Workforce development is a critical part of successful community economic development initiatives. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, understand, and interpret local leaders' perceptions of workforce development through interviews with key stakeholders who held one of four specific staff roles, in two Georgia communities. A…

Atlanta, the fourth-fastest gentrifying city in the United States, is comprised of neighborhoods close to the city center and seat of urban wealth, that suffer from high poverty rates, unemployment, and low literacy rates. One neighborhood school has been ranked as one of the lowest in the state. To combat historical under-performance, Atlanta…

A quality improvement system (QIS) is an intentional effort to raise the quality of afterschool programming in an ongoing, organized fashion. There are a number of reasons the QIS is gaining popularity. The main reasons community leaders are drawn to improving quality is that they know that 1) higher quality programs will mean better experiences…

This paper examines a burgeoning network of organizations that is inventing new forms of community renewal and citizenship education. Their names vary--some call themselves public policy institutes, others centers for civic life--yet they share a common methodology, one aimed at tackling tough public issues, strengthening communities, and…

An assessment of Georgia Extension's Community Leadership Program showed that the 12-week training increased networking, improved visibility for local extension staff, developed a unified spirit, gave people a feeling of responsibility and accomplishment, and served as a catalyst for goal setting and action plans. (SK)

The Georgia Community Development Program is a medium of agricultural extension teaching involving community improvement. The chief difference between the Georgia program and those in other Southeastern states appeared to be in the areas of sponsorship and awards schemes. A survey of recognized leaders in 16 rural communities in the Atlanta and…

Background: This study involves 50 participants from a rural county in S.W. Georgia and examines the conditions and settings that existed at the target school as to the increase in student attrition at the alternative school. Purpose: To take a closer look at the student attrition problem in the target school and make contributions to begin to…

A Mississippi State University study investigated the perceptions of community and higher education leaders (N=197) concerning the potential socio-economic importance to Americans of establishing continuing links among communities, colleges and universities, and international students and alumni. Individuals surveyed include academic vice…

The prevalence and severity of child and adolescent overweight (OW) in the United States have been documented, but little is known regarding the prevalence of OW and "Extent of Overweight" (EOW) in individual states or specific regions within states. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of OW and EOW in school-aged…

During the 1980s, population increased 42 percent and per capita income doubled in Oconee County (Georgia). Surveys of 52 persons holding 27 county positions in 1981 and 1991 show how local leaders' personal characteristics (including educational attainment), network connections, and views of community problems changed with the changing social…

The relationships of leaders as coordinative group members and the differential views of leaders and nonleaders in 1 urban county (DeKalb) and 2 rural counties (Laurens, Lumpkin) were studied. Two methods, both utilizing the same interview schedule, were used to obtain the samples. In the first method, the Community Reconnaissance Method,…

A study was conducted to measure the role perceptions of the Georgia Extension Service in rural counties as viewed by three relevant sample groups: members of voluntary associations, leaders of the Harris County community, and professional County Extension Service personnel serving rural counties. Mailed surveys were answered by 69 voluntary…

The importance of dialogue in developing community leadership among diverse groups is described. In the context of South Carolina's Penn School for Preservation, ways communities can create diverse leadership cadres working toward common goals are explored. Common assumptions about the effectiveness of current leadership training methods are…

Describes the energy conservation management communication network in the Northeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission, a ten-county regional planning agency. The authors state that the use of local citizens and community leaders in the energy conservation planning and program activities demonstrates adult education in action. (MF)

This paper describes the use of the Nominal Group Technique as a tool to assist community leaders in 23 Georgia counties, most of them rural, in identifying and prioritizing community issues. The counties and individuals involved were participants in the Georgia County Perspective, a 12-week leadership program designed to give local leaders skills…