MGT444 Spring2012

The Center for the Child Care Workforce URL: www.ccw.org Website Overview: This website is intended to help the education workforce develop leadership and advocacy skills intended to affect the available assets and applicable policies that effect early childhood development and education. The website advocates "having a seat at the table" where decisions and policy are made that effect the overall operations, policy standards, and programs of the education system. Intended Audience: The site clearly states in its mission statement that the intended audience is the educators, administrators, and all those directly connected to the education system as a staff member. The material is accessible to the general public and for the educational workforce. It seeks to tie the two together as more of teacher-parent education than a niched website strictly for the education workforce. This is evidenced by many parent focused sections included in the educator sections. Relationship to Work, Family, & Community: This website is relevant to the class in that it focuses on the early education of children and community projects that might be beneficial to helping them develop skills during their education and also advocate for the home and after school programs available to them. Credibility: This is a front for a union operation that seeks to advocate for the wages and benefits of the educator. While there is some subtle delivery of policies and programs that seems very beneficial to all, there are certainly strings attached for the union to be able to benefit. There are several different areas related to wages, tax revenue, and how to squeeze more money out of the government to fund programs related to education - all with a nice little bump for the teachers union. There are also areas of the website related to "supporting" the website and the union through monetary giving. Areas also exist to organize protest rallies, sit-ins, and days off to educate teac

John- I definitely agree that there are other interests at stake here than just the development of early childhood education policies. It looks like the group started out as an unaffiliated proponent of early childhood education and later merged with the AFTEF (nonprofit educational arm of the American Federation of Teachers) after its move from California to Washington, D.C. (surprise, surprise) Hopefully they continue their advocacy work as a neutral party advocating greater need for early childhood education. But, as you state, the website seems less intent on organizing such advocacy efforts and more interested in propagating the union's interests in greater compensation levels for its membership in the early childhood sector. Excellent research on your part. Yours, Mike

Hi John, While I agree that there is linkage to the teachers federation, it seems that there is a strong on enabling child care by focusing on providing support mechanisms for those who are in the profession. I think the credibility is valid in that it is trying to focus on establishment of programs that will reduce turnover, improve compensation, quality and improve public awareness. One of the challenges we face, and it was noted in our studies, are credible, reliable child care programs. There are no easy answers, and while we are challenged to pay for child care, finding quality child care is just as much of a problem. Good research Mitch

Workplace Options http://www.workplaceoptions.com Workplace Options sums up its company mission in one, concise statement: "Strengthening workplace effectiveness through employee engagement and support." From the website, "Workplace Options is a leader in customized work-life and employee support benefits to EAPs, individual companies, government employees, universities, hospitals and other organizations, all over the world. "Currently serving over 32.5 million employees worldwide, Workplace Options has 30 years of experience as a leading work-life services provider, and more than 15 years of experience innovating EAP services outside the U.S. "Founded in Raleigh, NC in 1982, we began our company by providing work-life consulting and training to corporations - including work-life needs assessments, policy development, implementation, and corporate on-site child care center design and development. Then in 1997, we launched a new business model that focused exclusively on providing resource and referral solutions to EAP and third-party organizations. That change allowed Workplace Options to better leverage its expertise in dependent care and convenience referrals and to partner directly with clients to develop and deliver innovative work-life products and services." The website's information regarding the management team at Workplace Options reveals a very strong management team with a wealth of talent and experience in the EAP services industry. Credibility stems from such talented managers as Mary Ellen Gornick, a nationally recognized expert in the employee assistance and work-life industry and Rita Piper, with 30 years experience as a work-life/wellness professional, trainer, project administrator, account manager and sales executive. Workplace Options website brings availability of services to the web in an on-demand capacity. Some of the services provided include dependent care assistance, support for care of an elderly relative, and a compr

