Conducted 10 focus groups in which adolescents discussed their "growth experiences" in extracurricular and community-based activities. The 55 participants reported personal and interpersonal processes and generally described themselves as agents of their own development and change. (SLD)

A renewable energy project in South Wales was enriched by elements of the sustainable livelihood approach: people centered, holistic, and dynamic. The approach shifted the focus from technology to people and from product to process; it combined micro and macro issues. (SK)

Examines the potential role of culture in health-related physical activity participation, discussing kinesiology and reporting results from a health-related physical activity study of women, some of whom had taken a culturally designed aerobics class. Participants demonstrated the positive impact of culture on physical activity participation.…

Analysis of Australian Community Survey data (n=6,242) identified three categories of volunteer involvement: assisting those who need help, serving the wider community, and being involved in volunteer groups. Volunteers in each category had different characteristics. Key influences were having resources to contribute, existence of recruitment…

Dan Mader, CEO of Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc., discusses his firm's uses of the design charrette (an intense design work session), and talks about how important it is to have the community involved in each project. (EV)

Describes place-based education, a curricular approach that encourages students to engage in solving local problems, stimulates a desire to learn, and helps students connect to their community. (PKP)

Describes Cheney's successful use of volunteers in parks and recreation programs. They raised funds, worked for park maintenance and improvement, and organized sports programs and special events. Reports survey results from Washington communities on voluntary efforts of fraternal and social organizations, businesses, and senior and youth groups.…

Suggests that communication between teachers and parents and other community members is noticeably enhanced when the following indicators can be clearly observed among the communicators: warmth, empathy, respect, genuineness, listening, and concrete practicality. (MG)

Describes the community adult education activities at the Westerra Institute of Technology in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada. Demonstrates the utility of Stephen Brookfield's conceptual model of community adult education. (JOW)

Addresses the need to make urban forestry information and resources available and understandable to everyone in an effort to organize and educate communities. The seemingly hidden aspects of the urban ecosystem are examined; and a sidebar looks at the air, carbon, and energy cycles and sustaining quality of life, in particular. (LZ)

Outlines six steps for building local coalitions aimed at stopping community dioxin exposure. Discusses the dangers of dioxin exposure and the advantages of coalition-building. (LZ)

Challenges the assumption that disagreement among environmental experts is a rare occurrence and suggests the public offers valuable expertise that should be included in the environmental decision-making process. Looks at forms of bias and methods for improving the quality of technical knowledge and expertise. Sidebars discuss actual conflicts.…

Although parent involvement is essential, state education agencies have provided little financial support for staff and programs needed to improve school-family connections. This article discusses elements of good parent involvement programs and describes several successful examples. Advice is given for creating and managing school volunteer…

A high school principal describes a 48-hour plan he constructed to deal with adolescent suicide. Essential steps include activating the emergency contact chain used for school closings, enlisting community support, relaying the facts, refusing to glorify the suicide, helping staff help students, and evaluating the plan. (four references) (MLH)

Gatekeepers, or nontraditional referral sources, have proven to be an effective means of case finding and outreach for mental health needs of isolated senior citizens. A two-year project administered by county public health department found the gatekeeper concept to be an effective means of case finding in the public health setting. (ABL)