This document offers eight case studies - and a number of short profiles - documenting efforts in the United States and around the world, all connecting the dots between youth action and meaningful community change. The publication begins with reflections on why it is often so hard, especially in the United States, for young people to find the…

Of the nearly 14,500 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) now registered with Egypt's Ministry of Social Affairs, 25% are inactive, 3% are less than 3 years old, and 7% are private member associations. The Egyptian government's promotion of specific social programs and service models in the NGO sector began after the October War of 1973. Egyptian…

This issue of "Civic Partners" is a call to action on behalf of American's cities. The issue opens with John W. Gardner's discussion of the "responsibles" whose vision and energy sustain communities. He stresses that all of us are "responsibles." Among the many tasks that face those responsible for urban improvement is the teaching of conflict…

This proceedings of a conference held in May 2000 at Malaspina University-College (British Columbia) contains approximately 63 conference papers, abstracts of papers, and keynote speeches. The conference examined issues affecting rural communities, with major themes being rural education, health, human services, families, and the sustainability of…

Efforts of health professionals are shifting away from programs that "deliver health" toward those that build the capacity of communities to work together to create healthy places. The Healthy Communities Initiative (HCI) is a community development model in central Alberta (Canada) that involves the creation of a widely shared vision of…

This digest, drawn from a larger study, looks at six community colleges and community college systems in regard to how they are attempting to serve their urban communities. The author defines urban community colleges as being in or close to major cities, and serving large numbers of economically and educationally disadvantaged students from…

The Internet is a revolution unfolding before our eyes. There is concern that this revolution will increase class and racial differences and that a new digital divide between information haves and information have-nots will exacerbate existing levels of inequality in American society. This paper examines how the Internet has been tapped to deliver…

This document is intended to create an opportunity for teens and adults to talk together and find ways to make their community a place where young people can grow up successfully. The discussion guide begins with a brief statement of purpose and a brief explanation of study circles and their objectives. The remainder of the guide consists of…

Asset mapping involves documenting tangible and intangible resources of a community viewed as a place with assets to be preserved and enhanced, not deficits to be remedied. Kretzmann and McKnight (1993) are credited with developing the concept of asset-based community development (ABCD) that draws on appreciative inquiry; recognition of social…

This applied dissertation project was designed to improve communication systems among child care providers previously and currently enrolled in a statewide Child Development Associate (CDA) training program as a pilot project to promote communication among the statewide child care community as a whole. Communications systems within the CDA…

This report describes the Jobs-Plus approach, an attempt to transform low-work, high-welfare public housing developments into high-work, low-welfare communities. It highlights the rationale of the approach, the way the demonstration has been set up to test the approach in the field, and what has been accomplished so far by the seven cities chosen…

The Freeman School, originally called the Red-Brick School House, served the community of Blakely Township, Nebraska from 1872 to 1967. It is representative of the one-room schools that once dotted the western landscape of the United States. The Freeman School served not only as an educational center but also as the church, a meeting hall, the…

Two years ago, the University of Wisconsin system, the state legislature, and a number of businesses combined resources and provided funds to support regional and local projects to develop self-sustaining professional development models. Through a grant from the University of Wisconsin Extension PK-16 Initiative, a regional consortium of…

Knowledge and skills needed by lay participants in community development (CD) were proposed by 14 consultants around 10 topical areas. One hundred knowledge and skills statements resulted. The importance of these statements was judged by CD youth leaders and adult specialists. Judgments were factor analyzed, and nine factors emerged. (Author/SSH)

This is the story of how the people of Appalachia have reversed the trends of 14 years ago to build for themselves a future more to their liking. In addition to new industries and schools, there is a new economic, social and psychological foundation in Appalachia. (BR)