Workplace Options website brings availability of services to the web in an on-demand capacity. Some of the services provided include dependent care assistance, support for care of an elderly relative, and a comprehensive work-life website with a comprehensive library of online resources for a wide variety of issues around parenting, elder care, relationships, wellness, work, and everyday life. Further, content includes over 5,000 regularly updated articles, 45 financial calculators, 70 interactive health and emotional health assessments, 77 streaming audio, and over 300 video files covering a range of health and emotional health topics, over 100 ready to use legal documents, and 92 SkillBuilder online training programs. Homepage content such as featured articles and polls are updated monthly, and website resources are reviewed and updated daily. Users can also take advantage of 9 interactive self-search locators for: child care, elder care, adoption, education, pet sitting, private and public colleges, volunteer opportunities, and attorneys. In addition, webinars are available each month on a different work-life topic. Previous webinars are archived for easy download. A Spanish version of the Advantage Work-Life Website is also available. Workplace Options is more of a globally-based provider than Deer Oaks (my first website review) is. As such, I feel that the nature of their programs is more universal and less company- generated than that of Deer Oaks' programs. However, the work-life website could be a good starting point for members to understand the options available in dealing with their own personal work-life issues.

Interesting review Michael. As I looked at the site, I found it similar to Work and Family Conflict, another site that essentially is in business to sell employers methods to make employees more efficient. While establishing the basis for driving employee engagement, it does so on the employees back. Selling employers tools they can use to garner the best employees, while at the same time also laying a foundation to minimize their overall impact. For myself, the credibility of this site is lacking as it has the employer in mind more than the employee. Work Life balance is a product that can be bought and sold. Mitch

Website Name: Family Life Project URL: http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~flp/index.cfm Website Overview: The Family Life Project focuses their study on child development, particularly on children living in rural areas. This project is interesting as it follows the lives of a number of children from birth through their second grade school. Specifically, they are focusing on the temperament and the competence of the children, as well as, any outside factors that affects children from low-income families. Intended Audience: The intended audience for the Family Life Project is both families and educational organizations. Critique: The Family Life Project is a joint study amongst The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Penn State University, the National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The website provides a detailed list of the key staff responsible for overseeing the study, which leads to the sites credibility. The site offers a brief overview of the study, but provides little in the way of detailed information. Although, the site provides a fair amount of information under the FAQ link, the user will have to search the various organizational links provided. Overall, the information within the site is easy to understand and the website itself is simple to navigate.

The website is easy to navigate, but information seems to be limited, and out of date. The last recorded newsletter or update i could find was from 'Winter 2009". This report detailed some results from their 48 month study, but it would be interesting to see what kind of metrics they found at 60 months, and even 72.

The site is interesting but if the community knows certain children are being "followed", I believe that will throw off the results of their studies. However, it is good for the community because they are coming together for their children...just as a community should. I wish neighborhoods were a little more like they were in the old days when it was safe to walk down the street.

Website Name: Military Family Research Institute URL: http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/mfri/public/Default.aspx Website Overview: Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) recognizes the challenges and sacrifices military families endure due to deployments and relocations. Their mission is to strengthen community involvement, support educational goals, and to create policies and programs the help support and improve the quality of life for military families. Intended Audience: The intended audience is both civilian and military families living in Indiana, and throughout the United States. Critique: The website is credible as it is an extension of Purdue University. There are several links that provide access to ongoing research studies, not-for-profit organizations, and several partners of MFRI, such as, Career Learning and Employment Center for Veterans with Disabilities (CLEC). They do not appear to be selling or advertising products. The website is full of useful information and seems aimed at educating its intended audience. Relationship to work, family, community class: MFRI seems to understand the struggles that military families face and are actively trying to lessen some of their burdens, especially with education. There are several links to grants and higher education programs made available to military families. Also, MFRI actually offers a $1500 grant to community organizations that work toward helping military families. Other comments: I liked that MFRI are actively working with military families to see where they can use a helping hand. For example, based on communications with military families, MFRI created a report discussing the challenges that veterans often face when being introduced to the college environment. They took initiative and are trying to make the transition from military life to civilian life easier on these individuals and their families.

