A 2-credit service-learning biotechnology course designed as a general education elective for students of all majors and at all levels was offered as an 8-week, half-semester course. The course met for a total of 3 hours of lecture/discussion and 2 hours of service-learning workshop weekly, during which students participated in discussions about…

The authors propose a framework for career counseling in rural communities that addresses the psychosocial and economic challenges of natural disasters and other catastrophic transitions. The career-community development framework expands the notion of "client" to include a community-as-client approach within a capacity building…

Universities are drawn to portals as an effective way of organizing and delivering campus services and information. In a university environment, where the desire for local autonomy and the impetus for centralization are in constant tension, a portal seems especially appealing because it allows local solutions through a shared medium. But the fact…

The series "Self-instructional Notes on Social Participation" is a six volume series intended as teaching aids for adult educators. The theoretical, methodological, informative and practical elements of this series will assist professionals in their work and help them achieve greater success. The specific purpose of each notebook is…

This chapter describes a community development project in Siete Pilas (Spain), a village whose economy is based primarily on small family farms and unskilled labor. The project grew out of the Sierra Education Program, which in 1980 sent adult-education teachers to five villages in the Sierra de Ronda region. The goal was to stimulate a socially…

This chapter begins by explaining that cultural literacy is the ability of a community to create relationships, processes, and institutions aimed at multifaceted community development using indigenous resources (natural, human, social, and cultural). Literacy development in a rural community involves three equally important dimensions--social,…

The rural population of Chile has been served poorly by the formal educational system, rural educational attainment lags behind that of urban areas, and outmigration and alienation of rural youth are high. In the past decade, popular education has attempted to educate rural people and put them in control of their destinies by drawing on popular…

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have demonstrated effectiveness in a spectrum of activities, including outreach to the poor, action against gender discrimination, and relief services. Partnerships between government and NGOs offer unique opportunities for progress toward sustainable development. In the context of some recent government…

The importance of dialogue in developing community leadership among diverse groups is described. In the context of South Carolina's Penn School for Preservation, ways communities can create diverse leadership cadres working toward common goals are explored. Common assumptions about the effectiveness of current leadership training methods are…

Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC) in Florence, South Carolina, has implemented the Academy for Community College Leadership Advancement, Innovation, and Modeling (ACCLAIM) community-based programming (C-BP) model for developing a regional economic development strategic plan. FDTC offers 27 associate degrees, 10 diplomas, and 9…

The need to develop "family capital" (the attributes and skills that enable families to carry out their economic, social, and nurturing functions) in inner-city neighborhoods is the focus of this background briefing report. Part I of the report describes the characteristics and causes of distressed communities and their impact on families, and…

This guide contains information on 2,086 funding programs that provide support on national, state, and local levels for economic and community development, social services, and the humanities. The guide begins with "A Guide to Proposal Planning and Writing" (Lynn E. Miner), which includes strategies for locating information on public and private…

A conviction that democracy required for its citizens access to knowledge and to habits of critical thought has been recognized as a driving dynamic behind educators such as Albert Mansbridge. Britons must reshape their vision for the turn of the millennium, but they need to draw on their inheritance, on the understanding of their predecessors…

This bulletin focuses on the integration of school-to-work systems into a comprehensive set of economic development services that can help address a critical need articulated by businesses, spur economic growth, and equip young people with the skills necessary for further learning and work. It first describes these strategies to integrate…

Public libraries are often a vastly underused resource for businesses and business people. This book shows librarians how to aggressively pursue businesses until they turn naturally to libraries for their information needs. The book provides a step-by-step process which teaches librarians how to identify the information needs of businesses,…