Start one of your best summers ever with Highlander staff and people from around the country at the premiere of Highlander’s new Wild and Wonderful, Witty and Wacky Workshop Work Week, May 25-29, 2009.

Spend your morning in the idea of Highlander, learning from each other, having political discussions, and participating in workshops on popular education, organizing, movement building, and the history of social change.

Spend the afternoon in service to the place of Highlander. As part of a team, help clear a trail, work in the garden, plant trees, paint a room, file in the office, or build a bench, for example. There will be volunteer jobs for all levels of skill and physical ability.

In the evenings, sing with Guy and Candie Carawan, tell stories over homemade ice cream, watch movement films under the stars, and square dance with a caller and live band (lessons provided).

It’s a good old Highlander throw-down that will start with supper at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 25, and conclude with lunch at noon on Friday, May 29th.

Cost: Sliding scale $350-500. Some partial scholarships available.

How to apply:
*   Online application form: http://www.highlandercenter.org/n-work-week-application.asp
*   Printable application form: http://www.highlandercenter.org/pdf-files/work-week-application.pdf

For more information, contact Susan Williams, swilliams@highlandercenter.org or Kristi Coleman,  coleman@highlandercenter.org or call 865-933-3443.

August 5-7
Philadelphia, PA

The Institute for Global Education and Service Learning has funds available that will provide training grants to local education agencies interested in bringing a team of students to the National Urban Service Learning Institute.

Email jcote@igesl.org for application information. Applications should be submitted no later than April 24, 2009

Youth Leadership Track—Engaging and empowering youth means more than having them make posters and plan dances. This special “Youth to Youth” (Y2Y) strand of the National Urban Service Learning Institute will engage youth in personal leadership development, as well as provide opportunities for youth to take their service-learning initiatives to a new level. Teams of youth will have the opportunity to develop the skills and gain the resources necessary to train other youth and adults in high quality service-learning and evaluate the impact of these initiatives. Schools are encouraged to bring a team of 4-6 youth participants who will be able to take the knowledge and skills learned at this Institute back to their local communities.

Join us for this annual two-day event that focuses on applying K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice in urban environments. Hosted by the National Youth Leadership Council with support from New Foundations Charter School and the Institute for Global Education and Service Learning.

Visit http://www.nylc.org for more information about this event.

Videos
– Inspiring – Aimee Mullins: How my legs give me super-powers
– Developmental Education Seminar
– 40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes
– Great for Students – Secrets of success in 8 words, 3 minutes

Free Training
– Free Webinar for Students – Your Money, Your Life: Smart Money Skills for College and Beyond
– Creating Learning Communities to Enhance Student Success

Podcast
Student Motivation: Part 1 & 2

Overview
This presentation will provide webinar participants with an understanding of the historical context and positive effects of service-learning on students, the campus and the community.  Participants will learn a proven, seven-step course development model that will take them through each critical phase of designing a successful service-learning course.  While primarily designed for novices, this presentation will also benefit faculty and staff currently involved in service-learning, as the presenter will reinforce guiding service-learning principles and provide new ideas for accomplishing them.

Objectives

Participants will learn how to develop a service-learning course including:

(1) defining student learning outcomes
(2) defining scholarship and/or creative activity outcomes
(3) planning community collaboration
(4) designing the course
(5) handling logistics, contracts and risk management
(6) incorporating pedagogical tools (reflection, analysis, delivery and display)
(7) performing meaningful assessment.

Who should attend?

*      Vice Presidents
*      Instructional and Student Services Deans
*      Faculty
*      Student Success/Retention Specialists
*      Instructional Coordinators
*      Anyone interested in service-learning programs

Who is the instructor?

Maureen Shubow Rubin was appointed Director of Undergraduate Studies at California State University, Northridge in 2006.  Prior to this position, since 1998 she served as founding director of the Center for Community-Service Learning where she helped to develop and secure funding for over 300 new service-learning classes.  She has written and implemented successful grant proposals to help students on her campus participate in projects centered on gang prevention, school readiness, computer literacy, self-help legal assistance, and bringing English and citizenship skills to immigrant elders, among others.  An experienced faculty trainer and peer mentor, she has published widely about service-learning pedagogy, civic engagement, community collaboration and effective outreach. In 2001, she was awarded the Richard E. Cone Award from California Campus Compact for excellence and leadership in cultivating community partnerships in higher education.

