In the Brotherhood Crusade, a black mutual aid, self-help organization, Los Angeles blacks joined together to effect independence within the professions and the social service delivery systems, rejecting incorporation into the United Way, the major L.A. fund-raising organization. This article presents findings of a study of Crusade participants.…

Describes Project HELP, an innovative community self-help program in Nashville, Tennessee which was developed in response to the inability of certain populations to pay their utility bills, and which is staffed primarily with volunteers and funded exclusively through contributions. Reports on the program's first five years of operation, and…

The power-to-the-people, as evidenced by the increase in self-help groups, is a force that the social work profession must reckon with. This article discusses the nature of the challenge and its implications for professional practice. (Author)

Results of a study of the elderly in one community show that they place a high value on self-reliance and independence. Social planners should make use of these values to motivate the elderly to become more receptive to programs designed to help them to help themselves. (CT)

Describes an organization which provides services and education for single mothers in Australia. (ST)

Argues that small-group mutual aid organizations are successful voluntary associations that attract members even in our individualistic and commodity-driven culture because they provide valuable collective benefits that can only be enjoyed in common. Small groups as a source of social capital have implications for the study of helping…

This article describes a self-help center for adolescents which is located in Boston. The functions of the center include counseling, outreach programs, workshops, dances, planning activities at coffee-houses, and special fund-raising projects. (Author/EJT)

In the 1960's attempts were made by protest and emancipation movements to deal with the power structure of the political and administrative system. In the 1970's a change typical of the new self-help movement, turning inward from objective to subjective problem situations occurred. This new self-help movement sought programmatically to bring…

Determined the extent to which social workers participate in self-help groups and examined their role in planning, developing, and supporting the groups continued existence. Results indicated that social workers perform important functions in supporting the growth and continued existence of self-help groups. (RC)

Describes self-help programs initiated by Black women between 1895 and 1925 in Tuskegee, Alabama; Hampton, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Baltimore, Maryland. Poor housing, health concerns, racial discrimination, inadequate schools, and the lack of economic opportunities were some of the barriers challenged by these programs. (Author/GC)

With the passage in early 1975 of the social service amendments to the Social Security Act, referred to as Title XX, a major new opportunity to serve children and youth has emerged. Seizing the opportunity will be largely dependent on the well-prepared presentation of a case for the needs of young people by dedicated advocates in every state.…

SEVERAL CURRENT OR RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY SETTLEMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, WHICH SERVICE FAMILIES, ARE REVIEWED. INCLUDED ARE THREE PAPERS, FOUR DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, AND BRIEF REPORTS OF PROJECTS. THE MAJOR PAPERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING--"THE MULTI-PROBLEM FAMILY--A CHALLENGE…

A paraprofessional training program designed to provide community controlled mental health services to the Woodlawn community of Chicago, Illinois, is described in this monograph. The neighborhood and The Woodlawn Organization (T.W.O.A), a self help project formed in early 1960, are described from an historical perspective. Some of the areas…

Summarizes data showing the detrimental effects to the health of the elderly that are associated with diminution of supportive interpersonal ties. Describes six programs that illustrate the range of diversity of tasks involved in the provision of supportive associations for the elderly. (Author/GC)

Traces the history of self-help in the African American community, with emphasis on services and programs for children. Claims that the traditions of self-help are very much alive in the African American community, and are manifest in a range of activities. Illustrates contemporary models of self-help from the example of one adoption agency. (MOK)