For many years, those who work in the mentoring field have wondered how they can extend the impact of their programs beyond the benefits experienced by young people they serve. There has been an increasing desire within our field to harness the power of mentoring to enable the youth served in a program to not just grow individually, but to…

Coalitions have key roles in helping their communities accomplish the following: (1) Track the level of literacy in the community; (2) Use that information to help identify what, and how much, literacy assistance is needed; (3) Assess the extent to which community literacy programs are meeting the need, including how well existing literacy…

In 1996, United Way of America (UWA) developed and began disseminating the most widely used approach to program outcome measurement in the nonprofit sector. Today an estimated 450 local United Ways encourage approximately 19,000 local agencies they fund to measure outcomes. The authors first describe and then assess the strengths and limitations…

To debunk the myth that evaluation is a process better left to people with a PhD, this guide describes how organizations and coalitions can develop and utilize an evaluation strategy to make underage drinking prevention programs successful and effective. This booklet first describes the purpose of evaluation as well as the myths and facts about…

This manual is intended to help citizen groups set up their own on-the-job training activities, tailored to their own individual needs, issues, learning styles, and experiences. Specifically, it discusses planning for change in the community and program development. Chapters are written chronologically, from the first step in the planning process…

Presents a planning guide that can be used to improve community-based evaluation. The guide consists of a set of questions to be discussed with all stakeholders. It covers issues of the nature and purpose of the evaluation, research methods and approaches, participation and decision making, conflict resolution, and dissemination and use of…

This study was performed to develop methods and instruments for evaluating community mental health center (CMHC) programs of indirect service consultation to schools. Models for three types of consultation are presented-Staff Development-Client Centered, Staff Development-Agency-Centered, and Project Development. Each model is designed in stages,…

Underage drinking prevention has two goals: prevent harm to the individual drinker and prevent harm to society. Modern prevention programs should be measured not by their intentions, but by their consequences: reducing the number of criminal events, reducing the amount of harm to individuals, and reducing the harm to society. This guide discusses…

This planning guide is designed to help communities answer important questions about programs to address youth violence, including finding out the types of programs that are effective and learning how to implement them. The guide is divided into four sections. Section 1, "Key Facts about Youth Violence," presents key facts about youth violence…

The needs assessment process is broken down into nine steps: (1) identifying community leaders; (2) defining assessment terms; (3) developing areas of concern; (4) conducting the assessment; (5) data analysis; (6) prioritizing; (7) analysis of probable success in meeting needs; (8) planning the program; and (9) evaluation. Surveys are discussed,…

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), based in Ottawa (Ontario), works with Canada Native communities to reduce incidents of physical and sexual abuse, children in care, suicide, and incarceration among residential school survivors and their families. This guide has been prepared to help communities evaluate their AHF-funded activities in the…

This handbook uses a Title IX Ethnic Heritage Studies Project conducted in Illinois as a model for suggesting methods and approaches that might be used by school personnel in introducing multicultural studies to a school community setting. Specific strategies are outlined and described for the following areas: (1) funding; (2) staff training; (3)…

Two documents are presented that were used to organize, create, and review portfolio evaluations of 93 community-based social action programs sponsored by the National 4-H, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Kellogg Foundation. The first document, "Project Portfolio Design," was used to direct local program leaders to assemble…

This guide seeks improvement in group home management, especially community-based residential facilities for juvenile offenders. Primary organizational considerations include structure, communication lines and decision making. The role of the Board of Directors is explored from initial selection through definition of the program directors role.…

One of the expressed aims of the Teacher Corps project is to encourage community members to develop their own potential for self-development. The present course on Community-Based Education (CBE) has been constructed with this goal in mind. The central issues of the course are presented in modularized format in an attempt to guide the first steps…