How can you go wrong with a website that opens to "Operation: Hire A Hoosier Vet Career Fair"! The Veterans Administration estimates that there are more than 22.7 million US veterans today. http://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/quickfacts/Population-slideshow.pdf I believe that with the end of hostilities in Iraq, and as the draw down in Afghanistan looms, we will see more returning vets facing an stagnant economy, and its good to know there are resources available for aiding in the process of re-integration.

One thing I noticed is that the site lists five goals, but doesn't really say how they plan to reach them. They should tell what they're doing to reach these goals. Also, like you mentioned, these deployed military members will be coming back to a stagnant economy; how do they intend to address that? If they are finishing their time in the military, they're going to need jobs. We don't exactly have many jobs right now, so I think this should be the major concentration.

Website Name: Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) URL: www.aafcs.org Website overview: This websites vision is "AAFCS is recognized as the driving force in bringing people together to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities." The website tries to provide leadership and support to professionals who work with or assists families and communities. They work to help families and communities make informed decision about their "well being, relationships and resources to achieve optimal quality of life." The members consist of educators, human service and business professionals, administrators and managers, researchers, and community volunteers. They assist by offering affiliate memberships, journals, networking and leadership opportunities, conferences and research grants. They do this by connecting professionals with different practices and provide researched-based knowledge about everyday life topics. The organization was founded in 1909. Intended Audience: Business professionals that work with families and communities. To see some of the information on the website you have to become a member. Relationship to work, family, community class: I think this relates to the class by offering information to those that assist us. If you are a member they offer ongoing education to assist families "achieve optimal quality of life" which is pretty much all of our goals. Other comments: I found this website when I was looking up another I had seen while working. I had initially looked up Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and this was an affiliate. So I clicked the link and read through the information. This website seemed to be authentic and credible, when you type in their name there is a hit in the online encyclopedia, it has a copy right date and give plenty of contact information. After reading and reviewing the website, I am not sure how this helps, my guess is people that want to make a change or help

Other comments: I found this website when I was looking up another I had seen while working. I had initially looked up Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and this was an affiliate. So I clicked the link and read through the information. This website seemed to be authentic and credible, when you type in their name there is a hit in the online encyclopedia, it has a copy right date and give plenty of contact information. After reading and reviewing the website, I am not sure how this helps, my guess is people that want to make a change or help their communities become members and are giving the tools and education to be able to do it more effectively. There did not seem to be any bias, just the opportunity to become a member and be connected. Looks like not all of this material made it on either.

Interesting review, Kassandra. I was fascinated to find out about the field of FCS. I had no idea of its existence. Quality of life as seen from a family-based point of view would seem to be at the core of many of the issues we discussed this semester. This seems to be a very well-designed website. I wish the organization could do a better job of making its existence known to the general public! I feel that they have alot to offer in the way of ideas and strategies for families to use in the pursuit of optimal well being. Take care, Mike

Deer Oaks- A Behavioral Health Organization http://www.deeroaks.com/ From the company's posted mission statement, Deer Oaks is a large behavioral healthcare organization offering Employee Assistance, Elder Assistance, and psychological assessment and treatment services throughout the United States. Of particular interest to our class, Deer Oaks offers Employee Assistance Program services to 'public and private companies. From the website, "founded in 1992, Deer Oaks EAP Services is a premier provider of Employee Assistance, Work/Life, and Health & Wellness Programs serving over 1 million members throughout North America. Deer Oaks offers public and private employer groups short-term counseling and work/life services that positively impact employee morale, medical claims, turnover, and supervisor effectiveness." As far as intended audience, this is a commercial website intended for the members of employer groups that subscribe to the services that Deer Oaks provides. Employees have 24-hour access to the Deer Oaks website to receive resources to balance work and family life. Through the website, employees can receive information regarding Deer Oaks services, answer self-assessment questionnaires and schedule appointments. The website features online support chats, message boards, questionnaires, monthly educational newsletters, an online library and an online magazine. The website also offers web-based seminars and information on a wide variety of topics, including wellness, family and workplace issues, financial and legal concerns. I find the website quite credible as a review of the credentials of the senior members of the organization shows them to be highly trained and qualified to perform their jobs. A number of them have received Doctorates in clinical psychology and seem well qualified to direct programs designed to assist employees attempting to balance work and life commitments. The range of assistance provided under the EAP plan is quite extensive a

