This article raises the question, "Is the rapid expansion of the school Academies programme consistent with the Government's policy of enabling socially disadvantaged local communities to participate in making decisions that shape the quality of their lives?" (Contains 1 note.)

This report reveals the results of studies made of three groups actively seeking community participation in school affairs in a city noted for its conservative school system. The study utilized participant observation supplemented by interviews and document analysis. Each group had only 15-30 active members and no broad base in the community. All…

The Kuru Development Trust is a development support program that is owned and controlled by the communities in which the organization operates, the majority being San, or Bushmen, communities in the Kalahari region of Africa. Following a holistic approach to development, Kuru is involved in a wide range of activities, including income-generating…

Articulates profitable routes to institutional reform for people dissatisfied with the quality of social service provided by the institution of which they are part. Argues that the creation of cultural and institutional democracy requires recognition of clients as constituents, and some elements of participatory decision making, community control,…

This document reports on Phase II of a major project designed to study how school systems respond to the educational needs of the socially and economically disadvantaged. The report presents the Local Community Control model as the most effective means to change the school board's typical non responsiveness to the needs of the educationally…

Discusses changes in education of Indian children in Alberta and Canada resulting from mobilization of Indian parents against integration of Indian children into public school systems. Changes include Indian control of local schools and parent involvement in school policies. Points out benefits of parent participation to schools, parents, and…

The Philadelphia Commission on Decentralization and Community Participation offers plans for reforms on the school and district level. On the school level, three options are suggested: (1) informal community participation in decision-making; (2) advisory participation in the form of an elected or appointed committee from the community; or, (3)…

This report is a series of interviews with fifteen citizens experienced in school community relations at five different sites across the nation. A background section presents the rationale for and the design of these interviews and introduces the participants. The greater portion of the report presents a summary of and commentary on the interviews…

Participatory research began as a reaction to traditional social science research methodology, which tended to make persons into objects of study. It had its beginnings in Tanzania around 1970, when a group of farmers participated in research to assess and solve the problem of losses of grain harvests. The process grew out of the philosophy of…

In today's wars, children are on the front lines. This handbook, the result of a meeting of psychologists and humanitarian workers, presents a strategy to meet the needs of children in war and refugee crises that intends to be cost-effective, empowering, and child-focused. The strategy emerged from field work based on the belief that each…

A growing trend in social science research is to reject those modes that treat individuals as objects of research and to accept the role of catalyst in helping the people to do their own research. Also, there is an increasing demand that results of social research must serve in a timely way to improve the situation of those involved. Participatory…