Describes the growth of KIDLINK, a global classroom-based dialog of 10- to 15-year-old youth by means of electronic mail. Highlights include changes in the way the dialog itself has been structured and in the organization of volunteers who run the project, and future possibilities. (Author/LRW)

Provides a demographic profile of Taiwan and the characteristics of the country's elderly. Reviews efforts to mobilize people over 60 years of age into the volunteer labor force to provide social support services for the disabled, frail elderly, and other groups. (DMM)

This excerpt from an address by the National PTA president to the PTA national convention (June 1992) examines PTA volunteers' responsibility to all children. Because fewer adults have direct ties to schools, those who are involved must help bring others into the picture. (SM)

To ensure the success of its enrichment activities program, a Texas elementary school formed principal assistants committees (PACs) comprised of highly diverse community volunteer coordinators. In the PAC program, parents, nonparents, and educators work together, sharing problems and solutions while supporting each others' efforts. Sidebars list…

Reviews community development projects in Nicaragua that use the multiplier effect in which people learn from each other. Projects include volunteer community health promoters, women's family gardens cooperatives, soil and water conservation programs, a women's collective, and a wheelchair repair workshop. (SK)

Parent/family involvement is an important factor in successful schools or schools reporting improved student achievement. Interviews of 50 southern Illinois principals identified 10 highly successful strategies for improving such involvement, including parent/student switch days, parent/student fundraising, teacher/parent roundtable discussions,…

Describes the experiences of school librarians with organizing volunteers, assessing the destruction, and recovery and rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Andrew. Information gathering, record keeping, public relations, public service, communication, and organization are highlighted; and the value of storytelling in coping with disaster is…

Based on Oklahoma's experience with a money management program, three principles of successful program for limited-resource families are understanding the audience, expanding education through volunteers, and networking with community agencies. (SK)

Interviews with 190 participants in Money Sense--a financial management education program based on the "master volunteer" approach--showed that the program taught them food shopping and money management skills and helped save money on food costs. Most experienced fewer financial problems and perceived their financial status as improved.…

Extension educators can increase the effectiveness of resource management programs for low income groups by (1) realizing that what works for middle income consumers may not necessarily work with other groups; (2) combining resources of service and educational agencies; and (3) mobilizing volunteers to multiply outreach efforts. (SK)

Sustainable development means educating the powerless to become empowered. The changed role of development workers requires participatory training that gives them the experience of nonhierarchical collective learning and decision making. (SK)

Involvement in community service can benefit middle-school students by helping them feel valued, teaching responsibility, and improving teacher-student relations. A rural Pennsylvania middle school evaluated community-service opportunities and then employed StarServe, a resource kit encouraging students to develop their own service projects.…

A study of first-year University of South Carolina students indicating interest in a orientation course found that of the 77 enrolling and 80 not allowed to enroll, a higher retention rate was found among enrollees. Results indicate the course is successful in increasing retention rates among interested students. (Author/MSE)

Assessed potential interest of incoming African-American and white students in eight mainstream campus volunteer opportunities. Findings from 727 incoming students who completed the Campus Involvement Interest Survey revealed that African-American students expressed significantly more interest than did white students in 4 volunteer opportunities,…

Describes Japanese correctional system including its early history and adoption of Western ideas in the late nineteenth century. Presents current Japanese treatment practices, probation/parole systems, and other offender assistance programs pointing out the importance of individual responsibility and community involvement to the system. Compares…