This paper presents findings from a small-scale pilot evaluation of the Silver Stories programme. Silver Stories involves school-age children reading to older people in the community and is a way of addressing literacy and emotional difficulties, as well as enhancing wellbeing. The authors collected and analysed questionnaire and interview data…

MENTOR's newest resource takes the cornerstone best-practice guide for mentoring, the "Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™," and offers research-backed and practice-based tips specifically for STEM mentoring programs. "The STEM Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™" provides additional…

Taking risks is fairly common in adolescence. Risky behaviors can be associated with serious, long-term, and--in some cases--life-threatening consequences. This is especially the case when adolescents engage in more than one harmful behavior. The tendency for risky behaviors to co-occur has been well-studied. Yet prevention efforts traditionally…

Federally funded Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI) programs provide marriage education as well as other services to low-income diverse individuals and couples at many points along the marital continuum with improving children's well-being as the overarching purpose. These programs need appropriate measures of healthy marriage for couples with…

Examined the effect of social contacts between older adults and children on children's attitudes. Children (N=28) from kindergarten through third grade in an intergenerational volunteer program, took the Children's Attitude Toward the Elderly test. Results indicated that interaction alone between elders and children may not change attitudes.…

The current study presents preliminary data from an ongoing research project evaluating a summer treatment program for children with Asperger disorder (AD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral treatment program on the social behaviors of 6- to 13-year-old children with AD. Overall program…

Assessed the effects of participation in a Big Sisters' Program. The first part consisted of interviews (N=20) with pairs of Big Sisters-Little Sisters. The second part evaluated program effectiveness experimentally. Findings indicated positive relationships between pairs, and improved behavior of experimental girls versus controls. (RC)

This report provides reliable evidence that mentoring programs can positively affect young people. The evidence is derived from research conducted at local affiliates of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America (BB/BSA), the oldest, best-known, and arguably most sophisticated of the country's mentoring programs. Public/Private Ventures, Inc. conducted…

The report describes a site visit to the Seven Counties Services Region in Kentucky to identify and document promising practices for serving people with severe disabilities in integrated community-based services. The regional agency serves Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Trimble, Spencer, Bullitt and Shelby Counties. Regional service priorities have…

Effects of a 52-lesson, class-taught, social-problem-solving training program for third-grade children were assessed. Program children improved more than controls on several cognitive skills, including problem identification, alternative-solution thinking, and consequential thinking as well as on behavioral problem-solving performance.…

Some of the main issues surrounding the operation of mentoring programs for minority youth are outlined and illustrated through the example of the Male Youth Project, a church-based program in Washington, D.C. Screening, orienting, and rewarding mentors are aspects of program operation that are fundamental. Other issues include the youth to mentor…

In Japan, the production and broadcasting of television (TV) programs for children began in 1953. After the first few years of trial and error, children's programs gradually rose in popularity with the introduction of TV animation, dramas, special-effects photography, music/variety and quiz shows, comedies, and action dramas. Since the inception…

Intergenerational activities are any activities planned to be of mutual benefit to more than one age group. This manual concentrates on school-age children and older adults sharing experiences in the library or elsewhere using library materials. The following four models are introduced: (1) Sharing Letters; (2) Sharing Stories; (3) Sharing…

This report provides a comprehensive description and discussion of 5 years of activities supported by the National Institute of Mental Health for the Personnel for Parent Development Program designed to train mental health, social service and educational professionals to deliver specific types of group parent training services. The report details…

This report provides findings from a study of families with newly opened cases served by Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare's Ongoing services program for children placed in out-of-home care. The Bureau is part of the Children's Services Division of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS). Specifically, the central goal of the…