This paper presents the process of conducting a community-wide needs assessment that initially focused on soliciting information about childcare needs of families with school-aged children. The researchers were interested in understanding whether the method designed to conduct the needs assessment helped to foster collaboration, trust, and…

This paper discusses a fieldwork exercise in development geography undertaken by students in the UK. Based on community engagement in partnership with refugee and black minority communities in Liverpool, it explores how such fieldwork can deepen understanding of development geography, contribute to global citizenship and nurture personal skills.…

This study examines how communities participate in schools across diverse contexts in developing countries and the results attributed to community participation. It reviews evaluations of participatory approaches to education in developing countries to answer two basic questions: 1) How do communities participate in school in developing countries?…

Defines drug problem as a community problem and advocates total community interest and involvement, including youth, in mobilizing resources for solutions to the problem. (KJ)

This paper describes key elements and strategies of a system whereby communities can provide more effective support and service systems. It is intended as an overall framework for improving children's educational outcomes by helping prepare all children for successful participation in school, strengthening family capacities to support their…

This paper describes the Helping Our Teachers (HOT) Program, a community volunteer program started in the fall of 2000 at Julia P. Bryant Elementary School in Statesboro, Georgia. The purpose of the program is to formally organize all parent volunteers to help teachers and staff with school-related activities previously shouldered by…

This paper discusses the characteristics of three community-based early childhood care and development support programs: the Community Mothers Program of Dublin, Ireland; the Maternal and Infant Health Outreach Workers Program of Tennessee; and the Mothers Inform Mothers Program of the Netherlands. The paper considers the general characteristics…

This document reports on an evaluative study of New York City's community education centers. Initiated in 1968, the Community Education Centers (CEC) Program is designed to coordinate and concentrate educational services for disadvantaged persons with low educational achievement and restricted social mobility. By involving citizens in…

The report evaluates a project to stimulate dialog between staff and inmates of a Federal penitentiary and members of a nearby community. The purpose was to bring prison and community people together to begin discussion of crime, punishment, rehabilitation, and recidivism in an atmosphere of informed, reflective thought. Nearly 500 people…

This manual is designed to assist facilitators working with members of a school community in forming or strengthening partnerships that will promote greater success for their youth. Participants can identify characteristics that are most important for youth to be successful in their community, consider ways to determine that students are…

Addressing the concerns and resources of small, rural school districts, this book sets out a rationale and model plan for school-community relations. After introductory material and a review of what's been done, the first major section lists and describes 10 criteria shown by research to be most important for a small school district community…

A national evaluation study was conducted to ascertain the effects of the large quantity of manpower devoted to community organization and leadership development work by state cooperative extension services. Data were sought on evaluation questions which addressed objectives and policies related to community organizational and leadership…

The Beacons Initiative aimed to transform eight public schools (five middle schools and three high schools) into youth and family centers in low-income neighborhoods in San Francisco, California. Using a coalition of local partners and funding from public agencies and foundations, the centers served 7,500 youth and adults between July 1, 1999, and…