Community-Based Organization Descriptions

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Center for Community Support

Public Policy Research Institute
Texas A&M University 4476 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-4476
Phone: (979) 458-3239 E-Mail: ccs@ppri.tamu.edu

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Community-Based Organization Descriptions

Community Service and Action

Community service and action CBOs focus on improving the general physical characteristics of a community. Although particular programs may be quite specific, these organizations tend to view their programs not merely as ends in themselves, but rather to see such progrms within a broader community perspective. The CBOs categorized here differ from other problem-oriented CBOs in being more multipurpose. Descriptive Examples: Civic Service Groups, Community Development Groups, Neighborhood-Improvement Groups, Community Protection Groups, etc.

Health

Health CBOs focus on preserving and enhancing the physical and/or mental health of a community including treatment of health problems, aftercare, and rehabilitation. Descriptive Examples: Health Education, Hospitals/Health Treatment Facilities, Crisis and Suicide Hotlines, Nursing Homes, Public Health Support Services, Rehabilitative Medical Services, Emergency Assistance, Hospices, Residential/Custodial Care, Community Health Care, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment and Prevention Groups, etc.

Educational

Educational CBOs have as their primary goal the education or increasing learning and knowledge of community residents. These groups are either directly involved or contibute to the educational process. Descriptive Examples: School-Based Educational Programs, School-Related Tutoring Programs, School-Based At-Risk Youth Programs, Community-Serving School-Based Groups, General Adult Education, Workplace-Related Programs, Adult Continuing Education, Literacy Educational Services, Preschool and Nursery Programs, etc.

Personal-Growth, Self-Development, Self-Improvement

Personal-Growth CBOs aim primarily to build character, personality, and skills in individuals primarily through self-help and experiential learning as opposed to formal education. Descriptive Examples: Youth Development Programs, Adult Development Programs, Future Farmers, Adult/Child Matching Programs, Boys/Girls Clubs, CYO, Scouting Organizations, YMCA/YWCA, etc.

Social Welfare

Social Welfare CBOs are oriented primarily toward providing for the general welfare of some category of community resident facing serious social problems due to their social situation. Their focus and the prime legitimatization of their activity is not the community as a whole, but rather, service to particular categories of persons seen as having special needs, problems, or requirements. Descriptive Examples: Marriage and Family Problems Groups, Friendship/Relations Groups, Crime and Delinquency, Employment Assistance (e.g. Job Development/Training), Vocational Rehabilitation, Volunteer Recruitment, Screening Referral and Advocacy Groups, Consulting and Technical Assistance Groups, Homeless Shelters/Temporary Housing, Housing Support Services, Women's and Children's Shelters, Children/Youth Support Services, etc.

Self-Help Disadvantaged and Minority

Self-help disadvantaged and minority CBOs have as their focus the betterment of the poor, women, or other such traditionally disadvantaged groups. These CBOs are generally oriented toward improving the quality of common welfare and quality of life of their target populations through changing society's perceptions and treatment of disadvantaged people. Descriptive Examples: Senior Citizens Programs, Programs for Persons with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities, MHMR Programs, etc.