The four case examples presented in this brief are drawn from the Gardner Center's substantial experience conducting rigorous research in research-practice partnerships. The first case describes a partnership approach that enhances a school district's capacity to use integrated longitudinal data to tackle persistent problems of practice and…

Three years ago, a coalition of three Washington State districts, Peninsula, Tacoma, and Issaquah, began cooperating to help one another implement programs and policies fostering a service ethic. This article describes each district's progress at implementing its Project Service Leadership program. (MLH)

Improving the quality of out-of-school time activities and creating effective learning environments is of keen interest to practitioners, funders and policymakers. Funded by The William Penn Foundation, "Quality Time After School" identifies characteristics of after-school activities that are linked to youth engagement and learning…

Sustainability is a critical issue for out-of-school programs. Time-limited grants, narrow categorical funding streams, and difficult economic conditions leave program leaders in a continual struggle to find a stable base of resources to continue their program over time. In the face of these challenges, many out-of-school initiatives have…

Over 10 years, the researchers studied community-based organizations (CBO) for young people, eventually examining the work of approximately 120 youth-based organizations in 34 different cities. A look at these organizations and the young people they serve shows that CBOs offer a means of reaching at-risk youth, and that they can have a significant…

Presents conceptual framework for kindergarten through grade-12 (K-12) service programs. Bases philosophical principle on results from service program studies focused on education outcomes; presents structural principle through comprehensive rubric that identifies 9 ways to structure K-12 service programs; and bases programmatic principle in 12…

This publication is part of a series of tools and resources on financing and sustaining youth programming. These tools and resources are intended to help policymakers, program developers, and community leaders develop innovative strategies for implementing, financing, and sustaining effective programs and policies. This strategy brief presents a…

This guide was developed for educators, juvenile justice practitioners, and others in youth-serving organizations to increase awareness of conflict resolution education and its potential for the peaceful settlement of disputes. Conflict resolution programs can help schools promote both the individual behavior changes necessary for responsible…

Mentorships, the art of a creatively productive person teaching, counseling, and inspiring a student with similar interests, can be the result of circumstance or they can be the result of mentorship programs engineered in the academic world. Data collected from over 25 different academic models of mentorship have been distilled into 7 key steps to…

By teaching young people how to manage conflict, conflict resolution education can reduce juvenile violence in juvenile facilities, schools, and communities, while providing lifelong decision-making skills. Conflict resolution programs also combat chronic truancy and reduce the number of suspensions and disciplinary referrals. Their potential for…

Under Subtitle B Part I, Serve-America, of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, $1.1 million was awarded to fund 44 school-based service-learning programs in Pennsylvania. A study collected data on program implementation and impact on students, Serve-America coordinators, and supervisors during visits to 43 sites and at meetings with…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference, "Leading the Way: Partners in Volunteerism," that brought together 170 educators, nonprofit organizations, and students to promote youth volunteerism. In a series of plenary sessions and workshops, attendees discussed the issues that have an impact on the creation and operation of…

This paper describes a community-based substance abuse prevention program utilizing a cognitive-behavioral curriculum to children and adolescents affected by a substance use disorder in a parent or caretaker.

Part of the Trout Unlimited program involves the development of cooperative programs to educate youth and their communities about environmental conservation. This handbook provides guidelines for conducting youth education events and information to facilitate the development and implementation of youth education activities with various community…

The purpose of the Wilderness Spirit program is to lead and assist children to comprehend, use, and conserve information about the natural resources of the Hill Country of Texas, including its wildlife, plant life, weather and climate, soils and minerals, water, and land use as well as all forms of agriculture and activities of daily subsistence…