Providing opportunities to foster students' civic engagement during their undergraduate education is a goal of many universities. There are a variety of ways in which students participate in community service and in community change efforts and social change initiatives; capturing how students integrate these experiences into their broader…

This article presents findings from a case study of an adult literacy program. The author conducted this IRB-approved study as part of a three-year, research-based, community-engagement project that partnered the literacy program with a writing center at a large public research university. The author argues that the participatory methods afforded…

The Learning Partnership (TLP) initiated a Family and Community Engagement Strategy (FACES) initiative in three Ontario communities to foster active and responsive relationships among community partners and enhanced family engagement in transitions to school. A case study research design, grounded in participatory action research, was used to…

An essential component of community-based rural development is the leadership and problem-solving abilities of local people. The Colorado Rural Revitalization Project--a joint venture of two universities and a state agency--provided educational, consultative, and technical assistance services for a 1-year capacity-building program in 47…

Community organizing for school reform is a growing national phenomenon, as young people, parents, neighborhood residents, and faith-based institutions struggle to improve the quality and equity of public schooling, particularly in urban school districts. Now a decade old, community organizing projects are influencing local public schools in…

In the face of today's challenging social and family issues, many new efforts are underway to help children and families. One solution that many communities have adopted is the establishment of a collaborative partnership that involves all the relevant partners--home, school, and community--in the planning and monitoring of services for children.…

Context: Multiple national agencies and organizations recommend that women age 40 years and older have an annual screening mammogram. Women who are poor, less educated, lack a usual source of care, and reside in rural Appalachia are less likely to have had a recent mammogram. Purpose: To increase use of mammography among a rural Appalachian…

Conducted large, systematic, descriptive study of parent-led programs (N=10) to prevent drug and alcohol use and abuse. Explored history of parent groups, structure and activities, roles of group participants, and perceptions of parents, youth, and community leaders. Results indicated that parent-led prevention was an active, although small-scale…

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)

Allies Against Asthma, a working group of the Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH), conducted a comprehensive asthma needs assessment in Hampton Roads, Virginia, in 2001. Results from extant data and parent surveys indicated that asthma prevalence was high (15% to 18%), 45% to 50% of children received primary care for asthma in the…

Researchers evaluated community social action education programs for at-risk youths using a portfolio and panel review evaluation process. Each program assembled portfolios that an expert panel analyzed for successful program components. Panelists then participated in focus groups. Results detailed 13 features necessary to make such community…

Participation, empowerment, and sustainability are basic tenets of community development work of the Inter-American Foundation, but these are difficult to measure. The Grassroots Development Framework breaks these concepts into concrete, measurable components to evaluate sustainability over time and short-term cost/efficiency results of community…

Provides guidelines that will help educators take a leadership role when they work with community leaders to plan for community-wide efforts to provide families with high-quality school-age child care services. (BB)