nicaragua to inform health education programming. Design: Mixed methods approach that used a quantitative survey…

In response to requests for assistance from a Tibetan refugee community in Mainpat, India, Northern Arizona University developed a unique service-learning experience, the Mainpat Project, to provide health and other services. The project continued for 4 years despite the limited infrastructure and resources of a small public university and the…

Out-of-wedlock pregnancy among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is a major concern, because of its association with health, social, psychological, economic and demographic factors. This article describes the development of the Teenage Mothers Project, a community-based intervention to improve psychological and social well-being of unmarried…

Increasing rates of childhood obesity has prompted calls for comprehensive approaches to school-based physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) development and related contextual issues within a rural Appalachian county using a Systems Approach. A…

We explain in this article the need for board training in rural America irrespective of industry or government sector. We discuss how an assessment of training needs has led to the launch of a new project called the National Board Basics Curriculum (NBBC) project. In this project, we have identified four key core competencies that every board…

Understanding the potential or need for ICT support in education within developing countries, requires an in-depth needs assessment to comprehend, elaborate and set the desired priorities of rural schools. A Needs Assessment was conducted as part of an on-going comprehensive evaluation process of an ICT for development project, the Siyakhula…

Describes multifacted role of a social worker in establishing a rural hospice care program in Cottage Grove, Oregon, a community of 8,000 inhabitants. Discusses program development, planning, coordination, and administration; problem identification and needs assessment; volunteer training; and client assessment and direct services. (NEC)

The "Share Our Services" program was established in Killarney (Manitoba), to Streamline existing volunteer services, to develop new services, and to collaborate with formal services to meet the needs of older and infirm adults living in the community. A sample of 212 older adults were interviewed in their homes concerning their housing,…

The basic character of rural areas is reviewed along with the need for systematic intervention and program development to alter the disproportionate amount of social and economic problems existing there. The use of rural settings for student practice is also examined. (Author/LBH)

Common problems and issues related to programming for continuing education in social work and efforts to deal with them are described. It is shown that rurality has a definite impact on the content, structure, and methods used, and that demographic factors and organizational characteristics must be considered. (Author/LBH)

Describes a community needs assessment process that moved community decision makers into action. The needs assessment was conducted jointly by program development staff members from the office of continuing education and public service at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and by members of a small rural community. (CT)

A pilot project investigating the feasibility of year-round recreational programs in rural counties of populations of less than 10,000 is described in this report. (Sheridan County, Kansas, was chosen as the project site.) Part I, the introductory section, briefly defines recreation and its relation to human needs. Part II provides a geographic…

A summary of educational planning methodologies tested in Argentina, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, the document offers opinions and proposals about integrated rural development. Integrated rural development is seen as a social, economic, political, and cultural process in rural areas, designed to improve living conditions. Chapters…

This paper describes the development of a consumer-based program in rural Essex County (New York) for families with children with emotional disorders. Initially, in-depth, in-home interviews were held with 24 families who had children with serious emotional disturbances concerning their service needs and desires. The following needs were expressed…

The planning of a community-based accident prevention program in a rural Queensland (Australia) community is described. The process involved the establishment of a local steering committee, data collection, presentation of findings, determination of priorities, review of the evidence, description of target group, exploration of problem and…