Online support groups provide an alternative vehicle of support for people in distress by linking people who have similar problems. They have the potential to improve the access and delivery of support to a wide range of people, including some who would not seek face-to-face support at all. Online support groups reduce the sense of isolation…

Current technology enables people to cope with grief through participation in online support groups from the comfort and privacy of their home. The three aspects of grief are emotional, physical, and behavioral. Facing the void left and dealing with the feelings of isolation after the loss of a loved one can be accomplished through online support…

Due to ongoing changes in the labor market, groups that assist people in developing or changing career directions are particularly important. This digest outlines some features of employment group counseling. Research has shown that the unemployed face numerous factors, such as job rejections and financial pressures, that can hinder the job…

Steps in preparing and conducting a job search include the following: (1) developing a resume; (2) locating prospective employers; (3) applying for the job; (4) interviewing; and (5) following through. The two types of resumes are the chronological and the functional. Most application forms require some basic information: name, address, and…

Online support groups have the potential to improve the access and delivery of services to a wide range of people who reside worldwide. They provide an alternative vehicle of support for people in distress when it may be culturally stigmatizing to seek face-to-face support. They are not appropriate for everyone, nor can everyone worldwide access…

This digest discusses factors that influence the ability of foster children to achieve academically and offers some strategies that schools can use to improve their educational success and emotional well-being. Schools can be an important source of stability for foster children, whose home lives have been disrupted. Foster children need to believe…

This fact sheet considers the counselor's role in dealing with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Three counselor roles are examined: (1) direct counseling for those affected by AIDS; (2) coordination of support systems for victims of AIDS; and (3) education. Seven recommendations for health professionals dealing with AIDS patients are…

This digest presents recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education's Hispanic Dropout Project for school practices that promote the academic achievement of Hispanic youth, and it supplements the recommendations with examples from case studies. Each Hispanic student should have an adult in the school committed to nurturing the student's…

This digest identifies several common types of nontraditional families and presents a few of their characteristics relevant to their children's education. It also offers some recommendations to help schools provide support for the families to ensure their inclusion in all aspects of schooling. Multiracial families comprise both children whose…

Resilience is a quality that characterizes children who, though exposed to significant stress and adversity in their lives, do not succumb to the school and life failures predicted for them. Recent research suggests ways that schools and communities can protect children from the threats that confront individuals and families. This digest…

This digest provides a demographic profile of family caregivers and discusses the emotional and physical burdens on family caregivers. It examines how caregivers cope with these burdens and highlights research findings on the most effective coping strategies. The digest concludes by summarizing the challenges to the helping profession in…

This digest explores several key factors that contribute to the academic persistence and achievement of migrant high school students. The discussion draws from research on one California high school and from the literature on promoting educational success for working-class minority youth. National studies have estimated that only about half of…

This ERIC digest discusses meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered school youth, i.e., supporting their ability to learn while maintaining an environment for them that is free from physical and psychological abuse. It describes the various policy initiatives protecting the rights of lesbian and gay students and indicates…

Hispanic students have higher dropout rates and lower academic achievement than Anglo students. While schools have begun to address the issue of underachievement, some community groups have implemented enrichment programs that focus on the affective domain--self-esteem, family values, and cultural pride. This digest describes and synthesizes the…

Rather than viewing youth as an isolated and alienated subculture, it is more useful to view the needs of youth as largely determined by where and how they live, and to recognize that they differ from one another just as adults do. Professionals and volunteers in community youth programs need to understand how the youth they work with experience…