NCJ Number
150165
Date Published
1994
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This booklet presents recipes for duplicating the Evansville (Indiana) model for youth involvement in community service projects.
Abstract
The first section of "recipes" focuses on components of program development. Each recipe contains an outline of "ingredients," which includes personnel and organizational involvement; and "directions," which explains what the various personnel are to do to achieve the desired results. The objectives of this first section of recipes are to increase awareness of community problems or needs, change adult perceptions of youth from a source of problems to a resource for the community, provide a practical application to current curriculum or academic learning, provide an activity about which the students feel positive, and teach ways to help other and the community. Under the Evansville model, the school-community partnerships that emerged helped young people better understand community problems associated with the elderly, the handicapped, and the environment. As the youth provided services, the recipients began to view youth as a valuable community resource. The remainder of the booklet presents sample recipes of successful projects implemented during the pilot program in Evansville. Projects include service at an Enterprise Zone day care center, volunteer work at a "soup kitchen" for the homeless, music programs at nursing homes, the assembling of first aid kits for homes, pen pal programs for nursing home residents, art projects with children in the hospital, and a program to teach French to second graders.