Rubin joined the University in 1984 as a professor of journalism where she specialized in teaching law, public relations and media ethics, all of which have been subjects of numerous articles she wrote for both scholarly journals and mainstream media. In 1993, she was voted Outstanding Journalism Educator in the State of California by the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Prior to joining the university, Rubin was Director of Public Information for President Carter’s Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs in the White House, and held similar positions for a U.S. Congresswoman and Consumer Federation of America. Rubin is a graduate of the Catholic University School of Law In Washington, D.C., holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Relations from University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Boston University.

Valerie Kisiel
v_r_kisiel@yahoo.com
Innovative Educators
303-775-6004

Registration and continental breakfast at all three locations will begin at 9:00 AM with the welcome and opening remarks at 9:30 AM.  Lunch will be provided.

Regional trainings will be held in:

.    King of Prussia – Wednesday, May 20, 2009 – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
.    Pittsburgh – Wednesday, May 27, 2009 – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
.    Harrisburg – Friday, May 29, 2009 – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

For on-line registration, please visit the 21st CCLC website at http://www.21stcclc.org. You will be able to choose which of the above-mentioned locations you would like to attend during the registration process, as well
as pre-select a first and second choice for workshop participation. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, April 29, 2009; participants will be accommodated as space permits.

Travel and lodging arrangements are the responsibility of participants. There is no registration fee to attend these events. Act 48 and CBK Keystone Stars credits are available. Please feel free to share information about the professional development opportunities with your colleagues.

Philadelphia – 6th Annual
INTERFAITH WALK FOR PEACE and RECONCILIATION

“People of Light, People of Hope, People of Courage.”

Walking Dialogue among Jews, Muslims, Christians, Sikh, Buddhists, Baha’i, Hindu, and Others
Come walk in peace, wear white as an expression of unity.

Celebrate with Prayer, Music, and Sharing
SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2009
2:00pm

OPENING GATHERING:  Philadelphia Cathedral [Jewish Prayer and Music] (3723 Chestnut Street)
Walk west on Walnut; south on 46th to Lancaster

FIRST STOP:   Philadelphia Masjid (4700 Wyalusing)
Walk east on Lancaster

NEXT STOP:   Millcreek Baptist Church (641 N Preston between 40th/41st at Lancaster)
Walk east on Lancaster; south on 38th

CLOSING GATHERING:   Philadelphia Cathedral (3723 Chestnut Street)
(Food and Fellowship)

PRE-WALK GATHERING
12:30pm
Al-Aqsa Islamic Society
1501 Germantown Avenue (3rd/Jefferson)
Free parking; bus available to Cathedral and return

PLEASE WEAR WHITE AS AN EXPRESSION OF UNITY
A bus will follow walkers for those who need to ride part of all of the way
Emergency medical assistance will be available
Parking available – Market Street between 38/39 ($3.00 contribution requested)
No political banners, please.

DETAILS/MORE INFORMATION:   http://www.interfaithpeacewalk.org

What: An extraordinary opportunity to learn and apply some of the most effective approaches to strength based development, namely Appreciative Inquiry, the Imagine process and ABCD (Asset Based Community
Development) taught by Bliss Browne, President of Imagine Chicago and Jody Kretzmann,  Director of the ABCD Institute at Northwestern University, who pioneered the approaches being taught

When: April 27-29, 2009

Where: Chicago,IL

Cost: $1000 for 3 days.  To encourage intergenerational learning, anyone paying full tuition can register a young person to come with them for only an additional $200.  Space is limited so if you are interested,
please act soon!

