The research urgency is caused by the increase of social responsibility of universities for improvement of the quality of higher education and development of students' socio-professional values. In terms of the conflicting realities of modern society the youth policy at the University is the most important tool to form students' commitment to…

Physical education programs in colleges/universities have been called on to provide students with opportunities to develop an appreciation for, and increase participation in, lifetime physical activity. Higher Education Physical Activity Programs (HEPAPs) have evolved over the past 100 years in response to changing societal and institutional…

Orienting and welcoming first-year students to campus and to honors programs are often key components of program development. At an institutional level, successful orientation programs can positively affect retention rates from the first to second year. The greater a student's involvement and integration into the life of the university, the less…

This dissertation offers a case study of the YMCA of the USA's pilot Higher Education Service Project (YHESP) with 61 local YMCAs on how the collaborative evaluation approach functioned to facilitate an organizational culture around evaluation and reinvention strategies of YMCAs as college access service providers. Multiple data collection sources…

The field of youth development is evolving, with growing attention being paid to the professional development opportunities afforded those who work with and on behalf of young people. Formal coursework for youth workers must be relevant and useful and meet the needs of diverse audiences, including both front-line workers and the managers and…

This yearbook contains 14 essays that address a wide variety of issues that educators, policymakers, and others involved in education are exploring in order to expand the understanding of the burgeoning field of service learning. The following papers are included: "Youth Participation: Integrating Youth into Communities" (Peter…

The youth work curriculum, developed as a special degree program at the College of Public and Community Service of the University of Massachusetts at Boston as part of a demonstration grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to the Boston Teen Center Alliance is presented. The Youth Work Career Certificate (equivalent…

The author relates his experiences as a participant of Outward Bound in 1965 and discusses how these learning experiences influenced his later work as a special education teacher at a youth residential treatment center in The Netherlands. Describes experiential outdoor programs for Netherlands youth including Outward Bound, Elan-training, Centre…

Concept mapping is a structured conceptualization that can be used by groups to develop a conceptual framework that guides evaluation or planning. Twelve papers discuss concept mapping in evaluation/planning in terms of theory development; measurement, construct validity, and pattern matching; outcome assessment and internal validity;…

Describes the Future Farmers of America chapter as an integral part of the agriculture teacher education program. Lists the purposes and activities of the chapter. College credit is given to students participating in the chapter through enrollment in the class entitled FFA Leadership. (LRA)

The purpose of this paper is to provide the background and objectives of an evaluation study of Upward Bound (UB), a nationwide program to help selected low income high school students prepare for and enter post secondary education. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the accomplishment of two of the program's major objectives, to increase…

This report characterizes the current state of community service in the United States, discusses actions the Commission on National and Community Service has taken, and sketches some alternatives for the future. An executive summary presents the main themes of the report. Chapter 1 describes the promise of national and community service for the…

This document launches a wide public consultation with all those involved in and with an interest in the European Union's (EU's) education, training, and youth programs called Socrates, Tempus, Leonardo da Vinci, and Youth for Europe. It is the first step toward preparing the new generation of programs to start in 2007 and will inform the…

This document reviews programs and policy initiatives in the following Northwestern States aimed at reducing the number of youth who are at risk of dropping out of school or remaining unemployed: (1) Alaska; (2) Hawaii; (3) Idaho; (4) Montana; (5) Oregon; and (6) Washington. The following regional trends are identified: (1) establishing…

This report examines various approaches to social education that are currently in use in Great Britain. Discussed in an overview of social education are the following topics: social education in secondary schools, social education and the Youth Service, social education for adults, training in personal interaction, the social education of mentally…