Looks at Commission on Religion in Appalachia (CORA) programs uniting 23 church denominations behind social and volunteer projects designed to improve quality of rural life. Describes CORA and its projects. (TES)

The benefits and drawbacks of using private sector contractors to manage parks and recreation activities typically run by city, county, or state governments are explored. Criteria to be used in deciding if contracting is feasibile for a particular department are suggested. (DF)

The most serious challenge facing the Black community today is that of economic development. The recently formed Council for a Black Economic Agenda believes that a dynamic change strategy must empower the Black community itself in order to eradicate poverty, expand educational options, and strengthen Black families. (GC)

Alternative technical systems are needed that can be designed, developed, operated, and controlled at the local level. Technology education can provide the knowledge and skills needed to educate citizens. This effort would strengthen basic democratic processes and would develop new sources of energy to sustain a stable technology. (JB)

Describes and discusses adult education and community development in Nigeria, specifically in the Bendel State. Provides a brief history of adult education and community development and describes several programs, methods, and techniques. Highlights the Mass Literacy Campaign as the major priority. (CT)

The author introduces the concept of development education as a response to what he calls the "morally unacceptable fact of poverty, inequality, and human misery amidst the plentiful resources of the world." He describes the work of Oxfam America, which operates in the Third World to improve living conditions while promoting community…

Presenting implications for a practical strategy in community development, this article deals with the exchange: within local Volunteer Fire Departments (VFD); between a VFD and its local public; between and among VFD's which compose the fire service; and between the fire service as an organized collectivity and the regional public. (JC)

Author investigated the crisis in community work that has developed in Liverpool. (Editor/RK)

This paper describes how the trend toward building new schools on large sites far from existing development centers, called "school sprawl" or "school giantism," can have far-reaching impacts on school children, school districts, and the larger community.Educators and parents express concern that large schools reduce…

Few would argue that the time is ripe for financial education in America. Financial products and services are growing in diversity and complexity, the retirement paradigm is shifting, and far too many individuals and families are struggling to make ends meet, often turning to "payday" loans and other high-cost funding alternatives. Low-…

The "Planning Wheel" is an evolution of the original Systems Approach Model (SAM) that was introduced in 1986 by Murk and Galbraith. Unlike most current planning models, which are linear in design and concept, the Planning Wheel bridges the gap between linear and nonlinear processes. The "Program Planning Wheel" is designed to…

Community development makes use of what is now called strategic thinking and strategic planning. One crucial step in this process is developing strategies (and the subsequent tactics). First, the community development practitioner must assess the situation thoughtfully, and find out what resources the community has available, what is achievable,…

Storytelling is the most powerful activity people can engage in to build community, because storytelling is how new empowering ideas are shared. Stories structure the inner landscape from which behavior is born. This guide to storytelling in the context of community building begins with a discussion of the importance of stories, with many…

This manual focuses on how to conceptualize, structure, and facilitate the participation of young people in the community development process. It shows how empowering young people by including them in local initiatives can create feelings of solidarity and respect for the environment, for public institutions, and for the public authorities that…

The chapters of this collection focus on the impact of the educational leadership of Ernest Boyer, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for 16 years and well-known commentator on higher education. The book reviews the current state of campus community and describes community-building models at five different…