The range of assistance provided under the EAP plan is quite extensive and would be an attractive benefit to anyone working for a company that sponsored such a plan. From the website, some of the services provided include: Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessments, Telephone Triage, Individual, Marital, Family, and Group Psychotherapies, Clinical Coordination and Consultation Services, Crisis Intervention Services, Supervisor/Manager Training, Psycho-Educational In-Services, Appropriate Referrals for Financial, Legal, or Health Plan Needs. Types of issues addressed through these services can include: Depression, Anxiety, Interpersonal, Familial, or Marital Conflicts, Grief: Death and Dying, ADHD and Conduct Problems, Substance Abuse, Stress Management, Childcare/Eldercare, Occupational issues, Crisis Management, Workplace Violence, Trauma: Abuse / Neglect, Domestic Violence, Financial, Health, or Legal Difficulties. Programs of particular interest include the following: Legal Assist Through Legal Assist, participants have free access to vital legal information on the Deer Oaks website, including a library of legal documents (with legal information on eldercare, domestic violence and family health) and a small claims and consumer "self-help" series, as well as access to online document preparation. Participants also have access to telephone information and services from a full service legal and financial Consumer Resource Center. Program participants are entitled to free preparation of a simple will by an attorney, and professional review of many types of legal documents. Find Now Childcare and Eldercare Program The Find Now program is designed to assist participants with caring for children and / or aging parents. The resources of this program make the search for licensed, regulated, and inspected childcare and eldercare services in each community an accessible and streamlined process. Online databases are available for searches. In addition, child and geriatric psych

Website Name: When Work Works URL: www.whenworkworks.org Website Overview: This website is dedicated to bringing research on workplace effectiveness and flexibility into community and business practices. They share this information with Employers allowing them access to the research and the ability for them to compare practices. They also share with job seekers and employees to inform them on which flex is best and how to ask for our about flex. They also share with community leaders and offer tips on how to build coalitions and movements to help get communities started. This information is open to the public for review. You get to choose what you are (employer, employee or community leader) and download helpful information. When Work Works also offers an award for "exemplary employers", it is the Alfred P Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. The website is dedicated to showing employers how flexibility can benefit them and their employees. The website states that When Work Works is a project of Families and Work Institute and The Society for Human Resource Management. Intended Audience: Employers, Jobseekers and Employees, and Community Leaders. Relationship to work, family, community class: This website offers research information to employers, employees and communities to help them understand how flexibility in the work place can work for us all. Most all of us have families and can benefit from learning how employers can be more flexible and how we as employees can obtain the flexibility from them. Other Comments: I questioned the validity of the website briefly because in one location it said the inception was in 2005 and in another it said 2004. It also mentioned partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at one time where another said the two partners I mentioned earlier. However, for contact information the emails are sent to familiesandwork.org, therefore you can truly see that they are partnered with this other work-

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Other Comments: I questioned the validity of the website briefly because in one location it said the inception was in 2005 and in another it said 2004. It also mentioned partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at one time where another said the two partners I mentioned earlier. However, for contact information the emails are sent to familiesandwork.org, therefore you can truly see that they are partnered with this other work-family resource. They also have links to the research Perhaps the date could have been a human typo or could have been referring to two different issues. The website is small, however if you click on the links for employers, jobseekers and/or employees, or community leaders there is a lot of information for them. There didn't seem to have any built in bias and yes there were links to several areas of research. Although the site seemed small and seemed to have only a little information, there were links to more information. It did not make the website seem overwhelming or full of useless information. Plus I like the fact that they had user specific downloads to offer assistance. Unlike the other website I reviewed and was unsure how they actually helped this one was pretty clear cut. I did not realize this was cut off, my apologies.

