Traces one program's history in facilitating grassroots community development. Focuses specifically on group methods by which indigenous peoples can carry out their own developments to relieve the effects of poverty. Discusses effective social, economic, and cultural development. (Author/NB)

Describes Project HELP, an innovative community self-help program in Nashville, Tennessee which was developed in response to the inability of certain populations to pay their utility bills, and which is staffed primarily with volunteers and funded exclusively through contributions. Reports on the program's first five years of operation, and…

Five case studies of individual and collective learning projects in India demonstrate that (1) the impetus for civic action arises from local conditions; (2) transformative action requires sustained adult learning; and (3) civil society is a complex concept reflecting diverse priorities and perspectives. (SK)

This journal theme issue focuses on Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty in Appalachia, launched in 1964. Articles discuss the War on Poverty, the people involved, how it succeeded, and how it ultimately failed. One article examines the role of the Council of the Southern Mountains, established in 1913. Federal officials used the council's reputation…

Argues that small-group mutual aid organizations are successful voluntary associations that attract members even in our individualistic and commodity-driven culture because they provide valuable collective benefits that can only be enjoyed in common. Small groups as a source of social capital have implications for the study of helping…

The experiences of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada, chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), in its development and progress through the grief-anger-social action continuum, are described. This article also portrays a model for problem resolution which emphasizes incorporating the respective strengths and efficiencies of self-help groups and…

Although counseling literature addresses within-group diversity among racial/ethnic groups in this country, seldom do studies examine the interpersonal dynamics within communities where minorities have fostered interdependence, cooperation, and acceptance of diversity among themselves. This paper presents an overview of some critical factors which…

This guide, largely a product of the Language and Orientation Resource Center's (LORC) "Working Session on Program Development for Refugee Women," is a resource for use by refugees and by persons and organizations working with refugees. The main part of the guide is divided into five sections: (1) an introduction to recent attention to them, and a…

This conference report presents research strategies and ethical considerations concerning consumer participation in the health care process. Section 1, background, lists the beginnings of self-care in health, the programs that have sprung up, and their supporting organizations, and the medical tasks performed by the consumers in those programs.…

Discusses emergent citizen groups at the local community level: how they operate in disasters, their characteristics at emergency and nonemergency times, other types of emergence, and implications for emergency management. (CT)

Church-based programs for caregivers of black elders have emerged from both demographic and cultural factors. To investigate the effectiveness of a training program for caregivers of noninstitutionalized elders, 95 Washington, D.C. adults (99% black, 87% female), who were providing caregiving assistance to an older adult, completed a 12-hour…

Presents a case study of participatory evaluation which suggests an evaluation method which not only provides meaningful data for decision makers but also provides important feedback to the community. Shows the steps leading to self-evaluation workshops and reviews the evaluation methods that were utilized. (Author/CT)

This guidebook is part of a series of publications about public/private partnerships. The guidebook has a three-fold goal: (1) Spark the aging network's interest in developing and expanding public/private partnerships in volunteerism; (2) Provide guidance on how to create such partnerships; and (3) Share examples of partnerships that other aging…

A paraprofessional training program designed to provide community controlled mental health services to the Woodlawn community of Chicago, Illinois, is described in this monograph. The neighborhood and The Woodlawn Organization (T.W.O.A), a self help project formed in early 1960, are described from an historical perspective. Some of the areas…

Examining change in terms of rate, type, source, and scope, this study explores these dimensions as they relate to the struggle of Mexican Americans in realizing the benefits and detriments of an open society. A morphology of educational change, implications for the Mexican American, and research notes are developed. It is concluded that education…