For almost 20 years, from 1917 to the 1930s, the traveling Chautauqua circuits and festivals brought education, inspiration, and entertainment to remote and not-so-remote communities. Now in the 1980s, emphasis is once more being placed on the value of local community life, on self-reliance and mutual help with respect to the social, cultural, and…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: A well-rounded story of the strength of education is being presented by the staff and students of the Ramona Unified School District in Northern San Diego county. Select audiences of service clubs and community groups that have influence on public attitudes are visited by an educational team. Each…

Developed as part of a project to integrate youth with disabilities into regular recreational and leisure activities, this report attempted to identify several programs and specific types of leisure activities that children, adolescents, and young adults with and without disabilities can enjoy together regardless of skill level. Case studies are…

A growing number of charter schools are being designed, launched, and operated by community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs). This resource guide is intended to target a priority technical assistance need: creating and sustaining a healthy relationship between a new charter school and a founding community organization, leading to the creation…

This document addresses literacy partnerships and presents a guide for community organization and program development. Section 1, "Developing a Community Literacy Organization," provides a framework for planning. It covers getting started, becoming a society, building a strong board, conducting effective meetings, accessing the media,…

Community-based organizations (CBOs) have been an integral part of the employment and training programs of the past two decades and have provided a wide variety of services to youth and adults alike. The vast differences between different CBOs make it impossible to draw definitive, generalizable conclusions about them. It appears, however, that…

Spurred by sagging retail trade and the need for future planning, the Fort Madison (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce initiated a community survey to determine attitudes of residents towards various community characteristics. A 7-section questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 411 area households, of which 268 or 72.2% responded. Over 75% of…

This guide, which is addressed to community-based organizations desiring to start or expand existing adult literacy programs, deals with recruiting and training volunteer literacy tutors. Outlined in the guide are strategies for expanding community outreach efforts (identifying who needs help and where help is typically obtained, learning from…

Using the school-community council as a vehicle, this manual leads school staffs, parents, community representatives, and school council members step-by-step through suggested tasks to strengthen schools and to help restore confidence in the public school system. Chapter 1, "Schools and Communities Working Together: A Rationale," defines…

This facilitator's guide explains how to lead a series of five sessions (study circles) designed to foster public dialogue and problem solving among citizens interested in meeting the challenges of community growth and development. The document begins with an introduction to the concept of study circles that examines the following: definition of…