The recent decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in "Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1" (2007) has forced school districts to begin thinking of new ways to integrate their schools without relying on race as the single factor in their assignment plans. While some school districts already have begun to…

The current study examined mental health symptomology, substance use, and adaptive coping among 416 social work students following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Among participants, 47% scored at or above the clinical level for depression, with 6% of students showing clinical PTSD-like symptoms, and 16.9% reporting substance use. Two thirds (66.9%)…

For at least 20 years, American universities, political scientists, and college students have each been criticized for holding themselves aloof from public life. This article introduces a pedagogical method--research service-learning (RSL)--and examines whether it can provide a means of integrating scholarly theory with civic practice to enhance…

Using volunteers has a double benefit. The children get more individualized attention since there are more adults available to help in the classroom. Also, the volunteers see how much effort goes into making a classroom function and come away appreciating the efforts of center personnel. This article discusses the benefits of using community…

Living in a supportive neighborhood can contribute to the successful development of children and youth. This fact sheet examines whether children living in a supportive neighborhood have an advantage in terms of connections to family, peers, and community. Results indicate that, yes, children who live in high-support neighborhoods are more likely…

This article describes a program that offers low-income children ages 2 to 12 years a space to grow and learn by providing access to toys, books, and educational materials. It is funded by donations of money, toys, and educational materials. The World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) Mobile Toy Library started in Paraguay in 2001…

The present study focused on changes in volunteering over time among Italian adults and examined a model in which motives from self-determination theory (SDT) were hypothesized to influence a series of social-cognitive processes including self-efficacy judgments and constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The study was conducted with…

This study describes a pilot project that included senior volunteer readers reading aloud to third graders in diverse schools across a district in northeast Florida. The researchers interviewed students about their perceptions of the aging process before and after the read aloud as well as their view of the read aloud events. The children enjoyed…

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) conducted a national survey of in-service teachers participating in Project ASTRO. The survey results document (1) the value that teachers place on supplemental astronomy education provided by professional and amateur astronomers, and (2) the difference that teachers perceive in the value provided by…

Limited research has been conducted on the creation or impact of "decent" prisons, institutions where prisoners are treated with care and respect. This study set out to explore organizational factors associated with locating hospice programs into prison settings. Yet, the research produced unexpected findings about the contribution of hospice to…

In civic youth work program staff focus on larger outcomes and do not often attend to the importance of seemingly mundane and simple tasks. Young people talk about how these simple tasks have powerful meaning for them and their work even as adult volunteers talked about the challenges of working democratically with young people. To integrate these…

The SMILES (Senior Motivators in Learning and Educational Services) program was initiated in 1977 by Salt Lake City School Volunteers, Inc., a nonprofit organization working with the Salt Lake City School District, as an addition to an established, successful school volunteer program. The purpose of the SMILES program is to recruit and train older…

This manual provides information for volunteers with the North Carolina Division of Youth Services. It describes the Division's history in developing correctional facilities, its philosophy and goals, and the administration of its training schools and detention centers. It cites examples of volunteer involvement in the areas of administrative and…

This booklet provides guidance on the support of volunteers in adult literacy and basic skills work. It outlines recommendations that provide practical advice as well as a framework for action to ensure that the quality of basic education provision is maintained and improved. Topics include financial implications in providing support for…

This document suggests a new 1-semester, 1-period secondary education course called "Community Opportunities: Volunteer and Leisure Education" to be located in the social studies department and incorporating proven practices from the vocational education department. The document provides the student objectives, instructional methods to be used, a…