Community educators in six cities involved youth in documenting ethnic gardening practices with master gardeners. Interviews with 29 educators, 28 participating youth, and 4 gardeners found that youth learned about gardening, developed positive relationships with elders, and enhanced skills. Implementing participatory research required more…

Assesses the first four and one-half years of an effort by a foundation in Chicago to promote children's and adolescents' social and academic development as part of a comprehensive community initiative. Examines the potential and challenges associated with the foundation's strategy of developing social capital within a network of schools and…

Studied community initiatives in several low-income California Latino communities over 5 years. Results of these analyses show the challenges of blending a critical theory social science approach with community-focused evaluation practice. (SLD)

Describes background for school-to-work effort in Massachusetts, the state's design and implementation of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994, the local impact of the state's STWOA grant, challenges to making school-to-work a top priority of state education reform strategies to improve student achievement, and state and local…

Colleges and universities continually search for ways to enhance the safety and security of their educational programs and physical plant. This article examines how the University of Southern California and other institutions are using collaborative efforts with the local community to enhance their mutual safety and security through dynamic…

Outlines models for health education and community interventions targeted at reducing human immunodeficiency virus-Type 1 transmission. Notes significant gains made with regard to sexual practices among homosexual and bisexual men in some acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epicenters. Stresses need for more programs to address other high-risk…

Describes a pilot program in which first, third, and fourth grade students were brought together with nursing home residents to help the children gain a more accepting attitude toward aging and to cheer up the lives of the elderly. (MG)

Outlines a community action process that American Indian communities could use to develop their own drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs. Describes a community prevention system framework developed by the Office of Substance Abuse Prevention. Compares the community empowerment system with the agency-directed service delivery model. (SV)

The article describes the Community Vocational Training program, a transition program that trains and places high school seniors with mild handicaps in permanent employment and postsecondary schools. Considered are theoretical foundations, recruitment, on the job experiences, the employment skills workshop, staff roles, and outcomes. (DB)

Discusses results of a study of five initiatives which promote intergenerational relationships for at-risk youth. Discusses factors involved in the success of the initiatives, the relation between elder mentors and youths, and implications for policy. (RJC)

Recommendations are made for addressing five pragmatic issues at the local level: (1) formalizing an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) policy; (2) addressing concerns about morality; (3) placement of AIDS instruction within comprehensive health education; (4) formulation of a curriculum development model; and (5) relating to the local…

Suggestions are made for planning and implementing a walking program for a city or town. (JD)

This study analyzed patterns of deinstitutionalization of people with mental retardation by tracking discharges for over 2,000 residents of the largest mental retardation facility in Virginia. Initial placements were ascertained and categorized. Discussion focuses on implications of these placement data for an understanding of the…

Examines how collaborative, community research on adolescents can generate local data to guide community policies and programs on behalf of adolescents and contribute to our scientific knowledge base. Discusses the limited utility of the scientific knowledge base for nonresearchers interested in promoting youth development at the community level.…

A survey of 133 Illinois direct service providers across various agencies indicated that providers are committed to serving youth with emotional/behavioral disorders locally, but perceived a lack of effort to eliminate ineffective programs and identified procedural barriers to providing comprehensive community-based services. A wide variety of…