The educational and pyschological effects of the practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on secondary school students were examined. A course including TM technique was taught to two public high school classes of 30 volunteers each. One class took the TM course for both semesters; the other took an alternative course in self-development for the…

This paper describes the Elder Program, a 3 year Model Demonstration Program designed to strengthen neighborhood support systems for older persons through an educational program emphasizing information, resources, and skill development. A discussion of basic assumptions and the theoretical background of the model focuses on the principles of…

This description of a weight reduction program, based on generalizations derived from eight years of work with overweight persons, discusses the clients' rationalization of overeating behaviors. In this behavior modification program, the client is required to permanently give up one high calorie food and to write down all foods eaten before actual…

Obesity is one of the most prevalent health concerns currently facing industrialized nations. Psychological, social and emotional problems result from excess weight, and those who fail in their weight-loss efforts become extremely depressed. The obsession to be thin, particularly in the United States, is a boon to weight-control programs, both…

The five articles discuss the implementation of a computerized career guidance program in a four-year institution. This program, The System of Interactive Guidance Information (SIGI), is the focus of a co-operative filed study between Educational Testing Service and the Illinois State University Student Counseling Center (ISU SCC). The first…

A program for conducting a series of adolescent group counseling sessions that focus on the problems and needs of abused adolescents is presented. The materials, which emphasize self-esteem and feelings and teach youths to think of themselves in positive ways, share their experiences with abuse, and discuss coping strategies, are intended to be…

This paper outlines various aspects of the Learning Improvement Group (LIG). The LIG is described as a model for organizing existing resources to meet basic skills needs of students. Reference is also made to the identification of both student and teacher reading/learning needs in self-renewing schools. Suggestions are made regarding the…

This paper describes the displaced homemaker, defines her plight, and delineates the successful Displaced Homemaker Program conducted by the Fort Wayne area (CETA) consortium. The emphases of the program focus on the fundamental concerns of the displaced homemaker, i.e., the establishment of a new identity, the resolution of financial problems,…

Accumulating research attests to the benefits of self-help groups for people who have various chronic health problems. Expansion of self-help group participation may enable a broader portion of society to experience these health benefits. The Media and Education for Self-Help (MESH) Project was an effort to increase interest in health-related…

The Citizens' Campaign Against Hunger and Poverty and For Life is a nongovernmental organization in Brazil that recruited and organized more than three million volunteers to distribute food baskets, support gardening and water projects, provide basic health care, create jobs, assist homeless children, and encourage local and state governments to…

This manual focuses on the start-up and operation of low-cost transportation in rural areas. A principal focus is the use of volunteers and/or the consolidation of rides through a brokerage program. Chapter One provides an overview of what financial and operating decisions must be made to design a volunteer system. Chapter Two describes easy…

The Managing Independent Living Program provides instruction in reasoning skills to analyze career and life planning, housing, and consumer needs of persons in transition. Although the program was implemented and tested with adult female offenders, it is readily adaptable to both institutionalized and noninstitutionalized persons and for secondary…

The Project Talent longitudinal survey of 400,000 students (grades 9-12) identified deficiencies in the nation's schools, particularly in reading comprehension and career planning. The Program for Learning in Accordance with Needs, PLAN, represented one response to Project TALENT findings. PLAN products included a list of educational objectives…

This report summarizes 1997 activities of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent agency of the U.S. government. The IAF promotes equitable, participatory, and sustainable self-help development in Latin America and the Caribbean by awarding grants directly to local organizations, as well as by entering into partnerships with public-…

This report summarizes 1998 activities of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent agency of the U.S. government. The IAF promotes equitable, participatory, and sustainable self-help development in Latin America and the Caribbean by awarding grants directly to local organizations, as well as by entering into partnerships with public-…