During its history, the Center has played an important role in the development of creative and innovative solutions to many of the issues and problems that face communities. This role has been accomplished through the sponsorship of conferences and workshops, graduate courses, provision of consultant services, facilitation of interagency efforts, and the development and distribution of printed material.

The continuing need for more intensive and substantive efforts in addressing community problems impeding the educational attainment of large segments of the Florida population are described in The Florida Community Education State Plan and in Florida's Blueprint 2000. The Center will play an active role in helping to address the issues that are dramatically impacting Florida and its respective communities, especially in the areas of:

• Youth At Risk. The danger of violence, crime, poverty, and poor health confront our youth with crucial decisions that may determine the entire course of their futures. Intervention and support at these critical times can help tip the balance in favor of success.
• School-Age Child Care. The dilemma of latchkey children is being resolved with child care at the school site for school-age youngsters, enabling parents to participate in the workforce knowing that their children are in a safe, healthy, and educational environment.
• Crime. Community agencies and organizations are collaborating to develop crime prevention strategies, neighborhood crime watch groups, safety seminars, and task forces addressing specific crime-related activities.
• Health. The bringing together of agencies, resources, and people to design health-related programs and services that will enable Floridians to lead more healthy lives, and allow more efficient service delivery.
• Growth. Citizen awareness is vital to developing solutions for the problems resulting from rapid population growth. Involving concerned citizens in the decision-making process enables agencies to chart the course now for developments to come.
• Graying of Florida. Issues related to the autumn years are addressed by providing programs, activities, and services that encourage the elderly to have a future as well as a past.
• Education. Educational programs address literacy, readiness to begin school, multicultural understanding, and limited English proficiency to assure all Floridians a more productive and culturally rich life.
• Interagency Cooperation. Organizations and agencies that operate for the public good can use their limited resources, meet their own goals, and better serve the public by establishing close working relationships with other organizations with related purposes. The resulting cooperation produces a synergy greater than the sum of its parts.

For information about the Ernest O. Melby Community Education Center, contact:

Dr. Robert Shockley
College of Education
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: 561-297-3550
shockley@fau.edu