Topics covered
●    Fundamentals of Appreciative Inquiry and Asset Based Community Development
●    AI and ABCD in ACTION – Case studies, stories, illustrations of using these approaches in organizational and community development
●    How to frame questions and reframe conversations to make constructive change reliably possible
●    How to activate and harness imagination for social good
●    Proven strategies for engaging the whole system in effective collaboration and vision-based change

Learning Outcomes
This is a highly interactive learning opportunity. By participating you will:
●    Gain a solid understanding of how to lead change through the strength-based approaches of AI and ABCD
●    Explore a wide range of applications at the individual, group and large system levels
●    Have the opportunity to apply the principles underlying AI/ABCD and the Imagine approach to projects in your work
●    Learn to lead, communicate and manage change more constructively
●    Be able to introduce others to the principles and practice of AI and ABCD

For more information and registration: http://imaginechicago.org

Hope you can join us!

Bliss Browne
President
Imagine Chicago
http://imaginechicago.org

Mural Arts Program, Art Education Department
Art Instructor, Mural Corps

Description:
Mural Arts Program’s Mural Corps is an after school art education program that operates in 8 locations throughout the city of Philadelphia.  Mural Corps is a rigorous mural painting and art education program for teens, engaging high-school youth between the ages of 14 and 21.  Mural Corps is an innovative youth-development program designed to increase educational opportunities and to provide critical job skills while cultivating virtuosity in the fine arts and youth leadership.  The art instructor is viewed as a mentor to the students, sharing their training and sensibility with the youth (class ratio of 10 to 1).  Instructor Salary:  $25/hour

Responsibilities:
Mural Corps is hiring for two different types of projects:

1.  Youth Designed Murals
The winter, spring, and summer sessions offer the opportunity to paint small indoor murals as a way to respond to a community request, to focus on community improvement, to gain experience with site and design selection, and to work as a team in partnership with a community leader or organization.  During the summer, Mural Corps instructors lead youth to choose the site, develop the mural’s theme and design, and execute a mural.  Mural Corps instructors are expected to lead youth through all phases of the project’s design development and execution.

2.  Professional Projects
Mural Corps participants are afforded the opportunity to contribute to the community through their involvement in a professional public art project. Mural Corps youth mentor with a Mural Arts muralist and participate in all phases of the project’s design, development and execution, thus allowing participants to expand their art skills through the creation of three-dimensional art. Mural Corps projects focus on the restoration of places through the production of metalwork, development of outdoor classrooms, various forms of mosaics, and ambitious new approaches to murals.  These projects are influenced by strategic plans and corridor revitalization.

Qualifications:
Mural Corps Instructors must have a degree in Art or Art Education, have some experience painting murals, possess teaching experience with strong leadership and classroom management skills, and a desire to work with teens.  Photoshop CS proficiency REQUIRED.

Dates:
The Summer session runs for 6 weeks:  July 6 to August 14, 2009, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  The Fall, Winter and Spring programs run in three 10 week sessions, two days a week, 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., starting October 2009 and running through June 2010.

To Apply:
To apply, email the following items to Louise Radochonski (louise.radochonski@muralarts.org).
– cover letter
– current resume
– 10-20 images, jpeg files at 72 dpi, with the images’ longest dimension not exceeding 700 pixels.  Each file should be labeled as follows:  imagenumberyourfirstinitiallastname.jpeg.  Example:  01_jdoe.jpeg, 02_jdoe.jpeg
– corresponding image list with the following information:  image number, title, medium, size and date.

Application Deadline:
Interviews will begin April 20th.  Applications will be accepted until position is filled

All Mural Arts educators are required to submit a PA Child Abuse Report, PA Criminal Background Check, and FBI Background Check, no more than 2 years old, upon 30 days of hire.  A provisional clearance is required prior to beginning work.

When youth in the child welfare system face problems such as juvenile delinquency, the agencies charged with their care often find that they do not have the capacity to act without the cooperation of other government departments. The trap gets tighter when parents have lost custody or are in the criminal justice system themselves. Such scenarios frustrate staff in government agencies and cause vulnerable youth to lose confidence in the system just when they need it the most. Child Welfare: The Challenges of Collaboration highlights several scenarios requiring interagency collaboration and includes an evaluation of Project Confirm, a cross-agency effort to help foster children in juvenile detention. Though the challenges of collaboration will be difficult to solve, this book offers practical examples to guide child welfare service agencies.