http://www.stayhitched.com/balance.htm This website is called marriage success training, with the tagline of building the foundation for your lifetime together. They sell seminars for engaged couples who want premarital counseling. They cover many issues that engaged couples encounter from cohabitation, relationships with each other's families, and even how long couples should wait following the wedding to have children. The intended audience of this website seems to be couples, who are considering marriage. Either engaged or considering getting engaged. The knowledge assumed is that you are either an engaged heterosexual couple or a newly married couple. The information on this site seems reliable as a counseling resource for couples. This website does have bias towards religion and spirituality, even though it says there is no specific religion as its basis. On the homepage there are reviews from prior users of these services. They are quoted in the New York Times, as well as seen on WNBC TV news. They are holding seminars in Chicago next spring. They have Facebook pages as well as Twitter. I looked at their Facebook page, it looks like they don't really keep up on it, and they only have 75 fans. I think that any avenue that keeps a couple communicating is a positive thing for a relationship. This website did discuss many valid points for couples that may be entering that next phase of life that would encounter. In relationship to Work, Family, and Community this website brought up many good discussion topics for couples, such as how would household work be divided, would one parent stay home with children, and many other topics that may be otherwise taken for granted in a young relationship situation.

Help! Without an associated name, I'm having trouble figuring out who amers921 is. Please identify yourself so I can give you credit for posting your website review.

An interesting website, and there are some gems of information spread throughout. I especially liked the following pages of the website... http://www.stayhitched.com/mother.htm http://www.stayhitched.com/finance.htm Two of the most stressful parts of a new marriage, the moms of the parents, and struggling with the finances!

Work-Life Blog Work-Life Program Self-Audit Categories of Work-Life Booklet Useful Links Work-Life Groups Articles and Surveys Videos Work-Life Professionals on the Move WorldatWork Bookstore About Total Rewards Work-Life Rising Star Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research

Web site review-www.awlp.org Alliance for Work-Life Progress This website addresses the work life advances from a personal standpoint, national perspetive and a global or corporate progression toward work-life (family) strategies. There are options to join the free world at work online community. There are stories from work life professionals and even stories about men and work life integration. There are several options to even go further into some other details with resources, work-life events and even awareness of national work and family month which is October. There are options to blogs, this website also have information regarding awards for onnocation and excellence in research for work-family. The intended audience for this website includes work-life professionals including professionals, employers, employees and service providers. There is information for both employees and employers for best practices and ideas for new strategies for initiatives on how to be a successful work life professional. There are several ideas for employers and employees and actual worksheets and questionnaire to evaluate or make flixible work arrangements and determining additional benefits. This web site appears to be very credible, there are no ads or promotions on this web site. There are options to join with an online community but it doesn't appear to be a solicitation for any other advertisement. There are some great tools and tips on this site as well as free e-books for workplace flexibility and some great learning options to better fit work and life together. This web site is a definate relationship with our work family and community class and would even share it with most of my work, family, and friends to help build awareness with employers as well some options for a better balance between work and home. Some of the tools offered on this site can be a start of anyones' initiative to build better bene

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URL: http://www.timeday.org Website Overview: Take Back Your Time is a major US/Canadian initiative to challenge the epidemic of over-work, over-scheduling and time famine that now threatens our health, our families and relationships, our communities and environment. The purpose of the website is to bring individuals and organizations together in support of a public policy agenda to guarantee paid leave for all parents for the birth or adoption of a child, guarantee at least one week of paid sick leave for all workers, guarantee at least three weeks of paid annual vacation leave for all workers, placing a limit on the amount of compulsory overtime work that an employer can impose, making Election Day a holiday, and making it easier for Americans to choose part-time work. Intended Audience: The content on the website is geared toward individuals and organizations affected by work-family issues. It intends to speak to the needs for time poverty relief that millions of Americans share. Critique: The Take Back Your Time website is an advocacy site. Although it provides a great deal of useful information about the issue, its main purpose is to raise awareness by supporting a movement that seeks a "more balanced American life" by encouraging all types of programs to win back time, whether on a personal level or by enacting legislation locally and nationally. I found the information provided on the site to be credible. Everything is directly related to education on and support of their "Time to Care" agenda. The organizations that they partner with (the Moms Rising Web Site and www.MassCouncilOfChurches.org) show further evidence of their credibility.

