This manual combines best practices for involvement of supervisors and counterparts in programming, training, and volunteer activities from the three regions of the Peace Corps. Its intent is to offer ideas for participatory development to supplement the work being done with partners at posts. It is designed to help associate Peace Corps directors…

It is well documented that individuals with higher levels of education tend to be more civically engaged. In a two-part study conducted for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), the authors provided empirical evidence using 1988-2000 panel data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988…

Citizenship enables young people to learn about their rights and responsibilities, to understand how society works, and develop knowledge and understanding of social and political issues. Through citizenship education young people are encouraged to take action on issues of concern to themselves and to play an active part in the democratic process,…

A statewide "Reparative Probation" intervention was evaluated in Vermont in which volunteers serve on local Boards and meet with probationers to negotiate a "reparative contract." Our sample (n = 229) was drawn from the universe of Vermont volunteers who completed a 54-question instrument measuring perceived equity, efficiency,…

For immigrants, the acquisition of language, specifically the ability to communicate effectively, is one prerequisite of full integration into the host society. For an adult immigrant second language (L2) learner in Canada, access to opportunities that may enhance communicative ability are often limited to the ESL classroom. However, while…

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has actively promoted using volunteers and community resources to expand and improve program operations. This document is a collection of policies regarding the use of volunteers and community resources for the benefit of Head Start children and families. It is designed for use by program managers, volunteer…

This handbook records the creation, development and growth, and stumbling blocks and successes of the Prison Literacy Project (PLP). It is intended to serve as a model for other community groups that are developing their own literacy projects. The handbook provides a history and philosophy of PLP, states PLP's vision and purpose, discusses need,…

This manual, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Point Four program, presents critical features and principles of using bamboo as a building material. Information provided in the manual includes the following: parts of a house for which bamboos are suitable, bamboo reinforcement of concrete, geographical distribution of…

Volunteers and voluntary organizations are crucial to the literacy effort throughout the world. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are ideal channels for direct involvement of the people in literacy efforts. NGOs often directly carry out the teaching of reading, writing, and numeracy programs; government efforts usually involve such…

Research supports the value of youth service, but indicates concerns about the diminishing interest of young people in giving of themselves. New justifications for community service include the following: (1) documentation of the educational value of service; (2) greater understanding of environmental and human needs; and (3) greater understanding…

This French-language manual is designed to assist Peace Corps volunteers in French-speaking countries in the implementation of small-scale beekeeping programs as a tool for development. Addressed in the individual chapters are bees and humans; project planning; the types and habits of bees; the essence of beekeeping; bee space and beehives;…

This Spanish-language manual, developed for training Peace Corps volunteers for service in Spanish-speaking developing countries, explains the process of agricultural extension and provides practical guidance on carrying out an extension program. The first of six chapters explains what agricultural extension is and how it is used in the Peace…

The Huntsville Module proposed a model program for the training and use of volunteer recruiters that could be used in other Adult Basic Education (ABE) systems in the Appalachian area; specifically, to (1) define procedures for identification and selection of volunteers, (2) provide an eighteen-hour training program, (3) compare recruitment and…

Educational volunteer management in recent years has emerged as a highly skilled and specialized profession that is undergoing rapid expansion. Full time staff members have been employed by some boards of education to carry out the specialized management requirements of volunteer recruiting, training, evaluating, assigning, and supervising. A…

Home visiting programs provide support services to families in their own homes, touching on social services, education, mental health, nutrition, health, or general welfare concerns. Twenty home visiting programs in California were surveyed to determine standards, best practices, areas needing improvement, and to develop training and support…