To order: Visit the Urban Institute at http://www.urban.org/uipress/

Injury and Violence Prevention: Behavioral Science Theories, Methods, and Applications is a cutting-edge volume that provides a comprehensive understanding of injury and violence prevention. This detailed resource draws on the breadth and depth of many scientific disciplines and public health practice experiences. Written by internationally renowned experts in the field, Injury and Violence Prevention emphasizes the specific theories, methods, and applications that make behavioral science approaches relevant and central to reducing injury-related harm. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the most frequently used behavior change theories and models and shows how they have been, or could be, applied to injury problems, the most commonly used research methods for understanding and influencing behavior change, behavior change issues for specific injury topic areas, and   a variety of cross-cutting issues important to the field.

Ordering information: http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/books.html

The goal of this theme issue is to highlight research on youth violence prevention that engages the community in the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases. Manuscripts can be submitted for peer review in any of the following categories: Original Research; Work-in-Progress and Lessons Learned; Community Perspective; Policy and Practice; Theory and Methods; Education and Training; Practical Tools; Systematic Reviews. We believe this is an excellent opportunity to showcase the work of youth violence prevention researchers, practitioners, students, and community collaborators that is consistent with the principles and practices of CBPR. We strongly encourage the submission of articles jointly authored by academic and community partners (e.g., non-profit organizations, government agencies, schools). Potential examples of the application of CBPR to youth violence prevention include, but are not limited to, the following: Development and/or evaluation of a youth violence prevention program/intervention or policy; Translation of research into policies and practices that influence the prevention of youth violence; Incorporation of youth voice and participation into youth violence prevention programming; Development of a training program or curriculum for students, researchers, or community members regarding the application of CBPR to youth violence prevention; Surveillance efforts related to youth violence; Community mobilization to address issues related to youth violence prevention; Community partners’ perspectives on collaborating with researchers to develop, implement, or evaluate a program or policy related to youth violence prevention.  Instructions for specific types of articles and submitting manuscripts can be found at: http://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/progress_in_community_health_partnerships/guidelines.pdf.

Service-learning, a community-based approach to teaching and learning, provides opportunities for students to discover linkages between theory and practice in authentic settings. Educational research and practice have provided numerous examples of service-learning as a tool for ‘expanding the walls’ of the traditional classroom, providing opportunities for active and cooperative learning, interdisciplinary projects, and multicultural experiences grounded in local community issues that enliven the teaching/learning processes. Many of the studies on student outcomes indicate that the combination of service with learning enhances student development, multicultural awareness and academic achievement. This special issue invites researchers and practitioners to submit articles and essays on service-learning in higher education with a special focus on the individual and institutional impacts of established service-learning programs. Qualitative and quantitative studies that can contribute to the growing knowledge base on the potential of this teaching/learning strategy are especially welcome. Other issues to be addressed include assessment and evaluation, social justice concerns, and the mission of the university in 21st century society.  Please identify your submission with keyword: SERVICE. For more information, please visit: http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/rufen1.htm

