"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Meeting of the Minds: The Parent-Teacher Conference Is the Cornerstone of School-Home Relations. How Can It Work for All Families? (Laura Pappano); (2) In Search of That "Third…

This brief discusses the signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use and provides recommendations to assess substance use among youth in your program. It is not uncommon for adolescents to experiment with different substances such as alcohol or cigarettes, but this can lead to heavy and continued use, which is dangerous and may put their health at…

This publication is part of a series of tools and resources on financing and sustaining youth programming. These tools and resources are intended to help policymakers, program developers, and community leaders develop innovative strategies for implementing, financing, and sustaining effective programs and policies. This guide provides practical…

In Canada, current federal learning-and-work policy is focused on individual learner-worker development using an iteration of lifelong learning as cyclical. This policy aims to enhance the social as an effect of enhancing the economic. In this neoliberal milieu, cyclical lifelong learning has become not only a norm but also a culture and an…

Current research and theory suggest that the healthy path of autonomy development involves gradual negotiation of adolescents' independence "within" a context of continued family connection. This theory-generating study examined the role that adolescents' participation in youth programs plays in these adolescent-parent negotiations. Qualitative…

The authors describe intermediary organizations whose aim is to provide technical assistance to sports organizations about infusing a youth development emphasis into their programming. Team-Up for Youth, Sports PLUS Global, and the National Recreation and Park Association are the three organizations highlighted in this article. Team-Up for Youth's…

The development of a national youth work training package in Australia began over 15 years ago. The current package sits under the umbrella of the general Community Services Industry Training Package. The first stage of a review of this package has been completed and the subsequent report not only confirms the recent trend towards the…

The impact of the Conservation and Youth Services Corps on communities and program participants was evaluated by studying eight corps programs, which were located in the following areas: Washington State; New York City; Greater Miami, Florida; Santa Clara, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Camden County, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; and…

Widespread concern about teenage childbearing led to the establishment of numerous intervention programs throughout the United States during the 1980s. Nevertheless, between the mid-1980s and the early 1990s, the teen birth rate rose in every state. This volume examines numerous prevention programs and makes recommendations for establishing…

The General Accounting Office compared state youth training programs with the Job Corps using the four program features that, taken together, characterize the Job Corps program: (1) serving a severely disadvantaged population, (2) providing basic education instruction, (3) focusing on vocational training services, and (4) providing these services…

This document describes the extent of the violence problem, names some key causes, presents some successful strategies, and outlines how a number of communities have developed and carried out thoughtful, coordinated game plans. Part 1 frames the problem, presenting facts, causes, and costs, and explaining the value of prevention. Part 2…

This testimony reports on the state of program evaluation in the field of drug education for youth. The report focuses on the role of evaluation in: (1) the Department of Education's program of grants to states and local school districts under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1986, as amended; (2) the department's Drug-Free…

This directory lists resources that can help young people explore, understand, and question the world around them. Most of the materials use active learning methods, which promote skills in discussion, cooperation, and small group work. Most of the 100 or so resources in this directory have been produced by the Joint Agencies Group (JAG), a…

The purposes of Senate bill S.1415 concerning youth smoking are reviewed and a favorable report with an amendment is provided. The background and need for the legislation is analyzed and the legislative history, including hearings and testimony, is summarized. An analysis of Sections 1-10 is presented individually. Discussion of the bill follows…

Summarized in this report are the views of 14 labor officials interviewed in the spring of 1991 regarding their attitudes toward the youth apprenticeship approach, which has been gaining support in educational and legislative sectors. Their views are expressed around the following seven themes organized as sections of the report: (1) six major…