This book is intended as a resource for elected officials, municipal staff, and citizens who would like to apply the concept of sustainable development in their communities through an ecosystems approach to human settlements management. The subcomponents of human community life and its impact on the environment are explored. Included are tested,…

This book examines the place of the arts in the schools and how to establish that place. The document makes the case for the role of the visual arts, music, dance, drama, architecture, and aesthetics in educating boys and girls while simultaneously using the arts as a vehicle for school renewal. A special focus of the book is the rational for, and…

In a foreword to this document, David Mathews, president of the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, describes in what ways effective communities are different from ineffective ones. Following an introduction, a section on school use suggests that most schools offer nothing to adults without children, so it should be no surprise that many adults are…

"Jobs Rally" is a community event that can be coordinated by a human service program or institution to help communities become more responsive to the independent living and career development needs of people with severe disabilities. This manual outlines how to conduct a jobs rally. The manual begins with a very brief four-step community…

The community networking model presented in this report was prepared to aid community members in strenthening and developing the networking process among business, community service agencies, government, churches, arts, recreation, and education. The model is designed to be used in a workshop in which participants are grouped in teams of…

This manual is intended for extension workers involved in rural development programs in developing nations. The focus is on communication skills and education and is aimed at the trainers of extension workers. There are four main sections with each section divided into units with handouts and activities. Section 1, "Basic Education…

The ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) Rural Adult Education Project was conceived in the spirit of empowering local people to help themselves. This book, a distillation of the experience of the project, was written with the primary object of being of practical use to those who are already involved, or would like to become involved,…

Kentucky's SOS (Sharing Our Selves) Learning Networks are community-owned, volunteer-run, informal learning/development programs incorporating community needs and the skills/knowledge/experience of individuals regardless of academic credentials. The Cooperative Extension Service administers the programs. Interested community members list subjects…

Presents a communitarian rationale for character education. Communitarians believe that individual liberties depend upon bolstering the foundations of civil society: families, schools, and neighborhoods. Lists four core areas of focus: character education in the schools, building and rebuilding communities, policies to strengthen the family, and…

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…