Festivals, fairs, and events (FFEs) provide rural communities with economic and noneconomic benefits. For the project described in this article, we conducted a needs assessment of Iowa FFE managers by surveying them about the challenges they face in event management and then used the results of the assessment as the basis for training sessions…

This article provides insights into the utility of applying theories associated with the complexity sciences to engaged research. The article reflects on a 4-year health-related engagement between the University of Limpopo and the Waterberg Welfare Society in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The introduction presents the focus of the…

Utilisation of community management strategies is an approach to governance that is based on community and organisational involvement. Communities with development projects have formed community projects management committees (CPMCs) that are encouraged to adopt the community management strategy in the planning and financing of community…

The FNS Research Corner provides a continuing series to summarize recently completed and current research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in the area of child nutrition. Summaries of recently completed research projects and in-progress research are provided in this article.

Professional development programmes for teachers have become an increasing focus in the quest to improve teacher quality. In regional and remote areas of Australia the delivery of professional development programmes can become problematic. This study compares and contrasts the two separate professional development programmes evaluated (Programme A…

This occasional paper is the first in a series on the National Quality Framework (NQF). This paper offers detailed insights into education and care service quality ratings for Quality Area 1 -- Educational Program and Practice, which focuses on ensuring that educational program and practice is stimulating and engaging, enhances children's learning…

Higher education institutions are increasingly looking to online education as a means to broaden their market reach, increase student enrollments and ultimately realize increased tuition revenue. Many institutions, however, find that they have insufficient infrastructure resources to launch one or more fully online learning programs. A small…

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation designated as the administrator of the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). USAC administers the Universal Service Fund and the four Universal Service programs: High Cost, Low Income, Rural Health Care,…

Describes how one rural community mental health center developed a management information system and responded to the pressures for accountability from funding bodies and collateral agencies in the community. After a discussion of the programs, the steps followed in developing the management information system are described. (Author)

The document reports on the sixth year activities of the Outreach: Macomb 0-3 Regional Project, a rural model for handicapped high risk infants, toddlers, and their families. Major project goals are to increase and improve specialized services for the population, refine the existing outreach model, and help develop evaluation and documentation…

Examines the adoption of programing innovations at 118 rural mental health centers in 12 Midwestern grainbelt states. Concludes that directors' failure to innovate in response to the 1980s' rural crisis was due to scarce resources and a mentality giving precedence to existing programs, regardless of need. Contains 40 references. (SV)

The Alberton Project was a three-year community capacity building project that ran from 1999 until 2002. It aimed to revitalise the local community surrounding the small Victorian town of Yarram. Evaluation of the project involved participant observation, monitoring of media reports, surveys and interviews. Outcomes are reported with reference to…

The manual presents policy and procedural information drawn from early intervention programs for handicapped infants and young children. Materials are based on the Infant Development Center (IDC) in South Portland, Maine, a state program for handicapped children from birth to 5 years old, and on the Washington County Children's Program (WCCP), a…

Having been accused of being "rubber stamp" committees and having experienced racial hostilities and cultural frustrations in other programs, the American Indian parent advisory committees established under Title IV of the Indian Education Act of 1972 need training. Urban training programs for advisory committee parents should be…

The workshop on the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) in Balance-of-State areas explored the implications for rural areas of various manpower policies. In a previous workshop, it was found that a close correlation existed between counties classified as Balance-of-State and those classified as "rural" by the U.S. Department…