The United States has invested millions of dollars in STEM program initiatives; however, African Americans in STEM career fields are underrepresented. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to explore the lived experiences of African-American first-year college students from rural communities in a STEM program and…

Background: Active social and spiritual support for persons with cancer and other serious illnesses has been shown to improve psychological adjustment to illness and quality of life. Objective: To evaluate a community-based support team intervention within the African American community using stakeholder interviews. Methods: Support team members…

Self-help support groups (SHSGs) have a valuable role in civic society. However, it is difficult to measure their value through sole use of the positivist approaches that interest policymakers. This is because SHSGs are consumer-driven and voluntary. Thus, they cannot be regulated by research agendas or prescribed like treatment. Although social…

Teng's (2007) article entitled "Lessons Learned from Initiating a Community College Learning Community Program" provided a foundation for community college leaders who are interested in working with faculty in creating a learning community on campus. Teng (2007) listed the five lessons that may be useful guidelines to other colleges who…

Focuses on the linkage between social support and social networks and health educational programs that involve interventions at the network and community level. Addresses programs enhancing entire networks through natural helpers; and programs strengthening overlapping networks/communities through key opinion and informal leaders who are engaged…

Describes "program without walls" for developing community services in rural areas. Emphasizes importance of creative collaboration and redesign of traditional support programs to offer comprehensive community services tailored to needs of rural families and individuals. Suggests practical applications of "without walls" model. (Author/TES)

From July 30-August 1, 1998, eighty parents and family members from across the country attended a national workshop held in St. Louis, Missouri sponsored by the National Technical Assistance Consortium for Children and Young Adults who are Deaf-Blind and the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind. The workshop, entitled "Going for the Best:…

Surveyed elderly persons (N=l,224) aged 60+ to determine social network ties and awareness of available services. Found following factors predictive of service awareness: having nonkin advisors; club membership; other community agency contacts; and availability of transportation, education, and moderate-sized kin networks. Found following…

This article reports on interrelated measures of lifestyle quality for 20 severely mentally retarded adults in community settings. Size of the social networks and the number of family members were associated with frequency and variety of activities across home and community settings. Activity patterns were unrelated to number of members paid to…

This paper discusses the challenges of effectively matching the needs of youth populations with program services. An introduction reviews some broad issues that shape the discussion, namely whether youth is a period integrated into the course of life or a separatist culture. A second section proposes an ecological approach to youth services, which…

These proceedings contain papers presented at a conference sponsored by the Family Policy Studies Centre in London, September, 1995, which brought together professionals to describe their parenting support or education projects which were part of the Department of Health's Parenting Initiative. Conference papers discussed the role of government in…