Civic Service: What Difference Does it Make?:

The concept and practice of civic service is deeply rooted in America's past, present, and future, and has been a featured component of recent presidential agendas. Yet despite ongoing debates about the methods and values of civic service, no recent book has systematically analyzed the effectiveness and outcomes of service programs in America. Civic Service: What Difference Does It Make? presents a thorough, research-based evaluation of public service programs in the United States. Divided into four key parts, this groundbreaking volume presents original information not found anywhere else. Selected Contents: Part 1. Ideological and Historical Context1. The Ideal2. Policy EvolutionPart 2. Evidence and Methods3. The Nature of the Evidence4. Methodology: Defining Civic ServicePart 3. Research Synthesis Findings5. Civic Service Outcomes6. Qualities of Successful ProgramsPart 4. Summing Up and Taking Stock7. Drawing Conclusions about Civic Service8. Policy Implications: The Evolution of Civic Services ObjectivesAppendices

Ann Marie Thomson is adjunct assistant professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University. James L. Perry is associate dean and chancellor's professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Tables and Figures

ix

Acknowledgments

xi

Introduction

xiii

I. Ideological and Historical Context

1. The Ideal

3

(6)

2. Policy Evolution

9

(16)

Policy Cycle One: Civilian Conservation Corps

10

(1)

Policy Cycle Two: Fighting Poverty

11

(2)

Policy Cycle Three: Conservation and Youth Corps

13

(3)

Policy Cycle Four: Service as a Problem-Solving Strategy

16

(2)

Generalizations About the Evolution of Service in America

18

(2)

Conclusion

20

(5)

II. Evidence and Methods

3. The Nature of the Evidence

25

(10)

Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going

26

(2)

Sricks and Mortar-The Nature of the Evidence

28

(4)

Review of Service-Related Research: Sources and Quality of Existing Evidence

29

(1)

Gauging Effectiveness of Service

30

(2)

Bricks and Mortar-Addressing Problems in the Evidence

32

(1)

Bricks and Mortar-Making Use of What We Have

33

(1)

Conclusion

34

(1)

4. Methodology

35

(18)

Defining Civic Service

36

(1)

An Operational Definition of Civic Service

37

(4)

Drawing Inferences from Diverse Strands of Research

41

(1)

Sample Size and Sampling Methods

41

(1)

Data Collection Methods

42

(1)

Judging Research Quality

43

(3)

Research Design

43

(1)

Threats to Validity

43

(2)

Bias

45

(1)

Summary

45

(1)

Civic Service Programs in the Synthesis

46

(1)

Conclusion

46

(7)

III. Research Synthesis Findings

5. Civic Service Outcomes

53

(37)

Server Outcomes

53

(16)

Skill Development

53

(5)

Civic Responsibility

58

(3)

Educational Opportunity

61

(1)

Self-Esteem

62

(1)

Tolerance for Diversity

63

(3)

Satisfaction from Serving

66

(1)

Health

67

(2)

Beneficiary Outcomes

69

(5)

Direct Beneficiaries

69

(4)

Indirect Beneficiaries

73

(1)

Institution Outcomes

74

(6)

Service Expansion

75

(1)

Service Quality

76

(1)

Institution Creation

77

(3)

Community Impacts

80

(8)

Community Strengthening

81

(1)

Benefit-Cost Ratios

82

(4)

Volunteer Leveraging

86

(2)

Conclusion

88

(2)

6. Qualities of Successful Programs

90

(27)

Program Management

90

(5)

Program Design

90

(2)

Team or Crew Leaders

92

(1)

Relations Between Staff and Corps Members

93

(1)

Staff Motivation

94

(1)

Communications

94

(1)

Summary

95

(1)

Training

95

(2)

Member Recruitment and Retention

97

(4)

Attracting Members

97

(2)

Retaining Members

99

(1)

Summary

100

(1)

Fiscal Management

101

(4)

Cost per Member

101

(2)

Funding Strategies

103

(1)

Financial Sustainability

104

(1)

Summary

104

(1)

Sponsoring Agency

105

(3)

Leadership

108

(1)

Program Visibility

109

(3)

Administrative Burdens

112

(1)

Conclusion

113

(4)

IV. Summing Up and Taking Stock

7. Drawing Conclusions About Civic Service

117

(20)

Generalizations About Civic Service and Its Outcomes

118

(13)

Civic Service and Its Outcomes

118

(4)

Individual Mediating Characteristics and Outcomes

122

(5)

Service Goals and Outcomes

127

(1)

Individual Mediating Characteristics and Implementation

128

(1)

Devolution, Collaborations, and Service Outcomes

128

(3)

Research Needs

131

(4)

Mediating Variables

131

(1)

Underdeveloped Research About Implementation, Outcomes, and Programs

132

(1)

Concept Definition and Measurement

133

(2)

Other Research Needs

135

(1)

Conclusion

135

(2)

8. Policy Implications

137

(12)

The Evolution of Civic Service's Objectives

137

(2)

Tradeoffs Between Accomplishment and Innovation

139

(1)

Taking Civic Service to Scale

140

(3)

Concluding Observations

143

V. Appendices

Appendix A. Searching the Literature

149

(4)

Appendix B. Civic Service Synthesis Coding Protocol

153

(14)

Appendix C. Civic Service Programs Included in the Synthesis

167

(8)

Notes

175

(32)

Name Index

207

(2)

Subject Index

209

(18)

About the Authors

227

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Civic Service: What Difference Does it Make?: What Difference Does it Make?

Summary

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Table of Contents

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