Bob Cornett, a former state budget director for Kentucky, describes himself as a "retired bureaucrat." But as a parent, grandparent, and a person who has been involved in education reform for more than 20 years, he's come to understand that, if public education policies are to be corrected, the impetus has to come from the citizenry. In…

The concept of Big Society provides inspiration--working "bottom up" to promote "collective action, reciprocity and a new, more engaged relationship between local people and public services". With so much written about the theory of the Big Society, this seems like an ideal time to put a little more practical detail into the mix. The authors argue…

Political leaders like to put forward guiding ideas or themes which pull their individual decisions into a broader narrative. For John Major it was Back to Basics, for Tony Blair it was the Third Way and for David Cameron it is the Big Society. While Mr. Blair relied on Lord Giddens to add intellectual weight to his idea, Mr. Cameron's legacy idea…

The application of adult education principles to community development is only possible under certain conditions relating to power relationships, institutional structures, community dynamics, and the role of the community organizer. (JOW)

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…

Evaluation of public service programs uses language and techniques inimical to community development. Key elements of a better approach are as follows: (1) community participation; (2) emphasis on qualitative measures of success that complement the quantitative; (3) strong awareness of the importance of process goals; (4) concern with sustainable…

This paper proposes bargaining as a useful conflict resolution skill for community developers. Key bargaining concepts and practice principles from the fields of international conflict resolution, the social action model of community organization, and political science are discussed. (Author/CT)

Summarizes competing approaches to the role of culture in community development and use of community media--as top-down dissemination of messages or as participatory action research. Presents a case study of the use of video for community participation and empowerment in Burkina Faso. (Author/SK)

Three seminars examined strategies and tactics for community mobilization in Latin America. The sessions--which were held in Bogota, Columbia; Quito, Ecuador; and Recife, Brazil--involved a total of 75 participants from 27 organizations. Addressed during the seminars were development, leadership, mobilization, and learning in the context of…

Defines "community development" as the creation of an enlightened, involved, learning citizenry. Concludes that its beneficiaries include participants who learn social and political skills; the community which has its problems solved and troubles ameliorated or diverted; and the facilitating institution, which grows through new alliances and…

An interview with Linda Mayro, archaeologist and cultural resources manager for Pima County, Arizona, discusses efforts of local groups to preserve local Native-American and Mexican cultural-heritage sites in oppositon to commercial land developers. A public information campaign led to passage of a $6.4 million historic preservation bond. (SAS)

Looks at the respective roles of the diocese, parish, and school in creating good fund-raising and development programs. Considers what each has to offer, what each has to gain, and how their efforts can be coordinated. (DMM)

Community problem solving as an aspect of continuing education is traced from the colonial period to the present. This review shows that educational programs to help adults identify and solve community problems are not a recent innovation. (Author/JOW)

Community educators need to provide grassroots leadership training, as can be seen by an examination of five points. First, a positive relationship exists between the quality of participation and the quality of leadership. Leadership should aim for team-directed action that meets member interests and concerns in the team's environment. Shared…

The objectives and practices of Nigeria teacher education have traditionally prepared teachers to impart knowledge in the classroom but not for other roles in the communities they serve. Lessons are drawn for Nigeria from other less developed countries where teachers are prepared for community service as well as classroom teaching. (LKS)