We are living in an era in which equity in education is framed and measured through individual academic achievement. Schools are viewed as economic engines for a better life . By virtue of providing adequate preparation for entering the economy and gaining a well-paying job, they are construed as capable of closing the opportunity gap. This…

Participation has become so central to adult education for community development that even the World Bank supports participatory programming. This article analyses how participation is conceptualised in "Training for Transformation" (TfT), a Freirean-inspired curriculum used in international community development settings. TfT seeks to…

This study examines youth-led decision making (YLDM) among groups of youth who are providers or recipients of community development grants. Focus groups, interviews, and participant observation with 14- to 20-year-olds and supporting adults showed youth have a preference for consensus-based decisions. Youth used due process to reach decisions…

The Coalition for Equal Access to Education (CEAE) is a Calgary-based nonprofit organization committed to working with community, education, and government stakeholders to promote access to quality, equitable education and services for K-12 English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners. CEAE is active in developing innovative projects, research…

This article discusses the Women Making a Difference programme that has provided hundreds of women in Wales the skills they need to become decision-makers in their communities. The project is all about tapping into women's desire to make a difference in their communities, and getting women who, in most cases, are already active at grassroots level…

The purpose of this research was to explore and explain the role housing plays in rural community vitality. Community vitality refers to economic strength and social well-being. In spring 2002 we collected primary interview data from informants in 134 small rural communities in nine north-central states and identified related secondary data from…

Content analysis of journal articles revealed that most authors agree that community decisions should be informed, democratic, and just. Authors disagree, however, about whether community development practitioners should act as advocates. The author provides a guide for making ethical choices concerning advocacy. (Author/CH)

Existing definitions of the relationship between community participation and community development are flawed because they concentrate on the failings of community development without analyzing why successful programs succeed. Community development is actually a form of community participation, and its success is determined by the role of the…

Principles for participatory community development are as follows: humility and respect; power of local knowledge; democratic practice; diverse ways of knowing; sustainability; reality before theory; uncertainty; relativity of time and efficiency; holistic approach; and decisions rooted in the community. (SK)

Describes Idaho cooperative extension projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Decisions for Health Initiatives, focusing on community development and health. Explains how the projects succeed with limited funding and resources. (SK)

Explores the directiveness/nondirectiveness dilemma as experienced by community development practitioners. Discusses strategies used in attempts to deal with this dilemma and concludes with implications for practice. (Author)

Libraries transform communities by providing well-organized information resources and services. Conversely, communities can also transform libraries if librarians appreciate the rich diversity of the communities' information needs, acting as bridges between communities as well as enabling and facilitating community-building. The roles of…

In contrast to the traditional model of diffusion from the top down, an information-seeking model focuses on the individual who is looking for a source to meet an information need. The change agent's role involves organizing the community and assisting in finding information sources. (SK)

Concludes that leaders and editors in communities in a more pluralistic region are more likely to perceive greater impact of nonlocal government and business agencies on local development projects than are leaders and editors of communities in less pluralistic regions. (FL)

This study was conducted to find out how effective Extension Community Resource Development Advisory Committees are in achieving their purposes and functions. Both committee members and extension agents agreed that committees were meeting their purposes by making sound program decisions, securing community acceptance of programs, and improving the…