The project review as outlined in this article explores the questions: What is transformative research and what is transformation as far as the community stakeholders are concerned? To what extent has the transformative research achieved its intended outcomes? The Bokamoso project (founded by Lesego Serolong as facilitator and investor) is an…

Hardly anyone can have failed to pick up on the recent flurry of stories in the national press about the Big Society, sparked off by Dame Elisabeth Hoodless's remarks that funds for volunteers are disappearing at an alarming rate, and that this is undermining the very idea of a "Big Society". At the same time, under the government's…

The present article attempts to shed light on the direct and indirect contribution of personal resources and community indices to Sense of Cohesion among activists engaging in community volunteer work. The sample comprised 481 activists. Based on social systems theory, three levels of variables were examined: (1) inputs, which included personal…

The article describes collaborative research into the relationship between non-formal education and civil society in post-Soviet Russia. It shows how through social survey data and case studies of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other civil society organisations (CSOs), using a combination of social science perspectives, much can be…

Adult and community educators have always seen themselves as agents of change, building people's confidence, sense of community and ability to take part in society as well as their knowledge and skills. All the main political parties in the UK have put issues of social justice, social mobility and citizens' empowerment near the top of the policy…

This paper considers how community literacy programs factor into broader economies of literacy development. The author analyzes two Appalachian community literacy projects, Shirley Brice Heath's ethnographic project in the Carolina Piedmont and Highlander Research and Education Center's organizing efforts with the Appalachian People's Movement, to…

With the highest national HIV prevalence in the world, the issue of HIV/AIDS is one of the most pressing socio-political matters in South Africa. It directly affects between five and six million people. A conservative estimate suggests that 600 people die every day of illnesses related to HIV/AIDS and the number of AIDS orphans in South Africa is…

Wichita, incorporated in 1870 as a village, is the largest city in Kansas. Its population has increased continually. During the 1970s and 1980s, there was a huge influx of refugees into Wichita. In this article, the author discusses the growth of adult basic education in Wichita and relates stories of several adult basic education students.…

This article discusses the changing cultural fabric in Kansas. The author sees this change as an opportunity to strengthen and expand the Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language programming. By taking this approach, adult education will appeal not only to best practices where authentic community-based approaches are indeed more…

When looking at the story of women's community education in Ireland, from its beginnings in the early 1980s, it is important to understand what was happening in the country at that time, and throughout the 25 turbulent years of its development. This story provides a microcosm of the history of Ireland and its relationship with globalisation. Three…

Fewer job opportunities, rising violence, and failing schools have all shaped the structure of opportunities for both youth and adults in urban communities. However, researchers understand very little about how these factors influence the capacity for adults in urban communities to form meaningful partnerships with youth. First, this article…

Community colleges are undoubtedly aligned in the most strategic positions to affect social and economic change. Numerous factors are playing a part in the shifts felt throughout higher education today. From the recent economic recession that continues to provide America with more displaced workers, unemployed and underemployed adults to the…