John de Graaf is the national coordinator of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME, and a frequent speaker on issues of overwork and over-consumption in America. He is often a guest lecturer on college campuses. John is the co-author of the best-selling AFFLUENZA: THE ALL-CONSUMING EPIDEMIC (Berrett-Koehler, 2001/2005-now published in eight other languages as well.). He is also the editor of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME (Berrett-Koehler, 2003) and of the children's book, DAVID BROWER: FRIEND OF THE EARTH (Henry Holt, 1992). He also wrote the first chapter ("Childhood Affluenza") of the American Academy of Pediatrics' seminal book on childhood, ABOUT CHILDREN (2004). His articles have been published in dozens of magazines. John has worked with KCTS-TV, the Seattle PBS affiliate, for 24 years, as an independent producer of television documentaries. More than 15 of his programs have been broadcast in Prime Time nationally on PBS. He is also the recipient of more than 100 regional, national and international awards for film-making, including three Emmy awards. Relationship to work, family, community class: Take Back Your Time agenda relates to work, family, community class because their mission is to reduce the Time Bind and relieve the strain that families have when trying to balance work, family, and community responsibilities. The agenda is focused on uniting groups who seldom talk to each other -- family values conservatives and the women's movement, labor unions and environmentalists, clergy and doctors, advocates for social justice, enlightened business leaders and the "slow food" and "simple living" movements creating awareness of emerging family-work issues. The Agenda also recognizes that Working Americans and their families are imploding from a 24/7 workplace with no boundaries and we need time to care for our children, our families, our communities, our religious and spiritual lives, and ourselves. These are all topics that we have discussed in the course.

General Observations: A few things (statistics) that I learned about Work, Family & Community by exploring the site: -163 of 168 countries guarantee paid leave for mothers in connection with childbirth. 45 countries offer such leave to fathers. The U.S. does neither. - 139 countries guarantee paid sick leave. The U.S. does not. - 96 countries guarantee paid annual (vacation) leave. The U.S. does not - 84 countries have laws that fix a maximum limit on the workweek. The U.S. does not. - 37 countries guarantee parents paid time off when children are sick. The U.S. does not. Other comments: I thought that the website was both informative and educating. It enforces a great initiative that is based on collaboration, between individuals and organizations, to satisfy a clearly stated agenda.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is a research and public policy organization dealing with issues such as minority public policy, minority political participation and minority health policy

The website is a key tool in disseminating the in-depth research, analysis, and other resources that the Joint Center contributes to the nation's public policy discussions. Relationship to work, family, community class: The Joint Center for Political and Economical Studies relates to work, family, community class because the joint center is focused on providing a forum for discussion and policy action on issues of critical interest in the black community. The mission of the Civic Engagement and Governance Initiative is to explore new avenues for increasing and enhancing the effectiveness of political participation by minority citizens, as well as providing them with tools for civic engagement and opportunities to advance their skills. One of the topics that we covered in the class was Community which is described as being based on the idea that what we share exceeds what divides us, and that we gain more by working together than alone. The Joint Center is all about working together. General Observations: By exploring the site I learned that The Joint Center formed the National Policy Alliance. This alliance is comprised of key membership organizations representing black elected and appointed officials at every level of government to provide a forum for discussion and policy action on issues of critical interest in the black community. Today, on issues ranging from job creation and the economy to environmental concerns and equitable access for quality health care, the NPA is active and engaged in giving voice to more than 11,000 African American leaders and the millions of constituents they represent.

