All corners of the media are scrutinising David Cameron's "Big Society", from every conceivable angle. While the concept has caught the public's imagination, the greater challenge of fleshing out what the Big Society will actually offer and require of communities is unfinished business. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations…

Youth-adult partnership (Y-AP) in community decision making and collective action has gained momentum as a key element of prevention programming. There is now a solid body of evidence demonstrating that these partnerships have developmental benefits for youth. There is also an increasing awareness that Y-AP may also produce positive…

After five years with no public schools in their community, residents and neighborhood organizations of the Near Westside of Indianapolis advocated for the opening of George Washington Community High School (GWCHS). As a neighborhood in close proximity to the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, the Near Westside and campus…

Since World War I, efforts have been made to coordinate the activities of community agencies involved in adult education. Two basic approaches may be identified: community organization (stressing administration) and community development (stressing process). There are comparatively few studies which deal directly with community organization for…

Six community builders in Edmonton, Alberta, planned, developed, and implemented Listen and Learn II, a reflective research project in asset-based community building, over a 6-month period in 1998. They met regularly over 2 months to plan the research and design a method that was open to participation at any stage, encouraged exchange of…

The two communities compared tended to support the proposition that communities following an integrative style of development are characterized by coordinative structures including associational, while the contrary is true for communities following the autonomous style. Available from: Editorial and Business Offices, Piazza Cavalieri di Malta, 2,…

The study analyzes the community development programs implemented in a 14-county rural complex of the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. Community development is conceptualized from an interactional or field perspective with emphasis on ecological, cultural, and social analysis. Available from: Editorial and Business Offices, Piazza Cavalieri…

More people than ever are using coastal waters for recreation and business activities and living along the shores. This puts more pressure on natural resources and creates more conflicts between the people using the resources. This guidebook is designed to help citizens develop an understanding of how coastal management works. Four chapters in…

Uses question-and-answer format to profile Edna Compton, director of Dungannon (Virginia) Development Commission, an economic development group formed and managed by local people. Commission improved education, housing, and employment in area. Compton discusses process, achievements, and goals held by commission and herself. (TES)

I examine the concept of the community field to identify the structures, elements, and processes that generate improved capacity for community action. I conduct analysis of interlocking leadership among local organizations and recent community action in three Midwestern communities to determine the structure and attributes of the community field.…

Describes Catholic priest's founding and operation of Servol, grassroots community assistance and development center in Trinidad. Describes Servol's low-profile service-oriented approach to creating education and health services, programs, and facilities. Describes Servol's difficult transition from quixotic neighborhood project to national and…

Recent growth of rural communities and economies will change the role that community developers play. Based on the survey responses of 533 new migrants to five types of California rural communities, data indicate that the major role of community developers will be to coordinate and facilitate organizations in rural areas. (Author/SSH)

The California Main Street Program (MSP) provides technical assistance to rural communities facing rapid growth and downtown decay, serving as a vehicle for local stimulation and revitalization of downtown area businesses. This five-part handbook presents strategies for creating partnerships between California's MSPs and the state's community…

The report describes six projects supported by the Office of Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Development and employing community action to combat juvenile delinquency: the Mobilization for Youth on New York City's lower East Side; the Syracuse Crusade for Opportunity in Syracuse, New York; the United Planning Organization, Washington, D.C.; Houston…

This document is intended to assist local authorities in England and Wales who are interested in forming local strategic partnerships (LSPs) with the community and voluntary sectors. Section 1 presents the following guidelines for LSPs when developing a community strategy to meet local priorities: (1) have each local area prepare a plan to improve…