NCSPOD invites you to submit a proposal highlighting your best practice in service learning, for presentation at its annual conference, November 4-7, in St. Paul, MN. The conference theme is “Navigating the Currents of Change.” Presentations are sought in the following categories: Professional Development, Staff Development, Faculty and Instructional Development, Program and Organizational Development and Sustainability and Research/Innovations. Sessions can be designed for new and seasoned practitioners, faculty developers, staff developers, program developers, organizational developers and administrators as well as others interested in professional development within higher education and related fields.  For more information, please visit: http://www.ncspod.org.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Public Health Law Research (PHLR) program has released its first call for proposals to fund studies that will examine how laws can improve public health. Studies funded through this program will be at the intersection of two disciplines: law and public health. Other disciplines, such as medicine, economics, sociology, psychology and public policy and administration may also be involved in these studies. About $3.5 million are available for funding through the first call for proposals for two types of studies. Short-term studies that include legal research, policy analysis or public health implications of specific laws or regulations, will be funded up to $150,000 each for up to 18 months. Complex and comprehensive legal and public health studies that include multistate, long-term analyses and other in-depth evaluations of laws will be funded up to $400,000 each for up to 30 months. For more information, visit: http://www.publichealthlawresearch.org.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in collaboration with the Regional Health Administrators, is pleased to announce a request for proposals for the State Action:  Evaluating the Healthy People 2020 Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Agenda project.  Funded by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, this project is being administered by John Snow, Incorporated (JSI). This evaluation project will fund state, territorial, and tribal governments to conduct innovative and participatory strategic planning activities, with an emphasis on multi-sector collaboration, using the Healthy People 2020 framework and population health improvement concepts (i.e., Healthy People 2020 mission and overarching goals; social, physical, and environmental determinants of health; and health equity).  Up to 12 projects, taking place between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, will be funded at a maximum award of $37,000 each. Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity include: State and territorial health departments, and Federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, tribal epidemiology centers, and urban Indian organizations. For the full request for proposal, please visit: http://www.healthypeople.gov/stateaction.

Legacy Projects (LP) are non-renewable seed grants provided by the Southeastern African American Diabetes, Hypertension and Stroke REACH US Center of Excellence for Eliminating Disparities (SEA-CEED).  The purpose of this seed grant program is to support and empower communities working on local solutions to eliminate health disparities, specifically related to Diabetes Prevention and Control and associated hypertension, stroke and amputation risk factors in African Americans/Blacks.  The long-term goals for the LPs are to help build the capacity of the affected community and create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local conditions in the future.  Proposed projects should include a Community Action Plan (CAP) that includes strategies for identifying local issues, educating and empower the community about the issues, building consensus, and setting community priorities.  In addition, the CAP should also demonstrate how the applicant will collaborate with other stakeholders to realize their project goals and objectives.

For more information, visit: http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/reach/legacy

The Center for Public Health Nutrition’s March 2009 research brief builds a case for affordable good nutrition as the theme of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In this report, Adam Drewnowski, PhD and Petra Eichelsdoerfer, ND, MS, RPh challenge the assertion that low-income households have ample purchasing power for healthy diets. Recognizing that rising food costs are a problem, the report demonstrates how nutrient profiling and new diet optimization techniques can help consumers identify nutrient-rich foods that are affordable, good tasting, and part of the mainstream American diet.

For more information, visit:
http://www.cphn.org/reports/CPHNbrief_afford_hlthy_diet_030209.pdf

The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) in collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University released a new edition of the knowledge path about oral health for infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant women. This electronic guide points to resources that analyze data, describe programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and the quality of oral health care. Topics include child care and Head Start, dental sealants, early childhood caries, fluoride varnish, K-12 education, pregnancy, school-based care, school evaluation mandates, and special health care needs.

The knowledge path is available at: http://www.mchoralhealth.org/knwpathoralhealth.html

July 21-23, 2009
Boston, MA

http://www.childreninbalance.org

Children in Balance is offering a 3-day Community Leadership Institute for professionals and advocates who wish to further childhood obesity prevention efforts in their communities. Our goal for this training is to empower leaders from diverse communities to create healthier environments for elementary-aged children, encouraging better nutrition and more opportunities for physical activity.

Topics to be covered include working with school food service to improve school food, building community coalitions, strategic use of communication campaigns, and implementing nutrition and physical activity curricula. The Institute will include keynote speakers with expertise in community-based childhood obesity research and practice; the opportunity to hear stories from and ask questions of activists in Somerville; and planning time for community leaders.

June 18-21, 2009
Montclair, NJ

http://chss.montclair.edu/psychology/scra/index.html

The Society for Community Research and Action-SCRA (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association) invites you to the 12th Biennial Conference of the Society for Community Research and Action, hosted by Montclair State University, in collaboration with Rutgers University, at the Montclair State University Conference Center in Montclair, New Jersey from June 18 – 21, 2009.
THEME: Realizing Our New Vision:
Values and Principles for Practice, Research, and Policy