Over the last decade, there have been rapid developments in field methodologies within participatory approaches to rural and agricultural development. At the same time, the use of "soft systems" methodologies for bringing potentially conflictual or disparate actors together for action has spread from the business world to other applications. These…

This synopsis of the gathering of healers and health providers presents a guide for discussion of rural Alaskan training issues. An introduction calls on Alaska's indigenous peoples to draw on their traditions and cultural values to create models for a healthy existence. The Health Education and Training Center (HETC) and its goals for improvement…

Based on interviews with Community Development Corporation (CDC) personnel from many organizations conducted at 10 sites throughout the country, this report presents an overview of CDCs and employment training, supported by detailed case studies. The report is organized in six chapters on the following topics: employment training and the changing…

Educational equity demands are progressively being framed in terms of multiculturalism and diversity within the educational process. This change of focus means that strategies aiming to secure rights should make room for others that emphasize the building of relationships, mutual knowledge, and community. For schools in poor, inner-city…

The usual opposing perspectives on the school-size debate focus on economies of scale and school climate. This paper examines school size, educational cost, and quality from a third perspective, that of maintaining healthy viable communities. Rural schools and rural communities are tightly linked and highly interdependent. The school is one of the…

The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) collaborates with community colleges in rural communities that are racially, ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse by challenging them to think broadly about their potential as catalysts for regional development. RCCI is a national demonstration program that combines the goals of rural…

This directory includes information on 155 Latino organizations, cross-community agencies, and professional and employee groups that serve the Latino population in Colorado. Each listing includes name and address, a mission statement, available services, and events sponsored by the organization. The directory also lists media sources, including…

This report addresses the interface between school and home and how this relationship needs to be addressed sensitively and effectively. Part 1 discusses how adult education strategies aimed at parents of children suffering discrimination and at those exerting prejudices through mechanisms of socialization of these children could play a crucial…

Children in Africa starve to death or fail to thrive and achieve their full potential as a result of social problems that have their roots in both national and international issues. In many African countries, parents are unable to feed their children because farmers no longer grow enough food and prefer to cultivate cash crops that are exported to…

In 1991, Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) developed a proposal for the Comprehensive Neighborhood Quality of Life Enrichment Program, a program to be based on the principles of holism, prevention, and community synergy, focusing on the treatment of individuals with many, complex, and "all-at-once" needs. The program will operate in a poor…

As the first awardees in the Student Community Service (SCS) program conclude their third and final year of funding and as SCS becomes an established part of ACTION's system of volunteer opportunities, it seems a proper time to evaluate the program. This evaluation examines whether the SCS has made a difference in the host communities served, and…

The recent decline in farm-related income in rural areas has prompted important questions about potential new sources of off-farm employment. The issue closely relates to vocational education in rural areas. This report examines sources of rural job growth and discusses the role of entrepreneurship in long-range rural economic development. The…

A series of four workshops for community administrators and public agency program directors in rural Stevens County, Washington, was intended to introduce and support the idea of networks among rural agencies and to increase community development skills in communication, problem solving, community organization, and group process. Trainers designed…

Community development depends on capable, visionary local leaders and on informed and active citizens. Thus, in the long run, education for all citizens may be the most critical ingredient to the success of rural community development programs. Schools can further contribute to the development of rural communities by providing an explicit…

Scouting is an expanding worldwide youth movement, with more than 16 million members in 169 countries and territories. Its goal is to contribute to the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual development of young people. Since participation in development is one of the cornerstones of their program, scouts cannot ignore the challenge that…