According to the website, the Joint Center for Political and Economical Studies is the leading national public policy institute focused on issues affecting African Americans and other people of color. The Joint Center works with legislators, policy makers, civil rights organizations, and advocacy groups to identify effective public policy solutions that ensure the inclusion of diverse voices in the national debate. Other comments: I thought that the website was both informative and educating and provides an open forum for exchange of information and ideas.

The Future of Children is an organization that focuses on the best social science research about children and youth translated into information that useful to many groups (policymakers, practitioners, grant-makers, advocates, the media, etc.). The organization is a collaboration of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and the Brookings Institution. The research, articles, and other information on this site are written in non-technical terms for easy understanding by a wide range of readers. At first glance, and after a deeper dive into the site, it appears to be a credible source of information. It is free of advertisements and other marketing propaganda. As well, the collaboration between a renowned and accredited university (Princeton) and a Washington D.C.-based public policy organization (Brookings) suggest the resources available on the site are factual and reliable. There are several sub-sites to the parent site: - About: o Overall explanation of the organization, its goals and mission. o People: credentials of the varying level of contributors to the site's content. o Policies and Procedures: copyright information and guidance on how to cite content from the site. - Publications: o A wide variety of literature written by Princeton and Brookings contributors. o Includes journals, executive summaries, policy briefs, article summaries, journal highlights, and research data and figures. - Media: o Press releases, newsletters, other honorable mentions in the media. - Events: o Provides information on upcoming events hosted by, or affiliated with, the Future of Children organization. - Webcasts - FAQs - Resources - Blog While the name of the site suggests that its contents are directly related to children (policies and practices that affect them), there is just as much content that is indirectly related.

[Continued...] Many of the webcasts and written literature relate to marriage and family, work-life, diversity in children, community and school research, civic engagement, military transition, etc. This is website is not full of fuzzy, feel-good literature. It is research-based content which is a great source of reference for the facts.

Website Overview: Labor Project for Working Families is based around a vision of a multicultural work place that values the rights of families in the work force. They were established in 1992 is a non-profit that build relationships with family oriented organizations with the focus on fighting for family rights. They focus on unions as a source to build long term relationships and leverage employers to gain more family rights and values in the work place. Intended Audience: Working families. Critique: After reviewing the site for only a short period of time I could tell this organization was very pro-union and utilized them as the backbone of their support center. This website was less non-partisan then Families and Work Institute which I reviewed earlier. I liked the approach of using such powerful tools such as unions however I think the website could have been more balanced in their views of unions. The site was well put together and mapped clearly with little repeat information. Their annual reports were completely up to date available to be viewed. The information within the reports clearly backed up their mission statement and objectives. Very few other sites make financial information as readily available as did Labor Project. Overall they communicated their message well and demonstrated their value as a non-profit. Relationship to work, family, community, class: The Labor Projects for Working Families was clearly focused on creating awareness for the working families and the importance of family rights. They created a link between the power of unions and the benefit of working with employers to rally around family values and benefits. The use of strategic partnerships seems to be effective by their annual reports and use of diversity tracking with employers. I could quickly tell the focus on family rights after reviewing the website. Respecting the diversity and place of family is a core value for Labor Projects and one I clearly support. Overall

Based on the information you have given, and by reviewing the website myself, I do believe this a credible source. I understood the organization's purpose of building alliances between unions and the community groups for workers to be able to have family leave, paid sick days, and flexibility. Like you said, they are very pro unions which means they could possibly only see this side of an argument. I was impressed how the website was clearly mapped out, how much information was provided, and the purpose of the organization as a whole. They truly believed in building a family friendly workplace, and like you said, I would also support that. Your review was very good, after reviewing the website I realized you did I nice job of explaining the purpose and hitting the main points. It does look like the word count deleted some of your work, and I am interested in what else you have to say about this organization. Nice work overall!!

Continuation of earlier comments...it cut off the last couple sentences. Overall I thought the website was put together and support the content clearly however the agenda and political views of the website nearly over shadowed the purpose behind the organization. Dan Robertson