This paper reports on the progress of eight Chicago-based community initiatives designed to redefine social services and broaden social responsibility for the development of children and families. The paper has three sections describing: (1) general background on the children, youth, and families initiative; (2) early lessons from an initiative in…

The 1977 Assembly focused on community forums, planned events providing an opportunity for broad participation and informed discussion of current issues of concern to local citizens. The background papers and recommendations of the Assembly are included in this report. "Why the Community College Should Be the Institutional Base," by…

Human service agencies, including public schools and institutions of higher education, are playing an increasingly dominant role in the lives of all citizens, especially the poor. The increasingly bureaucratic nature of these agencies has been contributing to the continued powerlessness and dependence of their growing clientele. The perception by…