This handbook is a resource tool designed to assist Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) staff and lay leaders of local communities in planning and developing programs for their constituents. Materials included consist of excerpted information from various sources. An attempt has been made to present a total family concept that provides a…

This discussion of the participation of employees, voluntary and community groups, and consumers and parents in community social services planning traces recent origins of British thinking on the subject, analyzes what social services planners can learn from physical planners, and discusses methods of participation for each type of group. (JT)

Describes the two basic program development methods used in a parent education project of the Franklin County (Ohio) Children Services: (1) program development by local planning committees from specific suburban, rural, and urban geographical areas, and (2) construction of predesigned programs for parents who are clients of the agency. (MF)

The village center model is designed to eliminate fragmented social service delivery problems in rural areas. The Whole Village Project at Plymouth, New Hampshire, offers interagency collaboration, local control and leadership, and increased client access to family and child services. Alternative strategies are outlined for development of similar…

In developing a project to increase the effectiveness of service delivery systems to ethnic minority groups, the cultural orientation and needs of the minority community must be addressed. Cultural and historical barriers to service delivery exist in the Japanese American community which result in under-utilization of services. To meet this…

This paper describes a center- and community-based training program for autistic preschool-aged children, their families, and community-based service providers in a traditionally underserved section of Appalachia. The program's team training approach focuses on early identification, comprehensive assessment, intensive individualized training,…

The initiation, implementation, and successes of 13 older adult volunteer programs are traced in these descriptive essays focusing on: (1) the Educational Growth Opportunities project at San Diego State University (CA); (2) the Retired Volunteer Service Corps at the University of Maryland; (3) the Displaced Homemakers Program at Valencia Community…

The report describes the development and operation of a communal laundry center, or housewife club in Netivot, Israel which provides laundry facilities, a social meeting place, and a variety of classes and services for users. The proposal for the club grew out of the difficulties facing the district social welfare bureau in solving the laundry…

An examination of hundreds of studies on the use of volunteers in mentoring programs, service programs, and local community change initiatives highlight the importance of screening, training, and volunteer management. Each year, more than 90 million Americans contribute more than 20 billion volunteer hours. Personal benefits of volunteering…